The Magic Keyboard has arrived to replace a Smart Keyboard that has become somewhat dated. Thanks to its keyboard and especially its trackpad it is an accessory that has been in everyone’s mouth. In this article we analyze all the characteristics of this keyboard for the iPad as well as the experience of use.
Floating design
One of the great features of this keyboard is being able to have the iPad in a much more ergonomic position. It includes an area that is fully magnetized and that makes the iPad hold very good, being able to ‘float’ . With this term we want to refer to the fact that the iPad does not rest on a surface with occurs like the Apple keyboard covers. This means that it can be perfectly adjusted to the position of our head so that we do not have to bend it too low in order to observe the iPad screen to work. In this way you will have a much more incorporated head avoiding the so common and annoying neck contractures.
If it is true that it is very thought to work on a table. If you are going to work with it on your legs, you may miss putting it back a little more to work more comfortably. That is why more inclination angles would be requested which are somewhat limited.
If we talk about design in general we see a cover that is aesthetically very beautiful. In addition to including the keyboard that will allow you to work comfortably, it will also protect the equipment without any problem. The disadvantage that will be found is in the weight, since in itself the weight of the iPad Pro is not too low and if you add the keyboard it reaches a weight that can be too high. We are talking about that the iPad is a totally portable equipment and that it can reach more than a kilogram with the keyboard makes it somewhat heavy to carry. A curious fact to note that on one of its sides you will find a USB-C port that can be useful to continue working while you are charging the iPad.
Keyboard and trackpad
The keyboard is undoubtedly one of the great differences that exists with respect to the Smart Keyboard. A scissor mechanism is included that makes typing feel great with 1mm of travel. This is the same mechanism that we found in the last Mac of the company, so in the end the experience will be very similar in this regard. If you work in the dark, you will greatly appreciate the backlighting of the keys since you will be able to write in the most comfortable way possible. If it is true that it is not at all comparable to the backlight that exists in the MacBook to be very useful. But in the same way, a very good typing experience is achieved as it is enough light to work.
The trackpad is also another great feature that the Magic Keyboard includes. It is included at the bottom and although it is not too large, it is enough to work comfortably. It can be used thanks to the features that Apple included in terms of accessibility. From here you could connect a mouse to use it, but we will already have the complete combo with this keyboard cover. Obviously, you do not have the same answer that you will get with the MacBook trackpad, but it does meet the minimum requirements that we could ask you within the limitations. In addition to using it as a common trackpad to move the cursor, it also integrates a gesture system to work more comfortably.
Multi-Touch gestures
As we mentioned earlier, the trackpad is very focused on using Multi-Touch gestures. These include the following:
- Swipe up : Unlock iPad, close apps or open multitasking.
- Two-finger scroll left or right: scroll between the different computer screens.
- Two-finger scroll from top to bottom: open the spotlight to search for applications.
Obviously there are few gestures that are available but it is expected that in the future they will get a lot more juice through software updates.
Price and compatible devices
Not all iPads are compatible with this Magic Keyboard, since it is reserved only for the most top. To be more specific, the equipment that is compatible with this keyboard is as follows:
- iPad Pro 12.9 ″ 3rd and 4th generation.
- iPad Pro 11 ″ 1st and 2nd generation.
The price is undoubtedly one of the big problems that this Magic Keyboard has, as it is not cheap at all. We must start with a very premium accessory that is only reserved for people who work intensively with the iPad. The price starts from 339 euros and varies depending on the size of the device. Specifically, the price list is as follows:
- 11 ″ size: 339 euros.
- 12.9 ″ size: 399 euros.
It can be purchased through the Apple Store Online in different languages, so if you do not want the ñ you can choose a language other than Spanish.
Experience and opinion
As we have previously mentioned, we are facing an extremely expensive keyboard. On the part of Apple they have not reinvented anything, since it is a simple keyboard of which there are many on the market with a trackpad. The price is undoubtedly quite high and can only be recommended to those who use the iPad intensively for their work. The design is very beautiful and without a doubt the functions it offers are interesting but it is not for everyone.
The feeling when typing is very good without a doubt. If we compare it with the Smart Keyboard, there is no color since there are many differences when typing. The keyboard that we have in the Smart Keyboard is quite bad in quality but with this one now you feel a very good feeling and the trackpad reacts in a proper way. The problem could be mainly when you want to type with this keyboard on your legs for a long time since it can be somewhat uncomfortable. But to work on a table it is certainly ideal since you can tilt the iPad to the position that is most comfortable for you and will save you many health problems by having a more comfortable and healthy position. All this within the limitations of inclination that it may have.
In short, it is a keyboard for a specific group of people who spend many hours in front of the iPad. The price is one of the biggest limitations, along with its weight, and without a doubt the most recommended is to wait for some options to come out that may have a similar design and offer some benefits that we have in the Magic Keyboard.
