Summary
- Dedicated media keys provide a more convenient and intuitive way to control media.
- Custom key bindings are a suboptimal workaround for keyboards lacking media controls.
- Consider external options like the Elgato Stream Deck, but be aware that they can be costly.
Having dedicated media keys on your keyboard isn’t just a luxury—if you listen to as much music as I do, they’re essential. After switching from a keyboard with media controls to one without, I quickly realized just how much I depended on them.
It’s easy to see why media controls are so convenient. You can play, pause, track forward and backward, mute, and adjust volume with a knob or slider directly from your keyboard.
Without them, you’re stuck using the Fn layer (e.g., press Fn+F7 to play or pause) to control media, which, while functional, is a hassle. Reaching for them and having to memorize the exact key combinations or looking down at the legends on the keycaps can interrupt your workflow. If you switch to custom keycaps, the legends might not even be there.
Simply put, dedicated media controls make it easier to manage your media. They’re in a more intuitive location (usually the top-right corner), so you spend less time hunting for shortcuts. You can skip through your entire playlist without ever having to switch to Spotify. Your hands stay on the keyboard, letting you focus on your task without sacrificing control over your music.
In meetings, you can use media controls to manage videos or slideshows, as most browsers support these keys for seamless control. You won’t have to fumble with your mouse to find the right on-screen buttons, so you’ll appear more professional with your smooth, effortless media control. Similarly, media keys can be configured in productivity apps if you’re doing video editing or music production.
With the volume knob/slider or mute button, you can quickly mute all sounds coming from your PC so that you can hear someone or something. Fortunately, my new Ajazz AK820 Pro retains this feature, as the volume knob can push to mute—though I still sorely miss the dedicated track controls that my Corsair K70 had. They were perfect for quickly muting music when I needed to focus on a video without distractions.
Corsair K70 PRO
The Corsair K70 PRO is a well-rounded mechanical keyboard, featuring a durable aluminum frame, impressive switches, and an included wrist rest.
Custom Key Bindings Are a Suboptimal Band-Aid Fix
If your keyboard doesn’t have media keys, there’s a good chance that it at least has an equivalent under the Fn (function) layer. As I briefly explained above, you can control media by combining the Fn key with the F-keys. The exact layout depends on your keyboard; for instance, on my model, Fn+F6 is Previous Track, Fn+F7 is Play/Pause, and Fn+F8 is Next Track. These combinations are spaced far apart and require muscle memory to press accurately without looking.
Because of this inconvenience, I came up with an alternative: creating custom key bindings for media controls. I use the Page Up and Page Down buttons for Play/Pause and Next Track. This way, I have two of my most used media controls instantly accessible in a convenient spot on my keyboard. I don’t have to look at my keyboard and try to remember which Fn layer combination I need to hit.
However, this also meant having to sacrifice my PgUp and PgDn buttons, which is a shame because they’re surprisingly useful. If my keyboard had dedicated media keys, I’d still have access to these two keys. This solution also requires you to have a keyboard with decent software that can handle rebinds and won’t randomly stop working. Alternatively, you can use third-party key mapping tools.
Another drawback of using key bindings or Fn-hotkeys instead of dedicated media buttons is feedback. Windows 10 displayed a media control pop-up whenever I pressed a media key, providing visual confirmation. However, since I switched to Windows 11, this feature has been removed; virtual media controls are now located out of sight in the Action Center.
When I skip a track, I don’t see visual confirmation that my key press was registered, making it unclear whether the system has recognized the input. This is especially bad when my system freezes, as I end up pressing the keys multiple times unnecessarily.
A Stream Deck Would Be an Expensive Alternative
Dedicated media keys don’t have to be on the keyboard to work; they just have to exist on your desk. If you already have a keyboard that you like, you could get an Elgato Stream Deck (MK.2) and map your media controls (along with numerous other useful customizable buttons). Unfortunately, as cool and useful as the Elgato Stream Deck is, it costs as much as a good keyboard with media keys. A more budget-friendly option is the cheaper and smaller Elgato Stream Deck Neo or Elgato Stream Deck Mini to get your media keys along with a few customizable buttons.
Elgato Stream Deck MK.2
A fully-customizable 15-button desktop controller for content creators, quick actions, and maximizing productivity.
For something even cheaper, you could opt for an alternative product like this generic macro pad or even use a spare phone or tablet with the Deckboard app. However, these solutions might lag, glitch, and just not work as well as a Stream Deck.
Related
Elgato Stream Deck+ Review: Potential to Dial in Productivity
Elgato’s Stream Deck+ introduces dials to its customizable LCD buttons, but they may not be impactful to everyone.
While there are a few workarounds if your keyboard doesn’t have dedicated media keys, it’s ultimately more convenient to buy a model that includes them. You can always mod your keyboard with media keys or swap out the switches (easier if it’s a hot-swappable model) to get a nicer keyboard, but you can’t add functionality that wasn’t built in from the start. Fortunately, there are plenty of keyboards with media keys to suit all preferences.
Source link
