Best iPad Keyboard Cases

As a purveyor of the internet, the iPad undoubtedly has served its purpose - perhaps more truly than most of its kind (i.e., tablets). However, if you’re looking to get some real work done – with deadlines upon your back or bills to pay – the performance of your iPad may fall, sadly, a little short. Then comes the best iPad keyboard cases.

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Heralding the internet revolution and the rise of the E-generation, the iPad tablet is a product of the times – in essence a netbook minus the keyboard. For as portability became the buzzword, the need for easier-to-use, easier-to-carry on-the-go gadgets became more pronounced, resulting eventually in designers taking away the excess baggage in the PC to form the laptop and the seemingly cumbersome keyboard to form tablets – and the obsession with weight.

However, as in many manly designs form and function do not always perfectly meet. And in the yearning to get truly productive, many iPad owners find the on-screen keyboard behaving like an elephant being poked by a stick.

With the help of Bluetooth (good thing), the all-in-one keyboard case is born. Here are three of the most-talked, most-raved about and most-searched (Googlin’-wise):

1. ZaggZaggfolio

2. Logitech Ultrathin 

3. ClamCase Pro

Best iPad Accessory: A Case of Form Vs. Function

To get to the top dog of these iPad add-ons, we take a look into how faithful are their performances on their main functions.

Keyboard: Fit-wise, the three Logitech Ultrathin, ZaggZaggfolio and ClamCase Pro all showed sterling performances and you can get them attached and working in a jiffy. For instance, pairing (Bluetooth) the ClamCase Pro only took seconds – 5 to be exact. And even with their rather small dimensions (in comparison to a PC keyboard), all three will give you enough space between keys to answer your need to form paragraphs and sentences or presentations.

Both Zagg and ClamCase provide iPad-specific keys (e.g., copy/paste functions, media controls) – very convenient indeed. Logitech Ultrathin with its sleek design (0.31 inches thick), however, does not exhibit a full row of these dedicated iPad keys, rather you need to invoke the Fn key to toggle the number row for copy/paste etc. – not a major hitch though. Logitech make up for it by giving you an oversized space bar. But delete may not be a strong point for both Logitech and Zagg as finding the key could be added work in both.

For its part, Zagg offers added convenience: a removable keyboard. This means lighter travel for you with just the Zagg case and the stand.

If we just take form into the equation, ClamCase Pro clearly outstrips its rivals – turning your iPad into a veritable laptop right before your eyes. These two blend into one entity, like icing to a cake.

However, keyboard for the three brands considered equal typing-wise, ClamCase Pro delivers a homerun – its to-be-patented360° hinge. With this feature, you could adjust your iPad for any angle solving problem with light glares and giving you your fave reading/viewing/surfing positions. The other two iPad add-ons have severely limited viewing angles.

Case: Aesthetically, Logitech is sleek and as it is more streamlined it is an attractive way to carry your iPad. Well, just one flaw though: Logitech Ultrathin lags in the Protection Department as it is designed to protect the screen and leave the rest of your iPad vulnerable.

The Zaggfolio offers a better job at protecting your iPad than the Logitech Ultrathin. Its lip that props up the iPad is solid. 

However, case-wise there is no protection that you can buy for your iPad like ClamCase Pro. Strength of material-wise is supreme as it uses polycarbonate to protect your device fully: front, back and whatever comes in between.It’s three accessories rolled into one – a working keyboard, a solid case protection and all-around stand.

If you want to stay light yet complete with aesthetic beauty, Logitech might be a good pick. Just that you will have to sacrifice a little bit on protection. On the other hand, Zagg offers more detachable options.

As it is packed with superior flexibility ClamCase Pro comes with a price as expected. For all-around protection the add-on comes added weight and will cost you an extra four adult burgers in a casual-dining restaurant.

All in all, these three top products have their own pro’s and con’s, no doubt. Of course, if this was a weight match, Ultrathin would be the best contender, hands down. But for Total Protection and functionality: Nothing beats the ClamCase Pro at this point in time.