We’ve evaluated each one for use with iPads of different sizes so we can outline the advantages and disadvantages of each, reviewing hands on and doing extensive research (see how we test to find out more). : Yes iPad connectivity: Smart Connector Weight: 1.72lbs Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Box (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Detachable keyboard + Tap-anywhere trackpad Reasons to avoid – Smart Connector drains battery – Fairly heavy You get a full row of media keys (missing from Apple’s own keyboard cases) to help with video playback and brightness adjustments. : Yes iPad connectivity: Smart Connector Weight: 1.3lbs Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Scan (opens in new tab) View at John Lewis (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Brilliant keyboard and trackpad + Premium design Reasons to avoid – No iPad side protection We’ve been using ours for around a year now and it doesn’t show any signs of ageing (apart from a few grubby marks, we recommend getting the black version if you can). Brydge Pro+ (12.9-inch) A top quality iPad Pro keyboard case with plenty of features Specifications Multi-touch trackpad? : Yes iPad connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 Weight: 1.51lbs Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Sturdy aluminum build quality + Adjustable backlight Reasons to avoid – Smaller trackpad – No side protection Logitech K480 The best Bluetooth iPad keyboard at a great price Specifications Multi-touch trackpad?
It doesn’t provide a case like the models above, but its built-in cradle keeps your iPad upright in a laptop-esque setup. You get Logitech’s excellent typing experience, with soft, spacious keys that never feel too cramped or compact. It’s cross-platform, too, so it works with iPadOS, iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, and Chrome OS. The ZAGG Pro Keys with Trackpad sets that right with a built-in slot to hold the Apple Pencil on the side of the case.
: Yes iPad connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1 Weight: 1.63lbs Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Mechanical keyboard switches + Connects to four devices Reasons to avoid – No trackpad – Not a case If you type a lot and want to work at your most productive, a mechanical keyboard can be a joy thanks to the superb feeling on every press. It can connect to four devices at once (three over Bluetooth 5.1 and one with its bundled USB-C cable) and comes in numerous size and language variants. However, if you spend all day typing and don’t want to lose out on your iPad, the Keychron K8 is a great choice.
Logitech Slim Folio The best keyboard for the iPad (8th or 9th generation) Specifications Multi-touch trackpad? : No iPad connectivity: Bluetooth LE Weight: 1.09lbs Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Logitech EMEA (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Good protection + Quality keyboard with media keys Reasons to avoid – No trackpad – Plastic body
The 9th generation iPad is a compact, lightweight device, so you don’t want to lose all that by getting a keyboard case that adds too much bulk. Logitech’s Slim Folio case, though, gives you the functionality of a keyboard while maintaining that portable edge.
Customer Reviews: Apple Smart Keyboard Folio for 11-inch iPad Pro MU8G2LL/A
There are lots of options for wireless keyboards for the iPad, and most of them are considerably cheaper. Since it uses the smart connector instead of a bluetooth connection, you also never have to worry about keeping it charged.
Apple doesn’t claim water resistance or anything, but if you look at the keys you will notice that they are completely covered and surrounded by whatever material they use on top. You can just leave it there and you’re not going to accidentally hit keys and start typing random stuff. It’s good enough in most instances, but often when I’m laying in bed and I go to adjust the angle, I lift up and the back pops off from putting just a tad bit too much pressure on it. ——————————————————— Neutral point: = Some people complain about the keys feel when you type, but I think they’re fine. I think if they would have made the keys wider, I would actually like it more than the keyboard on my MacBook Pro just because it’s a tiny bit softer. And over all I give it 5/5 stars because even though it’s expensive, I feel like there are enough positives that it’s worth paying the extra money for.
Review: Apple’s Smart Keyboard Folio is the best option for the iPad Pro, but has too many compromises
AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. After endless hours of tapping away, Apple’s iPad keyboard is still the best, but has far too many compromises for our liking. A series of new magnets are embedded within the back panel of the new iPad to make this work. What has always made Apple’s iPad-centric keyboard somewhat unique was the lack of any moving parts.
The keyboard itself is made of fabric, which is stiffened and reinforced to form the actual key caps. Because of the space constraints, the 11-inch isn’t a full-sized keyboard so muscle memory is a bit harder to transfer. I’ve spent a lot of time typing on the Smart Keyboard over the past couple years and I enjoy them a great deal. They only have subtle audio feedback and don’t have a super satisfying click to them, but they are quick and responsive. Apple didn’t just shrink down their existing keyboard for the smaller 12.9-inch iPad Pro, they instead took this as an opportunity to try to improve upon it. It was also difficult to pick up the iPad while open in typing mode from the edge of your keyboard, again due to that hinge.
We are disappointed Apple is forcing the back protection upon us for this product which adds unnecessary weight and thickness to the combined unit for not enough in return. To compound things, those keys facing backward actually makes the iPad slide a bit in this situation when sitting on different surfaces.
Many times we pick up our open iPad, set it on our Mac, and walk around the house or office. They aren’t as satisfying as some dedicated keyboards, but once you adjust, you can touch type as quickly and as accurately as on your Mac.
Review: Apple’s Smart Keyboard Folio is the best option for the iPad Pro, but has too many compromises
AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. After endless hours of tapping away, Apple’s iPad keyboard is still the best, but has far too many compromises for our liking. A series of new magnets are embedded within the back panel of the new iPad to make this work. What has always made Apple’s iPad-centric keyboard somewhat unique was the lack of any moving parts.
The keyboard itself is made of fabric, which is stiffened and reinforced to form the actual key caps. Because of the space constraints, the 11-inch isn’t a full-sized keyboard so muscle memory is a bit harder to transfer.
I’ve spent a lot of time typing on the Smart Keyboard over the past couple years and I enjoy them a great deal. They only have subtle audio feedback and don’t have a super satisfying click to them, but they are quick and responsive.
Apple didn’t just shrink down their existing keyboard for the smaller 12.9-inch iPad Pro, they instead took this as an opportunity to try to improve upon it. It was also difficult to pick up the iPad while open in typing mode from the edge of your keyboard, again due to that hinge. We are disappointed Apple is forcing the back protection upon us for this product which adds unnecessary weight and thickness to the combined unit for not enough in return. To compound things, those keys facing backward actually makes the iPad slide a bit in this situation when sitting on different surfaces.
Many times we pick up our open iPad, set it on our Mac, and walk around the house or office. They aren’t as satisfying as some dedicated keyboards, but once you adjust, you can touch type as quickly and as accurately as on your Mac.
Customer Reviews: Logitech Folio Touch Keyboard Folio for iPad Air 10.9″ (5th & 4th Generation) with Precision Trackpad Graphite 920-009952
It’s practically required that I mention that I’m writing this review with the keyboard sitting on a desk and not having any issues with the feel of the keys, the functionality of the trackpad or the ability to nearly infinitely adjust the angle of the iPad itself. The iOS app is minimalistic and seems to only serve to keep you up to date on firmware updates for the case, so not much to say there other than it works, but doesn’t give you anything by way of other settings or options. To be fair, I haven’t encountered an iPad keyboard case of any kind at any price that sits comfortably in my lap, though so this is more of a pipe dream so far. By itself, it’s measurably heavier than the iPad it wraps around so you’ll be more than doubling the weight of your entire setup to strap this case on. In summary, this case is a gem for sitting your iPad on a desk and happily typing away for much less than the cost of the similarly functional Apple alternative.
Customer Reviews: Apple Smart Keyboard Folio for 11-inch iPad Pro (1st, 2nd, or 3rd Generation) and iPad Air (4th, or 5th Generation) MXNK2LL/A
Pros: – The magnetic attachment just snaps in place, and the keyboard comes immediately when in tablet mode.
Best iPad Air 4 keyboard cases 2022
A great keyboard case that will give you a better typing experience for writing emails, surfing the web, or working on documents, and since both the iPad Air 4 and iPad Air 5 are the same size, all these keyboard cases should work with either model. A keyboard case is a convenient option that expands functionality, making your iPad Air 4 usage more laptop-like. Of course, if you’re surfing the web, watching movies, and maybe knocking out some emails, a less expensive keyboard without all the bells and whistles is all you’ll really need.
Its fully backlit keyboard means you can type just about anywhere at any time of day, and since it also uses the Smart Connector, you never have to worry about a cumbersome pairing process.
The Best iPad Keyboard Cases
In addition to providing a great typing experience, the Pro Keys offers some benefits other keyboard cases don’t. Dedicated iPadOS function keys provide quick access to commonly used features, and an Apple Pencil holder lets you easily carry the stylus around. It automatically connects with your iPad when it’s properly aligned in the typing position and disconnects when it isn’t, so you never need to worry about turning the keyboard on or off. This clever power management helps the replaceable coin-cell battery last for up to four years, which is very likely the amount of time you’ll use the iPad itself.
The Best iPad Pro Keyboard Cases
If you type for any length of time on an iPad Pro, or hope to ditch a second computer entirely, a great keyboard case can turn your tablet into a true laptop replacement. In addition to a great typing experience, the Zagg Pro Keys offers some benefits that other keyboard cases don’t. Dedicated iPadOS function keys provide quick access to commonly used features, and an Apple Pencil holder lets you easily carry the stylus around. The 4.4-by-2.3-inch glass trackpad set beneath the keyboard is as smooth as anything else we’ve tested and provides full support for Apple’s multitouch gestures.
Best iPad Air keyboards: Logitech Folio Touch vs. Magic Keyboard
Logitech’s bulky case isn’t pretty, but the folio-style design has wraparound protection that Apple’s Magic Keyboard lacks. The square, plastic keys are raised above a textured surface underneath and have solid travel: They feel like a regular laptop/Chromebook keyboard. The Folio Touch’s keyboard is attached to the case, flopping out to rest on a desk while a kickstand behind the iPad Air adjusts at multiple angles. Still, the case’s support for a wide range of angles means you can bend it back further than the Apple Magic Keyboard.
There’s a cutaway part of the side where the Pencil 2 can snap on, plus a loop to hold Logitech’s lower-cost Crayon stylus. Apple’s very fancy and very expensive Magic Keyboard makes the iPad Air look like a futuristic MacBook.
The Air uses the 11-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard, which is similar with a smaller, slightly more compressed footprint. The Magic Keyboard lacks the extra function keys of Logitech’s folio case, and the trackpad is smaller.
Apple’s older keyboard case lacks a trackpad and backlit keys, but it’s an interesting ultraslim option.
That means it won’t offer any real drop protection at all, but it stays on in a laptop sleeve or bag. If you’re a person doing full-time writing on the iPad, the Magic Keyboard may be worth it for the comfort and lap convenience, and it’s a better fit for narrow places like trains or airplanes (if you’re ever using those anytime soon). But, the Logitech Folio Touch has an excellent keyboard too, plus extra function keys, a more protective bulky case, it’s a lot less expensive, and it just might be a better fit on your bigger desk.
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