The Logitech Slim Combo for iPad Pro has taken a few months to become available in Australia. During that time, I probably set my expectations too high for this keyboard cover.

On paper, it seemed to address the shortcomings of Apple's official Smart Keyboard cover. I really love the feel of typing on Apple's keyboard, but when I'm not typing — which is most of the time —  it flops around on the back of the tablet. Most unseemly.

With Logitech's design, the keyboard is completely removable from the back casing. It mimics Microsoft's Surface, even down to the kickstand on the back, for adjustable viewing angles.

The keys are comfortable enough to type on, with the bonus of back-lighting for late night work,  and a few dedicated keys for brightness, volume, and media playback, all of which are usability benefits over Apple's solution. But the plastic keyboard just feel cheaper and flimsier than the Apple or Microsoft versions.

When configured in "Surface Mode", with the kickstand out, and the long, plastic keyboard in front of the iPad, the entire length of the unit takes up a massive amount of space. This made it impossible to balance on my lap, and too long to comfortably use even on our coffee table.

And the cover is even fatter than it is long. The inappropriately named Slim Combo is incredibly thick, thicker than my MacBook Pro when folded over.

The back plate that holds the iPad is so deep that in tablet-only mode the whole thing looks ridiculous, and uncomfortable to hold around the corners. When folded over, there's an enormous gap between the back plate and the keyboard cover, that feels like so much wasted space.

The search for a really great iPad keyboard continues.