I bet you haven’t had chance to try it by yourself for say, one week. The material is far different from your description. I had the same impression until I use it. Even, I have love-and-hate period for few weeks, until I realize it really good, smart, solid and stylist.
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Magic Keyboard overpriced?
- Thread starter Ifti
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I have but I returned it within the return period, I knew as soon as seeing the material it was the exact same as the standard folio cases, which doesn’t wear well. Which is one of the main reasons it was returned because I know what the longevity of that material is like. It’s a shame but on a 2nd gen keyboard I would like to see a harder wearing material
My white MKB hasn’t peeled at all or discolored. I did have an old Apple keyboard the kind before the MKB and that one did come apart at the edges but Apple replaced it.
I looked at Logitech, and it’s an apples-to-oranges comparison. Yeah, it’d work okay on my desk - I have plenty of space for it to spread out & stay stable. But on my recliner, on my workbench, on the kitchen counter, in bed, etc. etc. it’d be a PITA. Heck, I’ll often just pick up the iPad with one hand and walk with it; I don’t see how you could do that with Logitech.
I agree. I‘ve also had mine since 2020 and it’s still in reasonable good condition. I also use a case to store it in even when at home. It hasn’t frayed or anything. As for the price I do think it’s worth it. The keyboard is nice and comfortable to use. The trackpad is nice and it is nice aesthetically. I bought my kids (4 an 6) a chromebook. It only cost £150. It’s their first computer and I didn’t want to spend much as they are also not good at looking after their stuff yet. The typing and trackpad experience is much better on the Magic Keyboard. More than two times better. So using that comparison it’s worth the price.That does look bad. I’ve had my Magic Keyboard since 2020 and it still looks great! I bet a lot of how it wears comes down to how people treat/use it. I keep mine in a zip case when I’m transporting it. I also sewed a vinyl leather pad the size of the keyboard footprint and this pad is used whenever I’m using the Magic Keyboard on cafe tables and other surfaces I consider a bit icky. And yes, the vinyl pad slips easily into my zip case which also transports the Apple Pencil (which also I sewed a felt slip-on case for). All this is to say I take care of my tech items and it’s not like I‘m giving it “extra” care; it’s just how I am typically.
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Definitely worth more than that. I got my kids a Chromebook which cost £150. The trackpad and the keyboard on the Magic Keyboard are significantly better than what’s on the Chromebook.
I guess it depends on luck. I‘ve had mine for almost 2.5 years and it’s not fraying. It’s still in good shape no rips or tears. Everything is intact and it still works. I have the 11 inch pro and I find it’s too big to hold. So I always keep it attached to the Magic Keyboard. Then I can use it hands free, it can balance on my lap. Also found that I would now struggle to navigate on the larger display without a trackpad and type on it without an attached keyboard. I find that I can comfortably navigate and type on my ipad mini 6 as that’s much smaller but it’s too uncomfortable on my iPad Pro.
Nah. I had a MBA as well. So had a MBP16 and MBA together.
I replaced the MBA with the iPad Pro, but still have the MBP16 too - this setup seems to work better for my usage
I’ve decided to return the Magic Keyboard I purchased for £380 from Apple alongside the iPad Pro.
I just purchased the exact same Magic Keyboard from eBay - brand new, still sealed in plastic, for £230 instead
Saved myself £150 in the process!
I can stomach that a bit better!
I just purchased the exact same Magic Keyboard from eBay - brand new, still sealed in plastic, for £230 instead
Saved myself £150 in the process!
I can stomach that a bit better!
The keyboard is magnetic, I just pull it off and reverse it so it lays against the back. It stays closed & reversed magnetically
Well yes if you can get it cheaper then you should. I paid full retail price for mine and I think it’s worth the price. However if I could have gotten it cheaper I would have. No questions asked.I’ve decided to return the Magic Keyboard I purchased for £380 from Apple alongside the iPad Pro.
I just purchased the exact same Magic Keyboard from eBay - brand new, still sealed in plastic, for £230 instead
Saved myself £150 in the process!
I can stomach that a bit better!
Is it much different from the Logitech combo keyboard that was for the 10.5 inch pro? I had one of those for my old 10.5 inch pro. It was better than the smart keyboard Because it had a trackpad and had multiple viewing angles. I think for the price it’s fine. However I would agree that the Magic Keyboard is better. It has a better design, the keyboard is nicer to type on, the trackpad is better and I think it looks better. Also as others have pointed out the Magic Keyboard is lapable. However I couldn‘t use my old combo keyboard on my lap as it just wouldn’t balance. However, I can see why some people may find the Logitech keyboard better. It‘s much cheaper, it has a function key row and there is a better range of viewing angles with the kickstand. I also think you can also detach the keyboard from the case? Which makes it better than the Magic Keyboard, as for example when I want to use my Apple pencil for colouring I have to take it off the Magic Keyboard as it’s just not practical to do it with it still attached.
I have used mine for a day. Ow and the one thing that I will say about it is I like the keyboard better than the keyboard on my 2021 MBP. The MBP is an amazing workhorse of a computer but I can’t stand the keyboard. It is so much nicer to type on an iPad paired with the magic keyboard!
As to whether it is worth it, I guess that’s entirely subjective. I have seen “is it worth it“ threads for every single product. I think there is one going on right now for whether the iPad is worth it. The $299 I paid for it was definitely steep, especially after buying an M2 iPad 12.9 but I type so much better on the keyboard than with the one onscreen. I have until 1/14 to decide, but at this point, I am inclined to keep it. Well, unless I notice it killing my battery.
As to whether it is worth it, I guess that’s entirely subjective. I have seen “is it worth it“ threads for every single product. I think there is one going on right now for whether the iPad is worth it. The $299 I paid for it was definitely steep, especially after buying an M2 iPad 12.9 but I type so much better on the keyboard than with the one onscreen. I have until 1/14 to decide, but at this point, I am inclined to keep it. Well, unless I notice it killing my battery.
I have been thinking what "it's worth it" means to me when this question came up about the Magic Keyboard.
I agree it's overpriced, it is a good product, that it is the right physical product for my iPad. Is it worth it? I couldn't make that assessment. I think it's the right keyboard/trackpad/case combo for how I use the iPad because it's very compact, well-built etc. But I hesitate to say it was worth it because it is overpriced. And would I buy it again if I needed to pair one with a new iPad Pro? Yes, I would, even at that price. But it's still overpriced. LOL.
Can something be both overpriced and worth it at the same time?
Sure it can. I think these determinations are always more involved than just looking at the price. It’s all a cost/benefit analysis. Physically what it is might not be worth the price that is charged but the benefit that it provides might make the purchase worth it to you.
I will share my experience with this keyboard. I have the latest iPad Pro 11 with the latest Magic Keyboard. It’s a long story but I was able to purchase them at an unbelievably great discount. In any case:
The magic keyboard completely changed the way I use my iPad. I’m using it 60% of the time. The whole construction is designed to touch the screen in a convenient, supported way. It doesn’t wiggle like general touchscreen notebooks, which is great. Yes, it’s a bit top heavy, but still very usable in lap or in the bed too.
I don’t have a Macbook, and if I would, I would certainly ditch my iPad set up. It’s one or the other for me. I do have an iMac, and I don’t do serious work on the road. I’m a creator and a corporate worker at the same time, I do 90% of my office work on the iPad. For Photo and video editing I usually get started on the iPad and finishing on the iMac.
Now, as for durability: I have the white version for 3 months now. There are no bruises, no tears, no spots. I do care about my hardware, and I wash my hands quite often, as well as give a wipe for my iPad+Keyboard on a daily basis. No special liquid, just cloth dipped in (soapy) water a little. I would do this on a notebook as well, as these things can gather quite a lot germs. But if you are more careless, for sure this thing can get more teared up than a macbook. But even that is subjective, as for a serious hit/drop, I think the Macbook would get more damaged than this, and it would certainly take 90% of the hit, saving the iPad the meantime. This material is more pleasant to touch than a macbook for me. They keyboard itself feels great, even better than the regular magic keyboard that came with the iMac.
Things that could be improved:
via software for the current gen.:
- Word suggestions during typing (it seems sluggish, compared to off-keyboard)
- Manual keyboard brightness
- Better integrations with apps
for next gen.:
- they could add some batteries to the base, so it would extend the overall battery life
- FN keys for sure
- Mac-like force touch trackpad
- Maybe a nicely designed Apple pencil compartment somewhere within the case or in the back
Overall, this is now a must have accessory for me, and I’m happy with my purchase. I bought it with 30% discount, and in my country it comes with 2 years of Apple warranty which is a much more reasonable deal than the original price with the usual 1 year warranty.
The magic keyboard completely changed the way I use my iPad. I’m using it 60% of the time. The whole construction is designed to touch the screen in a convenient, supported way. It doesn’t wiggle like general touchscreen notebooks, which is great. Yes, it’s a bit top heavy, but still very usable in lap or in the bed too.
I don’t have a Macbook, and if I would, I would certainly ditch my iPad set up. It’s one or the other for me. I do have an iMac, and I don’t do serious work on the road. I’m a creator and a corporate worker at the same time, I do 90% of my office work on the iPad. For Photo and video editing I usually get started on the iPad and finishing on the iMac.
Now, as for durability: I have the white version for 3 months now. There are no bruises, no tears, no spots. I do care about my hardware, and I wash my hands quite often, as well as give a wipe for my iPad+Keyboard on a daily basis. No special liquid, just cloth dipped in (soapy) water a little. I would do this on a notebook as well, as these things can gather quite a lot germs. But if you are more careless, for sure this thing can get more teared up than a macbook. But even that is subjective, as for a serious hit/drop, I think the Macbook would get more damaged than this, and it would certainly take 90% of the hit, saving the iPad the meantime. This material is more pleasant to touch than a macbook for me. They keyboard itself feels great, even better than the regular magic keyboard that came with the iMac.
Things that could be improved:
via software for the current gen.:
- Word suggestions during typing (it seems sluggish, compared to off-keyboard)
- Manual keyboard brightness
- Better integrations with apps
for next gen.:
- they could add some batteries to the base, so it would extend the overall battery life
- FN keys for sure
- Mac-like force touch trackpad
- Maybe a nicely designed Apple pencil compartment somewhere within the case or in the back
Overall, this is now a must have accessory for me, and I’m happy with my purchase. I bought it with 30% discount, and in my country it comes with 2 years of Apple warranty which is a much more reasonable deal than the original price with the usual 1 year warranty.