Previously, I've looked on in befuddlement at Lenovo's many bizarre experiments. From pivoting laptop screens to long, long OLED concept machines, they're not necessarily practical, but they are different, I suppose. Credit where credit is due to the Hong Kong-based company, though, its solar-powered laptop that can turn 20 minutes of sunlight into an hour of video playback is perhaps a step in the right direction for our power-hungry tech.
I'm tentatively hopeful about Logitech's own foray into solar-powered peripherals, with the Switzerland-based company having just announced—of all things—a solar-powered keyboard. The Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 Keyboard utilises Logi LightCharge technology to harness "light from any light source to stay charged and ready to use."
It's a wireless vision, attempting to power itself by either sunlight or whatever artificial illumination you've got at home—though I'm not sure this peripheral will get much out of my dimly-lit gamer cave. Logitech claims that the Signature Slim Solar+ K980 will stay "charged without interruptions and is built to run for up to four months in complete darkness."
I'm all for tech companies increasingly looking towards renewable energy—especially if it means I can declutter my desk a bit while they're at it. And if I'm reading those above claims correctly, four months of battery life is incredibly impressive…unless, of course, the press release actually means the keyboard can simply hold a charge for that long. Somewhat ambiguous wording aside, I'm looking forward to putting this light-powered keyboard to the test in my dank gamer hovel.
The keyboard comes in two flavours, a $100 standard edition and a $110 business edition that, alas, does not come with a wee little bowler hat. Both versions pitch up with low-profile keys, a light-powered battery that Logitech claims should last a decade, and a remappable AI launch key. Personally, I can do nothing but shudder at the thought of a whole button dedicated to launching your AI app of choice—oops, there I go again, brrr.
Setting aside my 'some robot somewhere is definitely doing a merry jig over my grave' shivers, I would say that the Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 presents a novel approach to powering peripherals—were it not for another questionable concept from Lenovo.
Last year, we thought Lenovo had revealed a similar solar-powered keyboard concept at CES 2024—but it turns out we were wrong. It was, in fact, a kinetic energy concept that enjoyed a whopping 30 minutes of power from five minutes of furious tactile knob twizzling. Here's gently hoping Logitech's solar keyboard avoids such a baffling caveat, and proves a genuine step towards more sustainably powered PC gaming peripherals.
1. Best overall:
Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless
2. Best budget:
Gamakay x Naughshark NS68
3. Best mid-range:
Ducky Zero 6108
4. Best rapid trigger:
Wooting 80HE
5. Best wireless rapid trigger:
Keychron K2 HE
6. Best silent:
Be Quiet! Light Mount
7. Best tenkeyless:
Keychron Q3 Max
8. Best low profile:
NuPhy Air60 HE
9. Best ergonomic:
Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB
10. Best membrane:
Roccat Magma
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