The iPad is the most popular tablet in the world — by a long shot. And in 2022, Apple makes five different models. There's the entry-level 10.2-inch iPad, brand new 10.9-inch iPad, the compact iPad mini, the midrange iPad Air and the most advanced iPad Pro. No matter which model you buy, you're going to want to buy a case for protection. Or to give it a keyboard so you can use it like a laptop.
Here are some of our top picks for the best iPad cases you can buy in 2022.
iPad Model: Apple makes quite a few different iPads and they are all different sizes and shapes. You want to make sure that you get a case for the specific model you have other it won't fit.
Type of case: There are four main types of cases that you can get for your iPad. A "cover" just covers the screen of your iPad and not the back. A "folio" covers both the front and back of the iPad and typically can be folded into a kickstand. A "keyboard" is typically a type of folio that also comes with an attachable keyboard. And lastly there's simply the "protective case" which adds ruggedness and drop protection.
Screen protection: Most iPad cases do not have "full" screen protection, meaning they only protect your screen from drops and scratches. A folio case, for example, only protects the screen when you're carrying it but not when you're using the iPad. For such cases, you might want to consider buying a separate screen protector to guide against scratches.
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Tucker Bowe
We get hands-on with every model of iPad, ranging from the entry-level iPad all the way up to the Pros, and we test them with a wide range of cases — but not all of them because there are so many. The below selections of iPad cases are a combination of products that we've had hands-on experience with as well as products that are made by brands that trusted within the accessory space.
The Best Cases for the 10.2-Inch iPad (9th Generation)
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Released in the fall of 2021, the 10.2-inch iPad is the most entry-level tablet that Apple makes — and it's by far its most popular. It's the only current iPad that still has an actual Home button (with Touch ID) and charges via Lightning (instead of USB-C).
The Best Cases for the 10.9-Inch iPad (10th generation)
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The 10.9-inch iPad is Apple's brand-new "entry-level" iPad for 2022. It adopts a similar design as the higher-end iPad Air and iPad Pro — it has a fuller display with no Home button, squared-off edges, a USB-C charging port and Touch ID integrated into its side power button — but is still only compatible with the first-generation Apple Pencil.
The iPad mini is effectively a shrunk-down version of the iPad Air. It has Touch ID integrated into the power button, supports the newest Apple Pencil and has a USB-C port for fast-charging and fast data transfer.
The iPad Pro is the most advanced tablet that Apple makes. When shopping for a case, the thing to keep in mind is that Apple sells two different sizes, 12.9-inch and 11-inch models, and cases are not cross-compatible. The 6th and 5th generation iPad Pros are identical in size, although the newest models have the M2 chip instead of last year's M1.
Apple sells the 11-inch iPad Pro and 12.9-inch iPad Pro starting at $799 and $1,099, respectively.
Released in early 2022, the iPad Air (5th generation) is Apple's midrange tablet that shares many of the same abilities as the high-end iPad Pro. It even has Apple's latest M1 chipset.
Apple sells the iPad Air (5th generation) starting at $599.
