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LFC2020

macrumors P6
Original poster
Apr 4, 2020
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Wondering if anyone leaves their magic keyboard open after they’ve finished using their iPad?

Will leaving it open drain the iPad battery life more? Or is it better to leave it closed when not using the iPad?
 

raqball

macrumors 68020
Sep 11, 2016
2,323
9,573
Using mine as a Laptop replacement and it’s been attached to the KB 95% of the time so far. It’s also been plugged in so I can’t comment on if doing so without it being plugged in will effect battery life. I assume it would but how much it effects it is the Q…
 
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Kyle76

macrumors 6502
Jan 22, 2017
410
327
North Carolina
If I’m going to leave mine open and attached to the MKB for awhile, I simply turn it off with the side button. I doubt it uses any more energy than closing it up.
 
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LFC2020

macrumors P6
Original poster
Apr 4, 2020
16,874
38,036
If I’m going to leave mine open and attached to the MKB for awhile, I simply turn it off with the side button. I doubt it uses any more energy than closing it up.
Sending mine back ? burning through battery when typing and it's left a faint line across the back of my iPad where the magic keyboard bends at the bottom in landscape mode. ?‍♂️
 

trek360

macrumors 6502
Oct 18, 2011
375
33
I leave mine open with the screen off but not fully powered down and haven't had any drain.
 
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LFC2020

macrumors P6
Original poster
Apr 4, 2020
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I leave mine open with the screen off but not fully powered down and haven't had any drain.
Guessing since the iPad screen isn’t on, no need for the keyboard to use the iPad battery.

Really like everything about the magic keyboard, except the battery drain when typing. ?

Still leaning towards returning it
 

iPad Bro

macrumors 6502
May 2, 2021
393
290
It’s obviously going to use battery power when you’re typing and using the Magic Keyboard. Has to draw the power from somewhere. Also, why are you sending it back? Because it left a line on your iPad? Are you sending that back too or just the Magic Keyboard? And are you replacing the keyboard or just going with a case? Or just risking it all by going naked with the iPP?
 

LFC2020

macrumors P6
Original poster
Apr 4, 2020
16,874
38,036
It’s obviously going to use battery power when you’re typing and using the Magic Keyboard. Has to draw the power from somewhere. Also, why are you sending it back? Because it left a line on your iPad? Are you sending that back too or just the Magic Keyboard? And are you replacing the keyboard or just going with a case? Or just risking it all by going naked with the iPP?
It’s using a little to much battery for my liking, when I was typing a lot, I had 3h usage with 40% battery left. ?

Thankfully the line rubbed off with a microfiber towel and a bit of water ?

I’m only returning the magic keyboard.

I’m going to use a apple folio case and rock the iPad naked from time to time.?
 

iPad Bro

macrumors 6502
May 2, 2021
393
290
That’s good about the line, but bad about the battery drain. I hope I’m not going to have a similar problem or I’ll send my Magic Keyboard back too. Not paying $350 plus tax to have my iPP draining battery like crazy. I’d be content with that sexy Electric Orange Smart Folio.
 
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LFC2020

macrumors P6
Original poster
Apr 4, 2020
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Not paying $350 plus tax to have my iPP draining battery like crazy.
That’s what turned me off the MK in the end, I payed $509 for mine, shame they couldn’t give the magic keyboard it’s own battery, guess it would make it thicker and heavier than it already is.

When using the trackpad only, battery life seems decent, once you start using the keyboard that’s when you notice the extra battery drain.

Apart from that, keyboard is great to type on and trackpad is spot on as well.
 

Surfman

Suspended
May 24, 2021
360
436
I leave mine attached open all the time unless taking it out of the house, or I take it off for lounge use at night. I charge overnight and it easily lasts all day and is all I use ?‍♂️
No marks on the back.
imo after a few weeks because of the size of it, I wouldn’t like only having the folio case and no keyboard/trackpad and stand.
‘Makes it a much better device.
 
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nocurrency5

macrumors newbie
Sep 9, 2018
12
5
That’s what turned me off the MK in the end, I payed $509 for mine, shame they couldn’t give the magic keyboard it’s own battery, guess it would make it thicker and heavier than it already is.

When using the trackpad only, battery life seems decent, once you start using the keyboard that’s when you notice the extra battery drain.

Apart from that, keyboard is great to type on and trackpad is spot on as well.
Wow $509usd? Why did it cost you so much which country charges so much?
 

papbot

macrumors 68020
May 19, 2015
2,195
1,028
Wondering if anyone leaves their magic keyboard open after they’ve finished using their iPad?

Will leaving it open drain the iPad battery life more? Or is it better to leave it closed when not using the iPad?
There’s no difference. I also have the Smart Keyboard Folio and experimented once over several days. I would use the MKB for 24 hours, then the next day the SKF. I repeated that for several days and really could see minimal difference between the two. I expected to see greater battery usage with the MKB because of the backlighting but I couldn’t honestly say I did. I’m going to assume there was just because there must be a little. I don’t know what power the Smart Keyboard actually uses.

But we all use these devices differently so someone else may well see greater usage than I did. But realistically it’s the amount of time the screen is illuminated that makes the biggest difference. In general if you’ve read through the posts and threads the MKB just doesn’t have that much negative impact on battery life. Now, I’m not a student nor a writer so my keyboard usage and thus backlighting is probably below average.
 
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LFC2020

macrumors P6
Original poster
Apr 4, 2020
16,874
38,036
There’s no difference. I also have the Smart Keyboard Folio and experimented once over several days. I would use the MKB for 24 hours, then the next day the SKF. I repeated that for several days and really could see minimal difference between the two. I expected to see greater battery usage with the MKB because of the backlighting but I couldn’t honestly say I did. I’m going to assume there was just because there must be a little. I don’t know what power the Smart Keyboard actually uses.

But we all use these devices differently so someone else may well see greater usage than I did. But realistically it’s the amount of time the screen is illuminated that makes the biggest difference. In general if you’ve read through the posts and threads the MKB just doesn’t have that much negative impact on battery life. Now, I’m not a student nor a writer so my keyboard usage and thus backlighting is probably below average.
Once you hammer the keyboard with constant typing it drains very quickly, not so much when using the trackpad.

Hopefully they can give the magic keyboard its own battery while keeping it the same thickness when they release gen 3.

Also found the trackpad to be very firm and noisy compared to my MacBook, anyone else realize this? ?
 

NastyMatt

macrumors 6502
Jul 7, 2020
467
622
I don't have an issue with battery drain or lines (had mine for over a year now) but maybe try turning back light off if you are typing during the day i.e. enough light naturally. Plus, try dark mode (if possible) in the app you are typing in.

The only apps that I notice hits battery life hard, on both my IPP and MBP, are video calls - Google Meet, Zoom, Teams etc
 
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jazz1

Contributor
Aug 19, 2002
4,537
18,484
Mid-West USA
I don't have an issue with battery drain or lines (had mine for over a year now) but maybe try turning back light off if you are typing during the day i.e. enough light naturally. Plus, try dark mode (if possible) in the app you are typing in.

The only apps that I notice hits battery life hard, on both my IPP and MBP, are video calls - Google Meet, Zoom, Teams etc
I've gotten much better battery life after turning of the keyboard backlighting most of the time.
 
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