The viewing angle is decent for most purposes although artists may find a dedicated iPad drawing stand better for their needs. It’s an expensive add-on, and also quite heavy, so it’s only worth buying if you know you’re going to use it a lot, and don’t mind the extra weight.
I use my iPad Pro for a number of purposes – mainly browsing the web, drawing with art apps such as Procreate, reading magazines and watching Netflix and other streaming platforms. I weighed it on my kitchen scales and it was 609g / 1.34lb making the keyboard and the iPad Pro 1086g / 2.39lb altogether, which is pretty heavy for a ‘portable’ piece of kit. In terms of design, the keyboard magnetically attaches to the iPad Pro in a way that feels, well, quite comforting. The angle is adjustable in a way that feels natural, and you can close the whole thing up to protect your iPad, with the camera still visible. It’s also worth noting that the Magic Keyboard doesn’t come with a USB-C cable, which is a bit disappointing, but also, very Apple. I haven’t really found that a problem, and there is also the option to programme other keys to work as the ones that are missing, if you like (MacRumors (opens in new tab) has a good guide to how to do this). I find that when I’m trying to edit a spreadsheet on Google Sheets, for example, I end up getting frustrated because it’s fiddly to select a cell and try to copy and paste it with the trackpad. But using the Apple Pencil or tapping the screen doesn’t help much either, so this is probably the fault of the app and the iPad in general, rather than a problem with the trackpad. The iPad is still a relatively small bit of kit, which isn’t always suitable for long stints of work unless you hook it up to a larger monitor, and even then you may not find it ideal. However, adding the Magic Keyboard definitely means you’ll be able to type on your iPad for longer, and the extra port is handy, too.
Should You Buy a Keyboard For Your iPad?
But, to do this, you’ll need the Camera Connection Kit, which essentially turns the Lightning adapter into a USB port. Despite the functionality of the iPad, some people prefer a physical keyboard, especially for lengthy typing sessions.
If you do a lot of typing while you’re on the go, but you hate carrying around a laptop, using a keyboard with your iPad could be better solution. This action replicates what you do with the mouse, but often it’s not quite precise enough to quickly place the cursor where you want or select a large text area.
While auto-correct works with a physical keyboard, the feature often wastes more time than it saves when inputting a large amount of content. And while Siri gets a lot of press for answering questions or being a personal assistant, it’s also good at taking voice dictation.
Anytime the keyboard is on the screen, you can tap this microphone key and dictate to your iPad. If you work on the train or bus or some other locations where you’re using your lap as your desk, nothing beats the feel of a laptop for keeping the keyboard and the display steady. The case can be a good choice if you only need a keyboard on specific occasions, such as while traveling. The Smart Keyboard is a good option despite being somewhat expensive, but it only works with the new iPad Pro tablets.
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.
Magic Keyboard for iPad review
The viewing angle is decent for most purposes although artists may find a dedicated iPad drawing stand better for their needs. It’s an expensive add-on, and also quite heavy, so it’s only worth buying if you know you’re going to use it a lot, and don’t mind the extra weight. I use my iPad Pro for a number of purposes – mainly browsing the web, drawing with art apps such as Procreate, reading magazines and watching Netflix and other streaming platforms. I weighed it on my kitchen scales and it was 609g / 1.34lb making the keyboard and the iPad Pro 1086g / 2.39lb altogether, which is pretty heavy for a ‘portable’ piece of kit.
In terms of design, the keyboard magnetically attaches to the iPad Pro in a way that feels, well, quite comforting. The angle is adjustable in a way that feels natural, and you can close the whole thing up to protect your iPad, with the camera still visible.
It’s also worth noting that the Magic Keyboard doesn’t come with a USB-C cable, which is a bit disappointing, but also, very Apple. I haven’t really found that a problem, and there is also the option to programme other keys to work as the ones that are missing, if you like (MacRumors (opens in new tab) has a good guide to how to do this). I find that when I’m trying to edit a spreadsheet on Google Sheets, for example, I end up getting frustrated because it’s fiddly to select a cell and try to copy and paste it with the trackpad. But using the Apple Pencil or tapping the screen doesn’t help much either, so this is probably the fault of the app and the iPad in general, rather than a problem with the trackpad. The iPad is still a relatively small bit of kit, which isn’t always suitable for long stints of work unless you hook it up to a larger monitor, and even then you may not find it ideal. However, adding the Magic Keyboard definitely means you’ll be able to type on your iPad for longer, and the extra port is handy, too.
Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro review: the best way to turn an iPad into a laptop
It’s a well-made, beautiful keyboard case that’s nice to type on and makes lots of work on the iPad much more convenient — or at least familiar. So yes, finally, the Magic Keyboard lets you use your iPad Pro like a traditional clamshell laptop. In fact, I think Apple may have explicitly decided to give up on the cult of thinness on this product in order to improve the keyboard’s feel. I only note it here if you were thinking the branding meant it matched that MacBook Pro exactly.
They adjust automatically based on the ambient lighting conditions, and they were exactly the right brightness most of the time. To fix that, you have to go to the iPad’s Settings app, then dig into General, then Hardware Keyboard, and only then will you be able to adjust the brightness using a slider. Music controls, volume, screen and keyboard brightness, home, multitasking, search: all things for which it would be convenient to have dedicated buttons. After giving in and providing a clamshell design and a trackpad, leaving both the Esc key and a function row out seems obstinate.
You will still be reaching (or swiping) up to the Control Center to manage essential functions all the time. It is fairly small, of course, and if you’re used to the capacious trackpads on MacBooks, it will probably feel absolutely tiny.
On the 12.9-inch unit I am reviewing, it’s almost exactly the same size as the trackpad on my Surface Pro — so it felt familiar to me, at least. It also expands out to become the size of UI elements like buttons or icons, sort of snapping to them when you get close.
Trackpad support in iPadOS is excellent, but it has a long way to go in third-party apps Any app that doesn’t use Apple’s standard APIs for creating buttons or text views feels off-kilter with the trackpad.
That balance probably comes partly from the Magic Keyboard’s most unique design element: the floating screen. It also has the added benefit of moving the screen that much closer to your face when you’re working and also to your fingers when you want to reach up to use the touchscreen.
That means if you plan to use an external display or USB hub with the iPad, you’re still stuck with dangling adapters off the side of the tablet. Of course, neither the MacBook Pro nor MacBook Air can shrink to half their thicknesses or weights when I just want to sit back on the couch and watch YouTube, but the iPad Pro can just ditch the Magic Keyboard and be an iPad. There are 5,000 words I could write comparing their software ecosystem differences, but let’s just talk hardware here. The Surface also lets you flip the keyboard underneath so you can prop the tablet up to watch movies.
The Magic Keyboard turns the iPad into a great laptop, though one that’s a little heavier and thicker than you might expect. And though I’m not a heavy stylus user, propping the iPad up at a shallow angle for drawing is yet another thing that a MacBook can’t do.
Hell — now that there’s trackpad support, you could plug it into an external monitor and use it as a literal desktop machine, like a Mac mini but running iPadOS. It is an incredibly good, albeit expensive and heavy, way to use your iPad Pro like a laptop.
For all its faults, the Microsoft Surface feels like it was designed from the start to have a detachable keyboard.
The Magic Keyboard, reviewed: iPad Pro evolution
I’ve been using the 2020 iPad Pro with its most exciting accessory, Apple’s newly redesigned Magic Keyboard, for about a week. That’s where the iPad is late to arrive, and it’s where Apple’s recent support of trackpads in iOS 13.4 points. Keyboards, trackpads, mice, a big touchscreen: This is the full-computing fusion I was waiting for.
I was even more intrigued by Apple making its own specially designed trackpad-enabled keyboard.
But Apple’s case, if you can afford it, is the best writing and editing accessory for the iPad Pro, period. The soft-touch case has the same types of seams on the edge as the Smart Keyboard — will they hold up, or eventually wear down? Will the magnets holding the iPad up like a magic trick stay strong or sag? I don’t think the iPad’s been a better fusion device than with the Magic Keyboard attached.
The Logitech Combo Touch (left) versus Magic Keyboard (right).
But it works, and it’s zippy for scrolling, two- or three-finger gestures or anything else Apple’s enabled.
When I saw the cantilevered design and metal hinge, I had the idea that this thing would be a thick tank of a case. While the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard attached has a small profile, this is a dense package.
But the Magic Keyboard only opens up to a certain angle, and then part of the top cover bends back further. Some iPad cases don’t tilt upright enough to accommodate for certain situations when video conferencing. Of course, the iPad Pro in landscape mode has its camera on the side, which means you’ll also have to remember to look at it, or accept your weird, off-angle glances in a chat with friends or colleagues. $299 (or $349 for the 12.9-inch version I’m testing) is just about double the cost of any other similar keyboard accessory. The easy way the iPad pops off with magnets means that maybe I’d leave this as a desk tool. It works on my lap, but the limited angles the case allows don’t feel ideal. And it’s a tiny bit top-heavy, so I’m hesitant to balance it too far back on my crossed legs. Apple has supported some gestures in iOS 13.4 that work with the trackpad, but not all apps have been optimized.
Google’s office apps don’t allow for things like dragging to select copy yet. And the iPad’s more limited app and window layout means it’s not always as easy to get to something else as on a Mac with a trackpad.
11-Inch white Magic Keyboard long-term review: the perfect writing tool?
AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. Arriving in time to make use of the equally unexpected cursor support for iPadOS, the Magic Keyboard was initially only compatible with the 2020 iPad Pro line. In April 2021, it was updated to cater for the slightly thicker 2021 iPad Pro and to include a white variant alongside the existing black version. Although expensive, Apple’s official accessory offered ultimate convenience thanks to the absence of manual Bluetooth connectivity and its combined function as an iPad case.
Over the last six months of using the White Magic Keyboard for iPad, it has been thrown into bags, placed on gross coffee shop tables, and left on the kitchen side. Certainly, if you’re the sort of owner who regularly cleans their tech, it wouldn’t be hard to keep the white Magic Keyboard looking as good as new.
Given the incredibly shallow base on which it sits, Apple has done well to provide just enough travel to make it feel satisfying. If future iterations offered function keys for brightness, volume, and multitasking, that would represent a significant upgrade in convenience. A half-height top row of keys would create room for a slightly larger trackpad and likely reduce the instances of accidental iPad bashing while deleting words.
If you do a lot of your writing on the road and move frequently between locations, the 11-inch Magic Keyboard offers far more convenience than its big brother. The 11-inch version is only just wide enough to straddle your lap, and the limited tilt available for the iPad means you must sit at a precise angle to avoid neck strain. Indeed, if you need to invest several hours each week into writing thousands of words, the focus afforded by iPadOS and the full screen nature of its apps makes getting into a flow state far easier.
If you pair the iPad and Magic Keyboard combination with a distraction-free writing app like Ulysses (which was used for the duration of this review), there’s nothing quite like it. Minor complaints aside, it’s a joy to type on, and combined with distraction-free writing, it will help professional and hobbyist writers craft more words than ever before.
There are no Bluetooth shenanigans to be frustrated by, and the build quality makes it a joy to open, adjust, and carry around. You can also pick up the handy accessory at B&H Photo with free expedited shipping within the contiguous U.S. at press time.
11-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard review: Is small big enough?
So when Apple announced the Magic Keyboard with trackpad for iPad Pro in March 2020, I threw my money at my computer screen with a celebrated, “huzzah!” At this point, all the big tech bloggers and vloggers have already told you what’s great and what’s not-so-great about the Magic Keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but what about the smaller one?
If, like me, you want to know is whether the smaller 11-inch iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard configuration could be a comfortable laptop-like experience, too, you’re in the right place. And yes, I wrote and published this 11-inch iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard review exclusively using the combo. You can find the previous 12.9-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard from retailers like Amazon while supplies last. Others have very strong opinions about what makes a good keyboard, and the slightest changes to tactility and feedback have a huge effect.
There is plenty of wrist pad room for me to rest my palms next to the trackpad without accidentally clicking it. Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro side view (Image credit: IMore)
The folio part of the keyboard case, the magnetic backing that the iPad Pro sticks to, is where most of the unique design aspect comes into play. There are multiple strong magnets on either side of the mount to keep the iPad Pro in place. I was actually able to disengage the iPad Pro from the magnets with one hand by grabbing it right next to the angled backside and pulling it forward, but it was a little awkward. Still, I’d give up one-handed removal from the mount in exchange for a reliable magnetic connection, which I think Apple was betting on when the design team came up with this system.
USB-C Charging port on the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro (Image credit: IMore) In a lot of 11-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard reviews, writers talk about the hinge design. The magnetic mount and multiple-angled hinge design give the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro its unique “hovering” aesthetic. Since the iPad Pro, which would essentially be the display part of a laptop, is so top-heavy (because it’s a whole computing device, not just a display), the anchor hinge at the base and the mount angle hinge had to be adjusted to correct for too much weight on top. It was pretty ingenious to come up with a way to counterbalance the top heaviness of the iPad Pro while still allowing for some angling freedom. Most cases either have an awkward kickstand on the backside, which is pretty uncomfortable on a lap, or only offer two or three stationary angles, with the bottom of the iPad anchored down to the keyboard base magnetically (think, Smart Keyboard design).
Brydge, actually, seems to have come the closest with an infinite number of adjustable angles, though if you go past the sweet spot, it’ll start to tip over. If you were able to place the iPad directly onto the keyboard base at the exact angle it sits when fully open, you’d cut off the number keys row entirely.
This hover design allows for plenty of keyboard space, while also providing enough wrist pad distance for you to comfortably set the palm of your hands if that’s how you type.
The only problem with the hover design is that my fingertips will oftentimes inadvertently tap the iPad whenever I’m reaching for a number or the delete key. I’ve been typing on my iPad Pro with the Brydge Pro+ for a few months now and got used to the extra weight that comes along with a keyboard and trackpad combo. Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro sitting on lap (Image credit: IMore)
It still tips back just a little, making me feel compelled to hold down the base with the palms of my hands in order to avoid any potential spillover. If I raise my wrists up from the base in an attempt to practice good typing positioning, I get a lot of bounce.
I am very aware of why Apple didn’t include a row of function keys with the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro.
I managed to get about nine hours straight of working on my iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard attached with about 25% battery left. That’s with standard work-based activities like email triage, two 30-minute meetings in Google Hangouts Meet (a serious battery hog), writing this review and uploading it to our system (along with the photos), planning content for the website, checking in with my coworkers in Slack regularly, and a few other work-type things. It does suck up a few percentage points of juice over the day, but it’s still within Apple’s battery performance estimate of 10 hours of usage for the iPad Pro, so the drain is negligible.
When we all found out how much the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro costs, I think we had a collective double-take. I love that I can have the same scissor switch, bouncy key, springy feedback keyboard with my iPad Pro. I love that Apple has transformed it for mobile and I can have the same scissor switch, bouncy key, springy feedback keyboard with my iPad Pro. Logitech Folio Touch Type Mode Side (Image credit: Christine Romero-Chan / iMore)
While the Magic Keyboard is missing the function key row, the Folio Touch has it with all of the basics, including a dedicated Home button, media playback, brightness control, and more. The trackpad also has incredibly smooth scrolling as well from my experience, and thanks to the folio style, you can have way more flexibility with viewing angles.
And even if you don’t need the keyboard, you can just fold it back all the way and just use your iPad Pro normally, while keeping it safe and protected from bumps and scuffs. It’s almost half the cost of the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard, with slightly more functionality. You want a protective keyboard case that won’t add a lot of bulk and has a unique design The keys are spread out enough, even on the 11-inch iPad Pro, that it doesn’t feel cramped or compact.
It still wobbles around and tends to tip backward just a bit if you don’t have your knees angled at exactly 90 degrees. Added price and availability section with information about the 2nd-generation Magic Keyboard and new white color. Ipad Pro Magic Keyboard 1 Year Later (Image credit: Christine Romero-Chan / iMore) It’s been over a year since Apple introduced the first-generation iPad Pro Magic Keyboard.
Apple also revealed the second generation of Magic Keyboard at its ‘Spring loaded’ event, alongside the new iPad Pro (2021). You may be thinking about picking up one of the Magic Keyboards to go with a brand new iPad, especially the insanely powerful 12.9-inch with the Liquid Retina XDR display.
As long as you take care of it and store it properly when not in use, the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard will still look decent, even a year later. However, if you aren’t a fan of mechanical keyboards, then yes, Apple’s scissor switch still feels excellent for what it’s worth.
This is simply due to my typing style, the more compact size of the 11-inch version, and the fact that the iPad is floating above the keyboard. It also doesn’t help that the -, +, return, and right shift keys are smaller than normal, due to the much more compact layout. Not to mention the lack of a function key row with buttons for going to the Home screen, media playback, and more, and I honestly kind of regret my purchase.
The 5 Best Keyboards For iPad – Summer 2022 Reviews
Some of them come in folio cases, so you’ll have to make sure it fits your specific iPad, while others are stand-alone keyboards, so you can use them as long as they have Bluetooth support.
Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad review: The best iPad keyboard
I know what you’re thinking — it’s easy to say that the iPad makes a good laptop replacement in theory, but actually using it on the day-to-day is a different experience. Sure, I also have a Mac Mini that I use for most of my work, but any time I’m away from my desk, the iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard has been my go-to productivity machine. Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd, 2nd and 1st Generation) and iPad Air (5th and 4… List Price: $299.00 Price: $229.99 You Save: $69.01 (23%) Buy Now Available from Amazon, BGR may receive a commission The keyboard is built to allow you to quickly and easily place your iPad on it and start typing.
The iPad very easily aligns with the Magic Keyboard and attaches firmly in place. And, thanks to the floating design it’s very easy to grab the iPad from the bottom and take it off.
The genius of the Magic Keyboard’s design extends further than just…”magnets!” The iPad also attaches to the Magic Keyboard through the Smart Connector pins, and that means that power can be transferred from the case to the iPad. The whole keyboard is rigid, which essentially means that you can use the device on your lap, in bed, and anywhere else you would normally use a laptop. The keys, for starters, offer plenty of travel and a nice, tactile feel. Frankly, the actual keys on the Magic Keyboard don’t feel all that different than those on a MacBook. Now, obviously, Apple wasn’t able to fit a trackpad as large as the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro on the Magic Keyboard, but the actual quality of the trackpad on the Magic Keyboard is just as high. That’s in stark contrast to the iPadOS of just a few years ago, which didn’t support a mouse at all.
Now, I have to cut Apple some slack here, especially on the smaller model — adding function keys might make the experience much more cramped. But it would allow users to easily control volume and media, and even software, without having to reach up to touch the iPad’s display. Go for the larger 12.9-inch model instead, and you have a combined weight of 3.11 pounds, which is heavier than a MacBook Air.
Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro Review
Apple’s iPad Pro is an amazing piece of hardware that’s gated by its software. With a 120Hz display, powerful speakers, and support for the unparalleled Apple Pencil stylus, it’s a gorgeous tablet for reading, writing, and creating art, and its processor measures up to the ones in most laptops.
The Magic Keyboard (starting at $299 for the 11-inch model) finally turns the iPad Pro into the gorgeous convertible laptop it’s been trying to become for years. But it still doesn’t have the full productivity apps it needs to supplant similarly priced Mac laptops.
The keyboard has 64 roomy, full-sized keys that use the same mechanism as Apple’s new laptops: scissor switches with a satisfying bit of throw that makes it easy to type quickly. In the case, the iPad is firm and balanced, as easy to use and as stable on a lap as a MacBook Pro, to the point that you can sort of forget it isn’t a laptop.
That isn’t true with kickstand-based solutions like the Microsoft Surface devices or the Logitech Combo Pro case, which can wobble on your knees. The Magic Keyboard appears to have a negative impact on your iPad Pro’s battery.
Without the keyboard, the iPad lasts nearly eight hours on a full charge, so there’s definitely a bit of extra battery drain happening here. Our Photoshop for iPad review has a long list of features we’re waiting for, like effects, a history brush, a blur/smudge tool, and batch operations. Taking notes on an Ericsson webcast, I found that it would pause every time I threw it into the background to check something on a different web page. If you’ve read this far, you’re probably married to Apple’s platforms, but I’d like to point out that the pricing here is out of whack with Windows competitors, as well.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 costs $1,060 with an Intel Core i5, 128GB of storage, and a Type Cover With Trackpad.
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