You’ve just treated yourself to an iPad Pro, and you’re looking forward to a good many months enjoying your new device. If you’ve got a 12.9, you can look forward to a premium display as well as some pretty keen processing power. But as you open that box and lift your new tablet out into the world, one thought is likely to be prominent in your mind: this beast needs some protection.
It’s time to go shopping for an iPad Pro 12.9 case. But what should you be looking at, and what do you need to know before you buy? Here’s a checklist to take with you shopping. We’ll go through each item in more detail below.
- Full 360-degree protection
- Shock/drop protection
- Minimal weight/bulk
- Airflow vents
- Wireless pencil charging capability
- Adjustable stand
- Automatic sleep/wake
Full 360 Degree Protection In An Ipad Pro 12.9 Case
Full 360-degree protection should be the first item on your must-have list when you go shopping for an iPad 12.9 cover. This isn’t a given. Some covers focus entirely on the aluminum back, protecting it from dents and scratches, while leaving the entire glass front unprotected. Others have a makeshift front cover but don’t provide full protection if your iPad is attacked from the side.
Shock/Drop Protection
Once you’ve checked that your cover offers full, 360-degree protection, you’ll want to do a little bit of digging into the quality of that protection. A thin velvet cover is just that: a thin velvet cover, and it won’t provide much padding in an emergency. The more protective covers these days typically design with military drop standards in mind: they teste to able to stand repeat drops from a significant height. The gold standard for shock protection in this arena is MIL-STD 810G 516.6; it means so that the device, in the protective cover, has been tested to be unharmed after 26 drops on each face, from a height of four feet, onto 2 inches of plywood with a concrete backing.
Minimal Weight/Bulk
Your iPad 12.9 isn’t light, and the case isn’t going to make it lighter. That said, you probably want to choose something that doesn’t make it feel like one of your geometry textbooks. Some of the extra-armored cases out there will give you a real workout when you’re just trying to read Facebook or watch a movie, so look for a case with minimum weight and bulk. For a 12.9 case, we recommend looking for something that weighs less than 1.2 pounds.
Air Flow Vents
Most of the time, you won’t be pushing your iPad to its full potential, and you wouldn’t expect to be generating much in the way of heat. If you’re an intense gamer or like to edit high-quality videos, though, you may push that processor a little more. Add in a hot climate, a hot car, or just a warm sunny day, and you really want your iPad to get maximum airflow.
Wireless Pencil Charging Capability
The new Apple Pencil charges wirelessly when placed alongside your iPad; an enormous improvement over the first-generation design. But what happens when you’ve got a protective iPad cover over your device?
Choose a cover that offers wireless pencil charging capability; a special slot in the case itself you can stick your pencil to get it charged. An iPad Pro 12.9 case with pencil holder should be designed to charge on the go. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself removing the cover every time you need to charge your pencil: not fun.
Adjustable Stand
I’ve got one sweet spot when it comes to movie watching, another preferred angle when using my iPad as a laptop substitute, and a third angle I like to use for social media. If your iPad cover doesn’t support your preferred angles, you’ll find it awkward and annoying to use. Choose a cover with as many angles as possible— the Zugu case is one of the more flexible in this regard and offers 10 possible angles (plus a portrait option).
Automatic Sleep/Wake
Not every iPad pro 12.9 leather case will be high-tech enough to offer automatic sleep/wake, but if your cover does, you’ll definitely appreciate it. It is almost always paired with magnetic covers, which means your case closes automatically when you flip the cover shut— a big help in keeping it protected on the go.
The Best Apple Ipad Pro 12.9 Case
Is there any case that ticks all the boxes? There is, and it’s a pretty good choice when it comes to a shockproof, protective cover for your new device. Zugu’s 12.9 iPad Pro case offers state-of-the-art, military-standard shock drop protection. It weighs only 1.1 pounds, and the sleek profile looks great in any professional or casual setting. Airflow vents are placed in all the best places, and the case offers great wireless pencil charging capability. It also has an adjustable (10-angle) stand, and the strong cover magnets enable automatic sleep-wake.
If there’s anything wrong with this case, it’s that it isn’t cheap. You can find a $10 Apple iPad Pro 12.9 case on Amazon, and buy two or three for the price of one Zugu case. But will they last, and will they actually protect your device? Unfortunately, the answer to both questions is no. Since you’ve splurged on the best iPad out there, you’ll want to get a quality case you can trust to protect your iPad. Something like the Zugu will cost you a little more upfront, but it’s definitely worth it in peace of mind— and in fewer repair/replacement bills in the future.
