ZeroChroma’s Keyboard Slide-Lid ($70) is the newest of the company’s accessories built around its heralded Folio-Slide case. Compatible with the Folio-Slide case for iPad Air 2 (a case that also fits the first iPad Air), Keyboard Slide-Lid is a thin Bluetooth keyboard with a tab that allows it to hook into Folio-Slide’s open groove, which can also be used for folio covers and other accessories, such as mounts. The keyboard also acts as a folio cover for the Folio-Slide case, hence the “lid” name. We first saw Keyboard Slide-Lid at CES earlier this year, where it earned a Best of Show nod. Folio-Slide and Keyboard Slide-Lid are also being sold together as a package for $100.
The first thing you’ll notice about Keyboard Slide-Lid is its clever design. Once hooked onto the Folio-Slide case, the keyboard flips over the screen, fitting perfectly. It looks like a regular folio cover in that position, but lacks the magnets to activate the iPad Air’s sleep/wake cover function. The keyboard has a power button and uses a small combo of keys to connect to Bluetooth, which it does quickly and easily. A small, indented port above the keys allows Keyboard Slide-Lid to charge using a micro-USB cable — ZeroChroma claims the keyboard can work for “60 hours uninterrupted.” We also appreciate the microfiber lining around the keys.
We found the keyboard itself to be surprisingly pleasant to use. The plastic keys provide a nice, springy bounce, and the key layout doesn’t require as much of an adjustment period as you might imagine. You probably wouldn’t want to type for hours on Keyboard Slide-Lid, but it’s definitely preferable to the iPad’s own onscreen keyboard for extended writing sessions. Keep in mind though, that this isn’t a good lap keyboard — its lightweight, thin design works best on a table or desk.
It’s tricky to provide a proper rating to “an accessory of an accessory” like Keyboard Slide-Lid. You need ZeroChroma’s Folio-Slide to utilize the design of the keyboard — though you could buy Keyboard Slide-Lid and use it without the case as a standard Bluetooth keyboard, we don’t see the point of that. While both the case and the keyboard retail at $70 each, the bundle including both is a great bargain at $100. (Other good case keyboard options for iPad Air 2 can be as expensive as purchasing both ZeroChroma parts separately.) And if you’ve already got a Folio-Slide and have been looking for an iPad keyboard, Keyboard Slide-Lid still makes a lot of sense — it’s a very good keyboard that fits in nicely with ZeroChroma’s own impressive ecosystem.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: ZeroChroma
Model: Keyboard Slide-Lid
Price: $70
Compatible: iPad Air, iPad Air 2
