Logitech just ended a 13-year drought in solar-powered keyboards with the $99.99 Signature Slim Solar Plus K980, which runs purely on light and introduces the company's first dedicated AI Launch key. The keyboard can operate for months in complete darkness once charged and promises a 10-year battery life, signaling a surprising return to sustainable computing accessories.
Logitech just pulled off something nobody saw coming - bringing solar keyboards back from the dead. The company's new Signature Slim Solar Plus K980 marks the first solar-powered keyboard launch since the K760 disappeared over a decade ago, and it's arriving with some interesting twists.
The $99.99 keyboard operates entirely on light power, requiring just 200 lux to keep its battery topped up. There's no USB port, no battery compartment - just a solar cell that converts any light source into power. Logitech claims the internal battery will last 10 years and can keep the keyboard running for four months in complete darkness once fully charged.
"It is safely user-replaceable because it's encased in a plastic casing, with spare parts supplied by iFixIt," spokesperson Melvin Dilanchian told The Verge when asked about battery replacement. That's a refreshing approach to repairability that wasn't common in the original K760 era.
But here's where things get interesting - Logitech didn't just resurrect an old concept. The K980 introduces the company's first dedicated AI Launch key, defaulting to Microsoft Copilot on Windows and Google Gemini on ChromeOS. Users can customize it through the Logi Options Plus app to launch ChatGPT, an AI prompt builder, or even assign it to mundane functions like right CTRL.
The timing isn't coincidental. Solar-powered peripherals are making a comeback as companies scramble to hit sustainability targets. Lenovo beat Logitech to market earlier this year with its own $99.99 self-charging wireless keyboard, shown at CES 2025. Unlike the K980, Lenovo's model includes adjustable legs, spill resistance, and crucially, a USB-C backup charging port.
That backup port matters more than you'd think. The original K750 from 2010 featured LED indicators that warned users when ambient light was insufficient for charging, but the K980 ditches this user-friendly feature. Instead, you'll need to install 's Options Plus app to monitor light levels - a classic example of hardware features moving to software.
