Targus Energy Harvesting EcoSmart Keyboard Review

Wireless keyboards are a hassle until you don’t have to worry about changing dongles or batteries. The new Bluetooth LE technology not only enables ultra-efficient wireless connectivity, but it also lets you switch between multiple devices with the press of a key.

With the Targus Energy Harvesting EcoSmart Keyboard, you may not need to charge the battery as it has a small solar panel built in. It is also made from recycled plastic, so it is safe for consumers. What more could you ask for from your keyboard?

Let’s see if these are the keys you were looking for.

What makes this Targus keyboard ecological?

The Targus Energy Harvesting EcoSmart Keyboard is more sustainable than your run-of-the-mill product in three ways: packaging, materials, and energy harvesting.

The keyboard is packed in a white fitted cardboard shell with minimal plastic wrapping. Inside you’ll find a keyboard, a 59-inch (1.5 m) long USB-C to USB-A cable, a user’s guide, and a leaflet with the EcoSmart motto.

The keyboard is made with over 70% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. The PCR thermoplastic used in the EcoSmart keyboard is composed of 15% traditional acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and 85% recycled ABS from recycled consumer electronics. Of course, keyboards contain other materials, including non-ABS plastic.

Finally, a solar strip mounted above the F row charges the EcoSmart keyboard’s internal 1,600mAh lithium-ion battery. The cell can be charged with just 100 lux and can absorb up to 20,000 lux.

Is this keyboard really sustainable?

Using minimal cardboard packaging and recycled materials is a step in the right direction. Powering your keyboard with solar energy is certainly convenient, but it’s not always sustainable.

Whether a product is considered “sustainable” depends on its entire life cycle, from resource extraction (such as the production of solar cells) to production, distribution, use, and the final social and ecological Depends on impact. of life. Sustainable products are incorporated into larger strategies aimed at reducing or eliminating impacts across the company. This is just the beginning for Targus.

Since Targus launched its EcoSmart range in 2008, it has recycled 17 million plastic bottles. Although the company has been non-strategic about its sustainability efforts and lacks a carbon impact baseline to date, Targus has released its first global sustainability report, including a sustainability roadmap, in December 2022. . Get a better understanding of how sustainable eco-smart products really work.

How to set up and use the EcoSmart keyboard

Make sure the keyboard is fully charged before placing it on your desk. You can place it in a bright covered room to harvest solar energy for hours, or charge it using the included USB-C to USB-A cable.

The EcoSmart keyboard uses Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) so you don’t need a dongle and can pair directly with your Windows PC, Mac, Android or iPhone. For example, to pair the keyboard with Windows 11, turn it on using the switch on the back and go to (in Windows). Settings > Bluetooth & Devices and click Add Device > BluetoothFind your EcoSmart keyboard in the list and pair it.

If not, press and hold one of the Bluetooth channel keys next to the numeric keypad area until the blue LED flashes rapidly.

You can pair your keyboard with up to three devices and connect a fourth device using a USB cable. To switch between paired Bluetooth devices, press the respective channel key. For example, I assigned my desktop PC to channel 1, my Android phone to channel 2, and my laptop to channel 3.

Typing with the EcoSmart Keyboard

The EcoSmart is a chiclet keyboard that this reviewer prefers over full travel or loud mechanical keys. A scissor switch keeps the keys in place and allows for the keyboard’s low profile and quiet typing.

The typing experience is comfortable, quieter than the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard I’ve otherwise used, and has enough resistance to avoid accidental triggering.

EcoSmart keycaps are made of ABS. ABS has many advantages, including being a highly recyclable thermoplastic, but the major drawback is that the material wears out with heavy use, leaving your keycaps looking shiny. Even with freshly washed hands, greasy fingerprints were immediately visible on the EcoSmart’s smooth, slightly matte keycaps.

Battery life and Bluetooth connectivity

The battery seemed to last a long time until I started using the backlight. The keyboard he arrived 89% charged, which he did not change for a week. Atmosic’s ATM3 ultra-low-power Bluetooth 5 chip and a tandem of advanced amorphous silicon solar cells that keep the battery charged worked like magic in my dimly lit office.

After turning on the backlight (fn + spacebar), the battery level started dropping rapidly because the ambient light in our apartment wasn’t providing enough solar power to keep it topped up.

At the highest setting, the battery level dropped about 12 percentage points per hour, giving us about 8 hours of battery life. I decided to use the traditional route, i.e. USB-C to charge the keyboard.

To save energy and extend battery life, run the backlight at the lowest of the three brightness levels. This gives you 75 hours of battery life compared to 18 hours at medium brightness and 8 hours at high brightness.

The Bluetooth connection was solid, and switching between paired devices using the three dedicated keys was a charm. It’s whether your setup can handle it. Interference with Bluetooth audio occurred when pairing the keyboard with the Mini PC. However, mini PCs don’t come with onboard Bluetooth, so while I’ve been using adapters, they obviously can’t handle both headphones and a Bluetooth keyboard at the same time. Android phones and Windows laptops did not have these issues, confirming that the adapter was the bottleneck.

Should I buy this “energy harvesting” keyboard?

If you’re looking for a full-size wireless chiclet keyboard with cutting-edge features like Bluetooth LE for multi-device pairing, backlighting, solar charging, and more, the Targus EcoSmart Keyboard is for you. However, it comes with a hefty price tag of $119.99.

The backlight drains battery in just eight hours, but you can always use a lower brightness setting, switch back to a wired connection, or charge via the keyboard’s USB-C port.

Environmentally conscious consumers will appreciate the use of recycled plastics. But those who don’t let the nasty look of glossy fingerprints on the matte keys deter you should consider a keyboard that features textured keycaps made from PBT. These are most commonly found on mechanical keyboards where the keycaps are also easily replaceable.