Why You Can Trust CNET Logitech Keyboard Folio review: A husky keyboard solution for the iPad
Don't expect any supersleek solution here: Logitech's very solid but somewhat heavy keyboard case is the polar opposite of what made its Ultrathin Keyboard Cover so cool.
- Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
I've reviewed more keyboard cases than I care to remember, and many of them have been made by Logitech. They've cornered the market on sensible and well-built solutions: the best of all may be the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover, which is well-built, has a great key layout, and is nicely compact.
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Logitech keeps experimenting with form, and the Keyboard Folio ($99) is the latest iteration. It's a bigger-boned flip-open-type case, with a canvas-like exterior and plastic/rubberized interior. The Bluetooth keyboard's bonded to the inner lid, while the iPad (iPad 2, 3 or 4) attaches via a flexible bracket. The Folio comes in four colors (black, blue, yellow, and pink), and yes, there's a version for the iPad Mini ($89, but arguably less useful if you extrapolate based on the Mini-sized Ultrathin Keyboard).
The Folio has an attractive look, but it's not nearly as streamlined as I'd prefer. It's lost the sexiness of the Ultrathin cover. But, it does have a little loop on the top lid for inserting the stylus of your choice. Yes, the Folio turns your iPad into a sturdy and lap-friendly portable keyboard-computer, but the total package is big, thick, and heavy: 1.38 pounds, nearly the same weight as the fourth-gen iPad. You're doubling the weight (and thickness) in your bag. Why not just bring a laptop? There's a whiff of an industrial design vibe, as if it's meant for institutional use more than consumer.
The keyboard suffers from a layout change, too: some punctuation keys have been compressed, and keys like Tab and Caps Lock on the left have been given double-duty as letter keys. It makes sense if you acknowledge how little you might use Caps Lock or Tab on an iPad, but it shifts the key layout ever so slightly, making the keyboard feel just a bit off-center. I found it disconcerting.
The keys (I'm going to get super-nitpicky here) are slightly rounded and convex. They're every bit as solid and responsive as those on the Ultrathin keyboard, but the rounded edges should be concave instead. I kept hitting keys at off angles and misfiring on my typing.
The case aligns easily into laptop mode by way of magnets and snaps. The magnets also wake the iPad from sleep. But there aren't adjustable angles; it's one angle or nothing. The Belkin Ultimate Keyboard case has three different angles, which can help when lap typing (and it's more compact, too). The Bluetooth keyboard connects easily and has the requisite set of iOS-specific keys, and uses a standard Micro-USB cable to charge. Logitech claims up to three months of use on a single charge, but I've only had it for a week.
And, yes, you can fold this case open and tuck the keyboard underneath for in-flight or commuting purposes, in case you want to just use the iPad regularly. But the keys don't disengage from Bluetooth, so accidental presses may occur. Other cases like Belkin's (and Logitech's own Solar Keyboard Folio) accomplish this trick.
So, who is this for? Someone who wants their iPad clad in a sturdy, well-working keyboard folio that feels like it can take a beating. The front cover that holds the iPad not only has thick, rugged side walls, but a small foam inner panel that feels shock-resistant. But to many others, the thickness and weight will be big turn-offs. I'd still take the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover over this case any day of the week...unless I was letting my kid use my iPad to write something. In that case, I'd stick it in this.