iPad Pro is magic keyboard really worth the extra $$$ over smart keyboard for ipad pro?

[satchmo]

i have a 2018 15" MBP for my laptop needs. Amazon is having a sale right now on the Magic keyboard, $249 for the 11" keyboard. but i think i'm gonna hold onto the the Smart keyboard, as i don't need a replacement for my MBP and my 256GB 11" IPP was already expensive begin with.

Bottom line, both the folio and magic keyboards serve a need and use case. Apple would love if users buy both.

While I'd love a MK, it's difficult to justify spending that much. Even with the sale, it's close to half the price of my iPad Air 4. If I can find one cheap on eBay or lightly used local market, I would consider it.

 

[snipr125]

Bottom line, both the folio and magic keyboards serve a need and use case. Apple would love if users buy both.

While I'd love a MK, it's difficult to justify spending that much. Even with the sale, it's close to half the price of my iPad Air 4. If I can find one cheap on eBay or lightly used local market, I would consider it.

Satchmo im in the same boat as you. Would love a MK but its too expensive. Lockdown is over in England so had another play with the MK and Folio keyboards in Selfridges (dept store in London), and the touch pad is sooo nice to use and the keyboard is great. The Folio is also excellent, and if it had a trackpad then i would have snapped this up already for my Air 4.

 

[crashnburn]

I used to. Now I use a Thinkpad with the track point built in!😉

I love them but wish they could adopt some design cues from iPad Pros Surface Pros.

 

[kristalsoldier]

I love them but wish they could adopt some design cues from iPad Pros Surface Pros.

What kind of design cues?

 

[James Godfrey]

For typing experience 100% yes plus you get a track pad so again 100% yes... HOWEVER...

The material is piss poor on it, will last an average user about 18 months before it gets unbearably beat up, mine came with spots showing the metal that the silicon covers.

A quick search on YouTube and you will find videos of fraying edges after 6 months of use within the home... now that is bad for a $300/$350 product, the keyboard should be lasting a good few years before any sort of fraying starts.

The material is my one and only gripe with the keyboard... and makes it worth only about $200 of anybody’s money.

I know yes it’s still an iPad case so to speak, but it 100% should have been leather and had some feet on the underside.

I can imagine a V2 will be out sometime in 2021.

 

[driftless]

Yes.

 

[ssledoux]

I think it’s worth it over the keyboard folio. People say the MK is cumbersome, but I always thought the folio was cumbersome. I hated having all that bulk behind the pad when I was using it for writing, or playing a game. The MK has some weight and bulk, yes, but it’s sturdy and stays put, and when I want to use the ipad away from the desk, it’s easy to just pop it off the MK, and then the keyboard doesn’t fall into a puddle either - it stays put so I can easily pop the iPad back on.

Now, if they had kept the original ASK, or had something that functioned like that, I’d probably have it too. I am one of the weirdos who actually LOVED typing on the ASK and Keyboard folio, even more than the typing experience on the MK.

Overall, I’m happy with my MK. I’ve had it since shortly after it came out, and mine still looks great with daily use.

 

[snipr125]

Can anyone advise if the MK uses up a lot of battery from the IPad Pro 11 or Air 4 in general use. I mean for example does it take power from the iPad when it’s not in use but still connected by the smart connector?

 

[tops2]

Can anyone advise if the MK uses up a lot of battery from the IPad Pro 11 or Air 4 in general use. I mean for example does it take power from the iPad when it’s not in use but still connected by the smart connector?

MobileReviewsEh tried seeing the Magic Keyboard drains power. But sounds like it doesn't drain too much in general. (It's been a while since I watched this video)..

 

[Moyapilot]

Can anyone advise if the MK uses up a lot of battery from the IPad Pro 11 or Air 4 in general use. I mean for example does it take power from the iPad when it’s not in use but still connected by the smart connector?

On my Ipp11 2018, I don’t notice it draining my battery any more than usual. But I do have the backlight off as I never need it (touch type)

Maybe with the backlight it might use a slight but, but nothing to worry about. Battery life on the ipads is so good now, its worth using a nice keyboard and trackpad even it uses a bit of it.

I didn’t really mind the Smart Keyboard folio that I had prior either. It is so light, that its amazing it has a keyboard on it. I actually had a protective case that weighed more than the SKF! The SKF and and MK do not provide any edge or corner protection though.

The MK does have these things that I really appreciate:
1)The cantalever design has the neat effect of placing the ipad 1” higher up in the air. It makes it so you don’t end up having to look down as much.

2)The keys are a joy to type on. While I could type on the SKF just fine, and didn’t hate it...the keys on the MK actually make me look for excuses to type.

3)Like another person above, I love being able to pull the ipad off of the MK so easily and not have it collapse, or have to use two hands and wrestle with it like the SKF.


What I hate: Again, like its been mentioned so many types before. Price and lousy exterior material that is designed to disintegrate.

 

[snipr125]

Tops2 and moya pilot thank you very much for your posts. I think i will get the MK next month. Its expensive, but overall worth it i reckon.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Can anyone advise if the MK uses up a lot of battery from the IPad Pro 11 or Air 4 in general use. I mean for example does it take power from the iPad when it’s not in use but still connected by the smart connector?

As long as the MK is connected, power is used for possible MK use. If you are worried about excessive power drain, that hasn’t been a problem for me nor have I read about it being a problem on the forum.

 

[Populus]

Hey OP, no, not for me. And it is not an issue of pricepoint, it is about portability and foldability. I use my 11” iPP with a smart keyboard folio and it is great to be able to fold it back to use it as a tablet. In order to do this with the Magic Keyboard, I should unattach the iPad. No thanks. Also I like the clacky feel of the Smart Keyboard Folio. And it is more resistant to dust, water drops and crumbles!

 

[KennyJr]

It may feel cheap to you, although that is very subjective. It also isn’t worth the price to you and that is fine. Your personal world doesn’t extend to everyone else.

We're all posting from our own personal worlds, and what we're writing is indeed subjective. These sites are about expressing opinions. I want to hear those opinions - even when those opinions seem to me to be a bit on the rude side.

 

[KennyJr]

I use a backlighted Brydge keyboard with my 12.9 Pro. The keys have just the right degree of travel and touch for me and I appreciate having that top row of keys. It's good to have the esc key along with those other specialty keys like mute, volume, eject, display brightness, key lighting, and the like. I bought the space gray keyboard to match my iPad. It's aluminum and makes the keyboard and iPad together look like a regular MacBook product. And .. it has a solid professional feel to it. To me, its only downsides are its weight and its lack of trackpad (the newer ones have a trackpad - I'll get one of those one of these days).

I've used the Smart Keyboard and Logitech folios. Those two were good - I just like the Brydge keyboard better. Right now I'm buying for my sister who just got a 12.9 Pro. She's not good with technical gadgetry so I was looking at the Smart Keyboard that seems uncomplicated, it electrically connects directly, and can be folded back on itself allowing use as a regular iPad or for drawing (she draws and paints). So I came here to see what you folks thought of this style Magic Keyboard. For my use, I'm not willing to pay that much for a keyboard that lacks that top row of keys but I wanted to see if this might be a good keyboard for her. From what I've read so far I think the Smart Keyboard would be better choice. Are there any artists here? I'd love to hear what you folks have to say.

 

[Astonish_IT]

Simply if I would buy an iPad Pro to replace a laptop, and if I will be using it mostly for typing..etc, I would definitely get the Apple Magic Keyboard.

But if I want the flexibility between occasional typing and tablet mode, and if I sketch a lot, I would definitely get the Smart Keyboard.

It is true, you can remove the iPad from the Magic Keyboard and just use it as a tablet or draw, but I dont like to go unprotected on an iPad.

My set-up is iPad Pro - Smart Keyboard Case - I-Blason protective case that is compatible with iPad - Apple Pencil.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Simply if I would buy an iPad Pro to replace a laptop, and if I will be using it mostly for typing..etc, I would definitely get the Apple Magic Keyboard.

But if I want the flexibility between occasional typing and tablet mode, and if I sketch a lot, I would definitely get the Smart Keyboard.

It is true, you can remove the iPad from the Magic Keyboard and just use it as a tablet or draw, but I dont like to go unprotected on an iPad.

My set-up is iPad Pro - Smart Keyboard Case - I-Blason protective case that is compatible with iPad - Apple Pencil.

When I want to draw or go mobile with my iPad Po for a few minutes or longer, I use my Apple Smart Case. And when I am done needing to be mobile and inputting on the iPad, I connect it back to my Magic Keyboard. I do this on a regular basis and it works wells for me.

 

[Astonish_IT]

When I want to draw or go mobile with my iPad Po for a few minutes or longer, I use my Apple Smart Case. And when I am done needing to be mobile and inputting on the iPad, I connect it back to my Magic Keyboard. I do this on a regular basis and it works wells for me.

Sure it would and if i had a Magic Keyboard, it would be the way I would do as well. But then, it means that it would require me to bring with me two ipad covers each time that I am on the go. So, for this reason, I would rather use the Smart Keyboard Folio and have only one case. Afterall I am an occasional writer.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Sure it would and if i had a Magic Keyboard, it would be the way I would do as well. But then, it means that it would require me to bring with me two ipad covers each time that I am on the go. So, for this reason, I would rather use the Smart Keyboard Folio and have only one case. Afterall I am an occasional writer.

That makes sense.

When i do go mobile with my iPad, it is transported in a carrying case where I have room for extra cases, charging cord and other accessories. Otherwise, i would have to leave said bag in the car or carry the smart case loose by itself, which I wouldn’t like doing.

 

[Astonish_IT]

That makes sense.

When i do go mobile with my iPad, it is transported in a carrying case where I have room for extra cases, charging cord and other accessories. Otherwise, i would have to leave said bag in the car or carry the smart case loose by itself, which I wouldn’t like doing.

Yes, if I do like you do, then sure, I would definitely prefer the Magic Keyboard, but in my case, the reason I want to go with iPad Pro is especially for drawing, I use the keyboard only if I am typing on forums, chatting or doing some publishing stuff on Pages. But it is much rarer than drawing and media consumption. And I want to go as light as possible, that is why, that solution for me is not possible. Leaving it in car could be a solution tho.

 

[Ipadlover29]

Let’s just put it this way the magic keyboard is best keyboard option on the market right for the iPad Pro. It is expensive and drains the iPads battery but other than that I think it’s great.

 

[tops2]

As mentioned on previous posts.. I finally took the plunge and bought the Apple Magic Trackpad 2 (with a great discount) and couldn't be happier. When at the table using my iPad like a laptop, the trackpad works perfect with all the gestures, and I finally don't have to keep reaching up to touch the screen when sitting at the table. I knew the size was going to be big..but boy its really big! Lol. I suppose nicer to have a larger touch area than a tiny area though. 😜

Overall, finally happy with the iPad setup I have and can stop thinking of how to make my setup better for my preferences. 😄

 

[sunking101]

I'm unsure which one to go with and given COVID restrictions, I'm not able to properly assess them in person.

I could certainly order online and have them delivered to my home.

Do you feel guilty buying both to try out at home and ultimately returning one or both?

Where does the returned item go? Refurbished or liquidators?
It feels wrong, even though Apple can afford it.

People buy the 8GB M1 Air to use whilst their 16GB is on order, then return it. Or they buy a space grey iPhone only to return it because they've decided on gold. Folk abuse the Apple return period massively, which probably helps account for the ridiculous prices they charge.

 

[cardfan]

People buy the 8GB M1 Air to use whilst their 16GB is on order, then return it. Or they buy a space grey iPhone only to return it because they've decided on gold. Folk abuse the Apple return period massively, which probably helps account for the ridiculous prices they charge.

Then i suppose we’ve already paid for the privilege to abuse it. Lol

 

[rui no onna]

Then i suppose we’ve already paid for the privilege to abuse it. Lol

Honestly, this is the same way I think of it.

Apple charges pretty high prices and going directly through Apple Store, there's no retailer taking a cut of the profit. I expect returns is something they already account for. They probably gain more sales by allowing 14 day hassle free returns compared to losses incurred. Thanks to their return policy, I know I've bought a few Apple products I was undecided on that I ended up keeping.

Now folks who return and exchange products 20 times due to some issue you'd have view with a microscope, yeah, that's a tad excessive.