ESR Ascend for iPad Pro 13 Inch (M5/M4, 2025/2024), Keyboard Case with Trackpad, Magnetic Detachable Keyboard with Backlit Keys, Fully Adjustable Portrait/Landscape Stand, Black

*For this purchase keep in mind that going 3rd party on Apple accessories always comes with a couple drawbacks backs, like seamless connectivity for example. So this review has those downsides in mind and is not incorporating them into the rating, always do your research.* I have to say I am very satisfied with this purchase. The keyboard is smooth and connects quickly and has a premium feel. For my use I have only charged it twice and purchased it about 3 months ago, and the battery didn’t die on me I just topped it off. I would say it’s on the heavier side but I use my iPad as my laptop so it’s lighter than most laptops on the market. I do wish there were more color options but I like black and am satisfied with the matte finish on this case. Now for the important bit here, with this case on I accidentally dropped my iPad onto a hard tile floor( about a 4ft drop). It landed right on the corner and I had zero damage to my device, the case received a small minuscule dent to the corner of the keyboard, which I’ll gladly accept over a broken iPad. All in all I couldn’t be happier with ESR. They are committed to proving high quality, budget friendly consumer products! You can’t go wrong with this purchase.

If you are reading this review, you have found the hidden gem keyboard case! I have used this keyboard case for about 1 month now, and it has been an excellent experience. This case almost turns your iPad into a Chromebook with iPadOS while keeping the ability to be an iPad. Pros: The stand is very sturdy and provides viewing angles from 0-80 degrees with flat being 0. The keyboard doesn't feel too cramped and can fold back 180 degrees under the stand to enable a "viewing" mode with the keyboard not in front of the screen. Detachable, sturdy case. Portrait mode stand! I own an apple pencil with my iPad and love the clasp, as it gives me the peace of mind that I won't lose my pencil. Don’t like the clasp? Folding the clasp back onto the stand causes it to attach magnetically, keeping it out of the way! The magnets that connect the iPad case to the keyboard and stand are quite strong yet not too strong to prevent easy removal of the iPad case. A full row of top function keys. If the iPad isn't charging, the cable that comes with the iPad can be connected to the iPad and keyboard to charge the keyboard. I only have 3 minor complaints: The fabric is black and a little hard to keep clean. The trackpad doesn't work after connecting 50% of the time. (Can be fixed by turning Bluetooth off and on, then pressing the power key again. I was able to create a shortcut to turn off and on Bluetooth from my home screen or with a Siri command) When in "viewing mode" on a rough surface, like a lap, the power key and other keys are likely to be pressed accidentally by the weight of the iPad pushing down on the surface. I did a lot of research on which iPad keyboard to get, and I am very happy with my choice. This keyboard case is very similar to the Logitech combo touch case, but I ended up going with this one because of the price (1/2 as much) and the magnetic clasp. Keep in mind that the Logitech one does have the smart connector and this one doesn't, but it only saves about 3 seconds of pairing time and minor inconveniences. When compared to ESR's other magnetic keyboard, the Rebound, this keyboard comes with a magnetic case to provide protection and enable portrait mode. The trackpad is bigger, there is a row of function keys, a wider selection of viewing angles, and it's about $35 cheaper! Granted, the floating does look quite cool, but you do have to sacrifice a lot. (Note: I have not tried either of these keyboard cases. These comparisons are just going off of the information provided by the manufacturers and reviewers) Either one of these cases is a great choice, but I am incredibly happy with the Ascend. Well done ESR! UPDATE: After further use, I have discovered 2 new ways to view the iPad using this case/keyboard. The first is a great option for quickly getting the iPad ready to do drawing on a flat surface. To do this, you remove the iPad from the stand, flip it around (so the pencil magnets are facing towards you), flipping the screen rotation with it, and connecting the bottom magnets to the magnetic line above the keyboards. This method works great for securing the iPad to the case for drawing. It also allows you to use the magnets in the stand as an Apple Pencil holder. The 2nd option is a second, less stable viewing option. To do this, remove the iPad and case from the stand, flip the keyboard up onto the stand, and try to connect the case to the weak magnets on the back of the keyboard. This option is very unstable, but as long as you are just watching something (and don’t experience an earthquake), the iPad should stay up and the keyboard will stay out of the way.

I got this keyboard to try for my 2024 iPad Pro 11” (M4 Series). I have the Apple Keyboard on-hand, as well as a few Amazon brand keyboards and a Logitech one and from my experience, this performs equivalent to the Logitech keyboard for less than half the price! 💰 They keyboard itself functions great—it’s super responsive and I feel minimal lag on its functionality, much unlike some of the (similarly priced) Amazon off-brand keyboards I have tried previously. My one star off was because the only noticeable lag I’ve noticed was when it comes to using the touchpad. It works well still, but you can tell its less responsive compared to the official Apple brand. It’s connect very quickly too—but obviously nothing connects as fluidly as the Apple ecosystem accessories, but this comes pretty damn close nonetheless. A perfect alternative for the Logitech keyboard if that one is out of your budget. The keyboard feels sturdy as well, and the cover cases attaches magnetically so you can take it on and off at any point and convert your iPad to a mini laptop. It folds uniquely different compared to the Logitech brand and the Apple brand, and personally, I’m pretty neutral on how I like the way it stands 🤔 I do like that it has more range of motion compared to the official Apple Keyboard though and I prefer the way the iPad is taken off the keyboard here compared to Logitech. Also a BIG plus that this keyboard comes with a touchpad, because a lot of the off-brand Amazon keyboards seem to not have those, even some of the ones in a similar price range. It does NOT charge wirelessly, so you do have to charge it separately from your iPad, but they use the same USB-C charger. Pictured on my review is the charging hole and where it’s at in the keyboard. Overall, I actually LOVE this keyboard. I honestly didn’t expect I would love it as much as I do but here I am—shooketh 😅 I do still have to get used to the Shortcuts here tho, as it is slightly different from the official Apple one (which was what I was most used to), but the keyboard sparing is very similar so I can type here without much muscle memory adjustment period needed.

This is a fantastic keyboard at a great price. I was previously using the Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro, and while there are a lot of similarities, there are a few more benefits of the ESR keyboard over Apple's. Price - At the time of writing, this keyboard is less than 30% of the cost of Apple's. That in itself is a good start. Weight - Apple's keyboard weighs in at 2.42 lbs, while the ESR comes in at 1.65 lbs. Rotation - Both cases work with the iPad in the landscape position. Because Apple's case connects via the smart connector, you cannot rotate it into portrait mode in the current design. ESR's case, however, connects via Bluetooth which means that should you detach the iPad from the magnetic case and rotate it 90 degrees, you can still use it quite effectively. Protection - This is where ESR's case starts to stand out. The iPad itself snaps into a shell which then clicks into position. So, while both support rotation, for example, only the ESR case protects the iPad's backside while in the portrait position. Additionally, with Apple's case, you can detach the iPad and use it as a tablet without a keyboard. However, this essentially leaves your iPad "naked" without any form of protection on the front, back, or three sides. ESR's shell remains on the iPad even when you use it as a tablet. Apple Pencil - While Apple's case doesn't do anything special for their Pencil, it does leave room for it to click into place for charging or storage. The ESR case also allows the Pencil to dock with the iPad, but ESR also has a magnetic flap that closes over the non-hinged side of the iPad when the case is fully closed. This seems to protect the pencil better from accidental detachment, leading to loss, repurchase, and a whole lot of cursing. Backlight - The ESR case has a backlight that can be controlled via key combinations. It has three brightness modes (plus an "off" setting), and you can also change the backlight's color. Flexibility - The ESR case opens all the way. It can be flipped behind the iPad (though I'd recommend for long-term tablet usage that you detach the table from the case, whichever one you use), while Apple's case only opens up to a standard "laptop-like" position. This means that ESR uses the kickstand method of folding the back part of the case to position the tablet accordingly. However, this doesn't expose any more of the tablet's back due to the shell used as part of the ESR setup. (see picture) At this point, the ESR really stands out. However, there are a few areas where the Apple keyboard does shine a little brighter. Charging - The nature of the smart connector means that you can plug in your iPad or plug in the keyboard to a power source, and both units will recharge from a single cable/charger. The ESR is less integrated, so you do need to charge it separately. In other words, if both units need a recharge, you'll use two cables and two power adapters. Fortunately, the ESR, like the iPad itself, charges via USB-C, so the same cable can be used if both aren't depleted simultaneously. You'll have to charge one before the other. (See picture for placement of the charge ports on the ESR) Also, Apple's charging port for the keyboard is on the left side, while the port on the iPad (while in the keyboard case) is on the right side. But ESR's port is on the same side as the iPad's, meaning that this necessary shifting of cables is a lot easier. I'm not sure this is worth any "points," but ESR's seems like a better design to me this way (whereas it really isn't even a factor on the Apple since you don't have to move the cable to charge both). Connectivity - Even though the Bluetooth was very easy to set up on the ESR, you can't compete with the true plug-and-play nature of Apple's case. Fortunately, this is likely something you'll only need to do once. While Apple's connects in a few seconds, it may take you a whopping 30 seconds to set up your ESR case with your iPad Pro when you go through the typical Bluetooth pairing settings on the iPad and keyboard. Conclusion - For me, the ESR case is the clear winner. The few shortcomings I've listed are easy for me to ignore in my day-to-day usage of the iPad and a keyboard. Certainly, the price is a huge factor here, and to find that you get an equivalent-or-better case, keyboard, and trackpad for significantly less makes me wish this was an option when I originally purchased my iPad Pro. I give this a strong recommendation based on my experience with both cases and recommend it to anyone looking to both protect their iPad and have a laptop-like experience when needed.

I used a $40 keyboard case for about two years before I bought the ESR. I can't criticize the other case too much, for $40 it got the job done. But once I finally bit the bullet and got this one, I realized immediately what I had been missing. - The keyboard is *nice*. My previous case had an absolutely atrocious keyboard: loud, constantly double-typing or missing key presses. This one is very quiet and doesn't mistype at all. I didn't realize how much the other keyboard was holding back my note taking until I tried this one. - The other case used micro USB for charging which meant I needed to carry around a second cable. Since this one's USB-C, not only can I use the same cable as for charging the iPad, in a pinch I can charge the keyboard off the iPad itself. - The quality is noticeably better. My old case didn't fit the iPad very well; there was a lot of wiggle room. With this one, everything snaps together snugly and the magnets keep it from shifting around. - This case triggers the iPad to lock when you close it; my previous one didn't. - I was a little worried at first about how well the hinged part would keep the iPad stable on my lap, but it turned out to work perfectly. If anything, it's *more* stable than my old case and lets me angle the screen better. If I could ask for anything more out of this case, it would be a better battery indicator. Something like what the old Macbook Pros had with the the five little LEDs would be nice. But that's a minor nitpick, and with the cable situation as I mentioned before I don't expect to ever be an issue. It would also be nice if the case were a little lighter, but with all the magnets it uses I imagine that would require some magical physics-defying material that hasn't been invented yet. I can't speak yet to it's long term reliability. It feels solidly built, the hinge feels strong. My guess would be that the material covering the hinge on the outside will be the first to show wear and tear since it gets stressed the most, but that's not a big deal to me if/when it happens. All in all, this is the case I should have bought two years ago. It's more than worth the higher price. Edit: I’ve been using this case for a couple of weeks now and have encountered a couple of small issues. - Unfortunately, it is in fact prone to double keypresses a bit. Not nearly as bad as my old keyboard case. I think this is just an unavoidable weakness in the particular key mechanism, as I’ve also been using a desktop keyboard with a similar feel that has the same problem. - The power button is easy to accidentally press if you flip the keyboard around to the back. I think a sliding switch would have been better, and would also indicate the power state when the backlight is off. Fairly minor quibbles overall, and not enough to change my rating. I still love this case.

I've had this keyboard for about a week and am definitely enjoying it! I really do love ESR products. They are always well built with the customer in mind!! Packaging: The packaging is excellent. Attractive box and good materials. Everything you need is included. There is a charging cable and an instruction manual (available in many different languages) that is very helpful. Connectivity: There's no questioning how to connect the keyboard to your iPad and it's super easy to do. Just for grins, I tried to connect it to my iPhone as well and that was smooth too. It might have been user error, but there did seem to be a limitation where the keyboard could only be connected to one device at at time. Keyboard & Trackpad: I love the keyboard and multifunctional trackpad! Excellent size and feel. This does everything the Apple Magic Keyboard does at a much more affordable price and with more options. The top row keyboard is a plus. Nice touch that the manual (included in the box) defines the function of every key! The only item of concern is that there are times when I am typing fast that the key I'm hitting only responds once. That seems weird to me that I'd have to slow down on my typing speed because I don't think I'm the king of speed when it comes to typing. Kind of frustrating that I keep having to go back and correct words that include a double letter. It's possible that I have a setting wrong. One other small item is that I'd love to be able to "push up" the keyboard to have an angle on the keyboard when typing (ergonomics you know). That is not possible on this one as the only option is for it to sit flat. Case: The case is lightweight and durable. The ability to set the case at any angle is so appealing. The magnet is extremely strong which makes the stand hard to fold at times. However, this is not a big deal and becomes very easy to navigate once you get the hang of what to expect. It is also an extreme plus that the design of the case allows you to do so many things with your iPad. You can keep the device in landscape mode or you can swap it to portrait. That is incredible! The ability to remove the device completely from the keyboard and still have a case on it is a win as well. I understand that some people like a clasp to make sure things are super secure. I'm not a fan. It's not a huge deal but it seems to be in the way and takes away from the overall attractiveness of the case. The material the case is made of is nice and looks very professional. Just be careful not to eat potato chips as it will show fingerprints. :-) Charging: I haven't had this product long enough to have a feel on how long it will operate on a single charge. One thing I have not figured out is how to tell what percentage of battery life is remaining. There might be a way to do this but I haven't had time to dig into it. First impression is that battery life is good as I've been using this for about a week and have not had to charge it since the first charge - so expect to get at least a week out of each full charge! Overall, this is an incredible device for the price! It does everything I would expect it to do and more. Thanks ESR for another great product!!

I'm exchanging this case for a new one because it is already broken, even though it's less than 2 weeks old. A new case may not solve the problem. It has been used with great care, never left my home, never dropped nor damaged, yet it broke. There are actually two pieces to the case, one is the main case which holds the keyboard, is a clam-shell style, and has a magnetic latch to keep the keyboard and Ipad safely inside the case. There is a separate 2nd piece, shaped like a picture frame, for the Ipad itself. It can be detached from the keyboard case, used alone, or the Ipad can be turned either horizontally or vertically and re-attached to the keyboard. Cool, right? Hmm. First, the ipad just sits in the frame, the frame is apparently supposed to "hug" the Ipad, but it's made of thin, slightly flexible, plastic, and doesn't feel very securely. If dropped, it's possible the Ipad will separate from the frame and be damaged. Second, one corner of the frame has a cut-out opening for the camera lens. The edges of the opening are about 4/16" wide; in other words, very narrow. My frame has broken (see photo) at the corner where the lens opening is, and there's no longer enough tension for the frame to "hug" the Ipad. Today I noticed what seemed to be notches on the corner of the frame on both sides of the lens opening. When I looked closer, I realized the frame was broken in 2 places. Third, there's no provision for keeping a pen securely attached to the case. The pen attaches magnetically to the Ipad. If the case is open, even a slight jiggle can knock it off. I'm willing to go through the effort to try exchanging the case, but the design seems to be the problem. Forth, good luck going to their website and looking for an instruction manual. There's a short video that's adequate for getting started, but not very detailed. Some keys are standard and your expected to already understand their purpose, others have cryptic graphics to show their function, but I'm not sure what all of them mean. There's a QR code in the setup instructions that come in the box, but the web page doesn't seem to exist. Maybe it was originally a detailed descriptions of the keyboard functions, or maybe they intend to revise that page and it will be available in the future.

Pros: Very sturdy case, the secondary case protects your iPad if you wanted to remove it from the case and take notes with it. The case is built so that your Apple pencil stays nicely tucked inside and won't fall off easily. The keyboard is very responsive and well laid out. Setting up was as easy as turning on the case and connecting it to Bluetooth. Cons: This case is quite big, with a large footprint, and a secondary case. As such, its weight surpasses that of my 14 inch laptop. The magnets are incredibly strong, so you don't wave to worry about your iPad falling out of it. Using the touchpad reveals a very noticeable delay. Occasionally, the touchpad would stop working, and I would have to turn off and on the keyboard for it to come back to life.