Everyone knows Apple is an expensive brand. Apple haters use the resounding argument that Apple products are overpriced and that there are much better options available elsewhere. Although, I agree with these people that it sucks to pay the Apple premium, I still buy Apple products because I believe the company makes great products that focus on performance with a pleasing aesthetic design. This is why I dropped about $700 on an iPad Pro. Although having the iPad itself is more than adequate, you’re going to want to get some accessories to make the most out of your iPad. Official iPad accessories are expensive. If you don’t want feel like dropping an extra $300 dollars on iPad Pro accessories, here are some great third party options that won’t break the bank.
1. ProCase Smart Case Shell $15.99
This should be the first thing you buy when you get an iPad Pro. Protect your expensive investment. Don’t use the logic that “you’ll be careful”. You will drop your iPad at least one time. The ProCase Smart Case Shell is a third party alternative to Apple Silicone Case combined with the Apple Smart Cover. The official combo will set you back about $120. You’ll be saving over a $100 by getting the ProCase Smart Case Shell. This case has the auto wake and sleep feature that will help conserve battery on your iPad.
2. OMOTON Ultra-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard $14.99
Bluetooth keyboards work incredibly well with the iPad. I use my iPad to write articles for deTeched all the time using the WordPress app. It’s just as easy to write articles on my iPad than it is on my laptop. The Magic Keyboard is a whopping $99 on the Apple website. I’m sure you can find a better use for the extra $85 you’ll be saving by gettin the OMOTON Ultra-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard.
3. RAVPower 26800 Portable Battery $56.99
The iPad Pro boasts a pretty good battery life at 10 hours. However, if you’re on a road trip or without an outlet for an extended period of time, you’re going to want to invest in a portable battery. Don’t go buying the cheapest portable battery you can find. I would recommend getting a beefier portable battery like the RAVPower 26800 portable battery. This guy has enough juice to power an iPad up to 2.5 times. It also has three ports to simultaneously charge up to three devices at the same time. To see an indepth review of this portable battery, click here.
4. Comroll SD Card Reader $14.99
Social media has turned the average smartphone user into amateur models. Smartphone cameras are fantastic, but if you’re really trying to up your game, you’re most likely taking pictures with something like a Sony Alpha a6000. This useful accessory connects to the Lightning port of your iPad and will upload photos from your SD card without having to download another app. You can pick and choose your favorite photo to upload to Instagram to show all your friends how sick you are.
5. amFilm Glass Screen Protector $9.99
I take my iPad everywhere and carry it around in my backpack. Whether you realize it or not, little pieces of debris get into the laptop pocket of my backpack and has the potential to the beautiful iPad screen. The amFilm glass screen protector comes with two glass protectors that has a special oleophobic coating to reduce fingerprints and smudges.
6. Lamicall iPad Stand $18.99
Using iPad flat on the desk is so annoying and inconvenient. Unless you’re using a stylus to draw or write on the iPad, there is really no reason to not have it on a stand. The Lamicall adjustable iPad stand gives you a wide range of viewing angles to watch videos or have another screen for productivity purposes. You can use your iPad in portrait or landscape mode. There is a gap to allow you to charge your iPad while having it on the stand.
7. Screen Mom Screen Cleaner Kit $16.95
iPad screens are a magnet for fingerprints and smudges. Our fingers have a ton of oil that smear anytime you touch your iPad. The Screen Mom screen cleaner kit comes with a 16 oz. bottle that contains up to 1,572 sprays. It also comes with a microfiber cloth to prevent scratching when wiping your screen down. If you have kids, this is an absolute must because you can count on kids with grubby little hands to smear their dirty hands all over your iPad.
8. LapWorks Gripzilla Pro $44.95
Let’s face it. Grips for iPad look pretty dumb. However, they are incredibly useful for people who have small hands. It’s why the PopSocket is incredibly popular for smartphones. The Gripzilla Pro comes with an adjustable neoprene hand-holder to easily hold your iPad Pro up. It comes with a slot to hold your stylus. The swiveling hub can turn your iPad from portrait to landscape with ease and will double as a stand.
9. Ciscle Active Stylus $29.99
This is one of the hardest accessory to recommend. The reason is that the Apple Pen is incredible. The latency is non-existent and the fine tip point makes it really feel like you are writing with a pencil. The major problem is price. The Apple Pencil is $99. The Ciscle Active Stylus is a decent alternative to the Apple Pencil and will only set you back $30. The stylus features a fine point, which makes it easier to make precise drawings unlike the fat tip stylus.
10. MoKo Holder Case $9.99
The MoKo holder case is a great way to keep your iPad accessories organized. How many times have you opened up your backpack to look for your charging cable only to find a bird’s nest of cables. There are two mesh compartments dedicated to store your charging cables. A separate elastic strap will hold your Apple Pencil (or other stylus). The size is pretty similar to a pencil case that everyone had in grade school.
Although the iPad itself is expensive, you don’t have to break the bank for iPad accessories. Getting the official iPad accessories combined with an iPad Pro could run you over a $1000, which is in the premium laptop range. The iPad is a powerful tool that is capable of doing more than just watching Netflix and playing games. With the help of certain accessories, the iPad’s hardware is more than adequate to replace a laptop. It’s up Apple’s software to allow file management to be able to fully replace a laptop.