The Logitech cordless desktop package contains a keyboard, mouse and a media remote, as well as a CD of drivers and software, including Logitech’s own MediaLife suite. It’s not a bad deal for $151, but it’s not that spectacular either when you consider the quality.

The keyboard itself is nice; slim and perfect for shoving in a backpack to use with a laptop or sticking in an entertainment unit for use with a HTPC. The keys are relatively quiet and there’s plenty of extra buttons for performing tasks such as adjusting audio volume, zooming in and out and launching your media player of choice. Annoyingly, the SetPoint software overrides some common Windows shortcuts, including F5 for refreshing a web page. Aside from this, however, it’s a decent little keyboard.

Next we come to the mouse, which is a standard two button, one wheel affair. It’s a strange beast: tiny in size with a high back, meaning it would be awfully comfortable to use for a large portion of the population. It feels and looks cheap. When you consider the price of the package, it’s simply not good enough.

On the other hand, the remote is actually half decent and a handy little tool. While the average punter might not use it for their desktop, those who pick the package up for their HTPC are sure to be impressed. It’s nice and compact and handles most of the functions you’d expect, including volume control and the ability to launch your media player of choice. That said, some sort of thumb stick or touchpad for controlling the cursor would have been nice. It’s compatible with a wide range of programs, including Logitech MediaLife and Windows Media Player. We did have issues using it with WinAMP – while we could perform most functions, the play/pause button behaved strangely.

The Logitech cordless desktop package isn’t terrible. The keyboard and remote are nice enough, although they do suffer from some flaws as has been pointed out. What lets it all down, however, is the mouse. To put it simply it’s amazing it even managed to get past testing; as it’s just plain painful to use. If you already have a decent mouse sitting around, this isn’t a big deal, but it’s still not good when you’ve just handed over $150. Buy this package if you want, but if you’re after quality, value and a mouse-induced RSI-free future you’d probably be better served elsewhere.