Customer Reviews

Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750

5 star:		(510)
4 star:		(98)
3 star:		(41)
2 star:		(42)
1 star:		(47)

 

 

First of all, after using Amazon for more than five years, I have never written a single review for a product. It is simply that nothing that I have previously purchased on Amazon was worthy of taking the time that writing a review requires.

This particular product of Logitech, however, has made an impression that will last for months to come.

The first thing you notice when you receive the item is, well, nothing. The packaging on the outside of the product is exactly what one would expect from Logitech, nicely printed in both color and quality. The genius of the packaging design, however, lies within the box. Logitech has revolutionized how a technological "green" product should be packaged. Where in this case the keyboard is packaged using nearly 100% of cardboard materials. Furthermore, there is not a single piece of paper within the box, as both instructions and manuals are cleverly integrated onto the reverse side of the outer box and the inner carton. This clever method by Logitech has not only reduced the amount of environmental impact through unwanted materials, it has also made me feel less guilty from having the ability to throw the entire packaging into the recycle bin.

The second thing you notice after taking out the keyboard is how incredibly light and thin it is. There are several introductory tags on the keyboard itself that shows its features and one of them kept the battery separate from the circuit. There is also a protective layer on the front side of the keyboard covering the surface, of which I have not yet removed since it does not interrupt the usage of the keyboard itself.

After a simple process of pairing it with my Performance MX's unifying receiver, the driver was installed within seconds and the K750 was ready to go. The keyboard itself includes a unifying receiver and a signal booster, I just did not need them.

The typing itself is a thrill. While feeling like a laptop keyboard, the keys generate enough "bounce" on your fingers that allows the smoothest of input just like a desktop keyboard. I own both the Logitech G11 and Logitech DiNovo Edge (Was nearly $250 when it was purchased), and I can easily say that the K750 beats their "feel" hands down.

I have heard many complaints about Logitech keyboards not being "game ready" because it cannot take more than a certain amount of keys at a single time. Well, in my rudimentary tests it was able to handle up to 6 characters at the same time, where if 8 keys are simultaneously pushed down it will input the first six. I am not sure what the exact problem with the previous keyboards were, but I hope this will at least answer a few questions.

Furthermore, the keyboard prop legs on the N750 is very stable, contrary to that of a previous review. It was able to stand firm on a surface where my DiNovo Edge likes to slide around.

Thin, light, green, great feel, no charging required, numpad and an ingenious Logitech design has combined forces to create arguably the best piece of computer peripheral.

Thank you for taking the time to read this review, as it was nothing less than an amazing experience for me to type up with my new K750.

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UPDATE - 1.5 YEAR MARK

After almost a year and a half of heavy usage on the K750, I figure it is time to give y'all a progress update.

THE GOOD:

The battery holds up against the test of time extremely well, never dipping below 80% charge in a well-lit room. In darker rooms, all I have to do is stick it near a window every 2 month or so to return it to full charge. It is no hassle compared to other options out there.

The keyboard's keys still feels as good as the first day I started using it.

Durability of the keyboard is amazing. It's shape had held it's ground through many forms of physical torture.

THE BAD:

The keyboard's glossy surface has incurred countless minor scratches during my travels with it. My recommendation is to not remove the protective film that came with the keyboard, or to transport the keyboard in it's original box if you would like to keep it's condition pristine.

The logo on the receiver rubbed off after staying on my laptop for a 6 months or so, but that is understandable on any product.

One of the rubber legs in the bottom left corner fell off after many times of transportation in my backpack. Actually I am surprised that it had not fell of earlier with the way I handled the keyboard. Again, I recommend keeping it in the box when moving it around.

THE UGLY:

Unfortunately the keyboard refused to pair with a receiver at the 1.5 year mark. It is a strange problem shared by a few buyers, and the solution to the problem varied. Some say to "shake" the keyboard and it will work, some say to remove and reinsert the battery, and etc... Personally, my diagnostics procedures included:

Pairing with another receiver
Reinstalling software
Deleting the driver manually (USBDEVIEW)
Using another computer
Pairing other devices using the same receiver
Reinserting the battery
Shaking the device (See Above)

Nothing worked. The computer simply did not want to see the keyboard.

Therefore, I contacted Logitech Support and asked for a RMA. After a relatively painless process of submitting your information, a replacement was on its way to my doorstep. Strangely, Logitech did not want its broken device back, unlike most other RMAs.

And here is where it gets good:

The replacement K750 is a BRAND NEW RENDITION of the keyboard.

The border of the keyboard as well as the back is no longer white, it is now a metallic black color.

The logo between the solar panels is updated to a newer version, and is slightly bigger.

The keys are slightly louder and lighter on the press. It feels ever-so-slightly looser while does not compromise the feel of quality.

Instead of yellow functional keys, they are now blue. Personally I like the yellow better as it stands out more.

Overall, the new keyboard is significantly lower profile than the version I had, while retaining the functionality and size of the original.

Oh and did I mention it is brand new? I can say without hesitation that Logtech support is one of top-dogs of the industry, next to the likes of Amazon or Apple.

A twist to the story:

Apparently during my RMA process, my old K750 has had some time to think things over and decided to revive itself to fight another day. It is now working perfectly again without any work on my part other than to leave it alone for 2 weeks or so... If you are looking for answers I have none... My best guess is that the keyboard reset itself after not being used for so long, who knows?

Conclusion:

The K750 is still the best typing keyboard I have used to-date. Even with minor/major hiccups there is nothing for you to worry about when it comes to Logitech's world class support. After the whole ordeal I ended up with my old K750 working again and a brand new one to boot.

Thank you Logitech. And thank you for reading.

My biggest concern before buying this keyboard was that it would die too often. Let me first explain how these concerns were put to rest after several months of use. I use this keyboard in a room with a single window that is covered by both blinds and curtains. I also use the keyboard at least 10 feet from the window and the light in the room is off for most of the day. The keyboard gets several hours of use daily and I have never flipped the hardware power switch off. The power level, however, has never dropped below 100%.

Next, the "PerfectStroke key system" and "Incurve Keys" really are comfortable and make typing easier. I particularly like the way the key feels when you press down. You get a very small amount of feedback almost resembling the old IBM keyboards, but without the loud clicking. I agree that it is a bit like tapping on a laptop. The big difference, however, is that the keys on the k750 are much sturdier than those on your usual notebook PC.

As for the connection, I was a bit worried that the new super-small "unifying receiver" would not provide adequate signal. This is incorrect. In fact, this small transponder works much better than Logitech's older stick version. It is on the back of my pc and so has to see through an aluminum computer chassis as well as a wooden desk, about 4 feet total distance. I've never had a problem with the signal on either my mouse or this keyboard.

Finally, the software for the keyboard is pretty much what you'd expect. You press the sunlight button and a dialog pops up on your computer telling you the "LUX" (amount of light) your keyboard is getting and how much battery power is remaining. There is also a function key which you use in combination with the top row of keys to do things like open your internet browser, pause a song, mute/increase/decrease the volume, etc.

One downside, according to my wife, is that it looks like I'm using a giant old-school calculator. I think this is not true at all: the solar panels are a dark red while the keyboard is black. This causes the solar panels to not really be noticeable unless you are looking for them.

I wasn't specifically looking for a 'solar' keyboard, but this works great.
The design/feel is about the same as typing on recent Apple keyboards where the keys are like 'chiclet' candies.

It's very comfortable and easy to use. I was looking for an ergonomic replacement for my aging/sticky Microsoft wireless ergonomic keyboard... I was sick of changing out rechargeable batteries all the time.

This uses a VERY tiny USB adapter which allows other wireless logitech devices to connect to 1 adapter.

PROS:
-very comfortable / fast typing / very responsive
-not overly 'fancy' with all kinds of volume/media controls... although it does have the capability for some functionality such as music, shortcuts, media controls, calculator, etc...
-VERY thin (feels like typing on a thin laptop)
-you don't "need" to install any software... so it should work on Linux for basic functionality

CONS:
-not 'ergonomic' / wave-shaped
-shiny black surface might attrack some fingerprints, but it's not too bad as it seems
-incline 'feet' are a little thin, not very stable (but I don't use them)

SOLAR:
-I was worried the solar panels might not get enough light but I've never had the built-in batteries drop below 100% (I'm within a few feet of a window
-overhead room lights are more than sufficient to charge solar panels
-cool little 'Solar App' shows if you're getting enough light at that particular time

The idea sounded great, solar-powered keyboard that never requires battery replacement ever again. The product delivered on that promise, for a short while. It was easy to recharge, dimly-lit room is sufficient to keep the power reading about 95%. Keyboard was responsive, stylish, light, types well.

Life was good until about 2 months of light daily use. For all intents and purposes, the "rechargeable battery" in the keyboard turned into a living hell. No amount of charging is enough to keep the power above 50%. Leaving the keyboard about 6 inches away from a 13W CFL (probably equivalent to 60W incadescent?) for 4 hours each morning is REQUIRED for the keyboard to be useable at all. Otherwise there is not even enough charge for keys to register.

I did two things:
a. I took the battery out, and saw that it was ML2032. Looked around, nobody apparently sells it at a reasonable price, on ebay and some other retailer, Maxell branded (same brand as the one in the keyboard) was about $10 apiece. And some UK seller selling cheaper looking unbranded ML2032 for $5. In my mind, if Maxell is this bad, I don't want to even bother with the cheaper looking one. Passed on that.
b. I contacted logitech, hoping they would just send me a replacement battery. All communication was through email, and they want me to send in the keyboard and pay for the shipping. No sir.

Either way I look at it, I'd be out of $10 or more.

Then I thought, isn't CR2032 the same sized battery? And it has more charge (CR2032 typically 200+ mAH, and ML2032 is about 60mAH), and can be obtained very cheaply (roughly 20 to 50 cents apiece from ebay). I thought I had just found the perfect solution until I read in the keyboard manual, that you should not put in a CR2032. It made sense, a lot of sense. After all, the keyboard "recharges" by converting solar energy to electricity and store in the battery, right? And what do those lithium button batteries have in common? "Thou shall not recharge them" because they can explode! I actually found a youtube video showing button battery explode while researching this issue, woah, don't want THAT to happen to my face while typing.

Update:
The battery is now available for sale in logitech's store for $5 each. It would have been nice if the batteries were provided free of charge because the keyboard is still under warranty, but at least you can get it if you want.
[...]

I was looking for something wireless that would work with my KVM switch (IOGear) and be compatible with Windows AND Mac OS X. This works great out of the box with both. The size is great and it has a very low profile. Two fold out legs provide two fixed angle options. The solar aspect of this is an "it's about time!" feature and seems to work marvelously well -- even in constant low lighting.

The description "Solar-powered keyboard: No battery hassles ..." is a bit deceiving though. The keyboard IS in fact battery powered and the solar panels charge the battery. The single coin-cell battery is user-replaceable, although it is really difficult to get out without marring the keyboard and there is a big sticker on the battery that says not to replace it. A button on the keyboard shows a happy or sad indicator regarding the amount of light being received. Mine is always a "sad face" due to low lighting, but the battery has remained charged at 100%. There is an easy-to-access on/off switch right on the keyboard if you need to conserve more.

The keyboard keys are similar to most laptop style keyboards (square/flat), which I personally prefer. The Windows and ALT keys are a bit on the small side (they're the same size as regular letter keys) and there aren't any caps/number/scroll lock indicator lights. Windows software is available for on-screen display though.

The only thing I'm not crazy about is the white border and underside of the keyboard. It looks okay, but I imagine it won't age well.

Lastly, as a casual gamer, I can confirm that this keyboard supports multiple, simultaneous keypresses so you'll be able to run, jump and shoot at the same time :)

For Mac OS X users that are contemplating getting this, here is some compatibility info and other tidbits that I couldn't find anywhere else:

* There's only one Windows key (which correlates to the Apple/Command key on the Mac) and the positioning of it is a bit awkward for keyboard shortcuts on the Mac, however ...

* Remapping ALT keys to Apple/Command and the Windows key to ALT/OPTION makes it feel MUCH more natural, but leaves you with only one ALT/OPTION key on the left side. Though, the tradeoff is that you will instead have two Apple/Command keys. As mentioned, the ALT and Command keys are a bit small.

* The volume adjustment on the keyboard works great with OS X as do normal function keys (spaces, expose, etc)

* There are only 12 function keys, which means that brightness/contrast don't have keyboard shortcuts without some fiddling

* The INSERT key maps to the native HELP key in OS X as expected

* Because there's no native eject key, F12 is remapped to CD/DVD eject by default (and OPTION+F12 for a second drive), which means you'll have to find something else for Dashboard if you use that key for it

* Because it doesn't technically support OS X, you can't run the cool software that tells you how charged the battery is

* If you want on-screen notification on OS X for caps lock, you'll need to use one of the many third-party tools to do so (ie. Capster, CapSee, CAPS Warn, etc)

* Numlock works as the native CLEAR key as expected

I'm very pleased with the functionality of the keyboard. Just a few cosmetic quibbles mar the rating.

Pros:
- The solar cells work as well as everyone says. I haven't had to worry about a low charge yet. The software to monitor charge and solar cell status isn't really necessary but it's a nice touch. Hoping there's a windows desktop gadget that can show the status instead.
- Keys are the slightest bit clicky but have really good force/travel with a solid feeling detent as each key activates.
- Contoured surface on the top of each key feels good to the touch.
- It just works. No drama. No dropped connections or lag. If I didn't know better, I'd assume it was a wired keyboard in this respect.
- Unifying receiver works as advertised and pairing it with the M510 mouse along with the keyboard is painless.

Cons:
- The piano black applique that frames the keys and houses the "windows" for the solar cells is pulling up ever so slightly in two spots along the edge between the solar cells creating a slightly warped appearance. Pressing firmly in the areas of concern seems to reintroduce the applique to its adhesive again. It's a minor annoyance.
- Also, the keyboard comes with a cleaning cloth for two good reasons (or bad reasons depending on your perspective). First, the piano black finish fingerprints like crazy (no surprise) and along with the dust it shows, you'll be cleaning it on a regular basis. Second, if you don't use the cleaning cloth or something equally gentle, be prepared for scratches which have an immediate and permanent negative impact on the appearance. I couldn't find the cleaning cloth at one point and used a soft cotton wash cloth to wipe it down which resulted in literally hundreds of microfine scratches all over the surface. It was my mistake, of course. A hardcoat on the applique would have been a nice addition.

Hope this helps and enjoy.

I'm amazed by this keyboard. The main feature is obviously the self-powering aspect of it, and that does impress. The solar panels picks up enough ambient light at night in my office to function flawlessly. The keys have a pleasant tactile feel, and I appreciate the keyboard doesn't have extra buttons littering it for extra features I don't use. It does have an FN (function) key that let's the F1-F12 keys perform additional tasks, such as open the calculator, change the volume, etc. The wireless connectivity is also great. I have the USB sensor thing stuck in the back of my computer which is 4 feet away, and it hasn't given me a single problem. This is replacing a Microsoft Wireless Natural Keyboard, which I replaced mainly because I got tired of how unreliable the wireless reach was and how quickly the batteries died. With the MS keyboard, the wireless receiver had to be about 1.5 foot away, and sometimes that wasn't even enough. I just wish there was an ergonomic version of this keyboard. I have gotten used to the wider hand position of that type of keyboard and find it much more comfortable for all-day typing. But that's not a fault of this keyboard at all. Great job Logitech!

Let me start by mentioning that I've only been using this keyboard for about 2 days, however I do feel like I can write an informative review based on my experience thus far.

First of all, per usual, the Logitech packaging was very nice. The box contains the keyboard, a soft cloth (for wiping the inevitable fingerprints from the shiny surface of the K750), the USB dongle ("unifying receiver"), and a USB extension stick (to allow easier accessibility to the USB ports on your computer).

After plugging the unifying receiver into my desktop computer, I quickly removed the protective film over the front of the keyboard and flipped the power switch to "on". The keyboard began working instantly (what a nice surprise)! The first thing I did was hop on the internet and point my browser toward the Logitech website to download the Solar App. Although this app isn't a requirement for the keyboard to function fully, it is a nice little added feature. In place of the Solar App, should you decide not to install it, there is a "solar" button which when pushed will light one of two LED's, green or red, to indicate whether the solar panels are receiving sufficient light to maintain a charge. If you do install the Solar App, the "solar" button launches the app on your desktop which has a real-time speedometer style display showing the LUX (amount of light) being collected by the solar panels as well as the current charge percentage of the battery. My office has no windows (*sad face*) and only the fluorescent lighting from above (6 four-foot bulbs total) but the LUX meter is always well into the green.

As far as typing on the K750 goes, I'm pretty happy with the feel so far. Due to some residual muscle memory from my previous keyboard, and the orientation of the "insert", "delete", "home", "end", " pg up", & "pg down" key group, I find myself hitting the wrong button at times. I really like the "chick-let" style and spacing of the keys however this is something that will also take a bit of getting used to. I've always liked the way most lap-top keyboards have felt, and this is quite similar to that.
Physically, the keyboard seems to be well constructed. It's VERY thin, and has a decent heft for its size. There is a certain satisfaction that I get from handling a product with a relatively high perceived density (if that makes any sense at all), and this keyboard has that. The flip-down feet are quite thin, but seem to be reasonably well made... just don't sit or set a book on your keyboard and they should be fine. Contrary to another reviewers comments, the keys do not "click" when they are PRESSED, however when typing fast or tapping the keys, they do make a bit of a "click-like" sound, as do all keyboards that I know of. The matte textured keys look nice against the gloss black surface of the keyboard, but I haven't yet decided how I feel about the white ring around the perimeter of the K750. It might be nice to be able to customize (or at least choose) the color of the surround.

So far, everything has been hunky-dorey, but here is where I tell you why I would like to subtract a half-star if that were possible. The lack of a Caps-Lock, Num-Lock, & Scroll-Lock indicator lights is quite annoying. I realize that power consumption is of great concern with this device, but I believe that these indicators are necessary and could have been worked in, even if they were only momentary indicators when the buttons are pressed. The lack of indicator lights makes it difficult to tell when the caps lock is on (obviously). Under normal circumstances this isn't a HUGE problem, but when you're entering a password where the characters are hidden and you can't tell whether your caps-lock is on, it becomes an irritation. While I have not downloaded it, Logitech does offer their Setpoint software that incorporates an on-screen indicator for the caps-, num-, and scroll-lock buttons in Windows. I did not want to use Logitech's Setpoint software (v6.22) because I already have an earlier version of the software installed and highly customized for my mouse and per Logitech's installation instructions, all settings from previous versions would have been erased upon installation (why Logitech, why?). I found and download a little utility called "Caps Lock" (search el Goog for "caps lock indicator") in place of installing the Setpoint software and this in concert with the "Toggle Keys" feature found under Windows Accessibility Options (which makes your computer beep different tones for on / off when any of the "lock" buttons are pressed) take care of all the caps-lock indication that I need.

Another possible issue is the proximity of the "PC power off" function key to the "volume up" function key. The two functions are directly beside each other, and I can see myself, during the course of a work day, accidentally shutting down my PC instead of turning up my music volume after taking a call. The Setpoint software may allow some customization of the function keys to make this a non-issue, but since I won't install the new Setpoint, I do not know for sure if this is the case.

Last, and definitely least (it's hardly worth mentioning), is that I'd like to have a second "FN" (function) button for my left hand, but that's no big deal.

All-in-all this keyboard is easy to look at, well-built, comfortable to type on, wireless, and green! What more could you really ask for? (Oh yea, a caps lock indicator light!) Anyway, I've always been a big fan of Logitech peripherals, and while they may not have hit a grand slam with this one, I think they at least hit another home run.

Length:: 1:25 Mins

I've been using Logitech wireless keyboards and mice for over 10 years, and have enjoyed a good user experience with them. Because of that history I began using the K750 solar/wireless keyboard with high expectations. The K750 surpassed them from the minute I plugged in its "unifying" transceiver.

Users of recent models of wireless keyboards already enjoyed generous battery life. Even with heavy use, I changed the batteries in the keyboard this one replaced only once or twice a year..hardly an onerous task. But why do that when you can use technology that requires no batteries at all?? Score one for solar!

The transceiver unit (Logitech calls it a "unifying receiver") of the K750 is astonishingly small: about the half the size of a USB connector. It plugs directly into a USB port unobtrusively, or you can use the included extender to add about 1.5 inches of length for easier access at the rear of a desktop I/O USB port cluster.

In addition to operating the keyboard, the unifying receiver will also control "unifying" compatible Logitech mice and number pads. I use mine with a Logitech Wireless Marathon Mouse M705. Having the mouse and keyboard connected via a single USB port freed one up for other use. Score two for opening up a USB port and a transceiver whose footprint ends at the motherboard I/O shield (see customer image showing the footprint of my last wireless transceiver; the reduction in volume is astounding).

The K705 includes a "Solar" awareness application that shows the current charge and light levels in the room. My unit arrived in a 100% charge condition (after at least six days in shipping). Ambient indoor lighting was sufficient to keep the solar cells charging (see screenshots in customer images). Here's the deal with this application: you'll check your charge rate often in the first week or so of use. After that, you'll tire of seeing "100%" indicated, and check it only when your showing off the keyboard to the other geeks in your life. The solar charging technology in this keyboard just works, and it's rock solid.

In addition to standard Function keys, the "F" keys on the K750 have a second "FN" function integrated. These includes launching your browser, launching your email client, zooming on a window, launching the calculator, controlling your media player and speaker volume, and a PC shutdown key. All mapped correctly to the default application for each. Score one for good integration with the operating system.

The keys are quiet and responsive, and there is no lag of any kind in responsiveness. The profile is thin and sleek, but the keyboard is full-sized.

There are wireless keyboards...and there are battery-free wireless keyboards with no consumables and no clutter behind your 'puter.

Simply awesome.

Two small issues which DO NOT detract from the overall excellence of this keyboard:
(1) The default driver doesn't indicate caps lock/numbers lock under Windows 7, and there are no LEDs to indicate this either. After downloading and installing Logitech's "Setpoint" extended utilities set, a rather large on-screen display (and optionally selectable sound) remedies this. The on-screen display could be smaller ---much smaller-- and still be effective.

(2) This keyboard will not work natively with older motherboards that have PS/2 mouse/keyboard connections (even if USB ports are also present). After installing the "Setpoint" utilities, an option to install the PS/2 drivers becomes available.

I was extremely skeptical. I've been typing on this thing for a few days now, and I can't stop--tactile response is superb, the construction is rock solid, it's thin, and the wireless/solar features works as advertised (something I would not have believed if i had not been seeing it with my own eyes). The actual typing on it is much, much better than anticipated. Would put it up against any keyboard I've used.

The glossy surface will collect dust and fingerprints, but i just don't care, and neither should you.

I haven't gotten my logitech nano mouse to work with the unifying receiver...yet. but i think it will.