PITAKA iPad Charging Stand & Pro Case review: stylish and convenient accessories
PITAKA are a leading brand when it comes to accessories for your favourite electronics, and I got the chance to test out one of their most popular iPad products – the PITAKA MagEZ Magnetic iPad Charging Stand and Case Pro.
This nifty bit of kit acts as both a stand and charging point for your iPad and MagEZ-compatible accessories. This review technically covers two different products, but the charging stand requires the Pro Case to work, so we will be reviewing them as one. If you're looking for more iPad goodies, check out our roundup of the best iPad accessories and the best Apple Pencil alternatives.
In our testing, I used the charging stand and Pro Case in tandem over a number of weeks, charging the case using the stand, and doing creative work on the iPad.
Design
The PITAKA Magnetic iPad Charging Stand is a great-looking stand for your iPad. It's sturdy, secure and has a great weight that makes it feel like a premium device designed by Apple itself. If you use your iPad to draw, you can easily do so on the screen without it wobbling around too much (which I've found to be a persistent problem in other iPad stands I've used, like the HoverBar Duo).
You can easily twist the orientation of the tablet between vertical and horizontal, with each direction having a satisfying feel as it clicks securely into place. The stand charges by connecting your USB-C from an outlet into the bottom of the stand though a convenient little slot. I love how when you first open the box, you connect the two halves of the stand together using an Allen key and screws that are magnetically stored in this slot – it's a great alternative to plastic packaging.
The stand arm is made out of handsome aluminium that comes in either black or white, and the base of the stand and the Pro Case have an attractive aramid fibre finish for easy grip. One small gripe with the aramid finish is that it's easily marked with fingerprints, and I frequently had to wipe away where I had touched.
The Pro Case is very lightweight as it's made out of plastic. It features cutouts for your ports and raised edges for buttons, as well as a USB-C port cover to keep it free from debris and dirt when not in use and you can even store your Apple Pencil 2 magnetically on the edge of the case. The plastic does feel pretty flimsy, especially for the $89/£99, and it certainly won't protect your tablet from damage if you drop it. But as a subtle case purely for the purpose of wireless charging, it's lightweight and unobtrusive like the wireless charger itself (which is a small square device with a wire coming out).
Features
One of the main selling points of these products is the wireless charging. No more worrying about those pesky cables, simply place it onto the stand or charging block and you're good to go. As an artist, I find it really irritating when I have to plug my iPad in while drawing as the cable limits how you can hold and place your tablet. With the PITAKA MagEZ iPad Charging Stand, you can easily continue painting while also having your tablet on a convenient stand. Handy. Of course, it's important to note the stand itself needs to be plugged into an outlet.
The wireless charging doesn't stop at the iPad either – the stand features a MagSafe charging base to power up any of your MagSafe-compatible accessories, such as phones and wireless earbuds. It's very convenient when you use multiple devices at once.
The aforementioned rotation of the iPad stand is also a great feature. I love how easily you can rotate it, but it's sturdy enough that you don't need to worry about it moving around when applying pressure to the screen.
Price
If you're looking at getting the whole package, this is a pretty pricey accessory for your already-expensive iPad. The PITAKA Magnetic iPad Charging Stand retails for $129/£139, and the separate Pro Case has a starting price of $89/£99. Altogether, that comes to a whopping $218/£238 if you're wanting the whole package.
Of course, you can opt for just the magnetic charging case that comes with the wireless PITAKA MagEZ charger if you want to save some pennies, but the iPad charging stand requires the Pro Case to work properly. I will happily admit that while this is eye-wateringly expensive for the whole package, you do get a really sturdy iPad stand that doubles as a convenient charger for both the tablet itself and your MagSafe-compatible accessories, saving you money on buying individual chargers.
Should you buy the PITAKA iPad Charging Stand & Pro Case?
If you're on the hunt for a high-end charging stand that will power up both your iPad and MagSafe-compatible accessories as well as doubling up as a sturdy stand, this product is an excellent pick for you. Both the stand and case feel well built, with a handsome aramid fibre finish that looks great while making them comfortable to hold so it really feels like you are getting a premium product. However, the price tag of both the case and stand as one is still pretty steep, and I would love to see a bundle option available from PITAKA in the future to make the stand a bit more affordable.
