The perfect iPad equipment for 2024

Otterbox is an expert when it comes to protection, as seen with their phone cases, but its Symmetry Series 360 series shows that it has design chops, too. Symmetry cases look similar to the Apple’s Smart Cover, but the clear, scratch-resistant back is sturdy without adding a lot of weight to the iPad. Plus, the edge protection is substantial, so you won’t have to worry about damage from the inevitable, accidental bumps your tablet takes. I also like the extra flap Otterbox added that keeps the iPad screen cover closed and holds the second-generation Apple Pencil to the side of the iPad Pros. Symmetry Series 360 cases are available for most iPad models, and while they’re more expensive than some no-name iPad case you might find on Amazon, they’re worth it if you want a great balance of protection and style.

Speaking of cheaper iPad cases that fill up Amazon’s search result pages, some that are actually worthwhile are from Moko and ProCase. If you like the look and feel of Apple’s Smart Cover, but don’t want to drop $50-plus on one, both of these brands have dupes that give you that style at a fraction of the cost of the first-party option. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor

Of the plethora of iPad stands I’ve used, Twelve South’s HoverBar Duo is the one that has come closest to perfect. The “duo” within the identify refers to the truth that the gadget can both prop your iPad up utilizing an arm connected to a weighted base, or the identical arm simply connected to a desk or desk utilizing its included clamp. The stand comes absolutely assembled on the weighted base, however it’s fairly straightforward to change to the clamp due to the included directions and primary instruments within the field. In case you spring for the newest mannequin, it’ll be even simpler due to a brand new quick-switch tab that permits you to swap between the weighted base and the clamp attachment with any further instruments.

It wasn’t laborious to safe my 11-inch iPad Professional within the vice-grip that’s the HoverBar Duo’s pill clip, though it did take some drive to maneuver the arm into the suitable place. That’s in all probability for the most effective as a result of it confirmed how robust the arm is; it stayed in place with out buckling, sliding down or in any other case breaking a sweat. I largely used the HoverBar Duo with the clamp attachment, which allowed me to make use of my iPad Professional as a secondary display whereas working. The included clamp ought to match most desks and tables too, as it may accommodate floor thickness from 0.4 inch to 1.4 inches.

In case you’re keen to sacrifice flexibility for one thing extra elegant, Elago’s P2 stand for iPad could also be an excellent match. It’s fabricated from a single piece of aluminum with a ledge on your iPad and some well-placed cutouts which you could snake a charging cable by means of. The ledge can also be huge sufficient to accommodate most iPad instances. It will not be foldable or adjustable, however its minimalist design will make it a lovely addition to your desk. — V.P.

Among the best Bluetooth keyboards I’ve used not too long ago is the Logitech MX Keys Mini. It’s not designed particularly for the iPad, however it works fairly effectively with it. It combines quite a lot of the ergonomics and the final appear and feel of the MX lineup right into a compact and moveable keyboard. The Keys Mini has a slim profile that’s barely raised on account of its prime bar, plus comfy backlit keys which can be a dream to kind on. The backlight is one in all my favourite options as a result of it robotically comes on when it senses your palms getting near the keyboard. That approach it solely stays illuminated while you’re typing, conserving battery life in the long term. Logitech estimates the Keys Mini will last as long as 10 days, relying on backlight use, or as much as 5 months with none backlight use.

Logitech’s $100 MX Keys Mini could also be on the costly aspect, however it’s one which might be each your iPad keyboard and your predominant desk typing system. It might probably connect with as much as three gadgets on the similar time, permitting you to swap between them shortly with only a press of a key, and it has a couple of different useful keys too like one which brings up the emoji picker and one other that mutes your microphone (fairly helpful on Zoom calls). However if you would like an iPad keyboard that’s much more inexpensive, and even thinner, we nonetheless just like the Logitech Keys to Go, which we’ve really useful previously and you’ll normally discover for between $50 and $70. — V.P.

In case you actually need to indulge, Apple’s personal Magic Keyboard is the way in which to go. This costly keyboard folio magnetically attaches to the newest iPad Execs and retains them “floating” above the keyboard and trackpad. We praised the Magic Keyboard for its typing consolation and exact trackpad, however dinged it for its restricted vary of movement. It’s simply the fanciest keyboard case out there for the iPad and it’s one to think about if cash isn’t any object — or if you would like essentially the most fashionable iPad keyboard cash should purchase. — V.P.

This seemingly received’t come as a shock, however the Apple Pencil Professional is the most effective stylus you may get for the iPad. All fashions of the Apple Pencil are designed to work particularly with iPads and it reveals of their easy writing efficiency. The most recent stylus has a double-tap characteristic which you could customise to a sure diploma, and pressure-sensitivity permits you to add as a lot or as little element as you need to digital paintings. Plus, it nonetheless helps wi-fi charging while you snap it magnetically to the aspect of your pill. I extremely suggest shelling out the more money for an Apple Pencil when you’re an artist — you received’t be upset. — V.P.

There are different choices which can be extra inexpensive than the Apple Pencil, although, like Logitech’s Crayon. It’s simply nearly as good by way of latency and accuracy — drawing in Procreate was a lag-free expertise and my strokes all the time ended up precisely the place I wished them to be – and it’s much more grippy by default due to its oval-shaped design. However as somebody who primarily makes use of an Apple Pencil for digital artwork, I missed stress sensitivity when utilizing the Crayon.

Apart from that, the opposite greatest annoyance is that it’s important to use a Lightning or USB-C cable to cost it. (Even the most recent mannequin for the iPad Execs doesn’t magnetically connect to the pill for charging.) Whereas I wouldn’t counsel the Crayon for critical artists, I might suggest it for anybody who’s on a strict price range, particularly digital journal-keepers, dedicated note-takers and the like. — V.P.

We referred to as Logitech’s MX Wherever 3S a “nearly ideal travel mouse.” It’s gentle at simply 95 grams and the buttons are almost silent so that you received’t bug anybody within the room along with your livid clicking. The improved 8K DPI optical sensor works on nearly any floor — together with, for instance, the upholstered arm of your sofa. Relying on the colour you choose, the MX Wherever 3S is constituted of between 61 and 78 % post-consumer recycled plastic. And the rechargeable battery lasts round 70 days on a cost. This era doesn’t embody a USB dongle (which wouldn’t work along with your iPad anyway) however we by no means seen any lag in Bluetooth efficiency in our checks anyway. — Amy Skorheim, Reporter

Working at a pc is usually a ache within the neck (actually), so I wished a approach to play with my iPad after work with out having to elevate my head off the sofa. Certain, I might use my arms, however that will get tiring. This Tablift iPad holder appears somewhat humorous, like some mech-spider attacking your chest, however it works precisely as I’d hoped. The adjustable legs are repositionable however fairly sturdy as soon as they’re in place, and three slots maintain your pill at totally different angles, together with a forward-leaning one which’s significantly good for mendacity down. It’s somewhat cumbersome, so I curl up the legs and retailer it below my sofa. The slots and securing clip carry out finest in case your system is bare, although I’ve been ready to make use of it with a Good Folio connected with little concern. — A.S.

In case you plan on pushing your iPad Professional to its limits as a each day driver, you’ll in all probability want greater than the pill’s single USB-C port. Apple has supplied little steerage to which USB-C hubs and adapters work finest with the iPad Execs — there’s no MFi certification for equipment like this but. Some hubs particularly promote that they work with the most recent iPad Execs, and if you wish to be further protected, I like to recommend shopping for a kind of that comes from a good model.

Satechi’s $100 Aluminum Stand and Hub is a favourite for its foldable design and the way it packs ports and charging capabilities right into a compact iPad accent. The holder itself rotates outward, revealing a hidden, connected USB-C cable and a rubber bumper that retains the stand in place in your desk. On the again edge are a 4K HDMI socket, one USB-A port, a headphone jack, each SD and microSD card slots and a 60W USB-C connection for charging.

I preferred the flexibility of Satechi’s hub. I might simply use it after I wanted to prop my iPad as much as watch a YouTube video, and by simply plugging within the connected cable, I might change to utilizing my iPad as extra of a piece system with all the mandatory connectors in place. It’s additionally surprisingly gentle at 10 ounces. Mix that with its foldable design and you’ve got a full-featured hub that may simply be stuffed in a bag. — V.P.

Not everybody wants, or desires, to spend $100 on a dock for his or her iPad. (In case you’re utilizing it as a laptop computer substitute, it’s definitely worth the funding.) In case you’d somewhat spend much less, or simply need one thing a bit extra light-weight, Anker’s 7-in-1 USB-C hub is an effective alternative. It has most ports that you possibly can ever need, with the one exception being an Ethernet jack. The slim dongle homes two USB-A ports, two USB-C connections, SD and microSD card slots and a 4K/30Hz HDMI port. We additionally like that it supplies as much as 85W of pass-through charging, which suggests you’ll be able to energy up your iPad whereas utilizing Anker’s hub as the principle connector between the pill and its charging cable. Anker makes a few variations of this hub, together with one which does have that coveted Ethernet port, however it’s laborious to beat $35 for the usual 7-in-1 mannequin. — V.P.

Apple and different tech corporations are more and more leaving wall adapters out of their gadgets’ bins, so it’s value selecting up a pair that may deal with charging a few items of tech as shortly as doable. Anker’s 45W Nano II GaN adapter is an effective one as a result of it may fast-charge iPhones and iPads, plus the gallium nitride know-how constructed into it helps forestall overheating. In only a half hour of charging, I obtained a few 33 % increase in battery life on my 11-inch iPad Professional when utilizing this accent. Gallium nitride can also be an enormous cause why the 45W adapter is smaller than quite a lot of competing adapters out there now, together with Apple’s. We additionally like its foldable design, which can enable it to suit higher in cramped areas and in journey baggage. — V.P.

Of all the ability banks we examined, the Nimble Champ Professional was the second quickest to refill an iPad. The quickest total was Mophie’s large Powerstation Professional, however that one is absolutely overkill when you’re simply utilizing it for a pill. The Champ Professional, however, has a slim profile, a useful carrying strap and two USB-C ports. On a fifth-generation iPad Air, it moved the battery gauge from 5 % to full in below two hours — and it nonetheless had sufficient juice leftover to offer it one other 75 % bump. That is the pack I seize after I’m having fun with my iPad on the sofa and don’t need to rise up to revive its dying battery. — A.S.

Paperlike is the most well-liked model on this area, with matte display protectors for each mannequin of iPad. A set comes with two sheets and consists of information stickers that can assist you get the protector positioned correctly. The 2-pack usually sells for $40 ro $45, relying on the scale of your iPad. For one thing somewhat cheaper, Bersem’s display protectors are an excellent worth at $11 for a pack of two. Not solely does the matte end assist while you’re drawing or taking digital notes, however it additionally reduces display glare and doesn’t intrude with FaceID on the most recent iPads. — A.S.

Bellemond’s “Kent Paper” overlay has essentially the most satisfying texture of the paper-feel display protectors I’ve tried. The blur is minimal and the friction between the stylus and the display is excellent for drawing. I miraculously managed to get the Bellemond affixed with minimal bubbles after watching the video linked with the QR code on the field. Two sheets are available a pack, so you’ll be able to revert to a unadorned display for some time then return to the paper-feel down the highway. In case you’d like somewhat extra assist with correct placement of your display protector, you may recognize Zagg’s GlassFusion+ Canvas which comes with a mounting tray for utility. It’s additionally constituted of a polymer designed to soak up and shield your display from impression. — A.S.

All paper-feel protectors impart a slight blur, which is why magnetic covers which you could reposition make stable options. They provide texture while you’re drawing or writing, however you’ll be able to take away them simply while you need to watch Star Trek with full readability. The PenMat from PenTips makes use of skinny magnets alongside the sides to affix the movie to your display and comes with a plastic sleeve to retailer the quilt while you’re not utilizing it. Utility and elimination is lifeless easy, and likewise, there aren’t any bubbles! The maintain is surprisingly safe and the mat has a delightful, velvety texture. I did discover a couple of faint squeaks when drawing with the Pencil, which didn’t hassle me however may bug those that are delicate to sounds. — A.S.