Eric K.
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The K800s all-plastic chassis sports a sleek, doorstop-shaped design. While the thinnest point is roughly as thick as the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750, its profile tapers towards the rear. Thanks to this wedge shape, the K800 can be stood upright to save desk space whenever its not in use. Although it initially looked somewhat odd in a vertical position, this unique design is a great space-saving feature, especially for those with limited real estate on their desks. A thin, clear strip runs along the outer edge of the K800 and abuts the matte-finished outer perimeter, which houses the wrist wrest. A glossy black plastic finish surrounds the portion immediately outside the keys. The K800 is particularly susceptible to smudging, though it hardly constitutes a major design flaw since it occupies a small portion of the K800s face. The keyboards sculpted keys are in the traditional style and a welcome departure from the Apple-inspired tiled style thats currently en vogue. The K800 packs a solid selection of hotkeys to execute functions, like opening a dedicated mail client, controlling media playback, toggling between programs, and adjusting the keyboards brightness. The matte-finished keys feature laser-etched characters, and the backlight shines through them with no noticeable seepage around the edges. The backlight itself is the main attraction of the K800 along with what Logitech dubs "hand proximity detection." Built-in sensors detect your hands as they approach the keyboard and, in turn, toggle the backlight on and off; the keyboard lights up when your hands are roughly four inches away, causing it to brighten up as you reach for it. Once your hands leave the sensory zone, the keyboard slowly fades to black in a very cinematic fashion. Installation merely requires plugging the included receiver into a USB port and waiting for a minute or two as the driver installs itself. The K800 utilizes Logitechs proprietary "Unifying" technology, so up to six Logitech devices can be wirelessly connected to your system through a single USB port. For users with limited USB ports on hand, this is a nifty feature that helps free up port real estate, albeit not quite as effectively as Bluetooth does. Typing on the K800s sculpted keys is an overall comfortable experience. In addition to having no lag time, its tapered profile sidesteps the shallow sensation typically felt on slimmer keyboards. The keystrokes strike the right balance between rigidity and softness, as reflected by the relatively low level of audible noise emitted during use. Compared with other keyboards, the K800 is significantly less clacky, an attribute that has prompted me to try it in the first place. For users who would rather not bother with battery levels, the solar-powered K750 remains the best. That said, the K800s rechargeable battery lasts for quite a while on a full charge. I get at least the recommended 10 days on a charge and often double that. An LED battery life indicator on the keyboard conveniently shows the remaining battery life. Either way, the fact that the K800 can be used while charging through the included Micro-USB cable means that battery life will rarely be a major issue. I was able to get one for $60 which is a great value for what you are buying.