I reached out to Pitaka and asked if I could review their MagEZ Case Pro and Stand for my new iPad Pro and they responded with a UPS tracking number. To be frank, I didn’t know what to expect. Reviews on YouTube are glowing while the real world reviews on Reddit are mixed – with the most common complaint being that the case itself suffers from thin and brittle plastic that is prone to snapping.
I’ve now been using the combo for a couple of weeks and as a whole, it’s been a very positive experience. The first thing I’ve noticed is that my iPad battery is now almost always over 80% charged. The MagEZ stand acts like a dock and a dedicated spot for my iPad (and iPhone) when not in use. So, every time I put my iPad away, it’s charging without going through the hassle of finding the cable, plugging it in, etc…
On top of this, the dock scenario actually ads functionality to my desktop through screen mirroring and sidecar. Typically, I use it in “sidecar” mode and the iPad becomes a third monitor in my setup – a perfect place to keep my media player for distraction free work.
So this has been my day-to-day setup for the most part and like I’ve said, it’s been almost entirely positive. I am aware of the “brittle plastic” complaints and can see how it might be a problem if you are entirely careless with your iPad. But for me, it just hasn’t been an issue as of yet. The case itself is thin, light, out of my way, and just fine for my use case.
But there’s also another benefit that the MagEZ Case Pro offers. When paired with your iPad, you can still use the Apple Magic Keyboard. The case does not disturb the functionality of Apple’s overpriced unit at all AND it protects the side of the iPad that is otherwise left unprotected when mounted in the keyboard. Oh, and the Apple Pencil still mounts through the case securely and charges just fine. It’s a win/win from all sides.
So, all-in-all, what do I think? I think the Pitaka setup has added a lot of convenience to my setup. It streamlines my use in a way that I didn’t really imagine – keeping my iPad charged, protecting it, and actually adding functionality to my desktop setup. If you are an iPad power user, I highly recommend you give it a shot.
You can get the stand here and the case here.
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Future Improvements: This setup runs just under $200 and I think the price point is just fine given the benefits. I’m hoping Pitaka has enough demand to continuously improve the idea however, and feel the next generation could benefit from further durability. For example, a 100% carbon fiber case would solve the “brittle plastic problem” and take the aesthetic up a level. The stand itself? Man… I don’t know that I would touch it at all…
