The one feature in a remote that should be standard is RF technology, or at least an option. RF enables hidden components to be controlled, which is ideal for those of you with hidden components. Well Logitech must have mind readers as designers because with the Harmony 890 the RF technology is included. Actually it comes with a RF-to-IR receiver. It measures out at 8.1 inches long by 2.3 inches wide by 1.3 inches deep. It’s fairly light at only 5.8 ounces. The look of it is sleek in a silvery finish.

One thing that stands out in the 890 is its LCD screen. It’s larger than Logitech’s monochrome models and because the screen is larger it offers room for 8 contextual icons, rather than the conventional 6 icons. The screen’s color isn’t anything to scream about with its 128x160-pixel color display, and even though it’s adequate enough for what it was designed to do – Logitech could’ve made the icons a little more readable on the screen.

The buttons on the remote are hard plastic, which is better than the rubbery soft buttons featured on some Harmony remotes. But the buttons are too close to each other, so naturally it is hard to operate by touch. You have to look down to make sure you press pause instead of stop and so on. This is just a little pet-peeve that some of us theater enthusiasts have, so maybe the buttons being too close won’t bother the casual home theater fans out there. One more thing about the button layout, almost every button is backlit, so that alone gives the remote a few extra points.

And just like other Logitech Harmony remotes, the 890 has a docking station for recharging its lithium-ion battery, and it also has the motion sensor technology that turns the remote on when it is picked up. The 890 also allows digital images to be added to it to be used as backgrounds and screensavers. You can use your images to display as a slideshow if you wish as well. But be warned; when using pictures as the background image, the icons on the screen will become difficult to read. It’s best to stay with the default blue background.

Like I’d mentioned earlier, you can use RF or IR with the 890. To use RF simply plug in the included RF receiver into an outlet. Next connect the wiry IR blasters to the wireless receiver, then you’ll have to stick each blaster onto the front of your equipment to ensure it’s in line with your component’s IR port. Now if you have multiple components (more than six) or components in different rooms, then you will have to purchase extra Harmony 890 wireless extenders.

Although the 890 isn’t considered to be an upscale remote, it still has some nice features that will make dealing with multiple components a lot easier. Sure there are better remotes on the market, but if you’re looking for a good enough tool for a mid-range home theater setup; the Harmony 890 looks to be a good fit.