Apple started accepting orders for the Magic Keyboard with trackpad for the iPad Pro last week. The iPad Pro accessory has already started making its way into the hands of customers, with the first set of reviews from major publications also hitting the internet.
The Magic Keyboard is a good accessory for the iPad Pro for people who are always on the move and use their tablet as a real laptop since it makes the typing experience noticeably better. It is also impressive that the iPad Pro despite attaching magnetically to the Magic Keyboard’s hinge sits extremely sturdily and there’s no risk of the device falling from it.
The Magic Keyboard is a relatively thick and heavy accessory — 471g for the 11-inch iPad and 600gms for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, unlike regular keyboard accessories that are available for the iPad. The 600gms weight makes the accessory heavier than the iPad Pro itself. In fact, with the accessory attached, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro weighs the same as the 13-inch MacBook Pro (3 pounds which is definitely a cause of concern. So, if you were planning on going with the iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard route thinking it was going to be lighter than carrying a laptop, you might want to reconsider that decision.
The good thing is that the keyboard aspect of the Magic Keyboard is good. It is not the exact same keyboard that Apple is using on its 16-inch MacBook Pro, but it does use the same scissor-switch mechanism from it. The keys are also backlight, though turning them off is a hassle in itself and requires one to dive deep into the Settings app. One important thing to note is that the Magic Keyboard lacks a physical Esc key so you will have to remap one of the other keys to it. The function keys are also missing which also poses usability concerns. Another major usability issue with the Magic Keyboard is that it only tilts up to 130 degrees which is not going to be enough when one is working with the device on their lap.
Make sure to read the reviews listed below to get a better idea of the Magic Keyboard with trackpad and then decide whether it is worth spending your money on it or not.
