Anyone who has been reckon at the Microsoft Surface range of laptop may have come across the Microsoft Type Cover . But what is it , and do you need one ?

Since the Surface range of laptop computer has become more grand and popular , the Type Cover has become a staple in many the great unwashed cipher setup .

But for anyone that is not in the loop topology , keep reading , as we are move to explain what a Type Cover is and what it ’s used for .

What is Type Cover?

A Type Cover is a peripheral product created by Microsoft . It is essentially a thin keyboard that can be attached to a number of product in the Microsoft Surface line .

TheSurface Pro 8,Surface Pro XandSurface Go 3utilise a Type Cover , alongside a number of other gadget in the card . The chief Surface products that are not compatible with the Type Cover are traditional grapple laptops , like theSurface Laptop 4 , since it includes its own attached keyboard .

eccentric Cover connects to a supported Surface product via attractive feature , allowing the portable keyboard to crack into place as well as easily detach from a machine . This cause it well-off for user to change by reversal their Surface tablet into a laptop computer and get going typing .

Some Type Covers also tolerate for the cover charge to be bent back against the Surface , which can put up spare versatility and create a comfortable angle to work at .

How many Type Covers are there?

There have been a match of unlike Type Covers since its original release when the first propagation ofSurface Prowas launch .

The first Type Cover was released in 2012 and features a felt keypad . The second coevals of surface was launched alongside the Type Cover 2 . This translation included a charge plate keypad instead of felt and backlit Key , with 1,092 sensors .

When theSurface Pro 3was released in 2016 , the Surface Pro Type Cover hit shelf . This was made to fit a large sieve and it featured a magnetised striptease that could be rest against the blind to help prop the screen up at an slant , alongside better key spatial arrangement and a drinking glass trackpad .

There is also the Surface Pro Signature Type Cover that geminate well with theSurface Pro 7laptop .

Since then , there has not been a next - generation Type Cover , however , there have been several new colourways added , including Poppy Red , Ice Blue and Platinum .

Are Type Covers good?

Microsoft Surface devices need to be paired with a Type Cover to be used as a laptop , though there are other attachable keyboard available from other brands that do a similar job .

In our recapitulation of the Surface Pro 8 , we noted that the Signature Pro has a carbon fibre layer , which made it experience a lot hardy and take the flex from previous Type Covers . However , we mark that the Type Cover that couple with the Surface Go was too shallow , with the deck being slight , causing the Cover to bounce up and down as you use it .

This means that the quality between Type Covers does diverge depending on which generation you habituate , with the most recent ones being generally more robust than the old generation .

Other screening , like theiPad Pro Magic Keyboard , extend a similar experience to the Microsoft Type Cover . Our review of the Magic Keyboard noted that it used the same attractor intent as the Type Cover , offering a great typewriting experience that worked seamlessly with theiPad Pro .

However , the Magic Keyboard has a starting cost of £ 279 , while sure versions of the Type Cover bug out at £ 99 , puddle it the cheaper option out of the two . regrettably , the iPad Pro and recent Surface merchandise do not get with the Type Cover included , meaning that user will need to spend more to have access to a keyboard .

by and large , we have found the dissimilar Type Covers to be good and stalwart , and we would commend purchasing a Type Cover to make the most out of Surface products , especially if you want to use it as a laptop computer instead of a pad .