Karlston Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 The Best iPad Accessories These are some of our favorite stands, cases, keyboards, and Pencils, no matter which iPad you have. One of the best parts of owning an iPad is that you're never short on accessories. There are a wealth of cases, cables, adapters, styli, keyboards, stands, and more out there to trick out your slate. But what should you buy? I spent months filling a corner of my tiny New York apartment with boxes of gear to test and find the best iPad accessories. Whether you own an iPad already or you recently picked one up after perusing our Best iPad guide, there's something here for you. Be sure to check out our many other buying guides, including the Best iPhone and Best iPhone 12 Cases and Accessories. Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day. Jess Grey also contributed to this guide. If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED Photograph: Apple Wait. Which iPad Do You Own? How to Figure Out Your iPad Model There are so many iPads out there, it can be hard to identify the exact model you own. Do you have the iPad Pro from 2017 with the 10.5-inch screen? Or the 9.7-inch one from 2016? It doesn't help that Apple avoids the sequential naming structure it uses for the iPhone. But no matter. Finding your model is simple: Look at the back of your iPad. Etched on the back cover, near where it says "Designed by Apple in California," should be a model number starting with the letter A. Head to this website from Apple. Look for your corresponding model number, and that's it! You found your iPad model. (Pro tip: Use your browser's "Find in Page" function to type in your model number and find it quickly.) Accessory makers usually indicate what iPad a case, folio, or keyboard cover is designed to work with. Most of our picks below are for the newest hardware, but they're often also available for older iPads. Just search for the product name and your iPad model. If you see a retailer mentioning a specific generation, this is Apple's current lineup: iPad: 8th generation (2020) iPad Mini: 5th generation (2019) iPad Air: 4th generation (2020) iPad Pro 11-inch: 2nd generation (2020) iPad Pro 12.9-inch: 4th generation (2020) Photograph: Apple An Easy Way to Draw or Write Apple Pencil The Apple Pencil is one of the most useful tools you can add to the iPad. The entire 2021 lineup supports it, from the Mini to the Air. It's excellent for drawing, with an imperceptible delay as the Pencil moves across the glass display. Like a normal pencil, your lines get thicker as you press down harder. The Pencil is also great for navigating iPadOS, which has handwriting support in various search fields so you don't need to switch to the keyboard to type—and it's handy for signing or marking up documents. The first-generation Pencil has some drawbacks. There's no good place to connect it to your iPad when you aren't using it; you need to remove the cap and plug the end of the stylus into the iPad to charge it (it has a Lightning connector); and it loves to roll off any surface. Apple fixed all of these issues with the second-generation model, which magnetically sticks to the top of compatible iPads and wirelessly charges. Sadly, it only works with the newer iPad Pro models (2018 and 2020) and the latest iPad Air (2020). Another Alternative: The Apple Pencil is expensive. A more affordable option I like is the Logitech Crayon ($68). It's especially great for kids because it's thicker, yet still maintains great palm rejection, good pressure sensitivity, and low latency. $99 at Apple (First-Gen) $129 at Apple (Second-Gen) Photograph: Sketchboard Pro A Sketching Surface Sketchboard Pro Drawing on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is a wonderful experience. Its magazine-like size gives it good stability on your lap if you're sketching on the couch, but I can't say the same for drawing on the smaller iPads. Without a good surface, it can be awkward. That's where the Sketchboard Pro comes in. It expands your surface area, so you can comfortably doodle anywhere—in bed, on the couch, or even on a desk—because it has legs you can pull out to tilt the screen. You can even stand it vertically like an easel to get your Bob Ross on! It has an integrated handle for easy toting, storage space for your stylus, and a spot to plug in to recharge your iPad while drawing. There's broad support for a variety of new or old iPads, and you can even change the centerpiece in case you upgrade to a different iPad. The cons? It's heavy and big. $119 at Sketchboard Pro Photograph: Twelve South A Portable Stand Twelve South Compass Pro iPads are slim machines. Adding a case just makes them bulky and, often, unattractive. If you prioritize thinness over protection, then skip the case! This stand from Twelve South is an elegant way to prop the tablet up. You can angle it however you want with the back leg, and the metal build and silicone grips keep it steady. I tested it with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the new iPad, and it had no trouble holding either model, though I do wish the back leg's hinge had more resistance. It would sometimes change positions when I lifted the iPad Pro off. The best part of the Compass Pro is that it packs down to a very portable size. $60 at Amazon $60 at Twelve South Photograph: Spigen A Cheap Stand-Up Case Spigen Rugged Armor Pro Spigen's Folio case is bulkier than Apple's case, but it protects the entire tablet with a bumper covering the edges, a tough back cover made of thermoplastic polyurethane and polyurethane leather, and a magnetic latch to keep the folio closed. You can convert the display cover into a stand to prop the whole thing up (there are two angle options). And when it's in Theater Mode, you won't see much wobble or sliding when tapping the screen. The downside is it doesn't automatically turn off the display when you cover it up, so make sure to lower your screen time-out setting to 1 minute or so to prevent unnecessary battery drain. You also lose out on the satisfying click the second-generation Apple Pencil makes when you snap it on because it has a dedicated slot for storage. Thankfully, the Pencil still wirelessly pairs and charges. $23 at Amazon (iPad) $22 at Amazon (iPad Pro 11-Inch) $24 at Amazon (iPad Pro 12.9-Inch) Photograph: Otterbox A Better Folio Case OtterBox Symmetry Series 360 Case This OtterBox folio fixes everything I didn't like about the Spigen case above. First off, it's more attractive; the back is clear so you can see the design and color of the iPad you chose. There's a similar level of protection, the display cover can fold into the same two angles (propped up or slightly raised for when you want to sketch), and covering the screen up actually turns it off. The folio's latch keeps the whole thing tightly closed also holds any Apple Pencil. What I don't like is how that latch kind of just flops around when you open the folio up. Oh, and it's far more expensive. You can buy it for older iPad models, though. $70 at Apple (iPad) $90 at Amazon (iPad Air) $90 at Amazon (iPad Pro 11-Inch) $100 at Amazon (iPad Pro 12.9-Inch) Photograph: Logitech A Keyboard and Trackpad Logitech Combo/Folio Touch Cursor support has turned the iPad into a more capable computer, but if you plan on doing work on these tablets, you should invest in a keyboard and trackpad. The Combo Touch (for iPad, keyboard removable) and Folio Touch (for iPad Air and iPad Pro, keyboard attached) come with them built-in. I really like the fabric covering the whole thing. It looks spiffy! The backlit keys are helpful if you're in a dark room; it has a solid typing experience; the trackpad is responsive; and the kickstand is very stiff, letting it rest on my lap without tipping over. It also connects via Apple's Smart Connector, so there's no need to futz about with Bluetooth or worry about charging it. $150 at Amazon (iPad) $160 at Logitech (iPad Air, iPad Pro) Photograph: Zagg A Cheaper Keyboard With No TrackPad Zagg Messenger Folio 2 The last thing you want to do after spending $330 for the cheapest iPad is to spend more than $100 on a keyboard. Zagg's new Messenger Folio 2 solves that conundrum. You get a wonderful, compact keyboard cover with great key travel for good typing. I also like the dedicated keys for going Home, opening up the recent apps menu, and locking the iPad, though it's a shame the keys aren't backlit. It looks sleek, with a fabric-like exterior (stylus holder included), and your iPad screen will turn off as you close it. There is only one viewing angle, but it stays put on my lap when I type. You'll have to recharge it via USB-C, but mine didn't need a charge for two months, despite using it for a few hours every day. It connects via Bluetooth, so you can see the remaining battery life through a widget. It's only compatible with the 7th- and 8th-gen iPad, and the 3rd-gen iPad Air (2019). Upgrade Pick: If you want a detachable keyboard and case with backlit keys, I also like Zagg's Pro Keys for the 7th- and 8th-gen iPad ($100) and 4th-gen iPad Air ($110). The keyboard is nice and the cover can magnetically detach. There are two magnetic spots you can use to angle the screen, but just be careful with the furthermost one if you're typing on your lap. A forceful tap might push the iPad off. $60 at Zagg (for iPad) $60 at Best Buy (for iPad) Photograph: Logitech A Detached Keyboard Logitech K380 If the keyboard covers we listed above are all too expensive, or you have a portable stand, then a cheap Bluetooth keyboard is the way to go. I used the K380 for several months and didn't run into any problems. It's a quiet, but tactile keyboard, and you can connect it to three separate devices and switch between them fairly quickly. It's also t's slim, lightweight, and portable. It's powered by two AAA batteries, which lasted four months for me. Did I mention it comes in pink? $40 at Amazon $40 at Logitech Photograph: Apple A Slim Trackpad Apple Magic Trackpad 2 If you want a roomier touchpad, try Apple's roomy, thin, and light Magic Trackpad 2. There are no physical buttons—Apple's Force Touch sensors let you feel various levels of pressure on the pad. You can also use some iPadOS gestures on it, limiting the need to reach for the screen. It pairs via Bluetooth and recharges with the Lightning port. If you prefer a mouse: The Logitech Pebble ($28) is tiny and slim. A bigger, more ergonomic gaming mouse might be a better option for a permanent desk setup, but for work on the go, the Pebble is a quiet clicker that pairs quickly and has a smooth scroll wheel. $129 at Apple $124 at Amazon Photograph: Apple Feature-Rich Earbuds Apple AirPods Pro Do you need to spend more than $200 on earbuds? No. We recommend tons of great wireless buds in this guide that cost a lot less. But if you're invested in the Apple ecosystem, you'll probably want these. AirPods link to your iCloud account, so every Apple device you own knows they exist when you pop open the case. That makes it simple to quickly pick up where you left off when you switch between your iPhone, MacBook, or iPad. Forget about unpairing and reconnecting. We recommend the Pro model because they have silicone ear tips that are much more comfortable than the regular AirPods, plus they sound dramatically better. Battery life is below average (4.5 hours per charge), but they do a great job blocking out droning ambient sounds around you. $249 at Amazon $249 at Apple $250 at Target Photograph: Aukey A Battery Pack Aukey Wireless Portable Charger Whenever it is we all start to go out again, you'll want a battery pack on your travels. I like this 20,000-mAh capacity model from Aukey because it has a tiny LED that shows the power bank's remaining battery life (much more helpful than vague dots). It had no trouble juicing up the iPad Pro, just don't expect it to do so very fast. It will charge your phone fairly quickly if you use the USB-C port, but if you don't want to carry another cable, just plop your phone on top of the pack to have it wirelessly charge (if your phone has that feature). The kickstand is a nice touch, though it's flimsy—as is the latch to hold your phone. $46 at Amazon Photograph: Nomad A Durable Cable Nomad Kevlar Cables If you're rough on your tech, Apple's charging cables aren't going to last. These double-braided Kevlar ones from Nomad will. They have a built-in cable tie, and depending on what iPad you own, you can choose between a USB-C to Lightning cable or USB-C to USB-C. We've linked to the 3-meter model below, but there's a short 1.5-meter cable, too. It comes with a five-year warranty. Cheaper Cables: I also like these USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to Lightning braided cables from Aukey ($9). $40 at Amazon (USB-C to USB-C) $50 at Amazon (USB-C to Lightning) Photograph: Aukey A Powerful Adapter Aukey Omnia 100W Charger You don't need a power outlet adapter since Apple includes one already with every iPad (though that could change with future models). But if you're looking to streamline, this 100-watt Aukey model is powerful enough to also juice up your MacBook Air at the same time. It's significantly smaller than the 96-watt adapter Apple sells. $50 at Amazon Photograph: Vava A Dongle for More Ports Vava USB-C Hub If you dabble in photography, or you want to connect more than one peripheral or accessory, a USB-C hub might help. It will only work on iPads with the USB-C connector (that includes the new iPad Air!). This 9-in-1 one from Vava is all I needed to transfer photos from an SD card, hook up a flash drive, and connect a 3.5-mm cord to listen through my headphones. If that's too excessive, Anker's cheaper 7-in-1 hub ($30) should be more than sufficient. $60 at Amazon Photograph: SanDisk A Flash Drive SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Go If you're like me, you're constantly dismissing the "iCloud Storage is Full" notification from your iPhone. Maybe it's time to offload last year's travel pics onto the iPad to clear out room on your phone. Flash drives are always handy to have around to transfer data on the go. This one from SanDisk has various storage options you can choose from (going all the way up to 256 gigabytes), and it also comes in Lightning and USB-A or Lightning and USB-C variants, depending on the iPad you have (I tested the former). You'll need to download SanDisk's iPadOS app for the drive to be registered, but once that's done it's smooth file transferring afterward. Alternatively, if you plug it into an iPad via a hub, you can easily access it via Apple's Files app. $40 at Amazon $40 at Apple Photograph: Logitech Other Great Accessories Honorable Mentions iPad accessories are endless, and what worked for me may not work for you. So, here are a few other accessories I really, or mostly, like. Logitech Slim Folio Pro (iPad Pro models) for $120+: This is another great keyboard cover if you don't mind the lack of a trackpad. It doesn't fall off my lap, has backlit keys, and can collapse to offer a slightly tilted view ideal for sketching. The cover magnetically sticks into place when you're ready to type, and the spacious keyboard feels just as good as the ones on laptops. There's a similar version for the iPad and 3rd-gen iPad Air ($100), but instead of relying on USB-C for recharging, it uses coin cell batteries that can purportedly last up to four years before needing to be replaced. Zagg Slim Book Go for $50: The Slim Book Go is one of my favorite iPad keyboard cases because of how stable it is, thanks to an ingenious kickstand that folds out from the bottom rather than the midway point of the tablet. It's not in our top picks above because it lacks a trackpad, and we've noticed several customers complaining of broken hinges after a few months. Nomad iPad Pro Folio for $160: If you’re in the market for an iPad folio case that will age and weather with time then this leather Nomad option feels great. The leather has a smooth finish, and the folio offers back and side protection you don’t get from Apple’s official iPad Pro folio options. Apple Magic Keyboard for $300: If not for its price tag, this would be one of the better iPad case and keyboard options. It feels great to type on, the trackpad integrates seamlessly into iPadOS, and it even has a USB-C port. It’s a bit bulky, but it’s a great accessory to keep on-hand when you need to do some serious typing. Apple Smart Keyboard Folio (iPad Pro models and iPad Air) ($179+) and Smart Keyboard (iPad) for $159: Just slap these keyboard covers on and you're good to go. There's no pairing or charging needed because they use Apple's Smart Connector. They're some of the slimmest keyboard covers you'll find, but I personally hate typing on them. I prefer springy feedback, but you'll get none of that here. I've met people that love their keyboard though (it's silent). Apple Smart Cover for $49 and Smart Folio for $79: These slim cases and covers from Apple do the job just fine, and can even convert into kickstands to keep it standing up. The Best iPad Accessories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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