I am continually testing totally different iPad instances. Once I’m carried out, I at all times return to the Logitech Combo Contact. With an adjustable kickstand and a removable keyboard, it has every thing I want. The Zagg Professional Keys 2 mimics most of the capabilities of the Logitech accent however at a cheaper price, so I used to be excited to strive it, pondering I’ll have discovered a brand new favourite. Sadly, it falls brief.
It isn’t utterly an identical to the Logitech case—it is much more protecting, with a folio cowl that doubles as a kickstand (with adjustable angles) and a removable keyboard that sits in between. There isn’t any trackpad—which means I’ve to pack a mouse or continually raise my finger to the display—and your complete setup is heavy and clunky. At $150, it is one of many extra inexpensive iPad Professional keyboard instances. However its flaws are annoying sufficient that the cheaper price may not matter.
Protecting however Chonky
The Professional Keys 2 I am testing is particularly constructed for the 13-inch iPad Professional (M4, 2024), although you may also purchase it for the 11-inch iPad Professional (M4) in addition to each the 13- and 11-inch iPad Air (M2). It consists of two items: the case and the keyboard.
Click on the keyboard into place utilizing the magnets and you should use the iPad Professional like a laptop computer. The setup seems extra trendy than the first-generation Professional Keys, with sq. as a substitute of spherical keycaps (which I choose) and backlit—with the choice to cycle between colours like inexperienced, blue, and crimson. There are lightbulbs beneath every key, so it is vibrant sufficient for typing in darker environments. However components of the keyboard (just like the aspect keys and performance row keys) shine brighter than the QWERTY keys, so the lighting feels uneven. Adjusting the brightness with the backlight key did not appear to make a lot of a distinction. Zagg additionally added extra floor space beneath the keyboard to relaxation your palms whereas typing.
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{Photograph}: Brenda Stolyar
It’s comfy to sort on for lengthy intervals (I used it to sort this assessment), although a trackpad would have been the cherry on prime, particularly since there’s loads of room (the first-gen mannequin has a trackpad model). Despite the fact that I’ve been utilizing the case for just a few weeks now, I nonetheless discover myself unintentionally reaching towards the center to swipe an imaginary trackpad out of behavior. The keyboard is Bluetooth-connected, so that you’ll must pair it with the iPad (you may join as much as two gadgets) and cost it. Zagg claims as much as one yr of battery life, so that you don’t have to fret about continually plugging it in.
The second-generation model has a slot on the aspect for the Apple Pencil somewhat than a flap to maintain it in place. It’s much more aesthetically pleasing, however I want Zagg would’ve color-matched it to the case. As a substitute, it’s fabricated from the identical clear rubber because the bumpers across the iPad and appears low cost. The bumper runs beneath the slot too, but it surely gained’t get in the way in which of wi-fi charging.
This case feels tremendous protecting, a lot in order that it looks like most of the rugged instances I’ve examined. Along with the rubber edges, the remainder of the case is fabricated from plastic with a tender, matte really feel. The folio cowl could be folded again right into a stand and adjusted at two angles. It was high-quality for watching TV (it was sturdy sufficient to remain upright on the sofa with out toppling over) and to be used as a laptop computer. However it would not provide as many angles as a kickstand does.
