iMore's authoritative guide to the very best cases and covers for the iPad

iMore's authoritative guide to the very best cases and covers for the iPad

Looking for a great case to protect your iPad investment? The new iPad is only slightly thicker than the iPad 2, and while come cases are custom made for one or the other, many now also fit both. But which of those cases are best for you and for your needs?

That's where iMore comes in! Here's your authoritative guide to the top iPad cases, be they hard cases, soft cases, books cases, charging cases, eclectic cases, and more!

Whether you're new to the iPad or just looking for a away to change up the old black and white base colors, check out the cases below. And as always, this is only the beginning. We'll be adding more categories and cases soon, so check back often!

Best Protective cases for iPad

Otterbox Defender for iPad

The Otterbox Defender is full plate armor for your iPad. With triple layer protection, it's the ultimate iPad case for those who need their iPads ruggedized for work, travel, or just for kids. It even comes with a shield-like front cover that can double as a typing or movie-watching stand.

$34.95 - Buy now

OverBoard waterproof case for iPad review

I absolutely love waterproof cases like the OverBoard for when I'm traveling. They work exceptionally well to keep your iPad or iPad 2 clean and dry, and can double as a handy place to store some cash and credit cards as well. They also work great at home, letting you enjoy a relaxing soak in the tub while reading, surfing the web, or playing your favorite iPad game.

$44.95 - Buy now

Best hard cases for iPad

Case-Mate POP! Case with Stand for iPad

If you want your iPad to finally be able to stand up on its own, then the Case-Mate Pop! Case is for you. Wonderfully grippy, nicely protective, the Case-Mate Pop! Case for iPad is everything you could want in a movie-watching, note-typing, kickstand-packing accessory.

$39.95 - Buy now

Incipio Smart feather Ultralight Hard Shell Case for iPad

If you like the Apple Smart Cover (see below) but want some additional protection on the back of your iPad to keep that aluminum safe and scratch free, then the Incipio Smart feather Ultralight Hard Shell is for you. It adds as little bulk, for as much protection as possible, and comes in over a dozen colors to add some flair to your iPad.

$29.95 - Buy now

Best book cases for iPad

Pad & Quill Octavo Luxury Case for iPad

The Pad & Quill TheOctavo Luxury case brings everything you know and love about the original Octovo, only now swathed in genuine leather the color of French roast. If the regular Octavo harkened back to an academic's moleskin, this one presents as an executive's journal or ledger.

$119.99 - Buy now

DODOcase Classic for iPad

DODOcases are hand-bound, artisanal cases for the iPad that wrap the latest in aluminum and glass and computer innovation, with the wood and cloth craftsmanship that stretch back to antiquity. You can place your iPad into a DODOcase, snap the elastic closed, slip it under your arm, and stroll down any boulevard or into any coffee shop and be indistinguishable from academics or hipsters alike, until you unsnap the band, fold back the cover, and start tapping away.

$49.99 -- Buy now

Best cover cases for iPad

Apple Smart Cover for iPad

If you're a minimalist at heart, Apple's Smart Cover is such a fantastic case for those who want their iPad as naked as possible. It's light, it attaches magnetically, it automagically (automagnetically?) puts your iPad to sleep when you close it and wakes it up when you open it. And if you want to protect the back as well, check out the Incipio Smart feather Ultralight Hard Shell Case (above).

$39+ - Buy now

Choiix Wake Up Folio for iPad

The Choiix Wake Up Folio for the iPad is just like Apple's Smart Cover but includes a back plate to protect the aluminum backing of your iPad. That extra back case also means it won't fall off the way Apple's Smart Cover often does. In fact, the iPad 2 snaps right in and fits snuggly and securely enough that you can lift it by the cover, something impossible with Apple's original.

$39.99 - Buy now

Best skin and film cases for iPad

BodyGuardz for iPad

If you've got the Apple Smart Cover on the front, but want only the barest possible protection on the back, BodyGuardz for iPad is it. Literally. We've taken nails, stones, and children to it and almost a year later, BodyGuardz have kept our iPads sensationally scratch free for years now. BodyGuardz won't stop drops or bumps, but it will kill scratches dead.

BodyGuardz Armor Carbon Fiber for iPad

Skins don't have to be transparent. This one has the look and texture of carbon fiber and because it's slightly thicker, it's even easier to apply.

$19.95 - Buy now

Best alternative cases for iPad

White Diamond case for iPad

White Diamonds makes iPad cases with artistic prints embedded with Swarovski crystals. They have both patterned and artistic versions, including Angels Calling by Vince Fraser, a Rainbow collection by Livius Dietzel, and a Nafrotiti also by Vince Fraser. The crystals are well embedded, and the entire case is shiny and spectacular.

Variable - Buy now

Best Bluetooth keyboard cases

Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad

If you're looking for a ultra portable, ultra stylish, ultra functional Bluetooth keyboard for your iPad, one that's as well designed as it is built, then look no further -- the Logitech Ultrathin Keybord Cover is it.

$98.95 - Buy now

Adonit Writer Plus keyboard for iPad

The Adonit Writer Plus keyboard is the thinnest and best possible keyboard that includes the security a full case. There's no such things as the best of both worlds, but the Adonit Writer Plus keyboard is the best balance of the two, and that's going to appeal to a lot of users.

$99.99 - Buy now

Your favorite iPad cases?

Did we miss any of your favorite iPad cases? If so, leave a comment! We'll be updating this post often, so your pick could be next!

Rene Ritchie contributed to this article