A (small) selection of iPad Pro 2018 cases | iGeneration

If I say “case”, you will answer me “iPhone”. It is a fact, the market for protections for iPad Pro is less varied than that for cases and shells and folios and bumpers for iPhone. Which doesn't mean it's uninteresting: between the briefcase-style leather "folios" and indestructible plastic shells, products from unknown brands for less than €10 and those from Apple for more than €100 , there is a world.

Here is a (small) selection of cases for the 11-inch iPad Pro and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. With Apple only offering two cases, its own and Otterbox's, we've added some of the most popular protections on Amazon to our selection, for a total of seven products.

Some of these protections have clearly been designed on more or less unofficial plans, weeks before the presentation of the iPad Pro, so that they are present as quickly as possible on the shelves. The Ztotop leather case thus has a completely useless cutout for the Smart Connector, while the ESR shell does not have the cutout necessary for placing the Apple Pencil on the right edge (read iPad Pro 2018: beware of poorly adapted cases and protections).

If our selection is limited, it is because there are still few products truly designed for the new iPad Pro. Only the shell of Moko uses the hundred magnets distributed in the chassis – it is a true clone of the Apple Smart Folio. An imperfect clone: ​​despite its relatively high price, the shell of Moko seems to have fewer magnets than that of Apple, and holds slightly less well in place.

While the Moko case only protects against scratches, and only on the faces, the Otterbox Symmetry 360 case is all-around protection. So complete that a magnetic flap even prevents the Apple Pencil from accidentally falling out, an element that is as practical (for those who often go out and store their iPad Pro in a backpack, hanging the Pencil in passing) as it is annoying ( this secondary flap slows down the opening of the main flap).

The only third-party case distributed by Apple, it is also the only case that properly protects the screen in the event of a frontal fall, with its thick and high edges. These first two shells therefore clearly stand out from the pack, while the other four adopt a more classic construction – and are much less expensive. Ztotop's leather case can pass for a low-cost version of Noreve's creations.

Its three vertical positions, which provide a little flexibility for use at the desk, and its handle, which provides a little security for standing use, are its only interests. It does not offer any horizontal position, the flap housing will hardly accommodate more than a sheet folded in half, the loop for the Pencil is useless, and it significantly weighs down the iPad Pro.

The JETech case — the cheapest of the lot — partially covers the edges, while the ESR case covers them completely, at the expense of Apple Pencil compatibility. At full pricier, the Infiland one gives a better overall impression. Its flap stays in place, unlike that of the JETech case, which often sags when struck, and its materials seem of better quality.

Should we still be talking about Apple's Smart Folio? Yes, but only to criticize its price. All 12.9-inch iPad Pro cases are more expensive than 11-inch iPad cases, which seems consistent, but by “only” 16% on average in our selection. Apple, she claims 33% more! Mind you, it could have been worse: after all, the surface area of ​​the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is 37% larger than that of the 11-inch iPad Pro…