When you’ve determined which Apple iPad you need, the subsequent step is discovering the suitable equipment. For getting work finished, you’ll seemingly desire a mouse and keyboard. For drawing and note-taking, a stylus is the apparent selection, however we additionally suggest a paper-like display screen protector for added texture. Energy banks allow you to recharge your slate every time you could and a hub helps you get probably the most out of your iPad’s processing energy with connections for wired peripherals. After testing (and proudly owning) iPads over time, we’ve singled out a dozen-plus equipment that assist develop what Apple’s tablets can do.
Which iPad era do you personal?
Earlier than you splurge on a bunch of equipment, it is best to double verify which iPad generation you personal. There are a few methods to do that: first, you possibly can verify the again of your pill for its mannequin quantity, which can begin with an “A” and finish with a collection of numbers. You may as well go into Settings in your iPad, then Normal and search for the mannequin quantity within the prime part. When you see a collection of letters and numbers with a slash (“/“) in it, simply faucet that to disclose the iPad’s true mannequin quantity.
Crucial iPad particulars to think about earlier than shopping for equipment are the charging port, display screen measurement and Apple Pencil compatibility. Most iPads now have USB-C charging, save for the Ninth-gen iPad that also makes use of a Lightning connector (and is on the way in which out anyway). Make certain to double verify your iPad’s display screen measurement earlier than shopping for a case or a display screen protector. As for the Apple Pencil, take a look at this information to how to choose the right Apple Pencil to be sure you’re getting the suitable one for the pill you could have.
Greatest iPad equipment for 2024
Otterbox is an skilled in the case of safety, as seen with their cellphone instances, however its Symmetry Series 360 series reveals that it has design chops, too. Symmetry instances look much like the Apple’s Sensible Cowl, however the clear, scratch-resistant again is sturdy with out including numerous weight to the iPad. Plus, the sting safety is substantial, so that you gained’t have to fret about harm from the inevitable, unintentional 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 Professionals. Symmetry Sequence 360 instances 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 price it if you’d like an amazing steadiness of safety and magnificence.
Talking of cheaper iPad instances that refill Amazon’s search consequence pages, some which are truly worthwhile are from Moko and ProCase. When you like the feel and appear 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 type at a fraction of the price of the first-party choice. — 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 excellent. 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, but it surely’s fairly simple to modify to the clamp due to the included directions and fundamental instruments within the field. When you spring for the latest model, it’ll be even simpler due to a brand new quick-switch tab that allows you to swap between the weighted base and the clamp attachment with any additional instruments.
It wasn’t arduous to safe my 11-inch iPad Professional within the vice-grip that’s the HoverBar Duo’s pill clip, though it did take some pressure to maneuver the arm into the suitable place. That’s most likely for one of the best 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 screen whereas working. The included clamp ought to match most desks and tables too, as it will possibly accommodate floor thickness from 0.4 inch to 1.4 inches.
When you’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 manufactured 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 means of. The ledge can be large sufficient to accommodate most iPad instances. It will not be foldable or adjustable, however its minimalist design will make it a beautiful addition to your desk. — V.P.
Probably the greatest 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 nicely with it. It combines numerous 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 attributable to its prime bar, plus comfy backlit keys which are a dream to kind on. The backlight is one among my favourite options as a result of it mechanically comes on when it senses your arms getting near the keyboard. That manner 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, but it surely’s one which might be each your iPad keyboard and your primary desk typing system. It could hook up with as much as three units 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’d like an iPad keyboard that’s much more reasonably priced, and even thinner, we nonetheless just like the Logitech Keys to Go, which we’ve really helpful prior to now and you’ll often discover for between $50 and $70. — V.P.
When you actually wish to indulge, Apple’s personal Magic Keyboard is the way in which to go. This costly keyboard case magnetically attaches to the most recent iPad Professionals 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 is not any object — or if you’d like probably the most fashionable iPad keyboard cash can purchase. — V.P.
This seemingly gained’t come as a shock, however the Apple Pencil Pro is one of the best stylus you will 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 art work. Plus, it nonetheless helps wi-fi charging while you snap it magnetically to the aspect of your pill. I extremely suggest shelling out the extra cash for an Apple Pencil in case you’re an artist — you gained’t be upset. — V.P.
There are different choices which are 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 at all times 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 strain sensitivity when utilizing the Crayon.
Apart from that, the opposite greatest annoyance is that you need to use a Lightning or USB-C cable to cost it. (Even the latest mannequin for the iPad Professionals doesn’t magnetically connect to the pill for charging.) Whereas I wouldn’t recommend the Crayon for severe artists, I’d suggest it for anybody who’s on a strict funds, particularly digital journal-keepers, dedicated note-takers and the like. — V.P.
We known as Logitech’s MX Anywhere 3S a “nearly ideal travel mouse.” It’s gentle 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 Wherever 3S is constructed from between 61 and 78 % post-consumer recycled plastic. And the rechargeable battery lasts round 70 days on a cost. This era doesn’t embrace a USB dongle (which wouldn’t work together 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 method 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 seems to be a bit of 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 totally different angles, together with a forward-leaning one which’s notably good for mendacity down. It’s a bit of cumbersome, so I curl up the legs and retailer it underneath my sofa. The slots and securing clip carry out greatest in case your system is bare, although I’ve been in a position to make use of it with a Smart Folio connected with little problem. — A.S.
When you 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 greatest with the iPad Professionals — there’s no MFi certification for equipment like this but. Some hubs particularly promote that they work with the latest iPad Professionals, and if you wish to be additional secure, 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 favored 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 the entire essential 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. (When you’re utilizing it as a laptop computer substitute, it’s well worth the funding.) When you’d moderately spend much less, or simply need one thing a bit extra light-weight, Anker’s 7-in-1 USB-C hub is an effective selection. It has most ports that you may 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 gives as much as 85W of pass-through charging, which suggests you possibly can 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 that does have that coveted Ethernet port, but it surely’s arduous 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 units’ packing containers, so it’s price selecting up a pair that may deal with charging a few items of tech as shortly as potential. Anker’s 45W Nano II GaN adapter is an effective one as a result of it will possibly fast-charge iPhones and iPads, plus the gallium nitride technology constructed into it helps stop overheating. In only a half hour of charging, I received a few 33 % increase in battery life on my 11-inch iPad Professional when utilizing this accent. Gallium nitride can be an enormous cause why the 45W adapter is smaller than numerous 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 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 de facto overkill in case 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 underneath two hours — and it nonetheless had sufficient juice leftover to present 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 wish to rise up to revive its dying battery. — A.S.
Paper-feel display screen protectors
When you’re a heavy person of the Apple Pencil or another stylus, it is best to contemplate getting a display screen protector in your new iPad. They pull double-duty: Not solely do they act as a primary line of protection in case your iPad goes careening onto concrete, however they will additionally improve the digital drawing and writing expertise. Utilizing a stylus on an iPad is unusual at first as a result of gliding the stylus nib over a glass floor feels nothing like “regular” writing. Matte display screen protectors can get nearer to replicating the pen-on-paper expertise, they usually additionally stop the stylus nib from carrying down as shortly.
Paperlike is the preferred 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 scale of your iPad. For one thing a bit of cheaper, Bersem’s screen protectors are an amazing worth at $11 for a pack of two. Not solely does the matte end assist while you’re drawing or taking digital notes, but it surely additionally reduces display screen glare and doesn’t intervene with FaceID on the latest iPads. — A.S.
Bellemond’s “Kent Paper” overlay has probably 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 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 possibly can revert to a unadorned display screen for some time then return to the paper-feel down the street. When you’d like a bit of 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 utility. It’s additionally constructed from a polymer designed to soak up and shield your display screen from influence. — A.S.
All paper-feel protectors impart a slight blur, which is why magnetic covers that you could reposition make stable options. They provide texture while you’re drawing or writing, however you possibly can take away them simply while you wish to watch Star Trek with full readability. The PenMat from PenTips makes use of skinny magnets alongside the perimeters to affix the movie to your display screen and comes with a plastic sleeve to retailer the quilt while 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 lovely, velvety texture. I did discover a couple of faint squeaks when drawing with the Pencil, which didn’t hassle me however would possibly bug those that are delicate to sounds. — A.S.