IT

7 Accessories to Turn Your iPad into a Productivity Powerhouse

Author: Harry Guinness / Source: reviewgeek.com

While iPads are still a way off replacing computers for everyone, they are incredibly capable devices. With the right accessories, you can turn them into a really powerful part of your workflow. Here’s our favorite picks for enhanced productivity.

Before we dive into the accessories, first a strong recommendation: If you want to be really productive on an iPad, you should consider investing in an iPad Pro if you’re serious about using an iPad as a laptop replacement or powerful computer supplement—the extra power and features make it more capable as a stand alone device and the awesome screen complements any workflow.

On the other hand, if you’re on a budget, the new iPad, at $329, is great and very reasonably priced. Whichever model you’re using—I still sometimes use my practically ancient iPad Mini 2—there are ways to turn it into a productivity powerhouse.

Apple Smart Keyboard

If you plan to do any amount of typing, the touchscreen keyboard built into iOS just isn’t going to cut it. It’s fine for short messages and the like, but not for any real writing. The best keyboard case going is Apple’s own model for the iPad Pro. It’s super slim, and while the keys aren’t as nice as you find on a dedicated bluetooth keyboard, they’re still a pleasure to use.

There are two sizes: one for the 10.5 inch Pro at $159 and one for the 12.9 inch Pro at $169. Apple doesn’t make a Smart Keyboard for any other model of iPad but other manufacturers do. For example, check out the $99.95 Slim Folio Case from Logitech for the iPad.

Apple Pencil

The Apple Pencil is an essential iPad accessory if you want to do anything artistic like editing photos or drawing digital art. At $99, it’s one of the most expensive iPad styluses but it justifies its price with one feature no other stylus can match: iOS is designed to work with it.

This means things like pressure sensitivity work great and there is almost no lag between your input and whatever you’re drawing appearing on the screen.

The Apple Pencil works with both Pro models as well as the 2018 iPad model.