Brydge - 10.5 Wireless Keyboard for Apple® 10.5" iPad® Pro - Silver

DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free in exchange for my fair and honest review. I will start this review by saying that I am typing it on the Brydge keyboard itself. Brydge has done an excellent job replicating the look, feel, and quality of the MacBook experience with this aluminum Bluetooth keyboard for the 10.5” iPad Pro. The keyboard comes packaged neatly in a box with design cues from Apple, and opens easily along the side via a magnetic closure. Inside the box is the Brydge keyboard, Quick Start user manual, and charging cable (micro USB). Upon removing the keyboard from the box, you can instantly feel the quality of the material. It has an excellent weight to it, and the aluminum is anodized and textured nearly identically to that of a MacBook. For those who are used to the MacBook keyboard “chiclet” keys, your fingers will feel right at home typing on this keyboard. It feels spacious, and the travel of each key is excellent. I can type much faster on the Brydge keyboard than I can on other “smart” keyboards intended for the iPad Pro thanks to the feel. Some nice features include a backlit keyboard for easy typing in the dark, a battery indicator, and a row of function keys that perform various functions within iOS with a push of a button. The backlighting is bright and even, and includes four settings: low, medium, high, and off. The battery indicator is a button that you can hold down and the power button will flash a different color to indicate how much battery life is left. The function keys include play/pause, forward/backward, volume toggles, screen brightness toggles, a lock button, a home button, and a dedicated Siri button for easy one-touch access. All function buttons work well with iOS. The Bluetooth connectivity seems strong and reliable. I did have a bit of a difficult time getting the Brydge to pair when I initially took it out of the box...but after reading the Quick Start guide, I was able to get it connected in less than 30 seconds. The keyboard itself has some really great power saving features. It will automatically shut off the backlight, turn on sleep mode after 20 minutes of inactivity, or turn the keyboard (and iPad screen) off altogether when it is closed laptop style. The keyboard power resumes when the “lid” is opened again. I have only two critiques of this keyboard. The first would be that it lacks protection for the iPad itself, as you cannot use this hinge style device with any protective covers for the back side of the iPad. Secondly, it is a little bit imbalanced as far as weight goes, making it easier to drop the devices if holding them away from a flat surface. The keyboard has heft to it, but it is simply not as heavy as the iPad itself, which makes it slightly top-heavy. This is a non-issue however, as long as you are primarily using the device on a flat surface. Overall, this is an excellently crafted piece of equipment that fits the vein of Apple products well. In fact, two of my friends were shocked when they found out that this was not an Apple product. It is definitely of that quality, and it makes the perfect companion to the iPad Pro for those of you who want to use your tablet as a laptop.

If you're looking to truly replace a traditional laptop with an iPad, the Brydge keyboard may be exactly what you've been hoping for. Other iPad keyboards are bulky and made from plastic. Even Apple's own keyboard sacrifices typing comfort in favor of asthetics. The Brydge keyboard offers an excellent typing experience and a beautiful design, but it comes with some sacrifices of its own. PROS: - The keyboard looks and feels like a natural extension of the iPad Pro. The space grey color is a perfect match. Proportions are perfect. The fit into the hinges is perfect. At first glance, it would be easy for someone to mistake the iPad/Brydge combo for a MacBook. - Great typing comfort. Compared to the Apple Smart Keyboard, the keys on the Brydge have much more travel and are nicely spaced out. After typing several long emails and notes over the past two days, I have no complaints about the Brydge as a keyboard alone. If you've ever typed on a MacBook Pro, you'll feel right at home. - I love the function keys on the top row of the keyboard. You can easily adjust display brightness, volume, keyboard backlight level, and more. - There are three levels of backlight brightness. It doesn't get overly bright, but it's certainly enough to work in a dark room. - The bottom of the keyboard has four rubber feet to keep your iPad in place as you type. - The hinges are very sturdy. You can choose any angle you prefer without worrying about the hinges moving or closing. The iPad fits snugly into the hinges and there is no way the iPad will come out of the hinges as you move it. CONS: - The hinges do not rotate past 180 degrees, so you are essentially forced to use your iPad in "laptop mode." With Apple's Smart Keyboard, you can simply flip the keyboard all the way around and use your iPad as a tablet. Not so with the Brydge -- if you want to use your iPad in portrait mode or use it one-handed, you'll have to remove the iPad from the keyboard. - The Brydge keyboard is heavy. It weighs just as much (if not more) than the iPad itself, so be prepared to double the weight of your iPad. - The back of your iPad will be left exposed when using the Brydge keyboard. You cannot use a back case as it will not fit in the hinges. Brydge has said that they are working on a custom back case to go along with this keyboard, so stay tuned. - In iOS 11, Apple introduced a new dock that allows you to swipe up from the bottom of the screen and switch between apps. Unfortunately, the Brydge keyboard makes it impossible to access the dock using a swipe on the screen. The top of the keyboard blocks the very bottom of the iPad's screen where your finger needs to swipe to bring up the dock. The only way around this is to hit Option + Command + D on the keyboard, which will bring up the dock. If you want to bring up the Control Center view, you'll have to double-click the iPad's home button or the make-shift home button on the top-left of the keyboard. OVERALL: This is a superb keyboard for those who need to do serious typing on their iPad. If you're fine with sacrificing the "tablet" feel of the iPad, the Brydge keyboard will give you a mini laptop/MacBook. And of course, if you want to go back to the traditional iPad experience, just remove your iPad from the keyboard. If the majority of your iPad usage involves typing, then the sacrifices are well worth it -- this is the best iPad keyboard you're going to find.

INTRODUCTION: The Brydge 10.5 raises the bar for the very best Wireless Keyboard for the 10.5-inch Apple iPad Pro that money can buy. This keyboard is built with high grade aluminum with choice of Space Gray, Silver, Gold or Rose Gold precision finish that perfectly matches the 10.5" iPad Pro. The keys are super responsive to the touch & only travel 1.2 mm; the feel is crisp & precise. Stroke any key & the backlit keys instantly illuminate. You can even select 3 levels of illumination right from the keyboard! REVIEW: This keyboard contains 78 keys, so you have the Apple iOS specific keys, music player, volume up / down, Bluetooth, etc. on the top row. With the iPad Pro 10.5 installed to this keyboard, total thickness with it "closed" is only 1/2". A competitive wireless keyboard measures 1.1" thick in the same "closed" position. Set-up is very quick & simple: Insert the iPad into the rubber coated supports (they will not scratch or mar the iPad). Press the Power button for 3 seconds until the green light illuminates. Press the Bluetooth pair button for 3 seconds. The Power button flashes blue. Go to Settings / Bluetooth on the iPad. Select "Brydge 10.5". The power button stops flashing & becomes solid blue. All set! Battery life is the longest I have seen in a Wireless Keyboard. I charged it fully, which took 3 hours. Brydge claims if used 2 hrs / day, the battery will hold it's charge for 1 year! The only concern I have is the weight of adding a keyboard to a lightweight tablet. If you build a quality product using premium materials, such as high grade aluminum in this case, expect to add weight. The keyboard (not including the 1 ib. iPad Pro) measured 1 lb. 3 7/8 oz on a precision kitchen scale. The combined weight of 10.5" iPad Pro + Keyboard = 2 lb. 3 7/8 oz. By comparison, this is lighter & thinner than the 13.3" 2.96 lb, 0.7" thick MacBook Air. For times when you want to "go light", simply hold the keyboard securely on a solid surface & pull up on the iPad to remove it from the rubber coated clamps. It makes the iPad a "Convertible". Perfect!! Now you have the best of both worlds. CONCLUSION: This is a beautiful, fully equipped keyboard for the 10.5" iPad Pro. The best compliment I can give it is simply: the Brydge Wireless Keyboard does not look like an Aftermarket accessory to your iPad Pro. It honestly looks like OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)! Expect it to turn heads!

Full disclosure: I was given this product in exchange for a timely and unbiased review. I received the “Brydge Bluetooth keyboard for iPad Pro” yesterday and starting using it last night. I’m using it to type this review. Generally I have avoided iPad keyboards over the years. But this one looked interesting. The keyboard is amazingly similar to (though smaller than) Apple keyboards I have used in the past on my various iPad Air models. The base appears to be high quality aluminum. The keys have a nice feel and action. I was especially interested in the backlight feature, since I found that lacking on the Apple keyboard for the 12” iPad Pro. There are three levels of backlighting which allows for various conditions. It looks so similar, I find myself reaching for the trackpad in the middle and discovering that I’m not on my Mac. I read a review of a prior generation of this keyboard which indicated the keyboard had scratched the iPad where it attaches to the keyboard. This model has rubber on both sides of the channel into which the iPad is inserted. The iPad fits nice and snug and I think the rubber will protect the iPad finish very well. There are also so small rubber bumpers on the wrist side of the keyboard to protect both halves from direct contact when closed. I’m not worried about damage at all. I really like having Cmd-C and Cmd-V, etc. keystrokes available to me on my iPad. I always miss those keyboard shortcuts when using my iPads. Since the keyboard is made out of aluminum, it is fairly heavy. I would say it is about the same weight as the my 10.5” iPad Pro, so it doubles the weight. When closed, it more or less appears that I have two iPads facing each other. The fit and finish is excellent. I can wake up the iPad by pressing a key on the keyboard. A second press will pop up the passcode screen. I can then enter my passcode on the keyboard which I find very handy. I have noticed that there are some instances where the key press doesn’t seem to result in the keystroke. At first I thought it could be that I just haven’t used this keyboard quite enough to get accustomed to the action. Since my fingers are trained to run my 2016 MacBook Pro, the action is slightly firmer and less forgiving than my MacBook Pro keyboard. However, after using the keyboard for a while, there are definitely times when I press a key and the keystroke has no effect. I assume this is a software issue, but I don’t know that, of course. Until the keystroke issue is fixed, I would not recommend this to friends. I still give the overall design 4 stars for quality but the keyboard needs to type more consistently. I know iOS 11 has some problems with Bluetooth and this issue could conceivably be related to that Bluetooth problem. Once that is fixed I’d give this 5 stars.

The build quality is quite nice feeling like a solid/cast aluminum. It more closely matches a MacBook, yet is still complementary to the iPAD’s finish. There are black rubber pads, feet and gaskets used to protect the finish of the keyboard and your iPAD. However this is a keyboard only. It protects your screen when closed but doesn’t protect the back of your iPAD. If you’re one of those amazing people who never drops their tablet, nor shove it into your bag, the Brydge is an elegant solution that spares you some thickness and weight. The backlit black keys are recessed a la the MacBook and are of a nice size and feel ever so slightly concave. I’m not sure if they are of if they “give” just a bit in the center when pressed. The travel is less than some other brands, but ok. The backlighting is controlled by a dedicated key offering “off” plus three levels of intensity. There’s a 6th row of dedicated half-size keys for things such as volume control, screen brightness, media control, etc. There is also a dedicated battery status key (the color changing Green/Yellow/Red LED is on the Power key). The Power key light is also used to indicate power and and Bluetooth sync status. My favorite key is the one dedicated to accessing the Home Screen and Control Center. It’s more convenient than pressing the home button on the iPAD. After working with the Brydge for a while, it struck my that the clamp like hinge should be able to accommodate other recent iPADs. Sure enough, I was able to use my old Air2. It’s just slightly smaller than the keyboard, but the screen contacts the protective bumpers just fine. It’s a good thing if you share the keyboard with someone (maybe you decide to give the kids your old iPAD, but don’t want to buy them a full-time keyboard). Of course, you can’t slide your computer or iphone into the clamps, but because the connection is Bluetooth, you can use the Brydge with your phone, laptop or desktop computer. My only gripe is a small one, the bumper on the outside of the hinge doesn’t cover enough of it for the range of travel. You get a little metal-to-table contact that may not do any favors for either product. Otherwise, the Brydge keyboard is attractive, exceptionally functional complement to your new (or old!) iPAD.

Brydge Bluetooth keyboard for iPad Pro - I’m trying to recall any electronic device I’ve owned that took 90 seconds to get operating. Take the Bridge keyboard out of the box, and slip the iPad Pro (there are several other versions for different models) under the clips. Press the BlueTooth key, upper right of Keyboard. Open iPad SETTINGS, see BRYDGE pairing request, select, and you’re paired. It took longer to write this paragraph. This is a premium, aluminum, solid, rugged keypad loaded with features and specialty keys. The top row of keys place you right into MacBook Pro land. The control panel items are all laid out, all the time. Plus, you now have backlit keys (on/off), the HOME button, battery key, and keyboard power. The rest of the keyboard is nicely weighted, the keys feel great. Hinging of the attached iPad is secure, staying in place at any angle. There’s even a SIRI button, lower left. It all works like it was designed at the same time. My wife found herself accessing features of her iPad that seemed awkward before. And, the iPad is comfortable sitting in a lap with its keyboard/stand. Cool. All very cool. Not sure why we waited to add a keyboard to our iPads.

This is by far one of the best keyboards I have used with my iPad Pro 10.5. It turns it in to a MacBook basically. Giving you all the functionally of the MacBook keyboard. I have a 2017 edition 5k iMac, and this keyboard feels better than that. When I travel, this will be in my bag now, and will really help on flights. It super strong, and feels very premium. The keyboard has GREAT travel and feedback, and will make you think twice about buying any other keyboards one you have this one. The hinge on this keyboard is super strong, and goes all the way flat when using if you want. It has all the commands on a regular Mac keyboard, so trust me...you will not be disappointed. Also, battery can last up to a YEAR on a single charge! WOW. Hurry up and get his one...

I’ve had this keyboard for about a day and there are some things I like and some things I wish would have been included with it. First, i’ll discuss the likes. The quality of construction is incredible. It matches my iPad perfectly as you can see from the pictures. It’s solidly built and adds a little bit of weight to my iPad, but nothing unbearable. It attaches easily and is very sturdy. Ive never worried about my iPad slipping out of the clips. With my iPad attached, I can adjust the screen in multiple angles, including laying it flat on the desk if I choose. The keyboard itself has a dedicated button for summoning Siri, which is cool and has worked 100% of the time for me. There is also a home button that will return you to your home screen with one press and then pull up control center with two presses. You can adjust both volume and brightness and lock your iPad via the keyboard also. The most difficult thing I have to teach myself when using this keyboard is to remember there is no mouse pad beneath it. Each time I start typing and want to transition to something else, I find myself running my finger over the desktop or bottom of the keyboard in search of the mouse pad. I wish that wa the only negative I could say about this keyboard but it isnt. First and foremost when you buy a keyboard like this, you want the typing aspect of it to work well. I will say I spent as much time hitting the delete button to correct my typos as I did typing. Somehow typing on this was much easier using the “hunt and peck” method as opposed to the standard method of placing your fingers on the “a,s,d,f and j,k,;, buttons. I found I made far less mistakes that way. There is a slight lag when typing sometimes, but it is by no means consistent. I type pretty fast and found myself having to double tap keys because the letter I typed wasn’t recognized. I also had problems getting the keyboard to reconnect after turning my iPad off or closing it. Several times I had to delete the keyboard from my devices and re-pair it. I would have preferred this use Apple’s Smart Connection, which would have also solved the problem of me having to carry another cable to recharge it. I also would have liked to have a place to store my Apple Pencil. I realize this may not be an issue for some, but for me I use my pencil for a multitude of things and would have liked to be able to store it onboard somewhere. Not a deal breaker, but definitely a preference. In fairness, I’m not sure if there are any keyboard cases on the market that will store the pencil. The last complaint I have is also more of a preference. I seldom, meaning never, carry any of my devices “naked.” I wish the clips on the keyboard would expand enough to allow me to put a slim case on it so I can avoid scratches. I normally toss my tablet in a backpack or briefcase along with other items and both my tablet and keyboard would scratched up pretty badly in under a couple of days. All in all, the appearance of this keyboard make it a plus for anyone who cares how their accessories compliment their devices. It is a solid keyboard with some extra features like dedicated Siri, Lock and Home/Control Center buttons, and adjustable brightness. It definitely adds a little weight to the iPad, but its not unbearable. I would probably check around and compare some offerings from Logitech before I bought this one, but its a decent keyboard overall.