This Logitech Keyboard Runs on Your Crappy Office Lighting – Forever!

Logitech K980 harvests power from 200-lux indoor lighting for four months of darkness operation

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Image Credit: Logitech

Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways

  • Logitech K980 harvests power from 200 lux office lighting for perpetual operation
  • Easy-Switch connects three devices across Windows, macOS, Android, and ChromeOS simultaneously
  • Four months backup power in darkness eliminates dead battery interruptions forever

Dead keyboard batteries during important video calls rank somewhere between paper cuts and stepping on Legos in life’s minor tortures. The Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 eliminates this entirely by harvesting power from any light source above 200 lux—including the soul-crushing fluorescents in your windowless cubicle.

Light-Powered Performance That Actually Works

Logi LightCharge technology delivers four months of typing in complete darkness.

This isn’t your dad’s solar calculator that died under cloudy skies. The K980’s Logi LightCharge system combines a discreet solar strip with a rechargeable battery that sips power from virtually any visible light. Once fully charged, you get four months of operation in total darkness. The integrated battery lasts a full decade and comes user-replaceable through Logitech’s partnership with iFixit, turning potential e-waste into a simple swap. That 200 lux requirement? It’s roughly equivalent to typical indoor office lighting—brighter than a dimly lit restaurant but nowhere near direct sunlight.

Multi-Device Mastery Without the Mess

Easy-Switch toggles between three devices across every major operating system.

Your laptop, tablet, and phone all need keyboard attention throughout the day. The K980’s Easy-Switch keys let you bounce between up to three paired devices across Windows, macOS, iPadOS, Android, ChromeOS, and Linux. The full-size layout includes a number pad and laptop-style scissor switches that feel familiar under your fingers. Logi Options+ software adds customizable shortcuts, including an AI Launch Key for summoning ChatGPT, Copilot, or Gemini without hunting through browser bookmarks.

The Tradeoffs That Make Sense

No backlighting or charging ports keeps the solar dream alive.

Logitech made deliberate sacrifices to achieve perpetual operation. No backlighting means no late-night typing illumination, but it also means never watching your keyboard die mid-sentence. The complete absence of charging ports—not even USB-C—reflects genuine confidence in the solar system. At $99.99, this costs more than basic wireless keyboards like the $40 Logitech K380, but less than premium models requiring constant charging management. The graphite version packs 70% post-consumer recycled plastic, making sustainability advocates happy while your desk stays clutter-free.

Your relationship with keyboard maintenance officially ends here. Remote workers, sustainability enthusiasts, and anyone tired of device babysitting will find the K980 liberating. Sometimes the best technology is the kind you never think about.

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