Brydge 11.0 Pro Wireless Keyboard | Compatible with iPad Pro 11-inch (2018) | Backlit Keys | Long Battery Life | (Space Gray)

Great product works with ipad air

I got my Brydge Keyboard in about a week ago, and have been using it almost daily for school. I'm going to discuss some of the things I had concerns with that were answered when I finally had one in my own hands.Build QualityThe build quality of this keyboard is like no other. Made from sturdy aluminum, it adds significant weight to the iPad, but provides a solid surface for typing. When in your lap or on a desk, it truly feels like a keyboard. The keys have a nice click to them, the keyboard doesn't flex (unless you REALLY make it), and the feel is just great. The backlights on the keyboard are also great, as they provide three different brightness settings, and clearly illuminate the keys at night. There is minimal light leakage from around the keys, as they are mainly just lighting up the letters (like they are designed to do). The other noticeable thing with the build quality is the hinges. You use the hinges on this to hold up the iPad, and they sure do work. The rubber grips that you slide the iPad into hold it incredible firmly, and normal movement will not allow the iPad to slide out unless you want it to. The grips don't flex when you slide the iPad in and out, which shows a solid build on them. Additionally, the magnetic leather cover for the iPad is incredible. The side that goes against the iPad is very soft, and won't cause any harm to the device, and the side that goes in your hand is very soft (for leather) and feels high quality. I was surprised by this, as I expected it just to be a cheap cover.Visual AppealThe Brydge Pro 11.0 provides a clean look, and honestly looks like something Apple themselves would have designed. The Space Grey coloring matches so perfectly that you wouldn't know it wasn't from Apple. With the backlights on, the keyboard has a very attractive look. Even when not in use, the keyboard doesn't look out of place with the iPad, but rather as though it is just a part of it. Brydge's team did an excellent job of making this look like the premium accessory it is.UsageAs I said earlier, the keyboard is incredible. I have noticed the most minor blips in Bluetooth connectivity, most notably when the iPad has been asleep for a while. When typing, it doesn't flex or move around, which allows for long durations of work with no frustration. The function keys are a great addition that I didn't even know I needed. They allow for locking the iPad, controlling the keyboard backlights, controlling the screen brightness, start and pause audio/media that is playing, as well as skip or rewind. There are also three buttons that allow for Bluetooth pairing, checking the keyboard's battery life, and to power the keyboard on/off.DrawbacksThere are minimal drawbacks with the keyboard in my opinion. The first is that the rubber stoppers on the bottom only seem to have a use if the screen is at a perfect 90 degree angle or closed. It's good for if you don't want it to move when closed on a table, but for practical use, they're somewhat useless. The other is that the rubber nubs between the keyboard and iPad leave little fingerprint-like marks on the screen (that's really picky, I'm just looking for annoyances here).OverviewOverall, I HAVE to recommend this keyboard. Having used Apple's Smart Keyboard Folio, I am willing to admit that this is insanely higher quality and more satisfying to use. It looks beautiful, works great, and is well worth the price tag. If you plan to move around or travel with your iPad, but know you'll be working on it, this is the keyboard for you. Enjoy!

This is my second Brydge keyboard—I previously used one for my old iPad Pro 10.5, which was an okay product. I was on the fence about purchasing this iteration until recently when the price dropped to sub-$20 new on Amazon.First off, the good: It’s a great typing experience—I feel this generation is greatly improved over the less-responsive previous gen. The keyboard looks great when attached to the iPad. I’m also a fan of the magnetic protective cover for the back of the iPad, which the previous generation did not offer. The available key functions such as volume, brightness level, and play/pause, along with the multitude of viewing angles greatly enhance my iPad user experience as well. Overall, the keyboard is sturdy and has quite the premium feel to it.So my one gripe, and the reason I had to dock a star, is the same gripe many reviewers have about this Brydge keyboard: the weight. I’m not trying to body shame, but man this thing is deceptively chunky. The keyboard more than doubles the weight of the iPad. I purchased this for one purpose only: to allow me to replace my MacBook Air M1 on my one bag travels, so I can lighten my backpacking load even more. The iPad/Brydge combo just barely accomplishes that. As shown in the pics, the iPad/Brydge saves me only about four ounces in weight. The real saving, however, would be in space as obviously the form factor of the iPad has a smaller footprint than the 13” MacBook (although, the iPad/Brydge combo is a couple millimeters thicker than the MacBook Air at their thickest points, oddly enough).I will be keeping this Brydge, as it is a great keyboard other than the weight issue. For the price I paid, it was a steal. However, on my next trip, I will probably leave the keyboard behind in favor of my folio case. I’d much rather just type on the iPad screen than carry the equivalent of a brick in my backpack.

Update, 4 months and 2 weeks later: Two messages to customer service. No replies. Make of that what you will. If you have problems with this keyboard, and are outside of the Amazon return window, then good luck!Update, 4 months later: The backlit keys stopped working and the battery status indicator LED no longer appears when holding the battery status indicator button. Also, while the hinges are very solid, the rubber that protects them from scratching your expensive iPad is not. The rubber on one of my hinges has separated from the hinge after only 4 months of use and having removed the iPad from the case maybe ten times. It’s not the end of the world, because I can hold the rubber in place so that it protects the iPad while I slide it into the hinges, but the broken backlit keys and status indicator feels like a software/firmware problem and is a complete deal-breaker for me. Brydge replied to my original review saying that if I ever needed help with the product to reach out to them on their website. I did this three business days ago and nobody ever replied. At this price point, you expect consistent quality and at the very least a helpful customer service experience, neither of which I’ve experienced. Sorry, but I can’t no longer recommend this keyboard. If you’re like me and are now shopping for a new keyboard, check out the Logitech one for the iPad Pro 11.Tried a few different cases and this is by far my favorite. It's quite heavy. If you want to keep your setup light, then maybe look elsewhere. Otherwise, this case has everything going for it. It's very well-made. The hinge is solid. The keys feel very nice: they aren't clicky, but they aren't very squishy either. The space gray finish matches the space gray iPad finish perfectly. A few times, people have mistaken my iPad for a MacBook Pro, which I think says something about the overall build quality and design. The keyboard has arrow keys, which none of my other cases had. It's a very welcome addition.