Apple positions the iPad Pro as a tablet with laptop-like power… but if you want to use it as a laptop you need to pay extra for a keyboard. Apple charges $169 for a “Smart Keyboard,” for the 12.9 inch iPad Pro but there are also some third-party options… and the latest is one of the first to feature mechanical keys.
Razer’s new Mechanical Keyboard Case features a backlit QWERTY keyboard, a metal kickstand, and Razer’s brand new “ultra-low-profile” mechanical keyboard switch.
The keyboard’s available now for $170.
Razer says its mechanical switches register each key press with 70 grams of force, mimicking the feel of a full-sized mechanical keyboard. But the slim, chiclet-style keyboard takes up less space than a full-sized model… which is important when you’re trying to cram your keyboard into a device that’s thin enough to function as a tablet cover.
The new low-profile mechanical keys are making their debut in the iPad Pro keyboard cover, but Razer’s announcement implies that they’ll eventually show up in other devices as well.
The iPad Pro 12.9 snaps into a polycarbonate protective case when in use, and the keyboard communicates with the tablet via Bluetooth.
NVIDIA says you should get up to 600 hours of typing time per charge if you turn off the backlighting, or around 10 hours with the backlight enabled.