The best iPad Pro Keyboards of 2023, tested and reviewed

Whether you utilize your iPad Pro recreationally or as a PC substitute, connecting a keyboard to Apple’s pill can enhance its utility and ease of use. You’ve been in a position to make use of a keyboard with the iPad for the reason that unique mannequin was launched in 2010, however lately, they’ve gained the flexibility to be managed with a trackpad. Apple introduced the gestures it developed for its laptops over to the pill, which may also help you navigate the iPad’s interface extra rapidly and work in skilled apps extra effectively. To allow you to type by means of all of it, we’ve finished the legwork (effectively, we’ve let our fingers do the strolling) to seek out the best iPad Pro keyboards for everyone’s wants.

How we selected the best iPad Pro keyboards

We’re very conversant in iPad keyboards (actually keyboards basically), so we’re very conversant in the principle causes you may decide one up. Writers and creatives can have extra aggressive wants than people who simply need a better approach to sprint off emails or favor keyboard typing to tapping on a display screen. We additionally ensured that our case suggestions had been obtainable in several sizes for each the 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro fashions. We had been additionally aware of having suggestions at each worth level since some keyboards can get costly.

The best iPad Pro keyboards: Reviews & Recommendations

Whether you’re prepared to leap from utilizing a standard pc to an iPad Pro or wish to breathe some new life into an older one which’s been underused, we’ve rounded up the best keyboards to your wants.

Best general: Logitech Combo

Specs

• Keyboard Style: Folio keyboard case
• Connection: Apple Smart Connector
• Trackpad: Multitouch trackpad
• Power: Smart connector attracts energy from iPad

Pros

• Low profile prevents wrist fatigue
• Solid building
• Great trackpad efficiency

Cons

If you’re on the lookout for efficiency much like the Apple Magic Keyboard however at a lower cost level, the Logitech Combo is an ideal match. 

The Logitech Combo connects to your iPad Pro by way of the Apple Smart Connector, much like the Magic Keyboard, to offer seamless connectivity and energy. This makes attaching, packing, and utilizing the Logitech Combo a breeze. We by no means needed to fear about whether or not our iPad Pro’s Bluetooth settings had been enabled; we simply connected the keyboard and began typing.

Logitech makes some of our favourite tech equipment, and the standard of its iPad Pro keyboard case isn’t any exception. The keys had a satisfying quantity of journey, by no means did not register once we pressed down, and had been spaced aside completely. If you’ve typed on a MacBook Pro, you’ll really feel proper at house utilizing the Logitech Combo. Similarly spectacular was its trackpad, which was instantly responsive every time we swiped, clicked and dragged, or used a multi-finger gesture to maneuver between apps.

The again of the Logitech Combo has a kickstand, which lets you prop your iPad Pro up and even means that you can change the viewing angle for the best consolation. In follow, this made it quite a bit simpler to make use of the Logitech Combo on our lap, a desk, or desk. If you end up typing on the seat tray of an airplane seat, you’ll need the flexibility to modify positions if the individual in entrance of you leans again. Apple Pencil homeowners will respect the cut-out on prime of this case, which lets you connect the stylus to the iPad Pro whereas it’s connected.

The Logitech Combo provides extra safety than the Magic Keyboard, due to a case that wraps across the iPad’s edges. And if you end up touring, the keyboard covers the display screen. If you wish to use your iPad with out the keyboard, although, you’ll be able to detach it from the folio case and get the identical edge safety with out the keyboard in your approach.

Overall, the Logitech Combo has the identical efficiency as Apple’s personal iPad Pro keyboard, with extra design components that assist it keep one step forward.

Best splurge: Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad

Specs

• Keyboard Style: Folio keyboard case
• Connection: Apple good connector
• Trackpad: Multitouch trackpad
• Power: Smart connector attracts energy from iPad

Pros

• Quiet keyboard switches
• Good keyboard really feel
• Solid building

Cons

The Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro is the flagship mannequin of iPad keyboard instances. As such, it has the match and end you’d count on from a first-party accent. The keyboard’s construct high quality and key consolation are simple, however they arrive on the price of a excessive price ticket. 

The keyboard connects to your iPad Pro by way of the Apple Smart Connector, permitting it to attract energy out of your iPad, so that you don’t need to cost the keyboard individually. The draw back to this strategy is that it’ll affect your pill’s battery life. The iPad Pro has greater than sufficient juice to final eight or 9 hours of regular use (aka not taking part in video games) even when the keyboard is connected.

This keyboard case covers the again of the iPad however doesn’t cowl the edges, so if safety is a giant concern, you may want one thing extra strong. The backside is rubberized, although, so that it’ll keep in place, and the good-looking “floating cantilever” design means that you can regulate your viewing angle and feels nice to maneuver. The magnets that connect this keyboard case to the iPad Pro are sturdy sufficient to maintain them collectively throughout on a regular basis use with out making detachment too arduous if you wish to use the pill solo.

Typing and swiping on the Apple Magic Keyboard was a delight, eerily much like the expertise of utilizing a MacBook Pro. If you’re comfy typing on an Apple laptop computer, you’ll discover no points with the Magic Keyboard’s format. Our solely complaints—in addition to this keyboard’s excessive worth—are its barely too-small trackpad and the dearth of perform keys, that are usually used to regulate system settings like quantity and display screen brightness. We discovered ourselves reaching for the iPad Pro’s display screen, which meant taking our fingers off the keyboard extra typically than we’d have preferred.

The really feel of the keyboard and touchpad are satisfying and will make you happy to make use of Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad day after day for work or leisure. 

Best rugged: Zagg Pro Keys

Specs

• Keyboard Style: Folio keyboard case
• Connection: Bluetooth
• Trackpad: Yes
• Power: USB-C rechargeable battery

Pros

• Solid safety with keyboard flexibility
• Backlit keys
• Easy pairing

Cons

• Bulkier than some choices

Zagg’s Pro Keys is a sturdy iPad Pro keyboard with useful options dearer choices don’t have.

The very first thing we observed after connecting this keyboard case to our iPad Pro was its dimension and weight. It’s a bit wider and heavier than different folio keyboard instances we advocate, but it surely provides our iPad strong full-edge safety. Zagg says you’ll be able to drop it from a peak of 6.6 ft (taller than the peak of many tables) with out the danger of injury. This further bulk does make a noticeable distinction when carrying an iPad Pro round—particularly the bigger mannequin—but it surely’s a tradeoff value making for those who’re clumsy. This is particularly true as a result of Apple fees lots of of {dollars} to restore a cracked show, relying on the mannequin.

Many iPad Pro keyboards advocate utilizing Apple’s proprietary good connector, however the Zagg Pro Keys connects to the pill over Bluetooth. We had no hassle pairing the accent to our pill, which we did by holding the perform key and hitting the “1” key. The iPad Pro acknowledged this keyboard instantly and mechanically paired to it thereafter. You can pair this keyboard with a second gadget by holding the perform button and hitting the “2” key, which is useful for those who stay in a multi-iPad family.

Typing on this keyboard case was nice due to the quiet-sounding keys, which require a tiny bit extra drive to depress than different fashions we tested. Their form and dimension are additionally barely totally different, which requires us to acquaint ourselves with its format over a day or so. Once our palms made the slight changes, we had no extra points. For a bit of enjoyable, the keyboard keys are backlit with seven totally different colours that you would be able to cycle by means of for no matter colour matches your power. This keyboard case has two viewing angles you’ll be able to swap between to maintain you comfy, and we respect the pliability.

If an iPad Pro has turn out to be your major pc, the Zagg Pro Keys will prolong its usability and hold it protected.

Specs

• Keyboard Style: Folio keyboard case
• Connection: Bluetooth
• Trackpad: Yes
• Power: Rechargeable battery

Pros

• Truly laptop-like
• Excellent construct high quality
• Many viewing angles

Cons

If you’d like to show your iPad Pro right into a MacBook, Brydge’s 12.9 Pro+ Wireless Keyboard is the best accent. The keyboard is comprised of aluminum, has the identical keyboard format as Apple’s laptops, and feels luxe proper out of the field. The Pro+ Wireless Keyboard connects the iPad Pro over Bluetooth, and it paired immediately in our assessments.

You connect this case to your iPad by slotting it into two clips on prime of the keyboard. Once related, you’ll be able to tilt the keyboard ahead and backward with pinpoint precision. If you’ve postpone getting an iPad keyboard as a result of of the dearth of flexibility, this keyboard design solves that problem.

Overall, we discovered the keys and trackpad on Byrdge’s keyboard to be very responsive. Every key press was registered, and we very not often had a dropped character. Our expertise with this keyboard’s trackpad was comparable; we felt the facility of having whole management over the iPad Pro’s cursor. Movements, swipes, and scrolling all felt easy. Brydge launched software program updates by means of its iPadOS app to repeatedly enhance efficiency as Apple has up to date its working system.

What units the Brydge 12.9 Pro+ Wireless Keyboard aside is simply how MacBook-like the iPad Pro feels when it’s connected. Its aluminum chassis provides further weight and thickness, which is noticeable when carrying the iPad round each by itself or in a bag. The iPad Pro’s comparatively skinny and mild design is curtailed—however you’ll be able to detach the iPad at any time. If you’d like your iPad Pro to look and really feel like a next-generation MacBook, Byrdge’s 12.9 Pro+ Wireless Keyboard is the best selection.

Best price range: Logitech K380

Specs

• Keyboard Style: External Keyboard
• Connection: Bluetooth
• Trackpad: No
• Power: 2x AAA batteries

Pros

• Variety of colours
• Small and simple to journey with 
• Affordable

Cons 

• Keys are a bit small
• Have to interchange batteries 

Unlike different entries on this article, the Logitech K380 is a correct exterior wi-fi keyboard fairly than a keyboard case. Because of this, you get quite a bit of versatility from not having your keyboard connected to your gadget. 

Chief amongst this flexibility is the flexibility to connect this keyboard to 3 gadgets and swap by means of them with the push of a button. It makes it supremely handy to maneuver between your iPad, MacBook, and even your cellphone. The keyboard additionally comes with a full slate of keys that make the keyboard extra handy, together with playback management, brightness keys, and quantity keys. 

While this keyboard doesn’t connect to your iPad Pro, it’s nonetheless supremely simple to deliver together with you anyplace you go. That’s as a result of the compact keyboard weighs lower than a pound and is available in a compact and sturdy construct that simply suits in your lap or on a tabletop. 

Some won’t like that this keyboard requires two AAA batteries (we advocate rechargeables) fairly than makes use of an inside battery; nevertheless, the low energy calls for imply you shouldn’t want to interchange these batteries for greater than a 12 months, even with heavy use. 

There are many components we take into account when deciding which iPad keyboards to advocate. Here are those we weighted most closely when making our choices:

Your iPad Pro utilization

Will you be typing, or do you propose on performing some drawing as effectively? A keyboard connected to your iPad will be cumbersome if you end up utilizing your iPad as a pill and not typing. If so, take into account a folio with a keyboard that may detach or a totally exterior keyboard that permits unhindered use if you’re not typing. 

Typing necessities

Not all keyboards are created equal. If you wish to do lengthy phrase processing in your iPad, make sure you get a extra strong keyboard that can allow you to sort comfortably for prolonged intervals. If you’re simply utilizing your iPad keyboard as an in between, it is likely to be extra worthwhile to economize and go for a less expensive, much less ergonomic keyboard. 

The stage of iPad safety

Consider if you can be treating your keyboard as an iPad case as effectively. If so, how a lot safety do you want? If you’re consistently throwing your iPad in and out of your bag, be sure to have again and edge safety. If, nevertheless, it’s simply an in-between workstation at house, you could possibly get away with a keyboard that doesn’t supply any, or simply minimal, safety. 

FAQs

Final ideas on the best iPad Pro keyboards

An iPad Pro keyboard isn’t a crucial accent, but it surely does open up use instances for the pill that wouldn’t in any other case be potential. It can have the most important affect in your typing pace, and many well-liked purposes have begun constructing keyboard shortcuts into their software program to make it simpler (and quicker) to entry key capabilities. And iPad Pro keyboards with trackpads flip the iPad right into a authentic laptop computer competitor in lots of situations; in any case, the newest technology of these machines run on the identical processor as the most recent MacBooks. If you wish to get probably the most out of Apple’s pill, we strongly recommend pairing it with a keyboard.

Why belief us

Popular Science began writing about know-how greater than 150 years in the past. There was no such factor as “gadget writing” once we printed our first problem in 1872, but when there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for on a regular basis readers means we’d have been throughout it. Here within the current, PopSci is totally dedicated to serving to readers navigate the more and more intimidating array of gadgets available on the market proper now.

Our writers and editors have mixed many years of expertise protecting and reviewing client electronics. We every have our personal obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video video games to cameras and past—however once we’re reviewing gadgets exterior of our quick wheelhouses, we do our best to hunt out reliable voices and opinions to assist information individuals to the very best suggestions. We know we don’t know every thing, however we’re excited to stay by means of the evaluation paralysis that web procuring can spur so readers don’t need to.