Like previous Brydge models, the SnapFit’s hinge design makes this keyboard case feel very much like a pro-level laptop.
There’s no trouble moving your iPad Pro into the position you want, but then it stays in that spot and doesn’t move around after. The hinge on the Max+ works just as well as previous Brydge keyboards. The rest of the Max+’s new design is pretty straightforward. It just works, which helps make the Max+’s new design effective. They don’t stick out or inset too far as to be unsightly or intrusive, but they are still easy to find and press against.Īs you can see here, you just push on the tab while pulling back on the iPad Pro with your index finger. Their solution was to build in offset tabs on either side of the plastic back. Since the entire surface of the iPad Pro stays docked to the SnapFit case, Brydge had to come up with a design element to make it easy to remove your tablet. Smith spent a little time talking to me about. This brings us to a unique design element that Mr. No worries about device safety here whatsoever. The connection is strong and won’t release your device until you intentionally remove it. One great feature of the plastic back is that the magnetic attachment to the iPad Pro is flawless.
While the plastic is flexible without a tablet attached, it combines well with the rigidity of the iPad Pro once it’s docked. This integrated plastic back doesn’t add too much weight to a case that already runs on the heavier side, which is a good thing. The biggest change to the Max+ is its new SnapFit case design. At the end of the day though, I do think most users are going to prefer this design. However, for those like me who prefer or need a case most of the time, be aware that leaving the Max+ behind means leaving your iPad Pro’s protection behind, as well. I’ll get into the details of how that works in just a moment.īased on the success of Apple’s Magic Keyboard, I think most iPad Pro users prefer a design that makes it easy to pull your tablet off and use it “naked.” Personally, I prefer keeping my Pro in a case while at work for the extra protection, but I believe I am in the minority on this point. Now it just pops right off of this case’s magnetic back. No more working your tablet out of the grip of the old, padded clips. There are no more drawing or media viewing modes with the Max+, so be aware of that if you are familiar with the company’s earlier products.Īnother pro of the Max+’s design is that it’s easier than ever to remove the iPad Pro from this case and use it alone. It’s just a great accessory that does that one job extremely well. On the flip side, the Max+ is a bit more limiting than previous Brydge designs as far as versatility goes. One positive is that, like Apple’s Magic Keyboard, the Max+ excels in the role it was designed for. Let’s get into a few of the pros and cons of the new design. That shift would eventually make the clip holder design of previous Brydge products unworkable, so they decided to start transitioning toward that future now. The gist of it was that the team at Brydge sees the iPad Pro moving toward designs with smaller and smaller bezels in the future. Smith shared some interesting insight on that with me when we spoke.
Brydge is continuing to offer the Pro+ as a lower-priced (but still very capable) alternative, but the older look has been replaced by a new, integrated case design at the high end of their lineup. Gone is the familiar clip holder design of their older keyboard cases, as seen above. So, let’s get right into that.Īs I said at the outset, the 12.9 Max+ represents a new design direction from Brydge.
I also had a chance to briefly talk to Brydge Co-Founder and CEO Nick Smith since then, which shed some additional light on the reasons for the Max+’s new direction. I already wrote up a First Look on this keyboard case a couple of weeks ago, but I’ve had the chance to use Max+ a lot more since then and get a much better sense of both the design and performance. Let’s get into the reasons why and all of the fine details. From the new design to the massive trackpad, the Max+ is a whole new ballgame. I’ve been a fan of Brydge’s keyboards for a few years now, but just from a photo, I could tell this one is different. When I saw the first ad for the new Brydge 12.9 Max+ Wireless Keyboard with Trackpad, I knew I had to try it.