digest
Short Summary
Main recommendation: The Apple Magic Keyboard case for iPad Pro ($300 for the small one, $350 for the big one) is a great accessory for people who mostly use the iPad as an iPad and occasionally pop in a keyboard, but the reviewer says he'd still rather have a laptop overall, especially for multitasking. The case is well built and has an excellent keyboard, yet the iPad-plus-case combination is heavier than a MacBook Air and still has noticeable limitations as a primary computer.
Key Points
- The case is well built and heavier than expected: the 13-inch iPad Pro weighs 640 grams, the case alone weighs 702 grams, and the combination is thicker and heavier than a MacBook Air.
- The keyboard is the standout feature: scissor switches with good travel, a clicky feel similar to new MacBook Air and 16-inch MacBook Pro keys, no flex, and a fading backlight.
- The trackpad is smaller than a laptop's but supports the iPad cursor and physically clicks across its whole surface.
- The hinge is stiff, opens only so far, and holds the iPad floating above the keyboard, which the reviewer found sufficient for normal use.
- The setup feels top-heavy and is still lappable in some positions, though less flexible than a true laptop with weight at the bottom.
- Workflow gaps remain: no Escape key, no function keys, and no way to skip songs or do Zoom-plus-notes multitasking without touching the screen.
- Cost comparison: a 13-inch iPad Pro with this case totals about $1,350 ($1,000 iPad + $350 case), versus the reviewer's MacBook Air at $1,200.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions: To attach the iPad, open the case until the hinge clicks into its locking point, then continue opening the top half, align the iPad, and lock it with the magnets. The keyboard and pins connect, and the iPad floats above the keyboard.
- Concrete instructions: To change keyboard backlight brightness, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboard Hardware and adjust the backlight manually. Auto brightness, which uses the iPad's sensors, usually works well enough that manual changes are rarely needed.
- Concrete instructions: To close an app without touching the screen, open the Command-Tab menu, find the app, and press Command-Q. Pressing Command-Q while inside an app does nothing; use Command-H to go home.
- Concrete instructions: Hold the Command key in any app to display a list of the keyboard shortcuts available there.
- The USB-C pass-through port on the hinge side is at the bottom, similar to a laptop's port, and the reviewer observed near-100 percent charging efficiency through it.
- The reviewer described the case as the best iPad keyboard case he has used, with a 120 Hz screen and iPadOS quirks still present.
- The case suits people who pop the iPad out for normal use and only occasionally need a keyboard; people who keep it in the case constantly are a different use pattern.
Bottom Line
The Magic Keyboard case makes the iPad Pro the most laptop-like iPad yet, but its weight, top-heavy feel, and missing function keys mean it is a strong accessory rather than a full replacement for a laptop for heavy multitasking users.
