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The iPad Air M3 has plenty of power, but if you want it to work more like a laptop, you need a keyboard case. The two best options I keep coming back to are the Apple Magic Keyboard and the Logitech Combo Touch. Both turn the iPad into something close to a mini laptop, and both are very good. They just go about it in different ways. In this comparison I am focused on the versions made for the iPad Air M3, but both cases are also sold for other iPad Air and iPad Pro models, so make sure you buy the one that fits your iPad.
Both are excellent. Choose the Magic Keyboard for the cantilever design and lap typing, or the Combo Touch to save money and get a detachable keyboard with more protection.
- Cantilever design with a great viewing angle
- Easy lap typing, where the Combo Touch kickstand shakes
- More responsive trackpad and a second USB-C port for charging
- About a pound lighter
- Roughly $70 to $120 cheaper
- Detachable keyboard and full case protection for the iPad
Intro: Who This Is For
This is for anyone with an iPad Air M3 who wants to type on it the way you would on a laptop, whether that is for notes, email, writing, or getting real work done away from a desk. Both of these cases add a full keyboard and a trackpad, so you get proper cursor support and a typing surface that beats the on-screen keyboard. The decision really comes down to how the two cases are built, and that is where they split apart. I have used Magic Keyboards for years, so I came into this knowing that side well, and the Combo Touch surprised me in a few good ways.
Two Designs: Cantilever vs Kickstand
Put them side by side and the biggest difference is the way each case holds the iPad up. The Apple Magic Keyboard uses a cantilever design. It raises the iPad up off the keyboard and floats it at a very nice viewing angle, with a little separation between the screen and the keys. That floating design also makes it a genuinely lappable case. I can sit on the couch and type on it with no trouble.
The Logitech Combo Touch uses a kickstand on the back instead. The upside is that you can set the iPad to almost any angle you want, which is convenient. The downside is that the kickstand does not have much surface area, so if you use it on your lap it shakes. The cantilever design on the Magic Keyboard is also more adjustable in practice, even though the kickstand technically gives you a wide angle range.
Weight, Protection, and Versatility
The Combo Touch has a trick the Magic Keyboard does not. The keyboard detaches from the case, so you are dealing with two separate units. You slide the case onto the iPad first, then attach the keyboard with magnets whenever you want it. That case wraps the iPad and gives you much more protection. The only part left open is the spot where you attach the Apple Pencil to charge. It is genuinely more of a case than the Magic Keyboard is.
The Combo Touch is also about one pound lighter. The Magic Keyboard is substantially heavier. What I like about the Combo Touch is that it lets you use the iPad as an iPad when you do not want the keyboard. You detach the keyboard, reverse it, and fold it flat against the back so it is out of the way but still gives you something to hold. With the Magic Keyboard, if you do not want the keyboard, you have to pull the iPad off completely. That is easy because it is held on by magnets, but it does leave the iPad with less protection around the edges once it is off.
Desk Space and Typing
Set them next to each other and the Combo Touch takes up more desk space, because the kickstand extends out behind the iPad. The typing experience, though, is close to identical. The keys are the same size on both, the spacing feels the same, and I type at the same speed on either one. The Magic Keyboard feels a touch more responsive to me, and I like its key travel a little better, but in a blind test I am not sure I could tell them apart.
The Trackpad Difference
Both cases include a trackpad, and this is one place where the Apple side pulls ahead. The Magic Keyboard trackpad is a little more responsive, and it held up better when I was not on a hard surface. I noticed the Combo Touch trackpad getting less responsive when I used it on my lap. That is another reason I rank the Magic Keyboard as the better lap keyboard of the two.
Function Keys and Colors
The function keys along the top are laid out a little differently between Apple and Logitech, but you can do pretty much the same things with both sets. As for color, the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air is only available in white. The Combo Touch comes in Midnight or Oxford Gray. Both look nice, so this one is down to taste.
Price: Where the Combo Touch Wins
Price is the other big gap between these two. The 11-inch Magic Keyboard comes in at $270. The Combo Touch usually runs somewhere between $150 and $200 depending on the retailer, and the larger size costs a bit more. So the Combo Touch saves you a real amount of money over the Magic Keyboard. If budget is high on your list, this is the clearest point in the Combo Touch’s favor.
| Apple Magic Keyboard | Logitech Combo Touch | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Cantilever (floating) | Kickstand |
| Lap typing | Very good | Shakes on lap |
| Trackpad | More responsive | Good, less so on lap |
| Keyboard | Fixed | Detachable |
| Protection | Less edge protection | Full case coverage |
| Weight | Heavier | About 1 lb lighter |
| Extra USB-C port | Yes | No |
| Colors | White only | Midnight or Oxford Gray |
| Price (11-inch) | $270 | $150 to $200 |
Detaching the Keyboard vs Removing the iPad
With the Combo Touch, if you just want the keyboard gone, it pulls right off. With the Magic Keyboard, you remove the whole iPad from the keyboard instead. The catch with the Magic Keyboard approach is that once the iPad is off, you still have to store the keyboard somewhere. The Combo Touch handles this more gracefully. You flip the keyboard around to the back and it is out of the way, though you do lose the kickstand while it is folded like that. So the Combo Touch has some versatility the Magic Keyboard lacks, while the Magic Keyboard’s advantage is how quickly the iPad magnets on and off.
The Magic Keyboard’s Extra USB-C Port
One feature that only lives on the Magic Keyboard: a second USB-C port on the side. You can use it to keep the iPad charged, which frees up the iPad’s own port for other peripherals at the same time. If you plug in accessories often, that extra port is genuinely handy, and the Combo Touch has nothing like it.
Compatibility
Check the fit before you buy. This Magic Keyboard is made for the iPad Air M3. The Combo Touch is compatible with several iPad Air models, so it covers more devices. If you have an iPad Pro, both cases are also sold in Pro versions. The M3 sizes come in 11-inch and 13-inch, so match the case to your screen size as well as your model.
Which One Should You Buy?
It is genuinely hard to pick a loser here. Both work really well, both have the trackpad, and both type great. The real question is whether you prefer the cantilever design or the kickstand, because that decides almost everything else. Go with the Combo Touch if you want a detachable keyboard while keeping the case on, if you want to save money, if you prefer the kickstand, or if you want to shave off some weight. It is also the better pick if you draw or illustrate, since you can pull the keyboard off easily and still keep the iPad protected.
Go with the Apple Magic Keyboard if you prefer the cantilever design, the quick attach and detach of the iPad, the more responsive trackpad, and the extra USB-C port. Personally, I prefer the cantilever design. It suits the way I use an iPad as a mini laptop and note-taking device, and it is the better lap keyboard. But you can save a real chunk of money with the Combo Touch, and it is still an excellent case. Both are strong keyboards, so the choice really comes down to which set of strengths matters most to you.
