The best iPad Air cases of 2024: Expert reviewed and tested

Apple Smart Folio features: Auto sleep-wake feature | Magnetically connects to your iPad | Two-stand design | Compatible with 4th and 5th gen iPad Air models

It’s hard to beat a case coming straight from the manufacturer. When you choose the Apple-designed Smart Folio for your iPad Air, you’re not just guaranteed a perfect fit. You also get functionality that can make it easier to both protect and use your tablet, like the ability to charge your Apple Pencil with the case on. 

“My life as a digital marketing guru keeps me hopping, so I need a case that’s as much about defense as it is about practicality,” says Ryan Ratkowski, Founder of Cascade Interactive. “And here’s the kicker, the feature I can’t get enough of – the automatic wake/sleep function.”

This feature, which Ratkowski calls the “unsung hero of iPad functionality,” means that whenever you open the case, your iPad Air display automatically wakes up. When you close it, the tablet goes to sleep, saving battery –although you might not need it since the latest generation has up to 10 hours of battery life. 

The Smart Folio attaches to your tablet magnetically. That keeps the design slim and lightweight, but it does leave the edges of your iPad Air exposed to damage if you drop it. 

Also: iPad Air (2022) review: So good I almost regret buying my iPad Pro

The cover of the Smart Folio features a tri-fold design that comes in eight color options. That lets you roll it up to serve as a small bump to make it easy to type on the surface of your tablet. Alternatively, you can fold it as a stand to hold the iPad Air almost vertical for easy viewing. 

The main drawback here is the price. At $79, this case is not even close to the most affordable cases out there. That said, buying the case straight from Apple can give you peace of mind about fit and functionality — and can streamline the process, since you can purchase it as you buy your iPad Air. Many Best Buy reviewers agree, noting that despite the case’s protection, quality, and ease of use, it does have a hefty price tag for a case.

“Think of it as the Batman of iPad cases – lean, mean, and, despite an ultra-slim profile, all about defending your device,” says Nina Clapperton. As CEO of She Knows SEO, she is a frequent traveler that takes her iPad Air along with her. She says that the Apple Smart Folio can “handle day-to-day bumps like a champ, keeping the usual culprits like spills, dust, and debris at bay.”