The Logitech Slim Folio Professional for the 2018 iPad Professional is a product designed for iPad customers whose workflow is primarily targeted on typing. It options a wonderful keyboard, together with key options like highly-tactile keys and backlighting to boost the typing expertise.
Is Logitech’s newest iPad Professional accent best for you? Be taught extra in our hands-on Logitech Slim Folio Professional video evaluate.
Design
As its title suggests, the Slim Folio Professional is a folio-style keyboard cowl that may defend the back and front of your iPad Professional whereas not in use. Opening and shutting the Slim Folio is a comparatively easy affair. There’s a magnetic latch included that locks to maintain the folio closed, and attaches to the rear of the folio whereas it’s in use.
All the I/O and ports on the iPad — microphones, USB-C connection, audio system, cameras, and so forth. — stay unobstructed. The Slim Folio was clearly designed from the bottom up with the iPad Professional in thoughts, becoming the pill like a glove.
Logitech Slim Folio Professional video evaluate
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The unit doesn’t reap the benefits of Apple’s Sensible Connector, which may present on the spot connectivity and energy — an apparent drawback when in comparison with Apple’s personal Sensible Keyboard Folio. As an alternative Logitech makes use of Bluetooth LE pairing whereas sipping energy from a built-in battery.
Logitech states that the Slim Folio Professional will last as long as 3-months on a single cost, with 2 hours of day by day utilization. It neatly designed the keyboard to mechanically activate and off primarily based on whether or not the keyboard is docked in typing mode, and the backlight timeout is hyper-aggressive.
Included on the facet of the Logitech Slim Folio Professional, not far-off from the iPad Professional’s USB-C port, is a USB-C port used for charging the keyboard. Are you pondering what I’m pondering? Sure, you should utilize your iPad Professional USB-C cable to recharge the Slim Folio Professional immediately out of your iPad Professional itself. With this thought of, battery life will virtually by no means be a problem, as a result of recharging the Slim Folio entails nothing greater than connecting the keyboard to your iPad by way of USB-C. Straightforward.
Logitech Slim Folio Professional specs
- Out there for 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Professional (2018)
- Entrance, again, and nook safety in your iPad
- Immediately begin typing when docked
- Extremely tactile, backlit keyboard
- Keyboard shortcut row
- Bluetooth LE connection
- USB-C port for charging battery
- 3-months battery life
- Three modes: Kind, Sketch, and Learn
- Magnetic latch shops Apple Pencil and different styli
- 1-year guarantee
- Value: $119.99 (11-inch) $129.99 (12.9-inch)
On the definition of “slim”
One of the vital vital issues to think about about any iPad case or folio is how effectively of a job it does defending your iPad. Whereas Apple’s Sensible Keyboard Folio encompasses a minimal design that’s not likely constructed with iPad safety in thoughts, Logitech’s providing clearly prioritizes safety.
Not solely is the back and front of the iPad Professional protected when the case is closed, however the corners are as effectively. Thick rubber bumpers defend every nook of your iPad Professional, lending confidence that if the system is dropped, it should most probably survive. A draw back to such thick bumpers is that they make interacting with the iPad’s Facet and Quantity buttons a bit tough.
Certainly, the Logitech Slim Folio Professional, regardless of its considerably deceptive title, is constructed to resist the day-to-day rigors of iPad utilization, after which some. With that mentioned, the unit, when closed, is considerably thicker than an iPad Professional mated with Apple’s personal Sensible Keyboard Folio, and it’s additionally thicker than the 2018 MacBook Air.
That’s to not say that Logitech’s folio is a few unwieldy beast that’s unimaginable to hold round, however it’s a noticeable departure from the form-factor of the iPad Professional. If portability is on the absolute prime of your record, you then’ll undoubtedly need to stick to Apple’s first-party providing.
Typing expertise with the Logitech Slim Folio Professional
Apple’s Sensible Keyboard Folio supplies an excellent typing expertise, however it doesn’t lend the form of tactile typing response because the Logitech Slim Folio Professional.
Even on the considerably cramped 11-inch iPad Professional, the typing expertise was like strolling alongside the seaside with the wind at my again, gently easing me alongside. In different phrases, typing on the Slim Folio Keyboard felt easy. Distinction that with the typing expertise discovered on the Apple Sensible Keyboard Folio — actually doable, however not what I’d name easy.
The keys on Logitech’s Slim Folio Professional have an excellent quantity of key-travel, are decently spaced given what little space there’s to work with on the 11-inch mannequin, and really feel sturdy to sort on. To make issues even higher, the keys are backlit, making it a useable resolution for typists in dimly-lit environments.
It’s a full dimension keyboard as effectively, that means you will have all the QWERTY keys, quantity keys, and a row of shortcut keys. The shortcut keys help you entry the Residence display, management the keyboard backlight brightness, entry highlight, cover or present the software program keyboard, invoke media controls, regulate quantity, lock the display, pair with Bluetooth, and test battery standing. The Logitech Slim Folio Professional additionally lends customers the standard inverted T-style arrow keys, one thing that Apple haphazardly deserted on its MacBook keyboards.
The one massive typing benefit that the Sensible Keyboard Folio has over Logitech’s {hardware} is help for a number of viewing angles. With the Slim Folio Professional, you get a single viewing angle in your iPad whereas docked in typing mode. The Sensible Keyboard Folio, then again, options two viewing angles. For me, the one viewing angle on the Logitech folio was good, however it’s one thing to think about when evaluating the 2.
Stability
How steady is the Slim Folio Professional? I’m glad to report that lap typing isn’t solely achievable, however it’s truly fairly glorious. Because of an additional steady backside floor the place the keyboard rests, together with robust magnets that dock the iPad Professional to its base, the Slim Folio Professional makes for an excellent laptop-like typing expertise.
Not solely did I compose this complete publish utilizing the Logitech Slim Folio Professional, however I did so whereas my iPad was sitting on my lap. I can’t communicate for a way the 12.9-inch mannequin performs — presumably it will be even higher due to elevated floor space — however the mannequin designed for the 11-inch iPad Professional performs admirably.
One other factor to think about is desktop stability. Once more, the Slim Folio Professional performs effectively. The steady base, together with the massive bumper that homes the iPad, helps to dampen the affect from putting the keyboard, guaranteeing that the typing expertise isn’t hindered by the construct of the unit.
Apple Pencil and Logitech Crayon
Logitech made certain to depart the realm the place the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil connects to the iPad Professional free to permit it to cost. There’s additionally a small nook contained in the magnetic latch for storing different styli, reminiscent of Logitech’s own Crayon Stylus, which lately gained 2018 iPad Pro compatibility. Logitech truly recommends storing your 2nd-generation Apple Pencil right here as effectively when not charging, lest it not get inadvertently dislodged when hooked up to the iPad immediately.
Logitech Slim Folio Professional modes
Along with its predominant typing mode, the Logitech Slim Folio Professional additionally has two different modes: sketch mode and studying mode. Sketch mode presents a floor for working with the Apple Pencil, resting proper on prime of the keyboard at a slight angle. The floor whereas in sketch mode is steady, permitting illustrators or note-takers to work with out distraction.
Studying mode is invoked by merely orienting the keyboard behind the display so that you could maintain the system in your hand. Let’s be sincere, no person goes to carry an iPad contained in the Slim Folio Professional to learn for an prolonged time period, except it’s a part of some train routine. It’s doable, however by no means snug. If you wish to maintain the iPad whereas studying, I recommend eradicating it from the Slim Folio Professional.
9to5Mac’s Take
If you may get previous the cumbersome kind issue — and let’s be sincere, that will probably be a tall order for some customers — there’s an entire lot to love in regards to the Logitech Slim Folio Professional. Logitech’s {hardware} supplies what is certainly a a lot better typing expertise, however it’ll be onerous for me to surrender to handy portability of the Sensible Keyboard Folio.
Merely put, the Logitech Slim Folio Professional is an iPad Professional case designed primarily for typists. If typing dominates your iPad workflow, then I feel it’s undoubtedly price contemplating. In any other case, you could be higher off going with an possibility like Apple’s Sensible Keyboard Folio, that gives a extra steadiness strategy to portability.
Logitech Slim Folio Professional benefits
- Nice safety in your iPad Professional
- Glorious keyboard with tactile suggestions
- Backlit keyboard
- Devoted shortcut keys
- Inverted T arrow keys
- Steady typing floor
- Good for lap-typing for desktop typing
- Accommodates Apple Pencil and different styli
- 3-month battery life with USB-C charging
- Priced at $120-130 vs $180-200 for the Apple Sensible Keyboard Folio
Logitech Slim Folio Professional disadvantages
- Cumbersome kind issue that’s a lot thicker than the Sensible Keyboard Folio
- Uncomfortable to carry in studying mode
- Just one viewing angle
- No Sensible Connector help
- Mushy button interactions
Do you utilize a keyboard together with your iPad Professional? Would you think about the Logitech Slim Folio Professional? Pontificate down under within the feedback together with your ideas and opinions.
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