This iPad keyboard case provides 2 options Apple’s can’t match [Review] ★★★★☆ – Uplaza

ESR’s Rebound Magnetic Keyboard Case 360 features a protecting case for an iPad in addition to a keyboard and trackpad. It provides typing with the pill in portrait or panorama, a trick Apple’s personal case/keyboard can’t match. You can also use the case once you depart the keyboard behind.

I examined it with my 13-inch iPad Professional. Listed here are my hands-on impressions.

This submit accommodates affiliate hyperlinks. Cult of Mac could earn a fee once you use our hyperlinks to purchase objects.

ESR Rebound Magnetic Keyboard Case 360 overview

As cool as Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad is, it has limitations. Most notably, it’s largely a keyboard that may also be used as a case. Should you simply need to use it as a case, you continue to have to hold the keyboard with you. And it solely permits the iPad for use in panorama mode.

The ESR Rebound Magnetic Keyboard Case 360 suffers from neither of these limitations. And it prices a lot lower than Apple’s product.

It’s suitable with the iPad Professional and iPad Air fashions launched in 2014, each the 13-inch and 11-inch fashions.

Desk of contents: ESR Rebound Magnetic Keyboard Case 360 overview

Versatile, protecting iPad keyboard case

ESR’s iPad case/keyboard begins with a plastic case that wraps across the again, sides and corners of the pill. Naturally, there are cutouts for the cameras, USB-C port, audio system, and so forth., plus covers for the buttons.

This can be a primary however useful case that ought to shield your pill from life’s little mishaps. It’s snug to carry, which isn’t true of all third-party iPad circumstances.mA keyboard, trackpad and stand are a separate a part of the ESR Rebound Magnetic Keyboard Case 360 for iPad. The stand copies the “floating” look of Apple’s rival product — it’s a cool impact regardless of who makes it.

The case connects to the stand magnetically and securely so the iPad can simply rotate between panorama and portrait. I hadn’t realized how limiting I discovered being caught in panorama with different keyboard circumstances till I used ESR’s. I really like the liberty of selecting which display screen orientation works higher for a given state of affairs.

And there’s a little bit of a variety in viewing angles. The display screen will be straight up or down, or lean again as a lot as 30 levels.

A flap helps preserve the clamshell closed and secures an Apple Pencil to the iPad. It’s a easy function Apple itself ought to find.

The iPad case/keyboard is available in black or white.

Sadly, it’s heavy and thick

There’s rather a lot to love in regards to the ESR Rebound Magnetic Keyboard Case 360, however it’s heavy. I’m testing the model for the 13-inch iPad Professional, and the detachable keyboard part weighs a hefty 2.1 kilos. The separate case is available in at an affordable 0.5 kilos, however collectively they add 2.6 kilos to the iPad.

ESR’s case can also be a bit thick. The quilt and keyboard collectively measure 0.75 inches.

In brief, utilizing this product triples the burden and thickness of the pill. For comparability, the Apple Magic Keyboard weighs 1.1 kilos much less and is 0.25 inches thinner.

Usable iPad keyboard and trackpad

As I’m testing the model of the ESR Rebound Magnetic Keyboard Case 360 for the 13-inch iPad Professional, there’s room for an 11.75-inch huge keyboard. That’s a typical measurement for a pocket book, and the keys are the standard 0.6 inches sq. with 0.15 inches of separation. Key journey feels first rate — about what I anticipate for a pocket book keyboard. ESR makes variations of the keyboard with U.S. and British layouts.

There’s room for a row of iPad operate keys. With these, I can simply alter the pill’s backlights, management background music and carry out different widespread duties.

Key backlights supply a rainbow of coloration choices: white, blue, purple, inexperienced and purple. That appears a humiliation of riches — I’d have been pleased with a single coloration. And there are three brightness ranges for every hue.

All in all, typing on ESR’s iPad cowl/keyboard feels very very similar to typing on any laptop computer. And that’s a great factor.

The trackpad measures 4 inches by 1.9 inches. That’s a usable measurement, although I’ve actually used bigger ones. And greater is best. Nonetheless, the trackpad is sort of useful, and helps the standard iPadOS multi-finger gestures, like two-finger scrolling.

The keyboard and trackpad require a wi-fi connection to the pc by way of Bluetooth. Which means the iPad keyboard case wants its personal battery that have to be saved charged by way of a USB-C port.

ESR video

ESR made a video displaying off the capabilities of its gadget:

ESR Rebound Magnetic Keyboard Case 360 remaining ideas

ESR’s iPad keyboard case provides some actual benefits over Apple’s rival product. I really like that it lets me kind on my pill in portrait or panorama mode. And I recognize that it features a case I can use after I don’t want a keyboard.

However it’s heavy.

★★★★☆

The worth helps push up my opinion of this product. It prices a couple of third of what Apple expenses for its iPad keyboard case.

Pricing

The same old value for the Rebound Magnetic Keyboard Case 360 is $167.99, however it’s at present out there from ESR for $119.99. That’s a 29% low cost. Each the 11-inch and 13-inch variations value the identical.

Purchase it from: ESR

Nevertheless, Amazon sells ESR’s iPad keyboard case for even much less. The price runs from $89.99 to $119.99, relying on the iPad measurement and mannequin.

Purchase it from: Amazon

Earlier than shopping for, you should definitely learn my overview of the rival Apple Magic Keyboard for the brand new iPad Professional and iPad Air fashions.

ESR supplied Cult of Mac with a overview unit for this text. See our evaluations coverage, and take a look at extra in-depth evaluations of Apple-related objects.