As Apple’s proprietary Lightning slowly becomes obsolete, the company is transitioning everything to USB-C. The latest change sees the company’s Magic lineup of Mac accessories make the switch. So is it worth the upgrade?

New USB-C Trackpads, Keyboards and Mice

You can now buy Apple’s Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad with USB-C charging ports on Apple’s Store. Three variations of the Magic Keyboard are now available with USB-C ports: the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad ($179), the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID ($149) and the Magic Keyboard ($99).

You should be able to find the Lightning versions of these peripherals available at a slight discount. Apple’s online store has the Lightning version of the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keyboard available for $129, $50 cheaper than its USB-C successor.

Expect retailers like Best Buy to have plenty of stock of the old versions, but also to take note of what you’re buying (particularly if USB-C is important to you) to avoid any disappointment.

The USB-C Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad are all available in black or white. Expect to pay a price premium for the black version (purely for the paint job). Apple is shipping USB-C accessories with its refreshed iMac desktop and the older Mac Pro.

No Changes Beyond USB-C

Apart from the move to USB-C, there’s nothing special about these new accessories. They’re using the same tried-and-tested (and sometimes detested) designs that Apple has relied on since they were first introduced in 2015.

That means the Magic Mouse still has its charging port on the bottom of the device, which is something we’d have expected the company to have addressed by now. Sure, you don’t need to charge the mouse very often but it’s still a very silly decision.

For that reason, there’s basically no reason to upgrade. If your old accessories are holding up, you should probably run them into the ground before coughing up a few hundred dollars for replacements.

The only drawback to having a set of Lightning accessories is having to keep a Lightning cable somewhere near your desk. If you have an iPhone 14 or older, you probably have plenty of these lying around. Even if you’re living your best USB-C life, Lightning adapters are cheap.

Are Apple Peripherals Worth It?

The Magic Trackpad is the best capacitive touch input of its kind. There are all sorts of reasons you should have one, whether you use a desktop Mac or a MacBook on a desk. They’re pricey, but nothing comes close.

Apple’s other accessories aren’t so easy to recommend to everyone. It’s easy to fall in love with the Magic Keyboard if you like Apple’s low-profile, barely-any-travel typing experience. Some people hate it, and much prefer typing on a mechanical keyboard instead.

Personally, I ran back to the Magic Keyboard after trialing a (genuinely good) low-profile mechanical keyboard for a while. It all comes down to what you’re used to. If you’re moving from a built-in MacBook keyboard to a desktop setup, you’ll probably find that Magic Keyboard offers the path of least resistance when it comes to typing at speed.

The Magic Mouse, however, is probably best avoided. Not only does it feel overpriced, but its ergonomics are questionable, it lacks a physical scroll wheel or additional buttons, and then there’s the charging port. The best mouse for your Mac could be cheaper and far more comfortable.

Remember that most Windows pointing peripherals work with the Mac, so check out our best mice roundup for some recommendations.

No changes beyond a USB-C refresh isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You aren’t missing out on anything by sticking with your old gear. With the exception of the Magic Mouse, most of these aren’t broken so it’s probably best that Apple decided against “fixing” them.