These snazzy keyboard decals from MyBanana are a relatively cheap and simple way to add a splash of color and protection to your Mac.

Priced at £17 ($27), and available in a number of styles — including Lego bricks and rainbows — the decals are made from a waterproof vinyl that’s designed to last, no matter how often your greasy fingers caress them throughout the day.

If you want to protect your Mac’s keys from everyday wear and tear, these decals could be ideal. But do they work?

The Good

The first thing I have to note with these decals is that they look great. If you’re a creative type who likes to plaster everything in stickers to brighten it up, these will turn your boring black and white keys into little blocks of color. They’re also easy to apply — simply peel off each sticker and stick them straight onto your keys (after they’ve been cleaned).

Once applied, the decals are pretty strong; they don’t peel too easily, and they’re certainly not going to move or become unstuck from everyday typing. What’s more, they feel no different from the actual keys themselves, so you’ll be able to type just as quickly as you did on a naked keyboard.

Because the stickers are vinyl, they’ll take a lot of use before they start showing any signs of wear and tear. I’ve been using mine for a number of months, and almost all of my keys look as good as new (more on this in a moment) — and I use my keyboard non-stop for about nine hours a day. You can also wipe the keys clean with a wet cloth without damaging them.

Arguably the best use for these decals, however, is preserving your Mac’s keyboard. While Apple’s keyboards generally hold up well over the years, they do lose their new feel very quickly — after just a few days of using my Retina MacBook Pro, my keys had already lost their matte look and gone shiny.

If this is something you’d like to avoid, then these decals are a great way to do it. They’re certainly better than those silicone keyboard covers that are just horrible to type on.

The Bad

The biggest issue I had with these decals is using them with my MacBook Pro — they completely block out the backlighting, making typing in low light a less enjoyable affair. This isn’t an issue if you’re using them on an Apple wireless keyboard, but it is when you’re using them on an Apple notebook.

The other problem I experienced is that one of my keys began peeling at the corner after several weeks of use. MyBanana assures me that this is an isolated incident, and I only experienced it with one key out of two sets of decals, so I’m inclined to agree. But it’s something you’ll want to look out for.

Finally, this isn’t exactly an issue, but something that I must note: once the decals have been removed, they cannot be reapplied. They’re only good for one use, so if you decide to take them off, you’ll need a new set to replace them.

The Verdict

MyBanana’s decals may not be ideal for your MacBook if you’re attached to its backlit keys, but they are a great way to add some bright colors to your machine and protect its keyboard without spending too much cash. They also look pretty great once they’re applied — particularly the Lego set.

[xrr rating = 60%]