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Now that every iPadOS update has Apple's touch-screen tablet working more and more like a Mac, it makes sense to look for a keyboard to pair it with.

Sure, Apple produces these kinds of accessories but they cost an arm and a leg. You can also find cheap and nasty third-party options but they might end up being more frustrating than having no keyboard at all.

Meanwhile, I've been using Logitech wireless keyboards for years.

The reasons are simple; great design, ergonomically friendly, excellent battery life and reliable multi-point connectivity.

Now Logitech has a product specifically for the latest iPads, it could be a match made in heaven.

The Logitech Flip Folio takes the basic idea of a keyboard case and gives it a bit of a twist.

Available in Lilac or Graphite, the Flip Folio comes in two different sizes to cater for both 11 and 13-inch iPad Air and iPad Pro. It has a durable, soft-touch surface that effectively protects your iPad front and back. Like other, similar, folio-style cases, Logitech's version is designed to attach magnetically to the back of the iPad, while the front cover opens up and then bends into a stand to hold the iPad at the angle you prefer.

It took me a while to figure this out as the folding part is quite stiff (that's good, it keeps your iPad securely in place) and it makes a strange crease on the cover's surface - almost as though it isn't supposed to be bent that way. Even though it is. I only raise that because I worry if this will be a weak point, prone to wear and tear over time. I'll show you what I mean in the video below.

When standing up, the iPad sits firmly on a little contrasting ledge. This is quite nifty as it means you can pull the iPad off and sit it against the stand in portrait mode as well. This makes quite a bit of sense given a lot of people use their iPads this way around - in fact, that's probably a big reason why they went with an iPad over a laptop in the first place. With the iPad standing up in portrait, there's room for your phone on the little ledge too. This might be handy if you're exchanging files between devices or maybe just looking out for phone calls while you work.

Where Logitech has got really creative is with the keyboard. It also magnetises onto the case and by the same token is completely separate when you take it off.

That means a lot more freedom for where you can place your iPad. For example, now there's nothing stopping you using the keyboard on your lap while your iPad is sitting on the coffee table in front of you. Always good to have more flexibility and you definitely get that with this device.

Although the keyboard is perhaps the slimmest I've ever used, it's still full-sized with plenty of space between the keys and there's a surprisingly clicky feel to those keys, given how little travel you're getting. This is an Apple-focussed device and as such, the key selection is very Mac-like; no Home, End or Backspace keys but you do get media and brightness controls. I'd have loved to have seen a fingerprint sensor for secure login but given you have that on the iPad anyway, it's no great omission.

Of course, as I mentioned at the top, Apple makes a similar device; the Magic Keyboard - and I wouldn't normally introduce a competing product into my review except it's kind of the clear choice you're making here.

The Magic Keyboard does offer a couple of things Logitech's Flip Folio doesn't. It has a built-in trackpad and an extra USB-C port for charging (both the keyboard and the attached iPad).

The trackpad is certainly an advantage - although if you're anything like me, you'd prefer to pair a mouse anyway. As for the charging slot, the Flip Folio doesn't have one at all. Instead, it's powered by four coin batteries that slide out on a little drawer. Depending on how much you use the device, Logitech suggests you might get as long as two years use before you need to swap batteries.

I'm a bit confused where Logitech stands on batteries-VS-rechargeables - some devices do it one way, some the other. I thought we were all supposed to be moving away from disposable batteries but at least 3/4 of Logitech products are made with post-consumer recycled plastic.

What the Flip Folio has that Apple's Magic Keyboard doesn't (apart from the fact it's a totally separate component, obviously) is the ability to pair with three different devices. This is probably my favourite thing about all the Logitech keyboards and mice I use. There are three contrasting function keys in the top left corner and swapping from device to device is as easy as pressing one of those buttons.

Believe it or not, I've been typing this whole review using the Flip Folio - but on my Mac, not on my iPad. That's the kind of inter-device productivity we should all expect from our tech these days. 

But I suppose the thing that matters most here is, is the Flip Folio cheaper?

It costs NZ$299.95 for the 11-inch iPad version I've been using. Sounds like a lot, right?

Except Apple's Magic Keyboard costs even more. A lot more. Twice as much more, in fact. The Magic Keyboard for the 11-inch M4 iPad Pro is NZ$599.00. Ouch. Three-hundred bucks extra for a trackpad and a second USB-C port? You'd have to really want those at that price.

Personally, I'll take the flexibility of a separate keyboard that can connect to other devices at the push of a button thanks.