Is this the best iPad keyboard? Satechi Onthego accessories review.

As tablets have gotten more and more capable, the best iPad keyboard has become a near must if you want to unlock the full potential of your device. There are many cases out there, including Apple’s first-party Magic Keyboard case that features a perfectly capable keyboard. But what if you want more flexibility than that? Or perhaps you prefer the non-keyboard case you have on your iPad. Either way, the Satechi Onthego Keyboard is a great buy. I’ve also got the Onthego mouse as a bonus review, so read on for my take on the full package.

Keyboards can be such personal choices, especially with how the keys feel, and the best keyboard for iPad deals with a bit of a handicap. Because these keyboards are often baked into an iPad case or at least have to be slim enough to slide into a backpack, there isn’t a lot of room for key travel. So your mileage really can vary with the typing feel and performance of this category of keyboard.

The Satechi Onthego keyboard was a pleasant surprise in this regard. Typing on this keyboard feels premium and satisfying, and it honestly reminded me a lot of Apple’s first-party magic keyboard. There’s a certain tactility with the keys that’s really hard to achieve in this size, and that’s largely thanks to the compact scissor-style switches at play here. If they had gone with simple membrane switches, there may be less of a satisfying keystroke, but I was able to type quite easily with this board.

If you’ve never heard of Satechi, then it’s worth trying this product out just to feel how good the build quality is once you get it into your hands. Satechi is largely known for peripherals and accessories, but this seems to be the first time the brand has really set their sights on truly mobile-focused input devices. But there’s a degree of quality and craftsmanship at play that you just won’t find with the off-brand comparables on Amazon.

The design is also quite nice, sporting an all-black look with a nice leatheresque surface that’ll fit with any business-oriented devices. I also really like how flat this thing folds, even including a high-quality device-propping stand. This could easily have been bulky or cheap-looking, but Satechi is putting a clear focus on aesthetics here.

In general, the value here is right down the middle of the road. Is this the cheapest iPad keyboard you can find on Amazon? Definitely not. But when you dip below $50 in this category, you tend to get connectivity issues, cheaper builds, and certainly more limited features. For around $80 at the time of this writing, the Satechi Onthego keyboard finds a nice balance between quality and price. If you’re sensitive on budget, I’d consider waiting a bit for this device to go on sale. It’s brand new, so that won’t be happening soon, but Satechi is known for offering decent holiday sales, so it’s worth setting an alert or keeping your eyes out.

Then there’s the rest of the offering here, which all comes together for a really nice package. This is the best iPad keyboard, to me, because of its versatility. While other direct-connected options might be a little more seamless by hooking right into the pogo pins of your tablet, the Bluetooth connectivity here means you can connect this keyboard to other tablet brands, your phone, or even a laptop if you want. This fits with the mutli-device stand functionality to make it a nice and versatile device. It makes a great companion to a solid pair of Bluetooth headphones.

The Onthego keyboard uses Bluetooth Version 5.1 for modern connectivity, which also supports up to three devices simultaneously. That means it can be a keyboard for your iPad and phone, but also as a keyboard for your laptop. The battery life also seems pretty impressive, with Satechi promises up to 3 months of use. I haven’t had this device for 3 months, but can confirm the battery was still chugging through several days of use.

Satechi launched the Onthego keyboard in tandem with another travel-focused device, their Onthego mouse. In an effort to get a sense for a fully functional workstation, I picked up both to see how they functioned together. After all, one of the drawbacks of the Onthego keyboard is that it does not have a built-in trackpad.

The Onthego Mouse is a serviceable device if you’re looking for a balance of ergonomics and portability. The leatheresque surface looks a lot nicer in pictures than it feels in person, as it’s similar to the plastic-y feel of the equivalent Logitech travel mouse I’ve got. I do like the knurled texture of the scroll wheel as it’s very easy to feel and spin with. The tracking is also quite nice on this mouse, and I found that it was not picky about the surface I was trying to use it on. So if you want something quick and simple to throw in your back, this is a nice little add-on.