One of the complaints about Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 Windows 10 2-in-1 is that it doesn’t provide the best experience when used on a lap. In fact, a word was created to cover just that concept, “lapability,” and for many people, the Surface Pro 4 simply doesn’t have the lapability of a traditional notebook.
The Surface Book addresses that concern, providing a more lapable Windows 10 2-in-1 that feels like a notebook when used in any situation, but it’s also much more expensive and doesn’t work as well as a pure tablet as the Surface Pro 4. That’s precisely the conundrum that Brydge is looking to resolve with its Brydge 12.3 detachable keyboard.
The Brydge 12.3 is a CES 2017 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Tablets, E-Readers, and Mobile Computing categories, likely based on how it provides a much more Surface Book-like experience to the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Pro 3 devices. The detachable keyboard offers built-in storage, a sturdy all-aluminum build, and a 180-degree viewing angle via a patented “U” shaped hinge that makes for a much more notebook-like experience.
While the Brydge 12.3 doesn’t duplicate the Surface Book’s extraordinary battery life, it does include its own three-month rechargeable battery so that it doesn’t drain the Surface Pro battery. At the same time, the Brydge 12.3 provides a more traditional notebook keyboard design, and sports three levels of backlighting. Finally, the 5-inch touchpad aims to mimic a traditional notebook’s feel as well.
There’s no pricing or availability information available yet on the Brydge 12.3. If you’re looking for a more traditional notebook experience with your Surface Pro 4 or 3, but want to hang on to the more robust tablet experience, then you’ll want to keep your eyes open for the Brydge 12.3 to arrive sometime in 2017.