Targus Versavu Keyboard Case for iPad Air Review

While most 10-inch tablets are designed to be held in landscape mode, portrait mode works best when typing documents. The Targus Versavu Keyboard Case addresses just that need, with a 360-degree rotating tray that lets you put the iPad Air into either a portrait or landscape orientation. But does its performance match this functional design?

Design

The Targus Versavu has a hard black shell that's covered in fake leather, which makes it feel a little more durable than other, softer-shelled keyboard cases. The section that holds your iPad Air in place is made of two pieces, so it's not as uniform a look as other keyboard cases.

You can use the iPad Air in portrait mode for reading a book or scanning through a document. But in landscape mode after a quick rotation, you can play a game or watch a movie. It's rather ingenious -- and, according to Targus, fully patented.

The iPad Air rests a bit too loosely on a ridge located just above the function keys; as a result, when we used it in our lap, the iPad flopped backward. However, when we slid the keyboard out, we could rest the iPad behind it, which made it slightly more secure.

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Click to EnlargeLike the Kensington KeyFolio Pro Plus with Backlit Keyboard, there's a loop located near the hinge of the cover to hold a stylus, which makes it difficult to reach when you're using the keyboard. A plastic clasp holds the iPad Air securely for storage.

The Versavu measures 9.53 x 7.09 x 1.02 inches and weighs 18.2 ounces, making it slightly heavier than a typical keyboard case. However, it's about 3 ounces lighter than the 21.5-ounce Kensington KeyFolio Pro Plus with Backlit Keyboard.

Performance

Click to EnlargeThe Targus Versavu Keyboard Case was the poorest performing keyboard we tested. The keys are small -- the spacebar is the shortest and thinnest we've tested -- and are somewhat mushy. It's not as bad as the Logitech FabricSkin's membrane-style keyboard, but not nearly as snappy as the M-Edge. We typed at only 54 words per minute on average with a 96 percent accuracy, the worst among the keyboard cases we tested. The best performer, the M-Edge Universal Stealth Pro Keyboard Folio, flew through the test at 64 wpm.

Click to EnlargeWith the keyboard fully retracted, your fingers are too close to the iPad Air. In a few cases, we hit the screen by mistake and had to start over. However, you can slide the keyboard out, which also lets you adjust the angle of the screen.

Fortunately, there is a row of function keys for controlling music tracks, volume, copy/paste and search above the number row. The backspace key was also easy to find (on this keyboard, it's labelled "Delete"). There's a dedicated .com key, too.

Battery Life

Click to EnlargeTargus says the Versavu lasts for 30 hours of full usage or about 90 hours in standby mode. A charge light glows when the keyboard is charging using a standard microUSB port.

Verdict

At $69, not only is the Targus Versavu Keyboard Case less expensive than the competition, but, unlike all other keyboard cases, it lets you rotate your iPad from portrait to landscape mode.

Click to EnlargeWe also like that you can slide the keyboard out and adjust the angle of your iPad, but we wish the slate remained more secure while in your lap. However, the typing experience proved to be less than stellar. While it doesn't let you use your iPad in portrait mode, the M-Edge Universal Stealth Pro Keyboard Folio, which is $10 more, offers much better performance and also lets you tilt your iPad at multiple angles, too.

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