Testing Apple's New Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro

[The Game 161]

It seems that you're in the category of people who want to carry a keyboard and trackpad/mouse along with their iPad everywhere. I'm just not sure this category gather many people though. I may be wrong, but isn't the main use case of the iPad being touch interface + light + bigger screen than an iPhone? And keyboard and trackpad/mouse just being used at times under certain conditions? I mean generally speaking, not in your particular case.

If the vast majority of people wants to carry a keyboard + trackpad/mouse along with their iPad everywhere, then yes I'm more than willing to say that this new Magic keyboard accessory is a better fit than a separate keyboard + trackpad/mouse. But if that's not the case...

No, i want to carry around just the magic keyboard case and nothing else. I have the keyboard, built in trackpad and that’s it. I rarely take my iPad off my keyboard case when at work and i may take it off the odd time on the sofa but generally the iPad will stay on my magic keyboard. I have the touch when needed (with Apple Pencil for nav when i don’t want to use trackpad) but also the trackpad built in support to use it as a laptop replacement which it has been for a while now.

For other tasks that’s what my pro max is for.

Pro max and 12.9 with magic keyboard for me is the perfect combo and all i need.

 

[Romeo_Nightfall]

It is extremely heavy, but also a great keyboard if it fits your use case. Loving mine.

what’s your usecase?

 

[zhenya]

It seems that you're in the category of people who want to carry a keyboard and trackpad/mouse along with their iPad everywhere. I'm just not sure this category gather many people though. I may be wrong, but isn't the main use case of the iPad being touch interface + light + bigger screen than an iPhone? And keyboard and trackpad/mouse just being used at times under certain conditions? I mean generally speaking, not in your particular case.

If the vast majority of people wants to carry a keyboard + trackpad/mouse along with their iPad everywhere, then yes I'm more than willing to say that this new Magic keyboard accessory is a better fit than a separate keyboard + trackpad/mouse. But if that's not the case...

My impression is that iPad users want flexibility. That’s certainly what I value from the device. I don’t want to carry a keyboard/mouse if it means it fundamentally alters the portability - ie. the vast majority of keyboards prior to the original keyboard folio, a separate mouse/keyboard, etc. But if I can have a keyboard and trackpad and pencil all as optional input devices, and have the option of using the screen either attached or detached, that opens up the device to all sorts of use cases a traditional computer just can’t do. It’s why I’ve been using iPads for 10 years. It’s taken longer to fully realize the original dream than I would have expected, but things are picking up the last couple of years.

 

[spinedoc77]

Why is every single review not covering how this functions in your lap? 2:15 in its amazing how much this wobbles even on a stable surface (no pun intended...surface).

 

[AngerDanger]

Great animation, how can I pm you?

 

[ct2k7]

View attachment 908527

I’m happy to be in your video!

 

[The Game 161]

Why is every single review not covering how this functions in your lap? 2:15 in its amazing how much this wobbles even on a stable surface (no pun intended...surface).

Works great on the lap from my experience, far better than the old ASK.

 

[Crow T Robot]

Didn't try to use it on your lap? Sheesh.

 

[Adam Henry]

so before wuhan virus hit i traveled a lot for work. 90% international. i ordered the 12.9, mkb and the pencil thinking this will be the perfect setup for long haul flights. got the pencil yesterday and now waiting for the ipad and kb. i really think this will be a hit for travelers.

 

[spinedoc77]

Works great on the lap from my experience, far better than the old ASK.

This is what I'm most curious about, in particular tapping the top of the screen and also writing/drawing. It looks crazy wobbly when he taps the screen in this review, and that's on a stable surface and not even the top of the screen he's tapping. It's not something I would personally get as it doubles the weight and thickness, but I thought it might be decent as a desktop dock until I see how wobbly it is. Unless you use it without the touchscreen and only use trackpad/mouse.

 

[The Game 161]

This is what I'm most curious about, in particular tapping the top of the screen and also writing/drawing. It looks crazy wobbly when he taps the screen in this review, and that's on a stable surface. It's not something I would personally get as it doubles the weight and thickness, but I thought it might be decent as a desktop dock until I see how wobbly it is. Unless you use it without the touchscreen and only use trackpad/mouse.

For me it wobbles when trying to write notes with the Apple Pencil but for general navigation it’s fine in that area. I do mainly use it with the trackpad though. Pencil is good for navigation but for design I wouldn’t say it’s stable for that use

 

[spinedoc77]

For me it wobbles when trying to write notes with the Apple Pencil but for general navigation it’s fine in that area. I do mainly use it with the trackpad though. Pencil is good for navigation but for design I wouldn’t say it’s stable for that use

But it seems like you would be actually balancing it on your lap. If it wobbles that much on a stable surface in the review I can only imagine how much it would wobble on a lap. At that point it seems like the previous iteration of the magic keyboard was better as at least it would be supported by the case, where the floating design and higher placement of this one makes it much less stable.

 

[Yoms]

No, i want to carry around just the magic keyboard case and nothing else. I have the keyboard, built in trackpad and that’s it. I rarely take my iPad off my keyboard case when at work and i may take it off the odd time on the sofa but generally the iPad will stay on my magic keyboard. I have the touch when needed (with Apple Pencil for nav when i don’t want to use trackpad) but also the trackpad built in support to use it as a laptop replacement which it has been for a while now.

For other tasks that’s what my pro max is for.

Pro max and 12.9 with magic keyboard for me is the perfect combo and all i need.

Personally, if I found myself with an iPad that I'd rarely take off its keyboard case (any brand), I would just think that I need a laptop. I really see keyboard cases (again, any brand) or separate Bluetooth Apple keyboard + Magic Trackpad (or Magic Mouse if you prefer) as a desktop use case. And in that particular use case, I think having the Bluetooth Apple keyboard + Magic Trackpad is better than this new accessory. Again, in that particular desktop use case.

But apart from that use case, I'd stick with the iPad alone w/o any accessory (or just the pencil).

Yeah, different pov

 

[jimbobb24]

For my job I need to draw via a special program via Citrix and that program did not love the iPad by itself. With the keyboard and trackpad I am now in business and its amazing. A huge win for my use case. My only complaint - I actually wish it floated a little higher and that I could flatten it out to draw with the keyboard at same time. But overall love it and has already made life easier for me.

 

[The Game 161]

Personally, if I found myself with an iPad that I'd rarely take off its keyboard case (any brand), I would just think that I need a laptop. I really see keyboard cases (again, any brand) or separate Bluetooth Apple keyboard + Magic Trackpad (or Magic Mouse if you prefer) as a desktop use case. And in that particular use case, I think having the Bluetooth Apple keyboard + Magic Trackpad is better than this new accessory. Again, in that particular desktop use case.

But apart from that use case, I'd stick with the iPad alone w/o any accessory (or just the pencil).

Yeah, different pov

Don’t like macOS. iPad does far more for my usage. Apps are simply better for what I use and it’s a smoother and fast experience for me.

I have far more options using an iPad than a Mac. I can use it as a tablet for when I need it, use the pencil for when I need it and use it as a laptop all day if I need to.

Overall everything I use it for is better on an iPad.

 

[The Game 161]

But it seems like you would be actually balancing it on your lap. If it wobbles that much on a stable surface in the review I can only imagine how much it would wobble on a lap. At that point it seems like the previous iteration of the magic keyboard was better as at least it would be supported by the case, where the floating design and higher placement of this one makes it much less stable.

No it’s more stable due to the weight. It wobbles no more on my lap than my MacBook Air did. The weight on a lap actually gives it an advantage for me. It wobbles far too much on the ASK for me

 

[jimbobb24]

One other thing I have become convinced of using the keyboard - Apple needs faceID on all their laptops ASAP. It’s amazing to have a laptop with faceID.

 

[rp2011]

All Apple products look good, but the ipad pro with Magic Keyboard looks award worthy good.

 

[spinedoc77]

No it’s more stable due to the weight. It wobbles no more on my lap than my MacBook Air did. The weight on a lap actually gives it an advantage for me. It wobbles far too much on the ASK for me

Interesting, I will have to see it in action myself. I'm not saying I don't believe you at all, I just can't see it being more stable after seeing how wobbly it is in the video. I wish Apple stores were open to try this out.

 

[Yoms]

Don’t like macOS. iPad does far more for my usage. Apps are simply better for what I use and it’s a smoother and fast experience for me.

I have far more options using an iPad than a Mac. I can use it as a tablet for when I need it, use the pencil for when I need it and use it as a laptop all day if I need to.

Overall everything I use it for is better on an iPad.

Well, if you don't like macOS that's also an issue. No pb with it as regards me.

But with rumors of ARM-based Macs, it means that Apple (and other companies) will have to rewrite most of their apps to be ARM-compatible on these newer Macs. From there, we could easily imagine these apps running on the iPad since it's the ARM architecture. If that happens, I can picture myself doing this:
- Desktop "productive" configuration: iPad Pro + external display used with keyboard + trackpad interface
- Couch, chill and lightweight configuration: iPad Pro alone used with its native touch interface

And therefore bye-bye macOS and Macs.

 

[The Game 161]

Interesting, I will have to see it in action myself. I'm not saying I don't believe you at all, I just can't see it being more stable after seeing how wobbly it is in the video. I wish Apple stores were open to try this out.

Not saying it’s 100% stable but for me is a better experience than the ASK

 

[MikeLW]

Holding out for Logitech to make their Combo Touch keyboard for the 11” iPad so I can get a cover that actually protects the iPad while the keyboard is detachable so its out of the way when it’s not needed (which is 80% of the time in my case) but it’s easily connected when required.

 

[Dozer_Zaibatsu]

I still may buy an iPad pro purely for the pencil and drawing apps. But otherwise…

To me it looks like Apple is admitting that Windows was right in the Windows 8 era.

Not only that, but Windows 8 also could multi-task like a computer and run a full browser with add-ons…

 

[Zmmyt]

I think you’d have a different opinion if you had one in hand and actually tried to have an objective view of it. I’ve been using nearly every iteration of tablet/keyboard design from Apple, Microsoft and Google for 10 years now since the introduction of the original iPad. This is BY FAR the most well-rounded, fully thought out execution from any manufacturer so far. Microsoft tried really hard with the Surface kickstand which has its positives, but the combined keyboard/tablet device in laptop mode is really clumsy. The Magic Keyboard design is as stable as any laptop, and you can solidly write on the screen. Try that with your “Macbook with Pencil support” so many people say they want.

i think I know what you mean, but aesthetics I find not so “Apple”. Looking at the review:

the USB port looks like an afterthought

the keys and trackpad look rather plasticy (if that’s a word)

I also think it probably beats anything else that’s on the market, and I’m sure second and third generation will look mich more refined. A bit like the first iPod compared to the third generation.

 

[mpetrides]

A 12.9” iPad Pro + keyboard is roughly identical in both price and weight to a 13” MacBook Pro and other similar laptops. And the MacBook Air is even lighter and cheaper.

And if you’re doing the kind of work which makes a keyboard useful, the laptop wins every time. So you’re not really gaining anything by taking out the iPad instead, aside from the pencil.

I’ll stick to my combo of a 15” MBP + iPad Mini.

“So you‘re not really gaining anything...aside from the Pencil.” You say that as if it is a trivial advantage whereas, in my experience, the Pencil is a large part of the raison d‘etre for the iPad Pro. Diff’rent strokes....