Apple announced the new iPad Pro 2021 with M1 at its Spring Loaded event yesterday, but the new 12.9-inch model costs $100 more. It was announced along with a new Magic Keyboard (white), but Logitech has already announced a cheaper alternative.

Apple's Magic Keyboard, with built-in trackpad and backlit keys, was previously only available in black; for the 11-inch iPad Pro it costs $299 / £279 / $449 AUD, and for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro it costs $349 / 329 pounds / $549 Australian dollars. The Logitech product is only available in Oxford Gray, but the price starts at $199. The new keyboard is not yet listed on the UK and Australian versions of the site, so pricing for those regions has not yet been finalized.

Logitech Combo Touch will offer a backlit keyboard with trackpad for both the 11" and 12.9" iPad Pro models. If you don't care about color, it's a $100 savings over Apple's original product: $199.99 for the Combo Touch for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $229.99 for the 12.9-inch tablet.

According to Logitech, this is the "largest trackpad" and thinnest it has designed for a keyboard case. There are many other advantages over Apple's product, including a four-mode kickstand. Type mode allows the keyboard to be docked in the right position for day-to-day tasks, fully extended for sketching or taking handwritten notes; View mode is great for watching content or video calls; Read mode allows the keyboard to be retracted Combo.

The Combo Touch is available for pre-order on the 11-inch iPad Pro model, but the 12.9-inch has not yet received a release date.

If color and a textured outer fabric are standout features for you, this Logitech iPad Pro keyboard looks like a no-brainer. For Apple fans who have been waiting for a sleek white keyboard, the decision may be a little more difficult. But a savings of $100 to $120 might just tip the scales.