ESRiPad Air 13 Inch Case Keyboard (M3/M2, 2025/2024), Keyboard Case with Trackpad, Magnetic Detachable Keyboard with Backlit Keys, Fully Adjustable Portrait/Landscape Stand, Ascend Series, White

This is a fantastic keyboard at a great price. I was previously using the Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro, and while there are a lot of similarities, there are a few more benefits of the ESR keyboard over Apple's.Price - At the time of writing, this keyboard is less than 30% of the cost of Apple's. That in itself is a good start.Weight - Apple's keyboard weighs in at 2.42 lbs, while the ESR comes in at 1.65 lbs.Rotation - Both cases work with the iPad in the landscape position. Because Apple's case connects via the smart connector, you cannot rotate it into portrait mode in the current design. ESR's case, however, connects via Bluetooth which means that should you detach the iPad from the magnetic case and rotate it 90 degrees, you can still use it quite effectively.Protection - This is where ESR's case starts to stand out. The iPad itself snaps into a shell which then clicks into position. So, while both support rotation, for example, only the ESR case protects the iPad's backside while in the portrait position.Additionally, with Apple's case, you can detach the iPad and use it as a tablet without a keyboard. However, this essentially leaves your iPad "naked" without any form of protection on the front, back, or three sides. ESR's shell remains on the iPad even when you use it as a tablet.Apple Pencil - While Apple's case doesn't do anything special for their Pencil, it does leave room for it to click into place for charging or storage. The ESR case also allows the Pencil to dock with the iPad, but ESR also has a magnetic flap that closes over the non-hinged side of the iPad when the case is fully closed. This seems to protect the pencil better from accidental detachment, leading to loss, repurchase, and a whole lot of cursing.Backlight - The ESR case has a backlight that can be controlled via key combinations. It has three brightness modes (plus an "off" setting), and you can also change the backlight's color.Flexibility - The ESR case opens all the way. It can be flipped behind the iPad (though I'd recommend for long-term tablet usage that you detach the table from the case, whichever one you use), while Apple's case only opens up to a standard "laptop-like" position. This means that ESR uses the kickstand method of folding the back part of the case to position the tablet accordingly. However, this doesn't expose any more of the tablet's back due to the shell used as part of the ESR setup. (see picture)At this point, the ESR really stands out. However, there are a few areas where the Apple keyboard does shine a little brighter.Charging - The nature of the smart connector means that you can plug in your iPad or plug in the keyboard to a power source, and both units will recharge from a single cable/charger. The ESR is less integrated, so you do need to charge it separately. In other words, if both units need a recharge, you'll use two cables and two power adapters. Fortunately, the ESR, like the iPad itself, charges via USB-C, so the same cable can be used if both aren't depleted simultaneously. You'll have to charge one before the other. (See picture for placement of the charge ports on the ESR)Also, Apple's charging port for the keyboard is on the left side, while the port on the iPad (while in the keyboard case) is on the right side. But ESR's port is on the same side as the iPad's, meaning that this necessary shifting of cables is a lot easier. I'm not sure this is worth any "points," but ESR's seems like a better design to me this way (whereas it really isn't even a factor on the Apple since you don't have to move the cable to charge both).Connectivity - Even though the Bluetooth was very easy to set up on the ESR, you can't compete with the true plug-and-play nature of Apple's case. Fortunately, this is likely something you'll only need to do once. While Apple's connects in a few seconds, it may take you a whopping 30 seconds to set up your ESR case with your iPad Pro when you go through the typical Bluetooth pairing settings on the iPad and keyboard.Conclusion - For me, the ESR case is the clear winner. The few shortcomings I've listed are easy for me to ignore in my day-to-day usage of the iPad and a keyboard. Certainly, the price is a huge factor here, and to find that you get an equivalent-or-better case, keyboard, and trackpad for significantly less makes me wish this was an option when I originally purchased my iPad Pro.I give this a strong recommendation based on my experience with both cases and recommend it to anyone looking to both protect their iPad and have a laptop-like experience when needed.

I've been using a Zagg keyboard on a different iPad for a few years. It has worked well but we sometimes have trouble with stability since it relies on the tablet sitting in a slot above the kb.Decided to go with the ESR for a new iPad.- I've found the ESR kb with the flip down kickstand is much more stable.- The kickstand allows variable viewing angles. Only had two choices with the Zagg.- I like that I can put the iPad in portrait mode when needed.- I like that I can take the iPad off the keyboard and it is still protected with its own case.- I also like the touch of the kb better on the ESR. Haven't had a need to use the touchpad yet, but that may come in handy at some point.The one thing that is taking some adjustment is that I have to remember to push the power button on the ESR. It doesn't just power on with the touch of any key. But I'll get used to that really quickly, I'm sure.

Overall, we are happy with this keyboard/case so far. It seems well built, should be easy to clean, and I have no issues with the feel/sound of the keys or trackpad. Ability to use it in landscape mode is a big and unique plus. With all that said, I had a few issues:1) Amazon sent us a previously opened package. The sheet promoting a 2 year warranty by registering with the ESR Super User Program was missing, but learned about this from a setup video.2) Cannot swipe up to access open apps using the trackpad. Need to do so from the touch screen.3) I have one app, SmartHQ for GE appliances, where a first alphabetic character of the password is always capitalized no matter what I do with the keyboard. All other characters are fine, and it does not shift for the numeric keys. Works fine from the native iPad keyboard so there must be some rare technical instance that the keyboard doesn't handle correctly.4) I have another App, OneSafe 5, where I cannot access the "Favorites" or "Settings" icons via the trackpad. Works fine by touching the screen but the trackpad simply jumps the cursor over the icons.So, while not perfect, its shortcomings, practically speaking, are negligible and can be worked around, but don't expect Apple's level of seamlessness.