Skip to main content

Logitech's new iPad keyboard and case has years of battery life

There are keyboard cases aplenty for iPad users looking for a more tactile experience when it comes to tapping out an email or typing up a document.

Logitech has been knocking out such accessories ever since Steve Jobs unveiled the first iteration of Apple’s tablet back in 2010, and the company’s latest model is designed specifically for the fifth-generation iPad released earlier this year.

Recommended Videos

The 1.54-pound, $99 Slim Folio keyboard offers an eye-catching design that brings to the table one particular standout feature that for some could be a deal maker: A whopping four years of battery life.

That’s right, thanks to Logitech’s decision to power it with coin cell batteries instead of a lithium-ion alternative, you won’t have to replace the batteries in this particular Bluetooth-enabled device for up to 1,460 days based on daily usage of about two hours. Just think how many iPads you might go through on a single charge of the Slim Folio.

The new keyboard boasts a “slim, light design” with “large, well-spaced keys stretched edge-to-edge” for easy typing, and includes a handy row of iOS shortcut keys that put a slew of iPad controls at your fingertips.

As you’d expect with a tablet keyboard like this, you can lock your iPad at an angle (the Slim Folio offers two) that suits you, while Logitech promises the case’s exterior prevents annoying slips on any surface.

When you close it, the device automatically switches off your iPad, while the case offers Apple’s tablet decent protection against knocks and scrapes when you’re carrying it around.

We can’t exactly recommend Logitech’s latest iPad keyboard without getting our maulers on it first, something we hope to do soon. In the meantime, if you’re interested in checking out the competition, take a look at Digital Trends’ recently updated pick of 20 other great keyboards for all iPads, from the Mini to the Pro.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
iPad is the best secondary screen I’ve used with a MacBook
You can extend your MacBook's screen by using an iPad as a secondary monitor.

I spend an unhealthy amount of time lurking in communities where people share aesthetic desktop setups. One of my friends recently set the group chat on fire with a triple monitor setup that had two vertical screens and an ultrawide curved panel at the center. An impulse swipe later, I achieved a similar makeover for my desk at home.

Here’s the problem, though. My $600 workstation overhaul did bring me visual joy, but not much utility. For reporting assignments, I spend the majority of the year away from home, working from deserted cafes or unnaturally uncomfortable bunk beds. I do miss the convenience of large secondary screens. Interestingly, that yearning is addressed by a rather unconventional device —the humble iPad. 

Read more
iPad Pro with next-gen M5 silicon could arrive later this year
Magic Keyboard and iPad Pro.

It seems tablets are increasingly becoming the unofficial launch testbed for Apple’s next-gen silicon. The 2024 iPad Pro marked the debut of Apple’s M4 chip, ahead of its appearance inside the Mac hardware.
Carrying forward the torch, the next iPad Pro refresh could be “one of the first devices” to get a M5 series processor. According to Bloomberg, the next-gen iPad Pro has progressed into the advanced stages of internal testing. Moreover, it is expected to hit the shelves later this year, likely in the Fall season.
Apple gave the M4 series refresh to the Mac lineup, including the MacBook Air, Pro, and Studio models, earlier this year. The M4 Pro and M4 Max processors were only introduced late last year, so it seems increasingly plausible that the baseline M5 would arrive later this year, followed by its Pro, Max, or Ultra variants.
Given the “freshness” status of the current Mac hardware, the upcoming iPad Pro seems like the first candidate to get a taste of the next-gen M5 processor. “The new versions of that model, code-named J817, J818, J820 and J821, are in late testing within Apple and on track for production in the second half of this year,” adds the report.
What to expect from M5 iPad Pro?

Starting with the design , Apple is not expected to make any notable changes, given the company’s history. The iPad Pro got a major design overhaul in 2024, embracing a super-sleek look, one fewer camera, and a new keyboard accessory to go with it.
As far as the silicon goes, the M5 series will reportedly be based on the 3nm process and built atop ARM’s next-gen CPU architecture. In addition to the 2025 iPad Pro, Apple is also expected to launch new MacBook Pro models later this year, armed with an M5-tier processor.

Read more
The iPad doesn’t need AI, but Apple must fix something else
Top view of the rear shell on the 11th Gen iPad.

I just finished testing the new entry-level iPad, and so far, I am fairly impressed by the tablet. You can’t get a better value than this slate for $349. From the external hardware to the innards, there is hardly any alternative from the Android side that can deliver a superior experience.
This year, Apple delivered a couple of surprises, in addition to the expected chip upgrade. You now get twice the storage for the same ask, and the RAM has also been bumped up. In a nutshell, it’s faster, better at multi-tasking, and without any storage headaches, even if your budget is tight.
Apple, however, hasn’t fixed the software situation with iPadOS, which continues to bother with its fair share of quirks in tow. This year, however, the software gulf is even wider between the baseline iPad and every other tablet in Apple’s portfolio. Stage Manager has been the big differentiator so far, but in 2025, we have another deep chasm.

A good riddance with AI

Read more