Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 review – the 10-year battery life keyboard

The Logitech Signature Slim Photo voltaic+ K980 is a brand new mid-range addition to the corporate’s slim and glossy workplace keyboard lineup with a novel function: a built-in photo voltaic panel. Due to this and an inside battery, this keyboard can final for years with out ever needing to be plugged in.

Years-long battery life is not precisely the very best precedence for most individuals studying our greatest gaming keyboard patrons’ information, however there are a great deal of conditions the place it is a very nice-to-have function. To see simply how good, we put Logitech’s newest to the check over the course of some weeks, which clearly is not wherever close to sufficient to check the bounds of this keyboard’s longevity, however because of Logitech’s software program, we have been in a position to see in real-time how the photo voltaic panel was in a position to preserve the interior battery topped up as we typed.

Specs

Design and Options

The Logitech Signature Slim Photo voltaic+ K980 carries on the styling Logitech established with its MX Keys line of workplace keyboards, with it having a easy grey shade all through, a slim profile, and rounded corners. The addition of the photo voltaic panel alongside the highest edge barely disrupts the look however, by and enormous, it is a chic keyboard that appears simply as at residence in a minimalist, lavish workplace setup because it does subsequent to a gaming PC, even whether it is maybe a bit too plain to take satisfaction of place subsequent to an RGB-filled behemoth of a gaming machine.

Talking of RGB, this instantly brings us to 1 function missing on this keyboard, which is backlighting for the keys. Certainly, it is this function that almost all basically distinguishes this keyboard from the MX Keys lineup, aside from the photo voltaic panel. In any type of affordable lighting, this does not have an effect on the keyboard’s usability in any respect, however in a really dimly lit or outright darkish room, the keys aren’t legible – not perfect for enjoying gloomy video games in a darkened room.

The important thing legends themselves (the letters and symbols on the keys) are screen-printed on, which is typical for one of these keyboard, however implies that, in idea, they are going to be vulnerable to the paint carrying away with use. Compared, many trendy gaming keyboards – such because the Be Quiet! Darkish Mount, as an illustration – use keys with legends fashioned through harder-wearing strategies. As an illustration, double-shot legends are made out of a second layer of plastic embedded within the keycap itself, whereas dub-sublimated keys have the legend successfully melted into the floor of the important thing.

Most of this keyboard is properly beneath 10mm thick, with a thicker 16mm part working alongside the again edge, the place it raises the again to create a greater typing angle. This angle cannot be modified through further flip-down toes, as you see on most keyboards, so in case you favor a extra upright angle, you are out of luck, however I discovered I acquired on very properly with this low-angle design.

Six small rubber toes cease the keyboard sliding round, and the one different function of word, wherever aside from on the highest of the keyboard, is the sliding energy change on the again edge. With a chargeable battery inside and no USB port for charging, this keyboard does not want a battery compartment or another breaks in its chassis. The rechargeable battery is not person serviceable, however Logitech’s declare that it lasts 10 years means you may have a very long time earlier than it’s a must to take into consideration whether or not a restore particular person can swap the battery, otherwise you contemplate risking the board’s guarantee and prying these rubber toes off to dismantle it your self and get to its battery.

Up prime, you may discover a normal collection of keys for a full-size keyboard (right here in a UK ISO configuration, quite than US ANSI format). Becoming a member of this normal array are 4 devoted further keys within the prime proper nook, which, from left to proper, default to opening the calendar, muting your mic (app dependent), turning off your digital camera (app dependent), and locking your PC.

To the left of those are three extra buttons that choose which machine the keyboard is linked to. The keyboard can join to 3 Bluetooth units without delay, together with Logitech’s common wi-fi dongles. With Logitech’s software program, you may even copy from one PC and paste it to a different when you’ve got the software program put in on each programs.

In addition to the screen-printed Home windows keyboard legends, there are legends for Macs too, so this is a perfect keyboard for these switching between a MacBook for work and a PC for gaming, as an illustration. The highest row of F keys defaults to a set of additional features, together with display brightness adjustment, playback controls, and multi-desktop view. Hitting the Fn key with any of those will flip it again to being an F key, or you may configure these to work the opposite method spherical with Logitech’s software program.

Efficiency

Total, the construct high quality of the board is first rate. It does flex in case you decide it up in two fingers and twist it from both finish, however the best way the total size of the entrance edge and again foot relaxation in your desk means there is no flex in the course of the board as you kind. In reality, the typing expertise right here is superb. The keys really feel crisp and responsive, with an honest quantity of resistance and a really outlined break, all with out feeling too stiff and requiring an excessively arduous press.

Logitech has used a laptop-like scissor change on this board, and whereas these haven’t got the longevity of mechanical keyboards – full-size or low-profile – I’ve tended to search out that some of these switches last more than full-size rubber dome switches as you get on thicker, cheaper keyboards.

That mentioned, if you’re a heavy typist, you’re more likely to discover this board’s keys/switches quit the ghost properly earlier than that spectacular 10-year battery life. In my profession, spending all day writing 1000’s of phrases and gaming on keyboards, I’ve discovered that typical scissor change keyboards can typically begin to lose their responsiveness inside a 12 months or two. In distinction, I’ve had mechanical keyboards final over a decade with out subject. It is just too early to say how this board may fare, although, and Logitech does not make a declare concerning the keyswitch life, however until you are a very heavy person, it should not be a significant concern.

Battery life

What Logitech does make a declare about, after all, is the battery lifetime of this board. The corporate hasn’t supplied a determine for the capability of the battery, but it surely claims it would final 4 months when utilized in whole darkness.

Unleash the keyboard into the sunshine and it’ll use its photo voltaic panel to repeatedly top-up the cost on the board and, properly, actually final 10 years (and fairly presumably longer, however that is the official Logitech determine).

For these aware of utilizing solar-powered merchandise, chances are you’ll surprise how a lot gentle is required to maintain it charging. Logitech says it would cost at something above 200lux. In observe, a small desk lap with a 2W/200 lumen bulb or a ceiling gentle with a 5W/450 lumen bulb shining pretty immediately on the board is ample to get it charging, whereas the merest trace of daylight in a room is greater than sufficient.

Value

The Logitech Signature Slim Photo voltaic+ K980 value is $99.99 / £99.99, making this a premium however not ultra-expensive keyboard. Contemplating its solar-charging and endless battery talents, it is largely a really affordable value to pay. Nevertheless, the dearth of backlighting and use of plain printed legends on the keys imply there are a few areas that barely dampen its sense of worth.

Verdict

For probably the most half, I am one thing of a convert to the Logitech Signature Slim Photo voltaic+ K980. As somebody who spends 80%+ of their time at a pc to work, with most of that point spent typing, the whole lack of any sense of effort being concerned with utilizing this keyboard actually appeals. As soon as the dongle’s plugged in and also you’re linked, you needn’t ever take into consideration plugging in a cable or anything. It is simply there, able to go in its slim, moveable, pretty elegant type.

Add in its straightforward machine switching, helpful secondary key features, and Logitech’s glorious Choices+ software program for streamlining your workflow, and this actually is a unbelievable working software.

That mentioned, for gaming, it’s fully devoid of any significant options, so it is neither ultra-fast-responding nor filled with gaming buttons or game-specific profile-switching cleverness. And you may overlook about fast set off and different analog cleverness. All that is to be anticipated, although.

As an alternative, my solely primary gripes are the dearth of backlighting on the keys, the screen-printed legends on the keys, and the general key motion. That is as a result of, whereas the motion is basically glorious, the sheer quantity that I kind implies that I typically favor a lighter-feeling keyboard that does not worsen my RSI. Whereas the keys listed here are removed from heavy-feeling, they are not as gentle as a high quality, linear mechanical keyswitch, and their shorter journey means you backside out the keys much more than a full-size mechanical change board.

Are you able to see the enchantment of an eternal, solar-powered keyboard, or does it look like a reasonably pointless function? Tell us your ideas over on our neighborhood Discord server, the place you may speak to us and like-minded readers about PC tech, gaming, and extra.