10.5 Keyboard for iPad Air (2019) | Aluminum Bluetooth 4.2 Keyboard with Backlit Keys (Space Gray)

After reading all the negative reviews about this keyboard I feel like I had to write a review. First of all I have the iPad Pro 10.5 . Maybe that makes a difference, I don’t know. People are complaining about missing keystrokes— that was obviously a concern of mine as well, I have used Bluetooth keyboards before where that happened and it made the keyboard worthless. I have not experienced anything like that on my Brydge. I have been typing on this thing for a week and it hasn’t missed a single keystroke. Not one. I type really fast as well. As everyone else has pointed out, the build quality is fantastic. The typing experience is really good. Nice tactile feel. Decent key travel. It is very heavy, and makes the entire ‘unit’ (ipad+keyboard) at least 3x heavier than the iPad alone. It is actually necessary though, if it wasn’t heavy, it would tip over very easily. This thing is very sturdy and the hinges are really strong, they hold the iPad at whatever angle you set it , no problem. But, there is one concern. These things really grip the ipad, they are really damn strong. My concern is that the ipad is not designed for this and closing the ipad down like a laptop lid repeatedly puts strain on the display and might damage it. I have used a screwdriver to loosen them a little bit but that doesn’t really help much — when you push the ipad down to close it, you can see the lcd display “ripple” like you are pressing really hard on it. Which is not good. If they had made the hinges just a little further out toward the edge maybe it wouldve been better , as they are , they end flush with the edge of the display. Another thing, and this isn’t a negative strike for the keyboard, but not having a touchpad is weird. I just want to let people know that, obviously I understood it didn’t have a touchpad, but when you actually are using it, I found myself reaching for a touchpad repeatedly and realizing there isn’t one. Other people complained that the keyboard takes too long to connect ... I don’t have this issue either. It takes 3 key presses and the keyboard is connected and working. That’s really not an issue to me, just tap it three times it wakes up and connects. It’s not as good as instantly connecting but it’s really not a hassle either. The top row of command keys are actually super useful. You can just press play from any app and your iTunes will start playing. People also complained about not being able to access the dock ... i can still access the dock, I guess my fingers aren’t that fat. Also there’s a command key specifically for the dock so you can just press that and it minimizes your app. Press it twice and it shows all the apps you had open just like if you were to press the home key twice. But then you have to use the touch screen to navigate and select stuff. It would be amazing if this thing had a touchpad, you’d essentially have a tiny MacBook , but it’s pretty darn close. The backlit keyboard is nice, it’s a necessity for me. I am not sure if it’s a quality control problem, maybe some people are getting bad units, but mine is flawless. I was ready to ship it back if it had any of the issues people described but I haven’t experienced any of them. Perhaps they have some radio interference messing with their Bluetooth connection. Oh i forgot to add, it makes watching movies and stuff in bed/on the couch wayyyy better because it sits up like a laptop. You also can’t use a standard case on this, and Brydge wants you to buy one from them that’s $40 which is ridiculous to me. I am just going to cut my case so that it fits. All in all I am really happy with it.

When I purchased my iPad I purchased the apple Smart Keyboard and AppleCare at the same same. I had intermittent problems with keyboard not being recognized by iPad. One day after about a year it quit working all together and when I called Apple they had me take it to an authorized dealer who confirmed it was dead then they sent me to an Apple store who would not fix or replace and tried to sell me another one. I left Apple store feeling a little pissed because before they helped me I witnessed another customer smashing his iPhone on the concrete floor - I thought sure they were going to help me after that but no! Anyway I came home and started looking for an alternative. I found this Bridge keyboard and read the reviews and pulled the trigger. I just love it! Yes it makes the iPad a bit heavier but I don’t care - I almost always use it with a keyboard anyway and it is super easy to take off if you want to read on it etc. And now yes I can actually use this on my lap like a laptop - amazing. I love the the quality and it is an awesome backlit keyboard that feels and looks like like a Mac. Love it - very hi quality real aluminum.Not disappointed at all. Have had it a few months and still have to recharge. Will buy again if I get the bigger iPad since the apple iPad keyboards are crap. This keyboard is way more worth the price than the apple keyboard.

Nice keyboard and makes my iPad look and feel like an actual laptop. That said, it is HEAVY!! Makes everying actually heavier than my other laptops. But I like it because it keep the iPad upright and doesn’t use any back support (which much the other can flop around).

The Brydge 10.5 Keyboard for iPad Air is a game-changer for anyone seeking enhanced productivity and versatility on their iPad. With its sleek aluminum design and premium build quality, this keyboard seamlessly integrates with the iPad Air, transforming it into a sleek and stylish laptop-like device. The backlit keys offer a responsive and comfortable typing experience, whether you're typing emails, documents, or chatting with friends. The adjustable viewing angles and sturdy hinge design provide flexibility and stability, allowing you to find the perfect angle for typing or viewing content. Additionally, the keyboard connects effortlessly via Bluetooth, eliminating the hassle of wires and cords. Whether you're a student, professional, or casual user, the Brydge 10.5 Keyboard enhances your iPad Air experience, making it easier and more enjoyable to work, create, and communicate on the go.

This is my first iPad keyboard. I bought this for my 10.5 iPad Pro on the photos and strong reviews, and am happy to report this keyboard has not disappointed. Item arrived on time and with very high quality packaging. I was immediately impressed with the quality of the keyboard’s fit and finish. It has the look, feel and quality of an Apple keyboard (intended as a compliment) - this keyboard just belongs with the iPad Pro. It actually looks and feels a lot like my MacBook Air keyboard- only smaller. It seems far more substantial than any of the other iPad keyboards I researched. I’ve been impressed with the performance of the keys and the battery life. The only drawback I’ve seen to far is the inability to upswipe for multi-tasking while the iPad is connected to the keyboard in the horizontal position. It’s a minor ding that I hope Brydge can address in future product updates. Time will tell on the durability, but it is aluminum (like the MB Air’s), so I expect it will hold up well. I also bought the Brydge case, and have been happy with that as well. Overall, I would definitely recommend the Brydge keyboard to anyone who really wants to complete their iPad Pro setup.

This is my second time buying this keyboard because I love the design and it matches my iPad perfectly. However, it is cheaply made, and the keys fall off even after light use. Very frustrating will not be buying this product again.

Pros: This keyboard looks, feels, and screams quality. It has a really nice weight to it, and I love the full aluminum body. The keyboard supports my Pro no matter how far back you lean it, which is very nice, as I can get a comfortable view no matter how I sit it, or how I’m sitting. It came packaged as beautifully giving me a very nice first impression. It certainly seems as though this thing is built to last, we shall see. As I would expect with most electronic devises these days, everything was super easy to set up. The tablet grips are secure, but tablet can easily be removed if necessary. Connecting via Bluetooth was done within seconds. Battery life seems to be great. Even if I just got a month or two, instead of 12 months, on a single charge, I’d take it. Cons: One of the biggest issue with this keyboard, which shouldn’t be an issue at all, is with the lack of ability to use the iPads dock. This is because with the keyboard attached, one is physically unable to reach the bottom of the iPad to be able to swipe up and access the dock, which means one cannot utilize split view, which I happen to utilize quite often. This seems like such an easy fix. When looking at the keys on the keyboard, there are shortcut keys such as the lock, or the Home & Control Center Button that allows for single push of a button access to these items , so why not add a button that does the same thing buy allowing the dock to appear and disappear?? Again, this is a well documented issue, so it seems to me Brydge could simply fix this without a problem. I’d actually sacrifice one of the less important keys, such as the lock key, for a dock key. Now to be fair, I can use Command Option D, but pressing three buttons every time I want to use the dock is a bit of a pain. The other issue is rather odd to me given how many people are happy with it, and that is the color. The space gray keyboard does not match my space gray iPad at all. It’s a actually not even remotely close. We’re not talking one or two shades darker here, the keyboard is a completely different color. So much so, I have ordered the keyboard is Silver to see if it will be a good bit closer in color to my iPad. Possible Concerns: I have read a lot of complaints about missed or added strokes, though I have not noticed this at all. As a matter of fact, I have written this entire review using the keyboard, and have not noticed anything. I have a feeling most are not used to typing quickly on a keyboard with keys that are closer together. I have been using a keyboard such as this for my iPad for many years, so no problems there so far. Others have complained about hinge problems, and keys that have popped off after a while. Only time will tell with these things.

I love this keyboard. I'd had my eye on it since purchasing my iPad Pro 10.5 refurbished about a year ago, but I was hesitant to drop $130 on it. When it went to $65, I had to pull the trigger. My only complaint is that I have the space gray iPad, and the space gray Brydge keyboard does not match, like not even close. Over all, it's by no means a deal breaker, but I might have bought the silver in hindsight had I known. This does feel like a very premium product. It feels very sold, fits the iPad perfectly, and is reasonable to type on. I've seen reviews complaining about missing functionality like split-screen, but there are keyboard shortcuts to work around pretty much any of the limitations I have encountered so far. I also understand some reviewers complaining about the weight, but in comparison to the battery life, this seems like a reasonable trade-off. The weight also seems to add to the balance of the assembled devices (it isn't overly tippy when I adjust the angle of the iPad on my desk) and in my opinion adds a little to the premium feel. At $65 this was a steal, I don't think I'd hesitate to spend the full price for one of these for any future iPads.