Google released two keyboards alongside the Pixel C tablet-- the magnetic Pixel C keyboard and the folio Pixel C keyboard. This is the Pixel C folio keyboard which retails for $150 and it consists of full-grain leather folio that easily attaches to the Pixel C, providing a protective cover. The Pixel C will automatically turn on when opened and sleep when closed. There are two display angles-- 146 degrees and 127 degrees. As with the magnetic keyboard, it doesn't need a charger as it charges wirelessly when closed with the Pixel C. It's pretty cool, right?
To get inside the box, all you need to do is rip off the tab to reveal the blue, red, yellow and green Google colors; pry open the paper tabs and slide-up keyboard. The keyboard is sitting right on top to no surprise but I do want to take a look at the Let's Get Started Guide first and foremost. It says place tablet in frame, follow instructions on screen, and type away. If we flip it over, we'll find much more detailed instructions to help connect the keyboard with the Pixel C.
Now let's take a look at the folio keyboard case. It feels pretty good in the hand as it's crafted with full-grain leather and has a nice felt interior. However, it's very slick. It doesn't provide a lot of grip and what's different about this keyboard from the magnetic keyboard is that it protects the front and the back of the Pixel C.
The Pixel C fastens onto the plastic cradle via strong magnets and turns into a notebook essentially. You'll find cutouts for the camera and light bar on the back and when you open up the case, the Pixel C will automatically wake up from sleep, which is a neat kind of feature that takes advantage of the proximity sensors. So Google did a good job designing these cases with strong magnets. I've seen some cases use magnets but they're designed very poorly. These aren't, which is a very good thing.
To view the Pixel C on either 146 or 127 degrees, all you'll need to do is fasten the bottom portion of the Pixel C to the top of the keyboard with the magnet. And as you can see here, this is how it looks in the 127-degree mode. I can pick up the top portion of the tablet and flail it around and it still remains connected to the base. To view content at 146 degrees, you'll just fold back the back portion of the keyboard case and there you have it-- 146 degrees. The biggest bummer with this keyboard case is that there are only two viewing options.
As for how the keyboard functions, the keys are identical to the keys found on the magnetic Pixel C keyboard. So if you've already watched that video review, you'll kind of understand how the keys function with this keyboard case. They do have a lot of travel more so than the Surface type cover or MacBook. And for a device with a 10.2-inch display, the keyboard is very spacious. It doesn't feel too crammed when typing on it for long periods of time because there aren't unnecessary keys that take up a ton of extra space. My only complaint with the keyboard is that there aren't many functions keys at all to navigate the tablet or perform more specific tasks. There's one dedicated key to search Google and one dedicate key to show the on-screen keyboard-- that's about it.
Overall, between the Pixel C keyboard and the Pixel C folio keyboard, the Pixel C folio keyboard is going to be your best option if you want all around protection for your Pixel C. However, given the fact that there are only two viewing angles, it cannot perform as well as the magnetic keyboard. For $150, the folio keyboard is one of the more expensive official keyboard accessories on the market so let me know if it's worth it in a comment down below and how you think it compares to the magnetic Pixel C keyboard. Ultimately, it's going to be totally up to you and how much $150 is worth to you. I think if you plan to do any productive work on your Pixel C tablet, you're going to want a keyboard and these two official keyboards are going to be some of the best options out there.
