Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro 11-inch
Apple’s light, slim keyboard case
The ‘hover’ design allows for plenty of keyboard space
£299 FROM Apple, apple.com/uk FEATURES Full-size QWERTY keyboard with backlit keys, offering 1mm of key travel, multitouch trackpad, smart connector, USB-C port for charging iPad Pro, compatible with 11in iPad Pro (1st or 2nd gen) running iPadOS 13.4 or later
In terms of fit and feel, the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro 11-inch is similar to the Smart Keyboard Folio. It uses the same silicone exterior material and the same soft microfibre lining.
Instead of a case that you snap the iPad Pro into, it’s designed so that you simply ‘plop’ the iPad Pro onto the magnetic mounts. The magnets are reassuringly strong, although this means that it’s also quite tricky to remove the iPad Pro!
The magnetic mount and multiple-angled hinge design gives the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro its unique ‘hover’ aesthetic. The iPad Pro lifts up and moves forward before angling backward. It’s a pretty ingenious way to counter-balance the top heaviness of the iPad Pro as a ‘display’ while allowing for some angling freedom. There’s a single bendable joint about a quarter of the way up from the bottom of the case, and this joint locks into position at a 30° angle. It is adjustable up to that angle, but not past it.
The hover design allows for plenty of keyboard space, while also providing enough wrist pad distance to comfortably set the palm of your hands down. The only problem with the design is that your fingertips can inadvertently tap the iPad when reaching for a key in the top row. Angling the screen downward fixes that problem, but then the screen is in an odd position.
The case is thinner than most keyboard cases and doesn’t add much weight. You have to get the angle and position just right for the setup to feel truly stable on your lap, but on any flat surface stability is fine.
The trackpad is where the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro really shines. It’s smooth and intuitive. The cursor moves into position perfectly and reacts to buttons, text fields, and action bars perfectly. You also get real clicking buttons, not haptics, and the trackpad also supports Tap to Click.
Key position
The keys don’t feel cramped and there’s enough room between them to make for comfortable travel. Unfortunately, there’s no room for function keys, and they’re much missed – particularly the media control keys.
After about nine hours of using the iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard attached, we had about 25% battery left. When charging the iPad Pro via the Magic Keyboard, it doesn’t juice up nearly as fast as charging directly but, if you need the iPad’s USB-C port free for other peripherals, it’s good to know there’s an alternative method for charging.
The price is the main stinging point of this keyboard case. There are plenty of features that make it well worth considering – the trackpad, the unique look, the ultra thin (for a keyboard case) design, the fact that it is distinctly Apple. But it is a little overpriced.
That said, if you’ve got the money, the Magic Keyboard is a well made, well thoughtout accessory that really ups the productivity of your iPad Pro.