Both Julie and I have longed for Apple to produce a Surface Pro like product, a hybrid tablet running macOS. Apple argues that the iPad Pro fills that niche and is more than powerful and capable enough to get the job done. And I might agree that the iPad Pro has the horsepower but so far iOS has fallen a bit short for me. With iOS 11 and a portable keyboard, I have renewed hope that I can make the iPad Pro my main productivity travel companion. The Logitech Slim Combo is one of the most feature-rich smart connector enabled keyboards available. For this review, Logitech sent me their 10.5″ version in classical blue to check out.
The Logitech Slim Combo is a well made, plastic two-piece solution for adding productivity and protection to the iPad Pro. The back panel encases your iPad Pro and securely holds it in place with a snap. The front cover or base of the Combo is a nicely engineered keyboard that magnetically attaches to the iPad Pro’s smart connector.
The casing is made from rigid plastic and high-performance technical fabric with PU coating for spill-resistance. The case has cutouts and push-thru buttons taking nothing away from the functionality and features of the iPad Pro.
The back panel is very form fitted and takes a bit of force to get the iPad perfectly seated…but once inside there is little chance of it accidentally falling out.
The Slim Combo has an integrated loop built into the keyboard portion the case to transport the Apple Pen.
The top of the back hard case has a push-thru for the power button and cutouts for both speakers, mic, and audio plug.
The Slim Combo’s keyboard attaches on the left side of the case magnetically to the iPad’s Apple Smart Connector. The magnetic hold is adequate but the keyboard did fall off every now and then.
The base of the case has a large cutout allowing access to the iPad’s lighting port and speakers.
The backlit keyboard has no battery and is powered by your iPad via its smart connector. Connectivity is thru the connector as well, (versus Bluetooth) meaning little to no lag while typing. According to Logitech, the keyboard uses between 0.4 to 2.3 percent of iPad battery for an hour of typing depending on backlighting brightness. There are three levels of backlighting that automatically turns off 8 seconds after the last keystroke. Interestingly the keyboard’s firmware is automatically updated when connected to the iPad Pro via Smart Connector.
The keyboard has 19 mm key pitch and 1.5 mm key travel. The palm rest is comfortable and enables good hand/finger positioning for typing. The keyboard feels a bit cramped compared to my 12″ MacBook but is more than functional and way better than typing on the iPad’s virtual keyboard. That said, I keep reaching for an imaginary trackpad that would make the setup perfect/ideal.
The bottom of the keyboard is textured as you can see below so that it does not slide around and is easy to hold onto when on the go.
Alright, let’s discuss the elephant in the room. The Logitech Slim Combo is ANYTHING but slim/tiny/petite/etc… It transforms the sleek, tech-sexy 10.5″ iPad Pro into a clunky, though admittedly productive, behemoth. The case alone weighs more than the iPad Pro.
Specifications:
- Height x Width x Depth: 10.16 in x 7.24 in x 1.06 in
- Weight: 1.16 lbs
Logitech engineered a built-in stand into the back of the back cover. In landscape mode, the stand holds iPad Pro at any angle in within 50 degrees range: from 20 to 70 degrees. In portrait mode, the stand holds iPad Pro at 73 degrees. The iPad Pro auto turns on/off when the keyboard is opened or closed.
In true Gadgeteer style, this review was written on the Slim Combo keyboard with no hassle whatsoever. The typing was best on a flat surface because the case was not very lap-friendly at all.
While not as compact, sleek, or pretty as a naked iPad, the Logitech Slim Combo adds excellent protection in addition to significantly increasing productivity. The case is perfectly form fitted for the 10.5″ iPad Pro, completely encasing it. The keyboard is feature rich besting Apple’s keyboard in everything but size and weight. Overall the Logitech Slim Combo is an excellent choice if you want to transform your iPad Pro into more of a hybrid computing device.
Source: The samples for this review were provided by Logitech. Please visit their site for more information and Best Buy to order.
