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Is the smart case worth the money?

A

Applefanbuoy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 28, 2011
2
0
So to those who bought a smartcase.
Is it worth the money?

I don't usually buy cases from Apple as I feel they are way over-priced for what they are with much cheaper alternatives available out there.

But I like the magnetic connection of the smart case and the way it wakes/sleeps the iPad, not to mention how it doubles up as a stand.

So even though it does have a few features, do you guys reckon its worth buying one now or waiting for a cheap replica to surface?

I only like the leather case colours and they cost £59!!! And am still in two minds as to whether to buy one or not.
 
There are 3rd party cases that have similar features. It is a very cool concept but for what you are getting it is quite expensive.
 
I'd say no. If I'm going to spend that kind of money on a case I'd like it to protect the back also. I wish they would have just updated the original case for iPad 2.
 
Shasta McNasty said:
I'd say no. If I'm going to spend that kind of money on a case I'd like it to protect the back also. I wish they would have just updated the original case for iPad 2.
Click to expand...

Just slap a sheet of transparent protection on the back and you're good to go. True, it won't do much if you drop your iPad. But then again, I'm pretty careful with my electronics. It's not like I get a hard case for stuff like my MBA, which is also susceptible to drops.

Shasta, just curious, what sort of liability are you shielding yourself from with that disclaimer in your signature? lol
 
I used my for the full 14 days then returned it. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED it, but I couldn't justify $75 (with tax) for a case that didn't really even protect it that well.
 
It's absolutely worth it, at least in polyurethane. It's a great design and works perfectly. My only gripe is that the polyurethane colors are so craptastic. And $69 for leather strains credibility.

If you like the idea but don't want to spend the money, just wait for the clones, of which I'm sure there will be many.
 
Its really nice but not worth the money. I got a blue one just because I had $40 left on a gift card and don't see myself buying anything from apple soon. I like how it looks on my iPad but it doesn't offer any real protection in my backpack, its way overpriced ($20 would of been a great price point), and the quality is so-so at best.
 
I find it hard to justify considering;
a) How tough the screen allegedly is.
b) How scratch/dent prone the back is.

I picked up a cheap leather smart cover from Tesco, but even at £35 I'm kinda wondering if it's anything more then a nice novelty.
 
I think there'll be more buyer's remorse about the Smart Covers than anything else this year. It's a clever concept but - like the Apple cover from last year - other companies will soon come out with cheaper and/or better alternatives.
 
Not worth the $$ IMHO, I got a yoobao for the same price and I'm very satisfied. Offers wayyyy more protection.
 
Got a black leather one that I shined up and antiqued a bit using my shoe shine kit. Need to return a red one....

The instant on feature is something that really grows on you. After a couple of days of using that, I found the push and swipe method of turning on to be a bit annoying.

Overpriced? Yes, but it's from Apple, what did you expect? It's also the only game in town until the case manufacturers catch up with the design. I've got ghost armor installed on the front and back, and these two generally provide enough protection for me while maximizing its sleek design. I also slightly modded a zaggmate original case design to halfway hold my v2 in place with the smart case instead of toting an apple BT keyboard.
 
Personally I don't feel like setting the iPad on its face would work very well. Seems like it would be counter intuitive, hard to pick up, and not easily usable especially if you have it in a stand. I would end up laying it on it's back anyway, and then i'd have to pay extra for protection there as well.

I think i'll either get a case similar to the 1st gen iPad's Apple one (as in simple and slim), hopefully one that uses magnets so it turns it on/off and stays shut better, or just a back piece like the Zagg Leatherskin or whatever.
 
I went to a shop to compare them, and came to the conclusion: "No".

It's a pretty cool design. But it's flawed, not great quality, and offers minimal pretection.

The screen is pretty tough, and unless you drop it (or hit it with something) it's not likely to get damaged. That's the only bit the cover protects, and it's a very thin and limited protection at that. There's nothing on the sides + corners if you drop it.

The back on the other hand, is going to get wrecked. Put it down on a tiny bit of gritty dust and move it slightly, and you'll have a scratch. Hold it with a ring on your finger, it'll be scratched. It'll get scratched up if you look after it really well in other words. If you don't want that, you need a different case, or a smart cover with something else on the back.

Also, the way it rolls up.. you end up with the soft fibre part that's supposed to protect the screen resting on the table where it'll pick up dust and grit. And then transfer it onto the screen! You can roll it the opposite way to avoid that, but it's more awkward.

And when it's open and you're just holding it.. it doesn't stick to the back, it just flaps around.

I'm sure there'll be lots of cases soon that are just as cool but fix all these shortcomings :) In the meantime I bought a targus case - it's decently protective, works well as a stand, and is decent quality. But it doesn't have any magnets, and it's slightly fiddly to open as a stand. I'd give it 6/10 (the smart cover would probably get 3-4/10).
 
I guess I'm in the minority, but I like mine. It snaps on with no effort, looks nice, and stays on even when I slide it into my bag. I've ordered a skin from decalgirl to protect the back from sratches. I wasnt sure about the smart cover at first, but I'm glad I got it.
 
In the accessories thread, a guy posted how he made a $7.00 neoprene case smart cover friendly with a exacto knife and five minutes time. Have to admit it's a nifty little solution that adds back protection with little weight or bulk for not much more cash.
 
I have a leather smart cover which i really do love but i really dont think it was worth the price. Oh well i always have buyers remorse when i make a big purchase, ill get over it. Anyway its a really cool feature and if you have the money go get one and try it out, its not for everyone.
 
I don't own one, but have played w/ one. They are 100% worth the money if you want an ultralight, portable stand. However, it's not a case and 100% not worth the money if your motivation to buy is protection. A $3 screen protector will do that and it's even lighter.
 
I have a black iPad 2 and a gray poly smart cover, and I love it. The instant on feature is great, and the new cover is much more stable in the upright landscape mode compared to last year's case.

I did order the SmartFit2 case to protect the back, though. All in all, I have no regrets about the cover or they color/type.

Black IPad + Gray Poly smart cover = EPIC WIN.
 
What is the "smart case"? Are you talking about the Smart Cover? If you even begin to think of it as a "case" you'll be disappointed, because it simply isn't a case.

Worth is a relative thing and is 100% up to you to decide. I'd rather the smart cover be priced lower, but it with a skin on the back is a pretty elegant solution. I don't need a bunch of protection; I'm not clumsy, I pay attention to where I set stuff down, and I don't have small children wanting to play with expensive electronics. If I did, then perhaps I'd want some thick/cushy case -- which the smart cover isn't.
 
It's sole purpose which is a big win, is to fatten up Apples revenue. As a case, it's the typical Apple Hype at it's finest. I wouldn't ever buy one.
 
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