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Leather or silicone Smart Cover?

Gibson88

Gibson88

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 25, 2006
958
147
United Kingdom
just wondering what people's past experiences are with smart covers.

I'm leaning towards getting a silicone grey cover but I just want to know how the silicone holds up over time.

Does anyone have any feedback or photos that could reassure me that they won't look terrible 6 weeks later?
 
As for their leather itself, my wife has the Air 2 leather case (not cover), and the leather appears great here in 2017. I believe it was purchased in early 2015. I am hoping the current leather covers have similar material quality.
 
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It was more to do with the, I guess you could call leather "hinge" wearing or ripping over time. It just looks so fragile.
 
I have the leather case for my iPad Air 2 for almost 2.5 years. Leather has started to separate at the corners of the cover. Still love the case though, bought another one on amazon to replace it. The leather hinge has been fine.
 
I have the midnight blue leather Smart Cover. Very nice but I see an issue in that the protruding camera is starting to mark the front of the case when it is folded back. Will have to see how the next few days go with it while it is still returnable. Shame.
 
Adamj53 said:
I have the midnight blue leather Smart Cover. Very nice but I see an issue in that the protruding camera is starting to mark the front of the case when it is folded back. Will have to see how the next few days go with it while it is still returnable. Shame.
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This issue can be resolved by having a back cover case installed so that the camera won't touch the front of the case. Since Apple doesn't make a back case anymore for the 2nd gen iPad Pro, the best bet is waiting for a 3rd party back case that is compatible with the Smart Cover.

The wait shouldn't be long. For example, I see Poetic Lumos for iPad Pro 10.5 is available on Amazon.ca and Amazon.com the end of June.

Also ESR (also on Amazon) has a similar clear back case for 10.5 IPP coming up soon.
 
Are the smart covers reversible? What I mean to ask is if you can turn it around when you fold it back so that the side that normally touches the screen will now touch the rear of the iPad. Do the magnets still hold it just as firm to the side of the iPad when you turn it around like that?
 
I have the product red smart cover on my ipad pro which is just over a year old. Other than a little smudging on the top edge its in great condition. I just wish they made one for the 10.5..
 
I have both materials on the Apple made covers for previous iPads before and with proper care, the polyurethane one (actually it is NOT made of silicone, unlike the discontinued iPad Pro case) seems to a bit easier to keep it in spot free condition.

However, if you apply leather coating like the ones for automobile (eg, tried the ones from Dr Beasley and CarPro,), the leather cover can be maintained in perfect condition with ease.

For look and feel, I also prefer leather. But generally speaking, polyurethane covers are easy to maintain. You just need a damp microfiber cloth and clean it regularly. Again, some good low sheen vinyl dressing further helps the situation.
 
I have had the leather Smart CASE (not cover) on my iPad Air 2 since day 1, and it still looks immaculate. No tearing, no separating, no issues.

I only wish they'd make one for the iPad Pro 10.5", but that's a discussion for another thread.
 
Anyone currently have both the leather and polyurethane smart covers for the new iPads? Thoughts on differences?
 
I have the Product Red Leather Smart Case I picked up in the Apple Store for my old iPad Air 1, and it's completely trashed. The corners have fallen apart, and the iPad regularly falls out of it.

It's bad enough that I won't buy another leather smart cover. Considering a last-gen iPad Pro polyurethane smart cover for my new 12.9 since I see them on clearance, and I doubt they're different than this new model.
 
willmtaylor said:
I have had the leather Smart CASE (not cover) on my iPad Air 2 since day 1, and it still looks immaculate. No tearing, no separating, no issues.

I only wish they'd make one for the iPad Pro 10.5", but that's a discussion for another thread.
Click to expand...

I had one for my Air 2, and now my son has it along with my Air 2 that I gave to him. It's still going and lasted very very well. The only thing I wished they did at the time was reduce the thickness of it. They made it the same thickness as the Air one, so the Air 2 "got lost" in it and the reduced thickness of the Air 2 was lost.
 
TorontoSS said:
Is there any difference in weight between both?
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I was wondering about that as well. I would thi I the leather version would weigh a bit more, the question is how signifanct. They are both expensive as it is but, $20 more for the leather I think is worth it.
 
gui0312 said:
I was wondering about that as well. I would thi I the leather version would weigh a bit more, the question is how signifanct. They are both expensive as it is but, $20 more for the leather I think is worth it.
Click to expand...

I have both now, and the leather is about 10 grams more. It's not significant. They both feel great. The leather feels nicer though.
 
Hanterdro said:
How much does the silicon 10.5 weight?
Click to expand...

I should caveat that I may have misspoken because this thread appears to be discussing the silicone back cover which was available for the 9.7 Pro. I was referring to the polyurethane Smart Cover and leather Smart Cover. The polyurethane one is about 96/97 grams and the leather about 106/107 grams. Both very light.
 
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I just bought a leather Smart Cover, the Saddle Brown one. Is it me, or does it look used? I got it from the Apple Store today, opened it at home. The cases/sleeves now don’t have a plastic seal, they just sort of pop open. Now the pictures don’t upload because I believe IOS 11’s different file name for pictures...
 
Its ok for me that leather looks used after a while, but it should not look used right from the start. Means, no when I bought my Smart Cover it did not look used, but after using it for two weeks now without handling it with care it does ;)

Still would go with leather, it just feels better then the silicone ones.
 
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