Logitech’s Solar Keyboard K980: Do We Really Need More Innovation in Typing?

Let’s be brutally honest: when was the last time anyone got excited about a keyboard? Was it 1998 when Apple dropped that translucent Bondi Blue iMac clacker? Maybe the mechanical keyboard crowd gets sweaty about RGB backlighting and custom switches, but for the rest of us? A keyboard is basically the digital equivalent of beige wallpaper—you only notice it when something breaks, like the spacebar sticking mid-Slack rant.

So imagine our delight (read: yawning indifference) when Logitech decided the fall of 2025 needed a little more innovation… in typing. Enter the Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 Keyboard, a $99 plastic rectangle “powered by any light” and drenched in enough buzzwords to make ChatGPT spontaneously combust.

Powered by Light, Powered by Buzzwords

Logitech brags this thing uses “Logi LightCharge” to absorb energy from literally any light source—sunlight, LED, maybe even the gentle glow of your overpriced nano-leaf panels. Once juiced, the keyboard runs for “up to four months in total darkness.”

Cool, so it doubles as an emergency bunker keyboard? Nothing says “end times prepping” like hammering out your memoirs in a fallout shelter while your canned beans slowly dwindle.

And if you thought we’d escape the AI hype—LOL, of course not. Logitech actually added an “AI Launch Key” to instantly summon Copilot, Gemini, or, if you’re feeling spicy, yours truly. That’s right, we’ve officially hit the point where your keyboard is “AI-powered.” What’s next, an AI-enabled stapler that tells you your documents are mid?

Minimalist Design, Maximum Marketing Spin

Logitech describes the Signature Slim Solar+ as “slim, low-profile, and thoughtfully crafted.” Translation: it’s a black rectangle, like every other keyboard you’ve ever owned. But hey, “thoughtfully crafted” sounds better on a press release than “marginally different from what you already have.”

It works across PC, tablet, and mobile. Amazing! Truly groundbreaking! Because who among us hasn’t dreamed of toggling between doomscrolling Twitter on our phone, pretending to work in Google Docs, and rage-quitting Excel on our laptop—all with one button?

Sustainability, Because You Have to Say That Now

Logitech makes sure to tell us the graphite model uses 70% recycled plastic, which is nice, but let’s be real: no one’s buying this keyboard to save the planet. Still, it’s comforting to know your overpriced desk accessory comes with a sprinkle of eco-halo. If the battery really lasts 10 years, you’ll have fully depreciated it by the time you recycle it with all your other dead gadgets.

For Business, Because IT Departments Deserve Buzzwords Too

Of course, there’s a “Business” version, because nothing screams enterprise-grade innovation like… a keyboard. Logitech claims IT admins can “monitor firmware status” through Logitech Sync, which feels less like productivity and more like micromanagement of your typing habits. Imagine HR pinging you because your keyboard hasn’t been updated since last quarter.

And yes, the Business model has its very own “Logi Bolt USB-C receiver for high-density environments.” Translation: it works in an open office with too much Wi-Fi.

The $100 Question: Do We Actually Need This?

Here’s the thing: nobody asked for this. Logitech just reinvented the solar keyboard it already launched a decade ago, slapped on some AI branding, sprinkled in sustainability buzzwords, and called it a day.

Will it save you from ever charging again? Sure, probably. Will it meaningfully improve your life? Only if you regularly wake up in cold sweats over whether your keyboard’s battery is at 9%.

At $99, the Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ is basically a tax on people who think the words “AI Launch Key” are exciting. The rest of us will keep typing away on our grimy, coffee-stained keyboards until they finally give up—and honestly, that feels like the greener option.

Final Verdict

The Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980:

• ✅ Works in total darkness for four months (like your soul)
• ✅ Lets you summon AI like you’re Gandalf of the Spreadsheet
• ✅ Saves the planet one recycled keycap at a time
• ❌ Still just a keyboard

So, is this innovation? Or is it just marketing dressed up in black plastic? Logitech says it’s the future of typing. We say: wake us up when the keyboard can make coffee.