The Smart Keyboard turns the iPad Pro into a laptop
Apple
The new 13in iPad Pro is an absolute beast of a device, but it can’t be left unprotected. Apple has two official cases for the iPad Pro 13in: the Magic Keyboard and the Smart Folio. Which should you choose? The answer you may not want to read is both.
I’ve bought both cases for my new iPad Pro 13in (yes, all with my own money) and I’ll explain their strengths and weaknesses below to help you decide if you can live with just the one.
iPad Pro 13in Magic Keyboard
There’s a new row of shortcut keys on the Smart Keyboard
Apple
The Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro 13in is a fabulous accessory—and so it should be for the $349 Apple charges for it.
This keyboard is as good as a MacBook Air’s. You’ll have no problem getting up to full typing speed on it and its firm base means you can sit the keyboard on your lap and type. Just be careful, as it is easier than I’d like to tip the entire device backwards when it’s resting on your lap, particularly if you prod the touchscreen.
Luckily, you shouldn’t need to prod the screen all that much with the Magic Keyboard attached because Apple has worked wonders with the touchpad controls in iPadOS. Given that these controls have basically been crowbarred into a touchscreen operating system, it’s incredible how natural they feel, as if iPadOS was always designed to be controlled with a mouse, like macOS. You could even access your Mac from your iPad Pro and effectively turn it into a MacBook.
The increased size of the touchpad on the Magic Keyboard makes it even easier to perform multi-finger gestures, such as swiping left or right with three fingers to move between open apps.
Another new addition to the Magic Keyboard is the row of shortcut keys above the numbers, making it easy to adjust brightness, activate Siri or control the volume on the iPad. The backlighting on the keyboard is another nice touch, especially in dimly lit rooms or plane cabins. (The person in the next seat may not thank you for tapping away at night, mind.)
So why would you need anything other than the Magic Keyboard as a cover for your iPad? Well, first there’s the weight. At 665g, it weighs more than the iPad itself.
Worse, however, is its lack of flexibility. Unlike the Smart Keyboard Folio, which Apple isn’t offering for the 13in iPad Pro, you can’t fold it behind the screen. It can only be used in laptop configuration. That’s not great if you’re reading a book on the sofa or playing a game on the touchscreen. Of course, you can detach the iPad Pro from the Smart Keyboard for those activities, but then you’re constantly pulling it in and out of the case.
It’s also not ideal when you’re using the iPad to, say, watch Netflix on an area with limited space such as a bedside cabinet or even those plane trays. The base is obviously quite wide and deep, like a laptop computer’s, meaning you may struggle to fit it easily into the space. The last thing you want is your expensive iPad dangling over the edge of a surface, which is why I reluctantly also opted for an…
iPad Pro 13in Smart Folio
The Smart Folio can be used as a stand
Apple
Yes, it’s another $100, but the Smart Folio is the case my iPad Pro now spends the majority of its time in. It’s very lightweight (300g) and adds barely anything to the thickness of the device, making it much more comfortable to hold in pure tablet mode.
It automatically switches the device on/off when you open/close the case, and you can fold it back around the rear of the iPad and use it as a stand when watching movies or TV shows. A stand that takes up much less space than the Smart Keyboard, especially when used in the more upright configuration (shown below).
This configuration has a very small footprint
Apple
The iPad Pro does wobble a little if you prod the screen when using the Smart Folio as a stand in the upright configuration, so don’t get too heavy handed, as it wouldn’t take brute force to knock it backwards.
My other slight durability fear is the edges of the case. Previous Folio cases from Apple have frayed at the edges over time, as the bonded rubber comes apart. I fear the same could happen here.
Best iPad Pro 13in Case Verdict
There’s no point choosing between the two cases as they perform very different functions. The Smart Keyboard is superb for getting work done and using the iPad Pro as a pseudo laptop. The Smart Folio is great for the sofa, when you’re noodling around with apps and games.
It’s irritating (to put it mildly) that you need to spend more than $400 to get official iPad Pro cases that cover all scenarios, and maybe a third-party folio keyboard will prove a better and much cheaper compromise option for some owners. But if you suck it up and decide to go for both, I doubt you’ll come to regret it.
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Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : Forbes – https://www.forbes.com/sites/barrycollins/2024/06/08/the-best-ipad-pro-case-magic-keyboard-smart-folio-or-both
