Okay Geek Farm
Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 review
Jason Tsay
How many times have you been caught off guard by a wireless keyboard running out of juice? Yeah, we know, it sucks. Well, the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard is here to solve that problem. It charges either by sunlight or artificial light through 2 sizable solar panels. Not only is it eco-friendly, but it’s also impossibly thin and a damn good typing experience.
Features
- Solar-powered - any light source keeps your keyboard charged for at least three months in total darkness
- Only 1/3-inch thick
- Logitech-only concave key cap design for faster, quieter, more comfortable typing
- Powerful 2.4 GHz wireless using a tiny Logitech Unifying receiver that stays in your computer
- Works with Windows-based laptop and desktop PCs
Our Impressions
The Wireless Solar Keyboard comes in your typical green Logitech box, though we noticed this one was a tad thinner than usual. Inside is another cardboard box which flips open to reveal the keyboard, Unifying receiver, USB wireless extender, and polishing cloth.
The K750 keyboard is extremely well built to say the least. While only 1/3 inch thick, it feels relatively durable and is definitely of the quality we’ve come to expect from Logitech products. The entire face of the keyboard is covered with glossy black plastic while the keys are all textured and matte. The keyboard comes with a clear plastic wrapping over the glossy part which we strongly recommend you leave on lest the surface becoming all scratched up. This design is something we’ve noticed on many recent Logitech keyboards and although it looks really nice, the glossy bit will become dirtied and scuffed with regular use. The bottom side of the keyboard is entirely white and features four rubber feet to keep the keyboard from sliding around. You can also use the two flip out legs to type at an angle. While skinny, they feel fairly rigid and are of the same variety as the ones found on the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard.
At the top of the keyboard you’ll find two rather large solar panels and a Logitech logo in the center. Directly below the panel in the top right hand corner are an on/off switch as well as a power status indicator. Pressing this button will cause one of two lights to momentarily light up. The green LED is marked with a smiley face and the red with a frowning face - a brilliant and fun way to represent power levels.
Each chiclet key is slightly curved and gives a satisfying firm click when depressed, resulting in a most satisfying typing experience. The text on the keys is not laser etched, which leads me to believe that they will wear off unlike some other Logitech keyboards I’ve used. I found that the keys were just the right size for me but your mileage may vary. The top row of function keys doubles as shortcut palette through use of the FN key between the right alt and ctrl keys. The layout is fairly standard but you’ll find that the left ctrl key has been stretched to be almost as long as the shift key, causing both the Windows and alt keys to be shrunken down to squares. This didn’t bother us much; however, the lack of a caps lock light was greatly troubling.
Setup was painless as can be - I simply synced up my new keyboard with the Unifying receiver already in my laptop. Of course, first time users will be faced with an equally as simple setup. On the software front, Logitech includes a cool widget called the Solar App in addition to the standard SetPoint software. Pressing the sun button on the keyboard will launch the app. The program presents you with a tachometer-style gauge at the top to measure light intensity (this helps you figure out where to put the keyboard), a battery graphic in the middle to show the current amount of power (this can also be switched to a graph form to show your charging history in the past weeks), and a basic status marking at the bottom (Your energy reserve is high).
Overall
We came into this review with some skepticism on how functional a solar keyboard actually was. After having tested the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard for about a month now, I can say that it’s not a gimmick at all. With most wireless products, you’ll find yourself swapping out the battery or plugging it in on a regular basis. Having solar panels completely eradicates this problem. And you know what? Logitech didn’t sacrifice keyboard quality in making that possible. In fact this is one of my personal favorite keyboards (and I’ve used my fair share of keyboards). Lastly, they did it under $100. I’m not saying solar panels are expensive but I’m sure most companies would try to sell it as an extra feature. Logitech has made the concept of a solar keyboard more accessible to those not specifcally looking for one and that’s what makes us really excited about the future.
Pro’s
- Solar powered
- Keys feel great
- Super thin
Con’s
- No caps lock light
Where to buy
Logitech / Amazon — MSRP: $79.99
