The best iPad accessories for 2024

Otterbox is an knowledgeable with regards to safety, as seen with their telephone circumstances, however its Symmetry Series 360 series reveals that it has design chops, too. Symmetry circumstances look just like the Apple’s Sensible Cowl, however the clear, scratch-resistant again is sturdy with out including a variety of weight to the iPad. Plus, the sting safety is substantial, so that you gained’t have to fret about harm from the inevitable, unintended bumps your pill takes. I additionally like the additional flap Otterbox added that retains the iPad display screen cowl closed and holds the second-generation Apple Pencil to the aspect of the iPad Execs. Symmetry Collection 360 circumstances can be found for many iPad fashions, and whereas they’re costlier than some no-name iPad case you would possibly discover on Amazon, they’re value it in order for you an ideal steadiness of safety and magnificence.

Talking of cheaper iPad circumstances that refill Amazon’s search outcome pages, some which can be truly worthwhile are from Moko and ProCase. If you happen to like the appear and feel of Apple’s Sensible Cowl, however don’t wish to drop $50-plus on one, each of those manufacturers have dupes that provide you with that model at a fraction of the price of the first-party possibility. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor

Of the plethora of iPad stands I’ve used, Twelve South’s HoverBar Duo is the one which has come closest to good. The “duo” within the identify refers to the truth that the gadget can both prop your iPad up utilizing an arm hooked up to a weighted base, or the identical arm simply hooked up to a desk or desk utilizing its included clamp. The stand comes absolutely assembled on the weighted base, but it surely’s fairly straightforward to change to the clamp because of the included directions and fundamental instruments within the field. If you happen to spring for the latest model, it’ll be even simpler because of 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 exhausting 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 proper place. That’s most likely for the most effective as a result of it confirmed how sturdy 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 screen whereas working. The included clamp ought to match most desks and tables too, as it could accommodate floor thickness from 0.4 inch to 1.4 inches.

If you happen to’re prepared to sacrifice flexibility for one thing extra elegant, Elago’s P2 stand for iPad could also be a very good match. It’s fabricated from a single piece of aluminum with a ledge in your iPad and some well-placed cutouts that you could snake a charging cable by way of. The ledge can be huge sufficient to accommodate most iPad circumstances. It will not be foldable or adjustable, however its minimalist design will make it a pretty addition to your desk. — V.P.

Among the finest Bluetooth keyboards I’ve used not too long ago is the Logitech MX Keys Mini. It’s not designed particularly for the iPad, but it surely works fairly effectively with it. It combines a variety of the ergonomics and the overall feel and look of the MX lineup right into a compact and transportable keyboard. The Keys Mini has a slim profile that’s barely raised resulting from its prime bar, plus snug backlit keys which can be a dream to sort on. The backlight is one among my favourite options as a result of it robotically comes on when it senses your arms getting near the keyboard. That method it solely stays illuminated once 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, but it surely’s one which may very well be each your iPad keyboard and your primary desk typing gadget. It could possibly connect with as much as three units on the similar time, permitting you to swap between them rapidly with only a press of a key, and it has just a few 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 in order for you an iPad keyboard that’s much more reasonably priced, and even thinner, we nonetheless just like the Logitech Keys to Go, which we’ve advisable previously and you may often discover for between $50 and $70. — V.P.

If you happen to actually wish 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 in order for you essentially the most fashionable iPad keyboard cash should buy. — V.P.

This possible gained’t come as a shock, however the Apple Pencil Pro 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 newest stylus has a double-tap function that you could customise to a sure diploma, and pressure-sensitivity permits you to add as a lot or as little element as you wish to digital paintings. Plus, it nonetheless helps wi-fi charging once you snap it magnetically to the aspect of your pill. I extremely suggest shelling out the more money for an Apple Pencil should you’re an artist — you gained’t be upset. — V.P.

There are different choices which can be extra reasonably priced than the Apple Pencil, although, like Logitech’s Crayon. It’s simply nearly as good when it comes to latency and accuracy — drawing in Procreate was a lag-free expertise and my strokes all the time ended up precisely the place I needed them to be – and it’s much more grippy by default because of 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.

Except for that, the opposite greatest annoyance is that it’s a must 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 severe artists, I’d suggest it for anybody who’s on a strict finances, particularly digital journal-keepers, dedicated note-takers and the like. — V.P.

We referred to as Logitech’s MX Anywhere 3S a “nearly ideal travel mouse.” It’s mild at simply 95 grams and the buttons are practically silent so that you gained’t bug anybody within the room together 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 decide, the MX Anyplace 3S is produced from between 61 and 78 p.c 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 together with your iPad anyway) however we by no means observed any lag in Bluetooth efficiency in our exams anyway. — Amy Skorheim, Reporter

Working at a pc could be a ache within the neck (actually), so I needed a option to play with my iPad after work with out having to carry my head off the sofa. Positive, I might use my arms, however that will get tiring. This Tablift iPad holder appears a little bit humorous, like some mech-spider attacking your chest, but it surely 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 completely different angles, together with a forward-leaning one which’s notably good for mendacity down. It’s a little bit cumbersome, so I curl up the legs and retailer it beneath my sofa. The slots and securing clip carry out finest in case your gadget is bare, although I’ve been ready to make use of it with a Smart Folio hooked up with little situation. — A.S.

If you happen to plan on pushing your iPad Professional to its limits as a every day driver, you’ll most likely want greater than the pill’s single USB-C port. Apple has offered little steering 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 type 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, hooked up 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 hooked up cable, I might change to utilizing my iPad as extra of a piece gadget with the entire essential connectors in place. It’s additionally surprisingly mild 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 needs, to spend $100 on a dock for his or her iPad. (If you happen to’re utilizing it as a laptop computer alternative, it’s definitely worth the funding.) If you happen to’d reasonably 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 would 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 implies you’ll be able to energy up your iPad whereas utilizing Anker’s hub as the primary connector between the pill and its charging cable. Anker makes a few variations of this hub, together with one that does have that coveted Ethernet port, but it surely’s exhausting to beat $35 for the usual 7-in-1 mannequin. — V.P.

Apple and different tech firms are more and more leaving wall adapters out of their units’ bins, so it’s value choosing up a pair that may deal with charging a few items of tech as rapidly as attainable. Anker’s 45W Nano II GaN adapter is an effective one as a result of it could fast-charge iPhones and iPads, plus the gallium nitride technology constructed into it helps stop overheating. In only a half hour of charging, I acquired a few 33 p.c increase in battery life on my 11-inch iPad Professional when utilizing this accent. Gallium nitride can be a giant cause why the 45W adapter is smaller than a variety 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 luggage. — V.P.

Of all the ability banks we tested, the Nimble Champ Pro was the second quickest to refill an iPad. The quickest total was Mophie’s huge Powerstation Professional, however that one is actually overkill should you’re simply utilizing it for a pill. The Champ Professional, then again, 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 p.c to full in beneath two hours — and it nonetheless had sufficient juice leftover to offer it one other 75 p.c bump. That is the pack I seize after I’m having fun with my iPad on the sofa and don’t wish to stand up to revive its dying battery. — A.S.

Paperlike is the most well-liked model on this house, with matte display screen 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 sometimes sells for $40 ro $45, relying on the dimensions of your iPad. For one thing a little bit cheaper, Bersem’s screen protectors are an ideal worth at $11 for a pack of two. Not solely does the matte end assist once you’re drawing or taking digital notes, but it surely additionally reduces display screen 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 screen protectors I’ve tried. The blur is minimal and the friction between the stylus and the display screen is good 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 screen for some time then return to the paper-feel down the street. If you happen to’d like a little bit extra assist with correct placement of your display screen protector, you would possibly respect Zagg’s GlassFusion+ Canvas which comes with a mounting tray for software. It’s additionally produced from a polymer designed to soak up and defend your display screen from affect. — A.S.

All paper-feel protectors impart a slight blur, which is why magnetic covers that you could reposition make strong options. They provide texture once you’re drawing or writing, however you’ll be able to take away them simply once you wish 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 screen and comes with a plastic sleeve to retailer the duvet once you’re not utilizing it. Software and removing is lifeless easy, and likewise, there are not any bubbles! The maintain is surprisingly safe and the mat has a satisfying, velvety texture. I did discover just a few faint squeaks when drawing with the Pencil, which didn’t hassle me however would possibly bug those that are delicate to sounds. — A.S.