Why You Can Trust CNET Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio for iPad review: A keyboard case that can take a spill
Semirugged and equipped with a spill-resistant keyboard, the FabricSkin is a sturdy but expensive keyboard accessory.
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How durable, and expensive, do you like your keyboard cases? If your answer to both is "very," look no further. Logitech's flagship premium keyboard case, the $150 FabricSkin Keyboard Folio, offers a tanklike build and smooth, comfortable feel and holds an iPad 2 or third- or fourth-gen Retina iPad. But its price, and size, could be deal-breakers.
Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio for iPad
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Logitech already makes several keyboard cases. The Keyboard Folio is $50 less than the FabricSkin. What do you get for the extra money? An autopairing Bluetooth keyboard, and a microfiber fabric-covered semisoft keyboard that's more resistant to spills. And it even has a carrying loop for a stylus (stylus not included).
Both the cheaper Keyboard Folio and FabricSkin transform from folio case by opening into keyboarded "laptop mode" simply: the side magnetically snaps into alignment above the keyboard. No fuss. The FabricSkin automatically turns the keyboard on and pairs, as well. That's a bigger deal than you may realize; it's what I love about the Belkin Ultimate Keyboard Case. It saves fiddling with a switch on the side, and can save battery life on the rechargeable keyboard, too. An included USB-to-Micro-USB cable is included, and plugs into the side of the case to charge the keyboard back up, but Logitech claims over three months of use before you'll need it.
The Belkin case costs $99 and feels slimmer, plus it has adjustable angles, although it doesn't have a spill-resistant keyboard.
Do I need a spill-resistant keyboard? I don't know, but I'm sure I'd be appreciative when the time came. I spilled some water on the keyboard and, as advertised, it beaded and rolled right off, wiping up easily with a paper towel. This could be a big deal if you have kids, or if you're a hard-partying college student, or a beach bum, or if you're just sloppy.
I typed this review on the FabricSkin, and the more I used it the more it grew on me. The soft, shallower keys have more friction and less travel, but feel great when typing quickly. It's a real keyboard underneath, unlike the all-fabric Microsoft Touch Cover, which had no key travel whatsoever. The keys are widely spaced -- how did they do it? By compressing keys, that's how.
Just like on the Folio, Caps Lock and A are combined, as are the Tab and Q keys on the left side. Punctuation keys are shrunken; so are the Shift and Return keys. It's weird but it's not as bad as you'd think for everyday typing use.
The case is thick and durable: the iPad snaps into a rubberized plastic case, and the rest of the case's wraparound thick nylon covering gives the total package a nearly drop-proof feel. I'd feel safe chucking my iPad into a cluttered backpack with this thing on. It comes in a variety of colors, including the bright red of our review unit.
But is it too much? It feels chunky, and seriously heavy -- nearly laptop-weight. With a fourth-gen iPad inside, it weighs 2.7 pounds, the same as some laptops.
I do like its protectiveness and the semi-rugged feel, and the keyboard's actually really good. But my unit had a fair bit of flex on the keyboard case, too, not from the keys but due to the curve of the keyboard cover underneath.
For construction quality and durability, and comfort, the FabricSkin Keyboard Folio is a winner. But it's heavy and costs a lot. Be forewarned.