Arteck Foldable Keyboard - A Pleasant Surprise!

Given Apple’s penchant for subtly changing the size of their devices with new iterations, a new iPad invariably means a new set of peripherals. Whilst the Apple Pencil 2 does not warrant a blog post of its own, and neither does the Smart Folio, the keyboard that I ended up getting has turned out to be quite the surprise.

Let’s be real for a second, the iPad mini 6 as a standalone device is NOT designed for typing. The on-screen keyboard takes up way too much real estate on the screen when in landscape mode and trying to use split-screen at the same time is just an exercise in futility and frustration. Believe me, I’ve tried! And whilst Apple Pencil 2 is a great device, I just haven’t found it suitable for the type of long-form writing I tend to do. This is all the more true since Scribble, Apple’s handwriting recognition feature, does not seem to work with the likes of Microsoft Word or OneNote, or even Notion, which are my go-to productivity tools. 

So, due to the fact that there is no Magic Keyboard available for the iPad mini 6, and given that the battery in my Microsoft Universal Mobile Keyboard had long since died, I needed a new bluetooth keyboard. My original plan was to go for the Logitech MX Keys mini as part of a general refresh of my work equipment, but damn, that thing is expensive. The Refresh will still happen but at a later date. A solution presented itself in one of the more unlikely locations, a YouTube review of the iPad mini 6 by Mr. Mobile himself, Michael Fisher. Whilst “actually pretty good for a 40 Dollar Amazon special” may not sound like a ringing endorsement, a quick check of the price and the Amazon reviews convinced me that tho is Arteck Foldable Keyboard was indeed the way to go. So, 36€ and one week later, I picked it up from the local Parcel Motel.

First Impressions

When folded up, the Arteck foldable keyboard actually forms quite the neat little package, whilst at the same time feeling solid enough that you don't have to worry about just chucking it in your backpack!

When I first got the package, I was surprised at how weighty it felt, something that continued once I took it out of its rather plain packaging. Side note, the claim of “frustration free packaging” on the box is no idle claim, unpacking this thing was a breeze! There’s not a lot of documentation in the box but what is there is actually pretty easy to understand and, more importantly, written in correct English. Given that many of these peripherals are aimed more at the mainland Chinese market and that as such an English translation of any manual is not a major priority, this was a major and pleasant surprise!

The next surprise was simply due to me not reading the product description properly before ordering, but I was not expecting an aluminium casing for this keyboard! It certainly adds to the robust feeling this keyboard exudes. Granted, the covers protecting the hinge mechanisms are still plastic, but even so, it was a nice surprise for me and gives me hope that this keyboard will last not just weeks or months, but hopefully years. There’s a micro-USB port at the “top” of the keyboard for charging, integrated into the aluminium part, but that’s about it for connections.

Having trouble trying to figure out which part of this thing is "up"? You're not alone. The barely visible Micro USB port is the only indication of which side is which.

As for the actual keyboard itself, this is your standard full-size QWERTY keyboard, with solid plastic quays. The two outer elements fold in over the centre to protect the keyboard when it’s not in use, whilst also acting as its on/off switch, by simply folding the keyboard open. When closed, the aluminium case I mentioned protects the keyboard, whilst a couple of articulated plastic parts fold over and cover the air gaps that are created by folding the keyboard. All in all, it’s a pretty clever setup!

Everyday Use

When unfolded, the keyboard provides quite a solid typing experience, even for my jackhammer style of typing. Once you get used to the quirks, that is.

I’ve been using the Arteck Foldable keyboard for about two weeks now,primarily either during my lunch break at work, although it also got a major workout during a business trip to Munich earlier in the month. Setup is par for the course and the pairing instructions in the manual are pretty clear. Once it’s paired, typing is actually pretty comfortable. I’ve written much of my iPad mini 6 review as well as the entirety of this blog post on my iPad using this keyboard, so it’s been getting a bit of a workout to say the least. Even with that and my rather “severe” style of typing, the keyboard has been able to keep up with everything I’ve thrown at it and then some. Key travel is good enough to make typing comfortable, whilst key spacing is for the most part okay as well. More importantly, I have yet to see any evidence of input delay or double keystrokes, a supposed issue with bluetooth keyboards that I have yet to witness for myself despite working with bluetooth keyboards for years. As for battery life, I can’t really speak to that, as I’ve only had the keyboard for a relatively short time and haven’t actually used it long enough to get to the bottom of the battery capacity.

The Arteck Foldable Keyboard has actually turned out to be quite the useful travel companion, as shown here during a stopover at Amsterdam Schiphol airport. Also, it makes multi-tasking on the iPad mini 6 a breeze. You do need a solid surface for it though, as the flaps do not lock into place.

Having said that, there are still a few downsides to this keyboard in my experience. The big one for me is the rather awkward overall layout. The entire design is ever so slightly asymmetric in order to make room for full-size Enter, BackSpace, Shift & Delete keys on the right hand side. Whilst I can see the sense in having full-size versions of these keys, they are in just the right size range that they mess with your muscle memory. The Delete key in particular has tripped me up more than once. As a result, the main typing keys are shifted ever so slightly to the left on the keyboard.

The slightly skewed layout and drooping outer flaps are on display here. Neither issue is a massive dealbreaker, it's good to keep them in mind, though.

Another issue I the outer keyboard “flaps”. These droop down considerably when opened, and whilst I haven’t felt any flexing, this slight downward curvature of the keyboard has me just a little concerned about the longevity of the hinges. Having said that, the hinge covers seem to have been designed for this slight droop and are not under any apparent extra strain because of it, so maybe I’m just a little over-apprehensive. On thing that definitely sticks out like a sore thumb is the Arteck branding on the keyboard. The large name splash on the space bar in particular is really jarring. This is something that should be turned down in future editions of this product. Likewise, I’m not sure whether pointing out the email address for warranty claims on the aluminium back shell of the keyboard is really a smart move to build customer confidence, although it does get props for transparency!

Conclusion

All of those niggles are really just that though, niggles. Once you’ve grown accustomed to the keyboard layout, typing on it becomes just as second nature on it as it would on any other keyboard. Given the price, the Arteck Foldable Keyboard is actually quite the powerful package for those looking for a compact mobile keyboard to accommodate their small tablet or foldable phone. It’s comfortable, surprisingly high value for the price, and well made! Not bad for a 40 Dollar Amazon special. Not bad at all!