The 10.5-inch iPad Pro has nearly a whole inch more of screen real-estate over its predecessor, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, but without increasing the size more than 13 %. It's the best in its class in terms of performance, and if you're anything like me, you were in love before Apple finished the word "ProMotion." But you can't stop at just the tablet. One of the fun bits of getting a new iPad is getting the cool accessories to go along with it. Here are our favorite accessories for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro.
Apple Pencil
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The Apple Pencil ($99) is a must-have for any iPad Pro owner. I mean, if you aren't going to get an Apple Pencil, why are you even getting an iPad Pro (not really, though - the iPad Pro is pretty awesome, even without an Apple Pencil)? It's got palm rejection, pressure recognition, and a lot more. Apple has also added Apple Pencil-specific features to iOS 11, making the fancy-pants stylus even more worth investing in.
Apple Pencil: The Ultimate Guide
Apple Pencil Case
Oh yeah, that's right. You can now get a sexy leather slip case for your Apple Pencil for only $29. If you don't plan on getting a case for your iPad Pro that comes with an Apple Pencil holder, I highly suggest this as an alternative. It's made from a nice thick polished leather that is sturdy, but flexible. You just slip your Apple Pencil right into it, like it's a little baby in a bassinet. It comes in saddle brown, taupe, midnight blue, and black.
AirPods
Sure, the speakers on the iPad Pro kick ass, but you're not always going to be able to turn it up to 11 while listening to tunes. For those occasions when you have to keep your audio intimate, the $159 AirPods are your friend. Daring Fireball's John Gruber literally told Craig Federighi and Phil Schiller, to their faces, that AirPods are his favorite headphones ever. I can personally attest to the improved comfort (over the EarPods) and overall excellent experience of using AirPods. They're totally worth it.
Of course, if you really don't want AirPods, you can always take a look at some other great Bluetooth headphones.
Apple Smart Keyboard
Though it's smaller than a laptop, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro is big enough and powerful enough to be your productivity device when you're on the go, at which point you'll really want a dedicated keyboard so you don't have to tap away at the screen all day. Apple's Smart Keyboard ($159) is, well, the smartest keyboard for the iPad Pro. When you're not using it, it folds over nicely into an attractive, but slim, case. Now that the iPad Pro is slightly (very slightly) longer, the Smart Keyboard is almost exactly the same size as the Magic Keyboard. More room, more comfort.
If you're not sold on the Smart Keyboard, you should check out Logitech's Slim Combo. It's rad!.
Logitech Slim Combo
If you're not a fan of the slightly mushy feel of Apple's Smart Keyboard, the Logitech Slim Combo is the next best thing. I swear by the company's near-perfect, chiclet style, clicky-clack tablet keyboard experience. Nothing compares to it, and I've tried a lot of them. While iMore Managing Editor Serenity Caldwell may not be completely won over by the Slim Combo, there's no denying that the keyboard itself is an experience all its own.
The keyboard itself is detachable and magnetically connected to the iPad Pro's Smart Connector. So you can easily remove it and just use the rest of the Slim as a protective case with a kickstand. It's not exactly lap-friendly, but it's perfect for watching movies or playing games with an MFi controller. It's versitile and looks really nice.
Logitech's Slim Combo comes in black or blue and costs $149.99.
Pad & Quill Cascade
Of course, you're going to need a bag to carry all of your new gadgets and accessories in. Why not get the best-looking backpack to go with your best-looking iPad Pro. iMore Managing Editor, Serenity Caldwell, considers the $249 Cascade a piece of art for your stuff. It's made of canvas and leather and has lots and lots of pockets (my favorite thing in life). It comes in olive green with black leather, tan with chestnut leather, charcoal gray with chocolate leather, and charcoal gray with black leather.
If you're looking for something a little less bag-like and a little more sleeve-like, Apple has a leather sleeve for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro.
Affinity Photo
The newest line of iPad Pro — the 2017 lineup — is the most powerful yet. It is just shy of full computing power. As such, app developers are able to really push the boundaries of what's possible on a tablet and Affinity Photo is pushing hard. For $19.99, it's a photo editing tool that is nearly identical to the desktop model, meaning you have all the power of the full-featured version in a smaller, more portable, package.
There are hundreds of top-of-the-line apps and games that you should get for your iPad Pro, but Affinity Photo shares its birthday with the 10.5-inch model and was created especially for it. If you're an artist or photographer, it will probably end up being your go-to mobile editing app.
Your favorites?
Have you already found the perfect accessory for your 10.5-inch iPad Pro? What did you get?
Updated September 2017: Added Logitech's Slim Combo to the list.
