All posts

CoverBuddy for iPad Pro | Works with iPad Magic Keyboard and Smart Folio

7:08 video

The iPad Pro became a true productivity contender with the iPad Magic Keyboard, but one complaint is that when you detach it to use as a tablet, it’s unprotected from hard surfaces, debris and drops. Can the CoverBuddy solve that? (At the end of the video I gave this one away; that giveaway ended in September 2020.)

I found it a few weeks earlier when someone asked on the channel how to protect the iPad when you sometimes use it as a tablet: a quick Amazon search led me to the CoverBuddy, a case for the iPad Pro that works with the Magic Keyboard, Smart Keyboard and Smart Folio. You don’t need to remove it to connect it to a keyboard case.

What it is

An approximately 1 mm thin plastic shell that snaps onto the iPad Pro, with a thin microfiber layer inside to protect the back, a spot for the Apple Pencil at the top, and cutouts for ports, mics and speakers. Gold-colored pins pass through the Smart Connector, so you don’t lose keyboard function. It sits between the keyboard case and the iPad, so you can dock when needed and pull it off and walk away when not.

Installing is as expected: line up the camera side, then snap in all four sides. It feels slim and light, and I feel OK putting it on a desk or table without worrying about scratches or dirt. The edges match the iPad’s, and the cutouts look precise.

Protection

Because it’s so slim, I don’t think it protects from a drop in any way: it should protect against scratches on a table (back and sides), but I wouldn’t trust it in a fall at all. There’s a good chunk of uncovered space on the back, which may concern some people looking for full coverage, probably needed to fit in the Magic Keyboard when closed. Magnets inside keep it snug to the keyboard case. It doesn’t look bad docked to the Magic Keyboard; the thing that stands out is the Apple Pencil holder.

The Pencil holder

The Pencil snaps in and connects via the magnets at the top of the iPad as expected. The cutout gives it a little more security from being knocked off in a bag or while walking. A little finger hole on the back is for pushing the Pencil out, but it’s not as easy as you’d expect.

Buttons and weight

The cutouts around speakers, mics and buttons are very precise, maybe too precise around the buttons, especially volume: I don’t have big hands and I struggle to change the volume. It can be done, but I have to think about it (use the side of my finger or fingernail upside down).

The case itself is barely noticeable on the iPad Pro, but added to the already heavy Magic Keyboard, you can feel the difference. It’s not like adding the Magic Keyboard to the iPad, but many people complained about the keyboard’s weight and won’t be happy about more.

Worth $40?

Not for me. I leave my iPad on the Magic Keyboard 95% of the time, and when I use it as a tablet, I’m at home and unconsciously careful where I put it. For some, the extra Pencil storage may be useful; I’m not a big Pencil user and mine lives in a pen slot in my laptop bag. If you find the features beneficial, the weight isn’t a big deal, but I see no benefit for me. If the CoverBuddy isn’t for you either, I installed a skin on my Magic Keyboard and loved my SopiGuard skin: see my video on that.

Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a small commission. See my ethics statement.

Watch on YouTube

Keep reading

Related posts