I’m an Apple user at heart, but I fell in love with tablet/laptop hybrids the second I saw the first Microsoft Surface Pro. It was a computer, but small. It was a tablet, but it could run full programs. I thought it was so cool that I bought one—only to bring it back before the two-week return deadline. I loved the design, the keyboard, and the trackpad, but not Windows.
What I really want, and I’m sure I’m not the only one, is macOS on a slate. No, not a traditional laptop—I already have a MacBook Air. I’m talking about a versatile iPad that I can use out and about for movies, games, and apps, but can also use as a content creation device when needed. Steve Jobs was known for disliking netbooks and styluses, but times have changed. Taking handwritten notes is ideal for retaining information, and having full keyboard functionality is a huge plus. Like Jobs, I still think that the iPad is a third device that fits between an iPhone and a laptop, but it doesn’t have to be
In the years since, as both Apple and Microsoft have expanded and refined their products, I’ve become more entrenched in the Apple ecosystem. I’ve owned multiple iPads and have cobbled together a productivity setup that works, but still feels unsatisfying. The iPad doesn’t allow me to have all my apps on the screen simultaneously, and switching between them is difficult. Moreover, performing everyday functions, such as opening PDFs, is challenging without third-party apps. Ultimately, it isn’t the hardware or the accessories that hold back the iPad. It was the software.
Apple turned that paradigm upside down when it released iPadOS 26. Finally, I can multitask on the iPad the same way I do on a laptop! My 2024 iPad Pro, which I use for work, now feels completely different. The software might not look the same as macOS, but its functionality is similar enough that I am tempted to ditch my laptop altogether.
Except for one problem: the Magic Keyboard Case.
Can We Get Some Actual Protection?
The first thing a case should do is protect the device it’s covering. The Magic Keyboard Case barely does this. In its current iteration, magnets hold the iPad to the upper panel of the case that flips up, while the keyboard and trackpad portion sits like a laptop at a 90-degree angle. The case doesn’t protect the sides of the iPad, which are completely exposed, whether the case is open or closed. Further, the iPad is held to the case by magnets alone. A good jolt can jar it loose and send the iPad crashing to the floor. To make matters worse, I have yet to find a third-party case that’s slim enough to put on the iPad while it is inside the Magic Keyboard. Many cases claim to fit, but most prevent the Magic Keyboard Case from fully closing.
(Credit: Sarah Lord)
If I could use the iPad like a laptop, I would want to take it to more places, but I don’t feel comfortable doing that with the bare minimum protection afforded by the current Magic Keyboard Case. I get that Apple is all about thin and sleek aesthetics, but it’s time for a case that offers full form and function.
iPads, and iPad Pros in particular, are extremely expensive. The Magic Keyboard Case is also hundreds of dollars. Considering how much money we’re shelling out here, we all deserve a little more protection. In exchange, I promise I won’t be mad if a new version is a little thicker and heavier.
How About Better Weight Balance and Viewing Angles?
Despite my admiration for the Surface Pro, I’m not a fan of kickstands. They don’t sit well on my lap (or anyone’s, for that matter), which is where I do all of my writing. One of my favorite aspects of the Magic Keyboard Case is its ability to hold the iPad without a kickstand.
(Credit: Sarah Lord)
Unfortunately, Apple hasn’t quite perfected this setup. The Magic Keyboard Case is top-heavy, especially with a 13-inch iPad. It only stays upright on my lap when my hands are pressed firmly on the keyboard. If I remove my fingers even for a second, the iPad and case tip back easily. Is balancing the system here really that difficult?
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Laptops have been around for decades, and even some third-party case makers produce laptop-esque cases that aren’t nearly as tippy as the Magic Keyboard Case. How am I expected to use all of these great new laptop-like features when I can’t get my iPad to sit correctly in my lap?
Speaking of which, how about a few more viewing angles? I’d love to push the iPad back a little farther to get a better view of my screen. Just please make sure the whole thing doesn’t tip over.
What About More Flexibility?
The best part of a hybrid setup should be its flexibility. Currently, the Magic Keyboard Case has none. Don’t want to use the keyboard? Fine. Pull the iPad off, and now you don’t have a case for protection.
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Can we please get an integrated case that isn’t just made for one scenario? I’d love to type, then be able to pick up my iPad and use it like a tablet. I’d love a video mode that lets me watch my shows without a keyboard in the way. A handwriting and drawing mode would be nice, too. Apple’s design team is legendary; I’m sure they could pull off a useful, refined, and protective iPad case if they put their minds to it.
Currently, the Logitech Combo Touch, which costs $259.99 for a 13-inch Pro version, is the best alternative. It costs less than the Magic Keyboard Case ($349), is protective, and has a removable keyboard cover. But its enormous kickstand doesn’t sit correctly on my lap. I tried so hard to love this case, but it just doesn’t work for me.
My current setup: a Typcase Touch Keyboard Case (Credit: Sarah Lord)
Instead, I’ve ditched the Magic Keyboard Case in favor of a cheap case ($89.99) from Amazon that turns my iPad Pro into a convertible 2-in-1. I can rotate the screen 360 degrees if I want to watch movies, and it even lies flat if I want to use the Pencil. The keyboard is OK, the trackpad is terrible, and the whole contraption is still tippy, but it is not as imbalanced as Apple’s offering. I don’t particularly like it, but I’ve yet to find anything better—and I’ve tried just about every keyboard case I can find.
So, now that the iPad’s software makes it viable as a laptop, we need Apple (or anyone, really) to make a brilliant new case worthy of its newfound abilities. I want a case that’s got it all: fully protective, without being tippy, and without reverting to a kickstand. The keyboard and trackpad need to be fully removable without the case losing its ability to prop up the iPad when it’s no longer attached.
Is that so much to ask? For the moment, the answer appears to be, “Yes.”
About Our Expert
Experience
I’m a mobile writer at PCMag, which means I cover wireless phones, plans, tablets, ereaders, and a whole lot more. I’ve written countless reviews and have appeared in numerous videos discussing the latest technology. I’ve always loved it and have been forming opinions on consumer electronics since childhood. Prior to joining PCMag, I covered TVs and home entertainment at CNET, served as the tech and electronics reviews fellow at Insider, and began my career by writing laptop reviews as an intern at Tom’s Hardware. I am also a professional actor with credits in film, television, and theater, and membership in both SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association.
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