When I first bought my iPad Pro back in 2018, I knew I was going to have to buy some accessories to go along with it.
Over the years, I have bought lots and lots of different products for it, but in this post, I want to outline for you the ones I recommend you getting yourself. So if you have an iPad, or are looking to buy one and don’t know what you all need, this blog post is for you!
Also, if you have any questions for me, please reach out! I’m always here to help :)
Anyways, let’s move on to the first product I recommend you buying which is the Apple Pencil, and which Apple Pencils I don’t recommend you getting.
First, get the Apple Pencil
Now, as of writing this blog which is in the beginning of 2024, the new iPads have not came out yet. There are rumors that Apple will be launching their new line of iPads here in Q1 of 2024, but rumors are rumors until Apple actually comes out and makes the official announcement. I just want to add this note in here that new iPads might mean you should get the newest 3rd gen Apple Pencil.
But, as of now, I recommend getting the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil.
There’s the first generation which is the one you have to plug into the bottom of the old iPads to charge. I don’t recommend this one because of obvious reasons. There’s also the newest 3rd generation Apple Pencil, and honestly, I don’t think it’s worth the extra cost to buy the third one. Yes, maybe with new iPads it might make sense to get the newest Apple Pencil. But as of right now, I don’t see it.
I think the 2nd generation is-
Worth the money
The design is better than the 1st and 3rd (you can charge the 2nd on the iPad; the 3rd you can’t)
And the 3rd doesn’t provide anything special that makes me want to tell you to get it over the 2nd
Next we are going to go over the different case options you can choose from, and how to decide which case to buy.
Get Yourself A Case
Okay, I understand this one is obvious, you are going to want to get a case for your iPad. But there are lots to choose from when it comes to the different styles of cases. I recommend first deciding what kind of experience you looking to get out of your iPad.
Are you looking to type on it? Or just use it for drawing? Are you going to handhold it and carry it around? These are really important things to think about when deciding what case to get.
LOGITECH
The first option is the one pictured above which is made by Logitech. And as of writing this blog post, is on sale which is awesome! Here’s some details that I like-
It has a keyboard (which is really nice to type on), and is low profile.
The keyboard detaches (also folds onto the back of the iPad if you want to keep it connected to the case), also you can just detach the keyboard and not take it with you so it acts as a stand alone case.
The material feels great; it’s soft but sturdy, doesn’t get dirty, and is generally light weight.
Protects the edges and has a raised edge so the glass isn’t resting on your desk.
I will use this case when I leave my office, and take my iPad to a coffee shop for example. I typically within my office will use my computer keyboard which can toggle between my Mac and iPad and phone. I will leave this link right here if you want to check it out, this is a perfect keyboard option if you are looking for a full size keyboard which also holds your iPad. It’s really comfortable to type on, and also has a matching mouse. This one has a ball scroll on it so it takes some getting used to. If you are looking for a more traditional set up for your iPad, I recommend this keyboard and mouse combo.
This is a great lightweight slim option.
Provides the most basic protection (doesn’t protect it from falls and drops).
This is a great handheld option (editing images, painting in Procreate, things like that).
I will use this only when I need to take up the least amount of space possible, and still want to cover my screen and make sure my whole iPad is protected from scratches. This wont help your iPad out if it falls or you drop it, so be really careful when using this case. Also, the iPad magnetically snaps to the back of the case, and I have never had an issue with it falling out or anything like that. It’s secured in pretty well.
Protects from minor scratches and bumps
Great for hand holding your iPad
Editing images, drawing, reading
This is another professional simple case that offers medium protection for your iPad. This one is another option I will use if I want to hand hold my iPad, and just make sure I have some sort of protection on it. So if I’m editing images, and want to protect my iPad, but use something light weight I will use this one. If I’m not taking my iPad anywhere and don’t have to worry about the screen I will use this case.
Accessories You Will Want To Buy
There are a few things I recommend you getting in order to make your iPad experience the best one possible. So I’m going to quickly outline them here-
If you are using your iPad for anything in the art department, get a matte screen protector. I promise you this is a game changer when using this device.
I have something to confess- when I first bought my iPad, I hated using it. I didn't use it for a while there, but once I put a screen protector on it, game changer. It completely 180 my iPad experience. It made looking at it, drawing, editing, writing; everything on it so much better. So I 100% recommend getting one.
Personally for me, I started with the PaperLike screen protector because everyone and their mother has one, but since switched over to Bersem, and have been liking it just the same as the PaperLike. Nothing against PaperLike, I just wanted to try this different brand, and see if I liked them or not. So I would recommend both to you.
It took me 5 years to understand the importance of this one, but I learned really quickly I was not happy waiting the 2 days to get replacement tips from Amazon. I know that sounds dramatic, but really. It was a huge deal for me to not be able to use my Apple Pencil during that time. I didn't realize how important the Pencil was in my editing process until that day. That fateful day where I dropped my Pencil right on the tip and “broke it.”
So get extra tips to have on hand in the event that this happens to you.
Also, they have different types of tips like the metal ones- these are really really nice for precision work like drawing or painting or editing images. They will scratch up your screen protector very quickly. So you will need to replace your screen protector more often than you would using the plastic white ones. But the metal ones do make for a really nice writing experience on the iPad. Also something to note, most of these screen protectors come in packs of 2 so you can change yours out once it get scratched up a bit.
So one big flaw… which I don't think it’s so much a flaw but a pain point with all iPads is you can’t connect multiple devices into it. You have exactly one port haha
To make the most of it, get a hub that allows you to connect your power, USB’s, headphones, SD cards, and micro HDMI into the thing. Get one that has it all so you don’t have to buy multiple ones. This is the one I bought, and have been using it for years, and have 0 complaints. It’s great, and gets the job done, or jobs done really.
I found having a pencil grip really helps to improve the writing and editing experience on your iPad. I have really big bubbly hand writing, and with a small Pencil… it’s hard to control it and make my handwriting look good. So I found using a grip really helps with this.
I also since bought a skin for my Pencil- I think I bought that around when I dropped it for the first time haha, but I just wanted the additional protection on it in case I dropped it again (which I can confirm, yes, yes I have dropped it).
The last accessory I want to quickly go over is this stand. This is great when you want to get your iPad up off your desk, and at eye level. I will also sit on my couch with this base between my legs and my thighs will rest on the top of the base keeping it in place. I know it’s hard to explain, so I did show this in this video if you want to go check it out. I talk about a lot of these products in it and a few other ones too.
Thank you for reading this far!!!
I tried my best to link everything within this article, and give you the resources to give you options when it comes to buying your iPad accessories, but if you have any questions for me, please just let me know!
xo, Jen
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