The Logitech Combo Contact is a Magic Keyboard for everybody — geared up with nearly the whole lot you’d need from a keyboard case and extra. 2021 iPad house owners alternative of premium keyboards is severely restricted, as Apple retains its luxurious choices just for the Air and Professional.
However with a pleasant material exterior, an adjustable kickstand, a removable backlit keyboard, and a glass trackpad, Logitech has stepped in and crammed the void. And at $150, it’s even $10 cheaper than Apple’s Sensible Keyboard.
During the last month, I’ve taken the 2021 iPad with a Combo Contact all over the place, from airplanes to work to seashores. Right here’s the way it fares in real-world use.
Logitech Combo Contact design and construct
Not like Apple’s Sensible Keyboard, the Logitech Combo Contact is available in two separate elements: a plastic and onerous silicon iPad case with a hinge and the keyboard housing a trackpad. This clips on magnetically by way of the sensible connector port, so you possibly can take away the keyboard while you don’t want it.
When closed with the Combo Contact, the 2021 iPad’s thickness shoots up from 0.3-inches to 0.85-inches, and also you’ll really feel that added heft at the very least within the first few days.
Nevertheless, it nonetheless maintains a higher portability than even the MacBook Air with its smaller total footprint and lighter 1.34-pound weight. It didn’t take me lengthy to just accept that weight trade-off, due to what the Combo Contact provides in return.
For drop safety, the case is made out of a heavy rubber that doubles as a higher grip than the machine’s personal metallic floor. Regardless of the added bulk, you’ll don’t have any hassle clicking the iPad’s bodily buttons or reaching its ports.
Extra importantly, the hinge on its again is encased in a textured fabric-like materials the place you possibly can comfortably relaxation your fingers whereas, as an illustration, watching a film. There’s even an Apple Pencil holder on the high.
Logitech Combo Contact kickstand
Talking of the hinge, it has a 40-degree tilt vary (120 to 160 levels), permitting you to position the pill in a wide range of positions. On a desk, you possibly can push the kickstand to its restrict for sketching, or pull it again to return to a typing stance.
The Combo Contact could seem wobbly while you alter it, however in use, the kickstand is sturdy and doesn’t budge while you’re interacting with the pill — even when it’s sitting in your lap.
The one draw back to the hinge is how a lot room it wants. Practically two-thirds of the case’s rear acts as a kickstand versus, say, the Microsoft Floor Professional’s one-third.
Due to this, in areas the place you solely have restricted area, the expanded footprint could also be a wrestle. However with some tinkering, I’ve been capable of finding a candy spot to get the job accomplished, even on a aircraft’s slender tray desk.
Logitech Combo Contact keyboard
Though the backlit keyboard is smaller than commonplace laptops, typing on the Combo Contact is pleasant. Keys are well-spaced and there’s even an ample 1mm of key journey (similar because the MacBook Air) for impressively clicky tactile suggestions, not like the Sensible Keyboard’s mushy response.
Logitech additionally managed to cram in a row of perform keys that allow you to immediately entry frequent shortcuts, similar to brightness, Highlight search, and residential.
Because of this consideration to element, I used to be capable of hit my typical mechanical keyboard’s typing tempo very quickly. You’ll additionally discover all of the Apple keys like Cmd, Possibility, and Alt are right here too, which lets you use all the same old multitasking shortcuts, like “Alt+Cmd” for app overview or Alt+Area for Highlight.
What’s extra, that fabric-esque materials extends to the keyboard, and its cushioned textured end makes for a comfortable palm relaxation. Fairly good for a totally removable keyboard, which you’ll simply carry round like a hardcover e-book and magnetically hook up with the display screen in a flash.
Logitech Combo Contact trackpad
The built-in glass trackpad is equally spacious and succesful. It’s easy, simple to click on, and since that is an Apple-approved accent, it’s appropriate with all iPadOS’ multi-finger gestures.
Surprisingly, it’s a hair larger than the trackpad on Apple’s Magic Keyboard (55mm x 110mm vs. 50 x 100mm), which means you’ll don’t have any hassle hitting swipe actions, such because the four-finger shortcut for shortly biking by means of open apps or the three-finger swipe for multitasking.
Backside Line
In my time with it, I’ve discovered the Logitech Combo Contact onerous to fault. It’s a keyboard case each iPad 9 proprietor ought to get in the event that they plan to make use of their machine for greater than streaming motion pictures or taking part in video games.
It has a flexible kickstand, wonderful keyboard and trackpad, and the sensible connector ensures you don’t have to fret about charging it. The Combo Contact handily beats out its closest competitors within the Brydge 10.2 MAX+, which doesn’t also have a hinge.
Put merely, the Combo Contact is a no brainer, particularly given it’s usually on sale.
