ZAGG Pro Keys with Trackpad is a rugged iPad case that undercuts Apple
Your iPad keyboard options are getting broader, with ZAGG's latest models undercutting Apple's Magic Keyboard while also offering more rugged build quality. Fitting, variously, the iPad Pro 11-inch, iPad Pro 12.9-inch, the 4th Gen iPad Air, and the iPad 10.2-inch, the range also includes keyboard cases with trackpads to support the latest iPadOS features.
ZAGG Pro Keys with Trackpad
Certainly, there's a lot to like about Apple's Magic Keyboard case for the iPad Pro and iPad Air (4th Gen). At the same time, it's an expensive accessory, and if you're as worried about protecting your tablet as you are about text entry then the open edges of the official Apple case aren't going to be so reassuring.
That's something ZAGG's Pro Keys with Trackpad addresses. While not designed for the most extreme of situations, the detachable case section for the iPad is made of polycarbonate with a rigid core, and has rubberized edges and button covers. It also has corner bumpers, and together the company says they'll protect the iPad from up to a 6.6 foot drop.
It slots into the keyboard section, which connects via Bluetooth. In fact, there's multi-device support, so you can connect to two things at once – the iPad and your nearby iPhone, for instance – and switch between the two. Interestingly, ZAGG has also made it so that the trackpad can be separately powered-off from the keyboard, to save battery.
The battery itself charges via USB-C, and lasts for up to three months of keyboard-only use, and with their seven-color backlighting turned off. Switch the trackpad on, and you get gesture support, while the keyboard has laptop-style keys; there's also a holder for the Apple Pencil, protected by the magnetic clasp that holds the keyboard and case together.
There are versions for the Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd gen), and the iPad Air 10.9-inch (4th gen), at $149.99, and for the the iPad 10.2-inch (7th, 8th gen), at $139.99. ZAGG also has a version for Pad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th, 5th gen) and iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd gen), at $169.99 and $109.99 respectively.
ZAGG Rugged Book
Should you need even more protection, the ZAGG Rugged Book steps up to military-grade materials. You still get up to 6.6 feet of drop protection, but there are even chunkier moldings to make things sturdier. The keyboard uses an interlocking key design, which helps avoid them popping off.
There's the same multi-device connectivity as the Pro Keys with Trackpad, for fast-switching between the iPad and something else. The keyboard and case can be detached – though of course they stay paired nonetheless – while the magnetic hinge means the tablet can be stood up at different angles. There's still seven color backlighting, too, though if you can do without it the battery could last for up to two years, ZAGG says.
The ZAGG Rugged Book for the iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd gen) and iPad Air 10.9-inch (4th gen) is available now, priced at $149.99.