Verdict
Due to its photo voltaic panel, the Logitech Signature Narrow Sun+ K980 in point of fact can remaining successfully without end with out ever desiring to be charged. That would possibly not sound very important however it is strangely helpful and this sensible, easy-to-use keyboard is just right worth too.
- It by no means wishes charging
- Sun panel works with now not a lot gentle
- Sensible design
- Multi-device appropriate
- Excellent total typing revel in
- No backlighting
- Display screen-printed legends
- No gaming options
- No low-latency connection – Bluetooth most effective
The Logitech Signature Narrow Sun+ K980 is a brand new mid-range addition to the corporate’s slender and swish place of work keyboard lineup with a singular function: a integrated photo voltaic panel. Due to this and an inside battery, this keyboard can remaining for years with out ever desiring to be plugged in.
Years-long battery existence is not precisely the perfect precedence for the general public studying our perfect gaming keyboard patrons’ information, however there are a whole lot of eventualities the place it is a very nice-to-have function. To peer simply how pleasant, we put Logitech‘s newest to the check over the process a couple of weeks, which clearly is not any place close to sufficient to check the bounds of this keyboard’s longevity, however because of Logitech’s device, we have been ready to peer in real-time how the photo voltaic panel used to be ready to stay the inner battery crowned up as we typed.
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Specifications
| Logitech Signature Narrow Sun+ K980 specifications | |
| Dimensions (mm) | 430 x 141 x 16 (W x D x H) |
| Weight | 707g |
| Structure | Complete-size |
| Connection | 2.4GHz wi-fi, Bluetooth |
| Transfer sort | Scissor |
| Transfer existence | Now not mentioned |
| Backlighting | No |
| Extras | USB-C wi-fi dongle |
Design and Options
The Logitech Signature Narrow Sun+ K980 carries at the styling Logitech established with its MX Keys line of place of work keyboards, with it having a easy grey colour during, a slender profile, and rounded corners. The addition of the photo voltaic panel alongside the highest edge reasonably disrupts the glance however, via and big, it is a chic keyboard that appears simply as at house in a minimalist, lavish place of work setup because it does subsequent to a gaming PC, despite the fact that it’s most likely a bit of too undeniable to show pride of position subsequent to an RGB-filled behemoth of a gaming system.
Talking of RGB, this straight away brings us to 1 function missing in this keyboard, which is backlighting for the keys. Certainly, it is this option that the majority essentially distinguishes this keyboard from the MX Keys lineup, rather than the photo voltaic panel. In any form of affordable lighting fixtures, this does not impact the keyboard’s usability in any respect, however in a in point of fact dimly lit or outright darkish room, the keys don’t seem to be legible – now not superb for taking part in gloomy video games in a darkened room.
The important thing legends themselves (the letters and logos at the keys) are screen-printed on, which is conventional for this sort of keyboard, however implies that, in idea, they’re going to be at risk of the paint sporting away with use. When put next, many fashionable gaming keyboards – such because the Be Quiet! Darkish Mount, for example – use keys with legends shaped by way of harder-wearing strategies. For example, double-shot legends are produced from a 2nd layer of plastic embedded within the keycap itself, whilst dub-sublimated keys have the legend successfully melted into the outside of the important thing.
Maximum of this keyboard is easily beneath 10mm thick, with a thicker 16mm segment working alongside the again edge, the place it raises the again to create a greater typing attitude. This attitude cannot be modified by way of further flip-down ft, as you spot on maximum keyboards, so if you happen to favor a extra upright attitude, you might be out of good fortune, however I discovered I were given on rather well with this low-angle design.
Six small rubber ft prevent the keyboard sliding round, and the one different function of word, any place rather than at the peak of the keyboard, is the sliding energy transfer at the again edge. With a chargeable battery inside of 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 consumer serviceable, however Logitech’s declare that it lasts 10 years manner you’ll be able to have a very long time sooner than it’s important to consider whether or not a restore particular person can change the battery, otherwise you imagine risking the board’s guaranty and prying the ones rubber ft off to dismantle it your self and get to its battery.
Up peak, you’ll be able to in finding a typical choice of keys for a full-size keyboard (right here in a UK ISO configuration, slightly than US ANSI structure). Becoming a member of this same old array are 4 devoted further keys within the peak proper nook, which, from left to proper, default to opening the calendar, muting your mic (app dependent), turning off your digicam (app dependent), and locking your PC.
To the left of those are 3 extra buttons that make a choice which machine the keyboard is attached to. The keyboard can attach to a few Bluetooth units immediately, together with Logitech’s common wi-fi dongles. With Logitech’s device, you’ll be able to even reproduction from one PC and paste it to any other if in case you have the device 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 the ones switching between a MacBook for paintings and a PC for gaming, for example. The highest row of F keys defaults to a suite of additional purposes, together with display brightness adjustment, playback controls, and multi-desktop view. Hitting the Fn key with any of those will turn it again to being an F key, or you’ll be able to configure those to paintings the opposite direction spherical with Logitech’s device.
Efficiency
Total, the construct high quality of the board is respectable. It does flex if you happen to select it up in two fingers and twist it from both finish, however the way in which the total period of the entrance edge and again foot leisure in your table manner there is no flex in the course of the board as you sort. If truth be told, the typing revel in right here is very good. The keys really feel crisp and responsive, with a good quantity of resistance and an overly outlined destroy, all with out feeling too stiff and requiring a very exhausting press.
Logitech has used a laptop-like scissor transfer on this board, and whilst those should not have the longevity of mechanical keyboards – full-size or low-profile – I have tended to search out that some of these switches last more than full-size rubber dome switches as you get on thicker, less expensive keyboards.
That stated, in case you are a heavy typist, you’re prone to in finding this board’s keys/switches surrender the ghost neatly sooner than that spectacular 10-year battery existence. In my profession, spending all day writing 1000’s of phrases and gaming on keyboards, I have discovered that conventional scissor transfer keyboards can every now and then begin to lose their responsiveness inside of a 12 months or two. Against this, I have had mechanical keyboards remaining over a decade with out factor. It is just too early to mention how this board would possibly fare, despite the fact that, and Logitech does not make a declare in regards to the keyswitch existence, however except you are a in particular heavy consumer, it should not be a significant fear.
Battery existence
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’s going to remaining 4 months when utilized in general darkness.
Unharness the keyboard into the sunshine and it’s going to use its photo voltaic panel to steadily top-up the fee at the board and, neatly, actually remaining 10 years (and somewhat most likely longer, however that is the authentic Logitech determine).
For the ones accustomed to the usage of solar-powered merchandise, it’s possible you’ll surprise how a lot gentle is needed to stay it charging. Logitech says it’s going to fee at anything else above 200lux. In follow, a small table lap with a 2W/200 lumen bulb or a ceiling gentle with a 5W/450 lumen bulb shining moderately immediately on the board is enough to get it charging, whilst the merest trace of daylight in a room is greater than sufficient.
Value
The Logitech Signature Narrow Sun+ K980 worth is $99.99 / £99.99, making this a top rate however now not ultra-expensive keyboard. Making an allowance for its solar-charging and unending battery talents, it is in large part a very fair worth to pay. Alternatively, the loss of backlighting and use of undeniable published legends at the keys imply there are a few spaces that reasonably hose down its sense of worth.
Verdict
For probably the most phase, I am one thing of a convert to the Logitech Signature Narrow Sun+ K980. As anyone who spends 80%+ in their time at a pc to paintings, with maximum of that point spent typing, the whole loss of any sense of effort being concerned with the usage of this keyboard in point of fact appeals. As soon as the dongle’s plugged in and you might be attached, you do not wish to ever consider plugging in a cable or anything. It is simply there, in a position to move in its slender, transportable, moderately sublime shape.
Upload in its clean machine switching, helpful secondary key purposes, and Logitech’s superb Choices+ device for streamlining your workflow, and this in point of fact is an implausible running software.
That stated, for gaming, it’s totally devoid of any significant options, so it is neither ultra-fast-responding nor full of gaming buttons or game-specific profile-switching cleverness. And you’ll be able to put out of your mind about speedy cause and different analog cleverness. All that is to be anticipated, despite the fact that.
As an alternative, my most effective primary gripes are the loss of backlighting at the keys, the screen-printed legends at the keys, and the full key motion. That is as a result of, whilst the motion is in large part superb, the sheer quantity that I sort implies that I every now and then favor a lighter-feeling keyboard that does not worsen my RSI. Whilst the keys listed below are a ways from heavy-feeling, they are now not as gentle as a high quality, linear mechanical keyswitch, and their shorter commute manner you backside out the keys much more than a full-size mechanical transfer board.
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