Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 Review – 10 Years Battery Life Keyboard

Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 It adds a new midrange to the company’s slim, sophisticated office keyboard lineup, and incorporates a unique feature called solar panels. Thanks to this and the internal battery, this keyboard can last for years without the need to plug in.

Long-standing battery life is not the number one priority that most people read our best gaming keyboard buyer’s guide, but there are plenty of situations that are very good features. To see how great it is, we’re not close enough to test the limits of longevity on this keyboard to test Logitech’s latest over the weeks, but thanks to Logitech’s software, we were able to see in real time how internal batteries are topped when solar panels are typed.

specification

Design and Features

The Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 features styling Logitech established with an MX key office keyboard. Adding solar panels along the top edge makes the appearance a little confusing, but generally it’s an elegant keyboard that looks just like a minimalist, luxurious office setup, just like next to a gaming PC, even if you take pride and pride next to the console’s RGB-filled giant.

Speaking of RGB, this is quickly one feature that this keyboard lacks. This is the backlight of the key. In fact, this feature is to most fundamentally distinguish this keyboard other than the solar panel from the MX key lineup. With any kind of reasonable lighting, this does not affect the ease of use of the keyboard at all, but in truly dim lighting or in a completely dark room, the keys are not easy to read. Not ideal for playing gloomy games in a dark room.

The key legend itself (key letters and symbols) is screen printed. This is typical of this type of keyboard, but in theory it means that the paint tends to disappear when used. In comparison, many newest gaming keyboards – Be Circuit and more! For example, Dark Mount – use a key with a legend formed in a more stringent fit. For example, the double shot legend is made from a second layer of plastic embedded in the keycap itself, while the dub-spa brimmed keys make the legend melt effectively into the surface of the key.

Most of this keyboard is less than 10mm thick and has a thick 16mm section running along the back, raising the rear for better typing angles. As you can see on most keyboards, this angle cannot be changed with an extra flip-down foot. So, if you prefer a more upright angle, you’re not in luck, but I found that this lower angle design worked very well.

Six small rubber feet stop sliding the keyboard. The only other feature that can be found anywhere except the top of the keyboard is the slide power switch on the back edge. With a rechargeable battery inside and no USB port to charge, this keyboard does not require a battery compartment or other rest in the chassis. While rechargeable batteries are not user serviceable, Logitech’s claim that they last 10 years means repairmen should consider whether they can replace the battery or risk the board’s warranty and consider dismantling those rubber feet themselves to reach the battery.

At the top you will find the standard key selection for a full-size keyboard (here, in a UK ISO configuration, not in the US ANSI layout). To join this standard array, there are four dedicated keys in the top right corner, from left to right, mute the microphone open (app-dependent) (app-dependent), default locking the PC, mute the microphone (app-dependent), and lock the PC.

To the left of these are three buttons that select the device to which the keyboard is connected. The keyboard can be connected to three Bluetooth devices at once, including Logitech’s universal wireless dongle. Logitech’s software also allows you to copy from one PC and paste it on another PC if the software is installed on both systems.

In addition to the screen-printed Windows keyboard legend, there is also a legend on Mac. This is the ideal keyboard for anyone switching between a work MacBook and a gaming PC. The top row of the F key defaults to a set of additional features, including screen brightness adjustment, playback controls, and multi-desktop views. Pressing the FN key on any of these can either return FN to F key or configure them to work in Logitech’s software.

performance

Overall, the build quality of the board is decent. Pick it up with both hands and twist it from both ends to bend, but the full length of the front edge and backfoot rest on the desk means there is no flex in the center of the board during input. In fact, the typing experience here is excellent. The keys are crisp, responsive, with a substantial amount of resistance and a very defined rest, and are crisp, responsive and without all too hard pressing required.

Logitech uses laptop-like scissor switches on this board, but these don’t have the lifespan of full-size or modest mechanical keyboards, but these types of switches tend to last longer than they have thicker full-size rubber dome switches and last longer when riding cheaper keyboards.

That being said, if you’re a heavy typist, you could discover that the key/switch on this board will give up on ghosts well before its impressive 10-year battery life. In my career, I’ve found that I spend all day writing thousands of words and games on a keyboard, and that a typical sizer switch keyboard can lose its responsiveness within a year or two. In contrast, I had a mechanical keyboard for over a decade without any issues. However, it is premature to say how this board fares, and Logitech doesn’t claim to live a key switch, but it’s not a big concern unless you’re a heavy user.

bAtry Life

Of course, what Logitech claims is the battery life of this board. The company does not provide battery capacity numbers, but claims it will last for four months if used in full darkness.

Unleash your keyboard into the light and use the solar panel to continuously refill the charge on the board.

For those familiar with using solar-powered products, you may wonder how much light it takes to maintain its charging. Logitech says it will charge it on anything over 200Lux. In reality, a small desk wrap with a 2W/200 lumen bulb or a 5W/450 lumen bulb is enough to charge with a ceiling light that shines fairly directly on the board, but the most important tips for sunlight in the room are sufficient.

price

The Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 priced at $99.99/£99.99, which is premium, but not an ultra-expensive keyboard. Considering its solar cell and endless battery capabilities, it’s a very reasonable price to pay. However, due to the lack of backlight in the key, the use of printed legends means there are some areas that slightly weaken their values.

verdict

Most of the time, I’m like converting to Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980. As someone who works to spend more than 80% of his time on a computer, he spent most of his time typing, which is why he is totally lacking in the sense of effort involved in using this keyboard. Once the dongle is connected and connected, there is no need to consider plugging it in with a cable or something. It’s just there and ready to go in its slim, portable, and pretty elegant form.

Add simple device switching, convenient secondary key features, and Logitech’s great options + software to streamline Workflow. This is a truly amazing work tool.

That said, for games, it is completely lacking in meaningful features, so even the super-fast response is not packed with game buttons and game-specific profile switching smarts. And you can forget the cleverness of quick triggers and other analogues. But that’s all to be expected.

Instead, my only main grips are the lack of backlight on the key, the screen printed legend on the key, and the overall key action. That’s because the action is pretty much better, but the enormous amount I type means I sometimes prefer light moving keyboards that don’t exacerbate RSI. The keys here are far from robust, but they are not as light as quality, they are linear mechanical key switches, and their short trips mean bottoming out much more keys than full-size mechanical switchboards.

Can you see the appeal of eternal solar keyboards, or does it seem like a rather pointless feature? Tell us what you think on our community’s Discord Server. Here you can talk to like-minded readers with our own personalities about PC technology, games and more.