Unboxing and trying the new Logitech Casa Pop-Up Desk [VIDEO]

We’ve already talked quite a bit about the new Logitech Casa Pop-Up Desk here on Chrome Unboxed and on the Chrome Cast Podcast, but things are a bit different now: it’s actually in the office. And in this video, we not only take a look at the design and quality of the components that make up the Casa, but also hook it up to a Chromebook, set up the pop-up desk, and give the whole thing a full spin.

High attention to detail

Upon opening up the packaging, it becomes clear right away that this entire package is considered and thoughtfully designed. From the inside of the box to the way each piece is wrapped up, Logitech clearly put a ton of thought into how people would use and interact with the Casa. And the result is a well-crafted, impressive set of accessories.

Small things stand out like the rubber/silicone band that holds the case shut also wraps around to the bottom to provide some solid traction. The sections that hold the keyboard and trackpad (Casa Keys and Casa Touch) have a small cutout underneath both accessories so you can remove them by pressing down ever so slightly on the bottom portion of either one. And the top portion of the case magnetically attaches to the base to form the laptop stand. It’s all just well done.

Works with Chromebook certified

But all that craftsmanship would be moot if the accessories weren’t any good. Thankfully, that is mitigated by the Works With Chromebook certification. Both the Casa Touch and Casa Keys pair up quickly with your Chromebook and the included shortcut keys for the keyboard and gestures for the trackpad work right out of the gate with no need to adjust anything.

It’s early and I’ve yet to spend a ton of time with the accessories just yet, but I love the fact that we don’t need a dongle of any sort to get up and running with the Casa. Once you are paired, you simply open the case, engage the keyboard and trackpad, and you are connected right away.

A surprisingly elegant solution

But again, a great aesthetic and great connectivity would be wasted if the keyboard was poorly made and the trackpad was aggravating to use. Thankfully, neither of those is the case, and the keyboard feels as good as anything I’ve ever typed on while the trackpad is glass, smooth and fun to use.

While the Casa Keys shines as an impressive keyboard by simply providing a knock-out typing experience, the Casa Touch is unique in the fact that it handles clicks in a way I’ve never seen on a trackpad. Though not a haptic solution like we see with Apple’s Magic Trackpad 2 or the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook, the Casa Touch enables a physical click on all parts of the glass surface and feels the exact same in every spot. It’s a pretty cool trick, and it makes using this device so easy and so approachable.

A lot of testing is yet to be done before I truly review it, but the Casa Pop-Up Desk is clearly impressing me early. I need to test on multiple devices and with a Logitech dongle to round out the experience, but I can safely say that for the quality, design, and simplicity on offer by these 3 accessories that are packaged up beautifully in the Casa, I think the $179 asking price is right on track. You’d have a tough time assembling a desktop setup of this quality for less, and none of it would pack away nearly as nice. I’m very much looking forward to my full review time.