Logitech’s Slim Solar+ keyboard is the best wireless keyboard I’ve ever used for one very specific reason: I don’t have to charge it.
Honestly, there’s very little else I actually like about the keyboard. As a long-time mechanical keyboard user, the Slim Solar+ keys feel mushy and lack tactile feedback. The overall typing experience isn’t satisfying. I also hate full-sized keyboards with numpads like this, as the extra length means my mouse sits further right on my desk than what’s comfortable for me.
However, the above issues are, frankly, small gripes I have with the keyboard and ones that Logitech could easily address. For example, offering a tenkeyless (TKL) version, or even a variant that puts the numpad on the left side instead, so it doesn’t extend into my mouse area. And with some small tweaks to the keys, Logitech could offer a more compelling typing experience.
The solar panel along the top keeps the battery charged.
But depending on how much you care about those things, the Slim Solar+ might just be the perfect keyboard for you if, like me, you hate charging keyboards. Sure, it’s not the biggest problem out there, but I find charging my wireless keyboards to be rather inconvenient. I can’t count the number of times I’ve sat down to work or game only to discover my keyboard battery is dead. Then I need to awkwardly run a cable to my keyboard so I can charge it while I use it. It’s enough of a pain that I end up just plugging in most wireless keyboards and using them like a wired board so I don’t have to deal with it
Logitech’s Slim Solar+ offers a better way by incorporating a small solar panel directly into the keyboard. This allows the keyboard to keep its battery charged just from the light in your office, which means no need to plug it in.
Dubbed ‘LightCharge,’ Logitech says the feature includes a light-absorbing strip across the top of the keyboard, an energy-efficient design, and a battery built to last up to 10 years. While I have been trying out the Solar Slim+, I haven’t been able to put it through 10 years of rigorous use, so I can’t really speak to the longevity in that regard. However, I haven’t had any issues with the keyboard running out of power in my time with it.
And if you’re worried about not having enough light to keep the Solar Slim+ juiced up, well, you probably don’t have to worry unless you plan to use the keyboard in the dark most of the time (though even in that situation, Logitech claims the keyboard will work for up to four months in total darkness on a full charge).
Logitech’s Logi Options+ app includes a handy tool for checking the light level and whether it’s sufficient for charging the Slim Solar+. My home office has an east-facing window that gets a ton of light in the morning but less throughout the day. Surprisingly, the morning sun is too intense for the Slim Solar+, with the app warning that the light was too bright to charge. However, the midday and afternoon light was more than sufficient to keep the keyboard powered. Logitech also noted the board can be charged by artificial light.
There are a few other niceties about the Slim Solar+ that might interest some people, but don’t do much for me. First, there are a couple different variants of keyboard, including one for Mac, a ‘Universal’ version (what I tested), and a Business version. The Universal variant sports the keys needed to work with both Windows and macOS, and can easily swap between operating systems though the built-in device switcher. The keyboard includes buttons to switch between three different devices.
On top of supporting multiple devices, the Slim Solar+ boasts tons of customizable shortcuts, including the F-Keys, an action key, and an AI Launch key. There are also a few meeting shortcut buttons for toggling the microphone and camera.
While I’m not one to make use of those features, it’s nice that they’re included for those who do use them. Overall, I came away impressed by the Slim Solar+. It’s unfortunately not the keyboard for me — the mediocre typing experience really ruins it for me. But the solar-powered charging is such a smart inclusion that I’d recommend it for that feature alone. It is the most convenient, simplest wireless keyboard system I’ve used, and honestly, it feels like the future.
The Logitech Slim Solar+ keyboard is available in Canada starting September 24 for $139.99 and comes in Graphite or Off-White. It’s also available from Best Buy Canada.
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