Apple’s latest generation of tablet computers are powerful and expensive. They can also be quite fragile. Functionally, they can do a lot of things. With the addition of the Magic Keyboard, Apple has offered a true alternative to the laptop.
This post will consider how to safely transport your fragile, expensive Apple tablet and the newest accessory in the ultimate iPad Pro Magic Keyboard case. While there are many case options for Apple tablets, very few address some of the fundamental needs of those customers using a 12.9-inch or 11-inch Pro model with the hinged keyboard cover.
Like the Smart keyboard cover before it, the Magic model offers no corner or edge protection. The aluminum and glass edges of the tablet start exactly where the plastic of the keyboard does. This does not inspire confidence especially when you need to transport your setup from one place to another.
Making the Case for a Magic Keyboard Case
Language is an interesting thing. Words all have meaning but the same word can have a different meaning depending on who you ask. Words have context. For many years, a MacBook Pro case was something that you put your Apple laptop in to store or transport it. It was usually made from some kind of fabric that was cut and sewn together. There was usually a handle and maybe a shoulder strap.
For many younger people, a MacBook Pro case is a molded, polycarbonate plastic shell that you clip to the exterior surface of your Apple laptop. Then you wait for it to abrade the temperamental surface of your $2500 laptop away, collect dust and dirt, trap heat and ruin the hinge of your screen all in the name of protecting your investment.
The same type of “what do they mean by case” questions arise when discussing a Magic Keyboard case. Let’s state the obvious and get it out of the way: Apple’s trick, hinged keyboard that allows your tablet to appear to float in the space in front of you as you type, is in itself, its own case.
Or is it a cover?
Starting to see the problem?
It covers the front and back completely with the cylindrical hinge running along what could be called the “binding” edge. The problem is it’s not very protective. While it works very well, it’s just not that pretty to look at or hold in your hand. After a few days of interacting with it, people start to look around for something to cover their cover.
So whether you call it a case or whether you call it a cover, Apple’s $350 accessory does provide some protection for your tablet in the same way that a traditional minimal iPad case or cover does. Some people would define a tablet case as something that holds the device in place while you’re using it or something that you slide the device into when you’re done using it as a sleeve.
iPad Pro Magic Keyboard Cover?
At MacCase, we’ve been down this path before. Or, as some folks might like to say, this is not our first keyboard cover, case, sleeve rodeo. We make some excellent iPad Pro keyboard covers for the 12.9-inch Apple tablet and some folio-style cases compatible with smart keyboards.
With the release of the 2020 4th generation 12.9 and 2nd generation 11-inch Pro models, we started to see a change in the direction of what people were looking for in a “keyboard case” if they were using the Magic version. “Do you have a place I can put this, do you have a place I can put that”, the questions were asked.
We started to inquire about what people were looking for when working with a 12.9-inch Pro and the hinged keyboard model. We learned quite a few things. One is that most people who purchase the Magic keyboard over the Smart keyboard are doing so because they are much more serious about what they are doing.
They have the means and are using the Magic version as a means to an end. It’s going to help them do what they do better, more efficiently, etc. College professors, writers, and other professionals who spend a lot of time typing were in love with the overall lightweight package the newer setup offered. They were just not in love with the stress of moving it around.
Moreover, many of these power users needed to safely move more than just their Apple tablet. Many of them need additional storage space beyond even what our Magnetic Accessory System can provide. They need to store and transport items more associated with the capacities of a traditional briefcase.
(If you have a different reason, please leave it in the comments below. Or, if you are interested in just a Magic Keyboard cover, let us know that as well in the comments section below.)
So we have an affluent customer looking to protect and transport nearly $2000 worth of hardware and accessories. This called for something a bit more substantial than just a Magic Keyboard cover.
The Ultimate iPad Pro Magic Keyboard Case
What if you could have the security and functionality of a briefcase combined with the elegance and minimal bulk of a sleeve? This is the very question our designer asked himself when he sat down to design the MacCase Premium Leather iPad Pro Briefcase.
What if this case could hold your 12.9-Inch Pro like a Magic Keyboard sleeve with a snug fit that was easy to use yet highly protective? But unlike most or if not all sleeves, this case provided room for other items as well. Items you need to carry with you every day. It could be carried by a handle or worn like a cross-body bag similar to a messenger bag.
The overall aesthetic would need to be clean, professional, and timeless. The build quality would have to be world-class. This would be the ultimate iPad Pro Magic Keyboard case.
The key to the design is the overall width. This does several things at once. The case will never be or feel bulky. You just cannot load it up that much. At the same time, there are just enough storage pockets, compartments, and other places to put the things you need to use every day. You never feel without at the same time you never feel burdened.
This is a very hard balance to strike.
“As a designer, these are the challenges you live for”, explains MacCase Chief Creative Officer Michael Santoro. “We work very long hours to perfect these aspects of the design, to get that balance just right between enough storage and minimal bulk. Luckily, we have over 20 years of experience designing these types of products for Apple portables.”
“I speak to customers all the time. Many call looking for a cover for the Magic Keyboard. I explain the reality of spending more money on a “cover for a cover”. I’ll often mention our iPad Pro Briefcase as an alternative to the cover for a cover idea. Many are open to checking it out and quickly see the benefits of the design in meeting their needs.”
Of course, there seems to be an endless supply of cases and bags to throw your 12-inch iPad and keyboard into. Yes, these generic bags and cases might allow your tablet to rattle around or collide with other items you might be carrying. This is the price for purchasing a generic case or bag versus a custom-built Magic Keyboard bag.
Part Magic Keyboard Sleeve, Part Magic Keyboard Bag, All MacCase
Unlike a generic “one size fits all and good luck with that” type of case, this case is part Magic Keyboard sleeve and part Magic Keyboard bag. This is because of the custom nature of the fit. This case was not designed to hold your Apple tablet and your gym shoes or your 12.9-inch and your lunch. There are other bags available if that is what you want or need.
For your 12.9-inch Apple tablet, this case has the fit of a custom pair of shoes or a custom shirt. Like Goldilocks said, “It’s just right”. Getting your Apple tablet in and out of the case is simple and quick. The custom nature of the fit ensures this. The main compartment where the tablet lives is fully padded and lined. A perimeter bumper piping runs along the three outbound seams providing further protection.
That’s the sleeve part.
The bag part is provided by the handle and adjustable shoulder strap. There is a large pocket in the main flap where many people keep their phones, keys, and other items you need to get to quickly. Around back there is another large, full-width pocket that acts as an exterior security pocket. Nothing can be taken out until you want it to.
Under the main flap is an organizer that can hold your charger, cables, business cards, screen cleaning cloths, and other items. Lastly, a custom integrated pocket for the Apple Pencil is front the center providing the industry’s best place to store this accessory.
The iPad market is moving into its second decade. A lot has changed in 10 years. The wants and needs of customers are constantly in flux and constantly changing. One thing hasn’t changed though. MacCase’s commitment to producing the absolute highest quality designs and standing behind them if you ever have an issue.
You don’t get to exist for over 20 years if you’re doing something fundamentally wrong. You get rewarded if you’re doing something fundamentally right. We take great pride in the products we design and put into the world. We care about them and the people that use them and have been doing so since 1998.
If you are looking for just a Magic Keyboard cover, a wrap that would fit around the exterior of the Apple accessory, let us know below. If you’re looking for something more than that, give this case a long look. It has become one of our most popular times because it works with Apple’s keyboards so well. Some might even call it magic.
The MacCase Premium Leather iPad Pro Briefcase is available as part of our Custom Program. You can choose from nearly 470 possible build combinations to create the custom Magic Keyboard case of your dreams.
“As an iPad Pro Magic Keyboard case, this would be the ultimate…”
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• 8 Things to Consider When Shopping for an 11-inch iPad Pro Folio
• How to Buy the Best Quality iPad Pro Case
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