Background: I have been using an iPad mini since the Retina iPad Mini came out. My most recent mini was the iPad mini 4 LTE. I used a ClamCase keyboard with it, and absolutely thought it was the best way for ME to use my mini. I have since migrated to an iPad Pro LTE. I tried the ClamCase with it. I will compare the Smart Keyboard to the ClamCase.
I absolutely loved the tablet/PC configuration of my mini+ClamCase. I was excited to get the same utility out of an iPad Pro. That didn't happen.
First, there is a problem of weight. An iPad Pro weighs 33% more than an iPad mini. Add that to the inch greater height in landscape mode, and you have a top heavy device. What I mean is, when it is in the ClamCase in a standard keyboarding configuration (landscape with the top of the device tilted away from you like a laptop), the whole rig is precariously balanced. Tapping the top of the screen could tip everything over.
So why not just tip the screen towards you more? The screen will tip to 90 degrees (straight up and down). If you push it past that, it jumps to a preconfigured reclined position. It will not do 95 degrees, or 101 degrees. So there is that problem.
The hard shell cracks after a year, and the glue that holds the aluminum flashing around the keyboard dries out. The keyboard will literally fall apart. I have had this happen with ClamCases for the iPad Mini, and it happened to someone I gave an iPad ClamCase to as a gift.
Next, the Bluetooth is annoying. You are draining your iPad battery to use a device with a separate battery. And there is a problem. If you don't use the Bluetooth keyboard for a period of time, the link suspends. Then when you try typing again, the link reinitializes while you are typing. This means that what is on screen does not show everything you typed, and does not "catch up." What shows on the screen is what was typed after the initialization process completed. So, you get to do some retyping.
What about the function keys across the top of the keyboard? Are they nice to have? No for two reasons. First, most of those function keys can be had as keyboard shortcuts that exist. Second, the keyboard fails to do the function of keyboard due to reasons I have outlined. Adding function keys does not make up for that.
The last complaint I could make is weight. The ClamCase weighs in at 19 ounces compared to the smart keyboards 8 ounces. This speaks for itself.
The Smart Keyboard beats the ClamCase in every conceivable way except price. The ClamCase I used for testing was a ClamCase designed for an iPad Air 2. It costs $129 This provides all around protection, and a keyboard. The keyboard swings all the way back so that you can still comfortably use your tablet in photo orientation.
To get the same all around protection from Apple products I have to buy a Smart Keyboard and Silicon case. This runs $210. This means that all around protection weighs in at 11 ounces (compared to the ClamCase 19 ounces). A half a pound makes a noticible difference.
The advantage here is that I can turn off Bluetooth and save power using the Smart Keyboard. I don't have a separate device with battery to maintain the charge of. This means fewer things to fail.
At the end of the day we are still waiting for the "official" iPad Pro ClamCase to be released. I did my testing with the iPad Air 2 version of the case. But the problems I am identifying are unlikely to be fixed. Primarily that there is Bluetooth lag, a separate battery to maintain, and unneeded bulk.
The ClamCase is probably the best case for my money when looking to purchase for an iPad Mini. But, when looking for a keyboard for the iPad Pro, Apple did it right with the Smart Keyboard.
I absolutely loved the tablet/PC configuration of my mini+ClamCase. I was excited to get the same utility out of an iPad Pro. That didn't happen.
First, there is a problem of weight. An iPad Pro weighs 33% more than an iPad mini. Add that to the inch greater height in landscape mode, and you have a top heavy device. What I mean is, when it is in the ClamCase in a standard keyboarding configuration (landscape with the top of the device tilted away from you like a laptop), the whole rig is precariously balanced. Tapping the top of the screen could tip everything over.
So why not just tip the screen towards you more? The screen will tip to 90 degrees (straight up and down). If you push it past that, it jumps to a preconfigured reclined position. It will not do 95 degrees, or 101 degrees. So there is that problem.
The hard shell cracks after a year, and the glue that holds the aluminum flashing around the keyboard dries out. The keyboard will literally fall apart. I have had this happen with ClamCases for the iPad Mini, and it happened to someone I gave an iPad ClamCase to as a gift.
Next, the Bluetooth is annoying. You are draining your iPad battery to use a device with a separate battery. And there is a problem. If you don't use the Bluetooth keyboard for a period of time, the link suspends. Then when you try typing again, the link reinitializes while you are typing. This means that what is on screen does not show everything you typed, and does not "catch up." What shows on the screen is what was typed after the initialization process completed. So, you get to do some retyping.
What about the function keys across the top of the keyboard? Are they nice to have? No for two reasons. First, most of those function keys can be had as keyboard shortcuts that exist. Second, the keyboard fails to do the function of keyboard due to reasons I have outlined. Adding function keys does not make up for that.
The last complaint I could make is weight. The ClamCase weighs in at 19 ounces compared to the smart keyboards 8 ounces. This speaks for itself.
The Smart Keyboard beats the ClamCase in every conceivable way except price. The ClamCase I used for testing was a ClamCase designed for an iPad Air 2. It costs $129 This provides all around protection, and a keyboard. The keyboard swings all the way back so that you can still comfortably use your tablet in photo orientation.
To get the same all around protection from Apple products I have to buy a Smart Keyboard and Silicon case. This runs $210. This means that all around protection weighs in at 11 ounces (compared to the ClamCase 19 ounces). A half a pound makes a noticible difference.
The advantage here is that I can turn off Bluetooth and save power using the Smart Keyboard. I don't have a separate device with battery to maintain the charge of. This means fewer things to fail.
At the end of the day we are still waiting for the "official" iPad Pro ClamCase to be released. I did my testing with the iPad Air 2 version of the case. But the problems I am identifying are unlikely to be fixed. Primarily that there is Bluetooth lag, a separate battery to maintain, and unneeded bulk.
The ClamCase is probably the best case for my money when looking to purchase for an iPad Mini. But, when looking for a keyboard for the iPad Pro, Apple did it right with the Smart Keyboard.