I am considering buying the Brydge keyboard for my 11” 2018 iPad Pro. There seems to be very few keyboards for it
I have discounted the apple one. I had it for my previous iPad and never liked it. The choice seems to be the Brydge or The Logitech one.
Does anyone have any experience with it?
There is also this Zagg: https://www.zagg.com/us/en_us/keyboards/slim-book-go-apple-12-9-ipad-pro
What was it about Apple’s keyboard that you didn’t like? I ask because if you like the key-action but didn’t like the lack of stability for lap typing then you might want to reconsider. The typing action of the new Apple portfolio is the same but it is far more stable. I would go so far as to say that it is essentially as stable as a standard laptop when used in the lap. I do this every day for hours a day. It’s a huge difference from the previous version in that regard.
In thinking about options for keyboards I think there are quite a few considerations based on how you use your iPad. I had the previous Brydge and liked it a lot BUT there were a few things that I did not like.
The bottom of the screen sat level with or slightly below the back of the keyboard making the flick-up gesture to activate the dock/multitasking difficult. I would often miss and have to try again. This would be more of a problem with the new iPad that does not have a home button.
The edges of the Brydge white my arms/wrists would touch felt sharp against my skin and I found that irritating.
With the Brydge you do get multiple viewing angles and stability. The upside is it feels solid like a laptop. If you primarily want a laptop form factor you’ll like the Brydge. But with the Brydge comes extra weight and a feeling that the iPad isn’t really a tablet anymore… see next point.
Pulling it out of the clips to use as a tablet was not easy. They are pretty tight by design and that’s good in terms of keeping your iPad connected. But pulling the iPad out does require effort.
I often use my iPad as a tablet mode so being able to quickly detach or put the keyboard behind the iPad is something I really want.
The Logitech looks to have a form closer to Apple’s offering but again, adds more weight and seems really clumsy when folded back to use iPad as a tablet.
The Zagg has the benefit of being able to disconnect the tablet shell from keyboard so if using as a tablet this looks great. But the Zagg design is really deep and from what I’ve seen on video reviews it’s not going to work on a lap very well or at all. But at a desk with the keyboard or away from desk as a tablet it looks like a good solution.
One last thought, we’re now just 3 weeks from WWDC. What if Apple announces support for the mouse/trackpad? No way I’d want something like the Brydge without a trackpad if support for trackpads is announced.
Something that I’m very, very curious about is how quickly the keyboard connects after a sleep. The thing that drives me absolutely insane with other Bluetooth keyboards for the iPad that go into a power save mode (rather than having a physical on/off switch) is the moment or three it takes to reconnect. It sounds like a tiny thing, but after a while I begin to anticipate and loath the delay.
Mine just arrived today, and I’ve had it for about 30 minutes, so these are first impressions only.
(I don’t know about the wake-from-sleep question yet, but will update when I do.)
I’ve been using the Apple Smart Keyboard folio, so a lot of comparisons to it will be made.
It’s very heavy. Like seriously heavy. Not necessarily “too” heavy, but significantly heavy.
Pressing the keys (key travel?) takes a lot more effort than the Apple keyboard. Not a bad thing but an adjustment for sure.
The wrist-rest area is nice, but I’ve already found myself reaching for the trackpad… which, of course, doesn’t exist (yet?). If Apple adds support for a Bluetooth mouse in iOS 13, this is going to be an expensive paperweight.
It feels really solid and well-made… but boy is it heavy.
There are two little pieces of rubber at the left and right edges of the case (presumably to keep the iPad’s screen from touching the keys when closed). I find them annoying when I’m typing.
I’m thinking that I would be less bothered by the weight and key-travel if I hadn’t spent the past 5 months with the Apple keyboard, so we’ll see how it goes after a little more time.
Thanks for the comments on this. I I’ll wait until WWDC before purchasing. If they announce iOS mouse support I will have to have a rethink
OMG, please upgrade. Win7 is 10 years old, and a comparative security nightmare. For years, Microsoft allowed Windows 7 users to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, and they announced last month they would stop patching it in January.
Sorry I can’t help with the problem you’re having, but iTunes, iTunes Match, and purchasing content works on Windows 10, which you can download from Apple or from the Microsoft Store.
Myke and Jason had a prolonged conversation on the recent episode of their podcast. Worth a listen. Just after 59:00 minutes
If they announce Trackpad support - even if it means initially using a USB_C-to-Lightning cable - I’ll pick up an iPad Pro then wait for arrival of the inevitable keyboard/trackpad cases. Otherwise, I’ll end up with an iPad Mini (and hopefully the ability to connect it to my Mac via Sidecar for use in Lightroom).
FWIW after ~2 days of use, I can’t really seem to notice any real lag on wake-from-sleep.
When I had the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio I would setup the iPad and hit the space bar a few times to wake the iPad and unlock via FaceID.
I do the same thing with the Brydge and it seems to work every bit as quickly.
Like everything in life, it could be faster, but in comparison with other “real world” tests, I think it’s as good as we’re likely to get.
As I said, FWIW…
Woots! Been very behind on my podcast listening so I’m glad I checked in here. I’ve been considering a couple of keyboards for my spanking new iPad pro and the brydge came up in my search. Glad I held off as I do like to use my iPad as a tablet a lot. The smart folio will suffice for now, especially since I don’t type that much on my iPad at the moment… But it’s a bit light and does collapse when I hold it in strange angles when I sit in strange ways on my bed. It’s a great all in one thing, but if the track pad is announced I’ll definitely go for the new brydge!
I’m sure the Brydge is a fine keyboard. The issue is, I don’t want the transform my iPad into a laptop. As we all know, iPad is a different paradigm in portable computing therefore I see no need to make it look, feel or act like a laptop. For that need, I have a MBP. Currently using the Apple smart keyboard and really enjoy it. My only criticism is I wish it did a better job support Apple pencil as a primary input mode, ergonomics speaking.
OP here
I got the Brydge keyboard and wow it is so good. I have had it a week and am so impressed with it. No problems whatsoever and the whole package feels so sturdy.