Some of my favorite accessories for the 13-inch iPad Pro with M4 chip

While I use a 16-inch MacBook Pro for most of my in-office work, I like to have something a bit more portable for when I’m going to be away from home and still need access to a computer. That was one of the driving forces behind my decision to pick up one of Apple’s razor-thin 2024 M4 chip-equipped 13-inch iPad Pro tablets, since it’s much easier to stow away in a bag than a chunky 16-inch MacBook Pro.

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With all the time I spend using my 13-inch iPad Pro, it made sense to me to invest in compatible accessories that work hand in hand with my workflows. With that in mind, I wanted to take a moment to share some of my favorites for anyone else who may want to augment their 13-inch iPad Pro experience. With a little luck, you’ll see something that catches your eye and consider giving it a shot for yourself.

My favorite 13-inch iPad Pro accessories

Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case

When getting the new 2024 M4 chip-equipped 13-inch iPad Pro, I knew that it was dimensionally different than the 12.9-inch model I had previously. For this reason, I needed a new case for protection on my travels, and I wanted something that offered keyboard functionality while enabling me to detach it when it wasn’t needed.

Logitech’s Combo Touch Keyboard Case fit my description of a perfect case for several reasons, with the first being that it integrates a backlit keyboard and trackpad that let me use the iPad Pro like a miniature laptop, but also because it can be removed (via magnets) to turn the iPad Pro back into a slate of glass and use it like a touch screen device. They keyboard uses the iPad Pro’s OEM smart connector to receive power too.

The newer Logitech Combo Touch KeyBoard Case has unfortunately ditched my beloved canvas-like material from the previous generation of this case for an Apple-like soft touch material, which I don’t really like because it shows fingerprints and wear and tear easier than the canvas material did. But the functionality of the case remains just as on point as ever.

The back of the case even features a kickstand that you can prop your iPad Pro up with at virtually any comfortable viewing angle. Moreover, the top of the case has a spot for the Apple Pencil Pro to charge and the USB-C port is nice and large to accommodate larger USB-C connectors (a gripe I had with the previous generation of this case).

If you’re interested in an iPad Pro case with functional drop protection and an integrated keyboard as opposed to leather folios that expose the edges of your expensive tablet, then you can acquire Logitech’s Combo Touch Keyboard Case for the 13-inch iPad Pro at Amazon for around $260.

ZAGG Glass XTR3 Screen Protector

When it comes to using a device with large surface area display, you increase the chances of something getting damaged on your travels, which is why I trust the ZAGG Glass XTR3 Screen Protector to keep my 2024 M4 chip-equipped 13-inch iPad Pro’s display safe from harm.

The innovative Hexiom impact technology makes this screen protector p to 10 times stronger than traditional glass and helps prevent impact damage to your display. It’s cut perfectly to work alongside cases like the Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case mentioned above too, so the screen protector can prevent the keyboard from scratching against the display glass when closed.

In addition to screen protection, ZAGG’s Glass XTR4 Screen Protector includes comfort features for the end user, such as Eyesafe RPF60 technology that filters out around 60% of harmful blue light in the 435-440 nm range so that you can use your iPad Pro with reductions to eyestrain and with vividly clear colors without compromise.

We also understand that installing screen protectors on larger devices such as the 13-inch iPad Pro can be a bit challenging, which is another reason we vouch for ZAGG. They have an EZ application tray system that makes your screen protector alignment perfect every single time. They also use an anti-dust adhesive that prevents bubbles and unwanted artifacts from disturbing your viewing experience.

You can pick up a ZAGG Glass XTR3 Screen Protector for your 13-inch iPad Pro at Amazon for around $80.

Warning: ZAGG does not recommend using this screen protector with the nano-texture display.

Satechi 7-in-1 USB-C Slim Multiport Adapter with Ethernet

The 2024 M4 chip-equipped iPad Pro is a powerful tablet with a single USB-C port that you can expand with the use of an adapter, and I can think of almost nothing better than Satechi’s 7-in-1 USB-C Slim Multiport Adapter with Ethernet to get the job done.

With its tiny footprint and large assortment of ports, you can use this thing to connect many kinds of peripherals ranging from memory cards to external SSDs directly to your iPad Pro. You can also use it to connect your iPad Pro to an external display or to a wired internet connection via Ethernet.

On any device that only has one I/O port, an adapter is a necessary bag item, and preferably, one that has a lot of ports for the ultimate flexibility. I think Satechi’s 7-in-1 USB-C Slim Multiport Adapter with Ethernet checks a lot of boxes thanks to having HDMI, Ethernet, USB-A, USB-C, SD Card, microSD Card, and more all in a compact and pocketable package.

You can pick up one of Satechi’s 7-in-1 USB-C Slim Multiport Adapters with Ethernet from Amazon for around $40.

SanDisk Professional 4TB Thunderbolt 3 External Solid State Drive

Since my 2024 M4 chip-equipped 13-inch iPad Pro is so easily portable compared to my 16-inch MacBook Pro, it’s often my tool of choice for photography runs. That said, I need some sort of external storage device so that I can store my large RAW photo files somewhere other than the limited storage space on my iPad Pro.

That’s where the SanDisk Professional 4TB Thunderbolt 3 External Solid State Drive comes into play. The no-compromise build quality of this particular solid state drive feels so great in the hand, while its thin build suits the iPad Pro nicely. The driver is IP68 dust and water resistant, while also being resistant to 4,000 pounds of crush force.

Thanks to the Thunderbolt 3 capabilities, I can effectively max out the solid state drive’s data speeds with 3,000MB/s read and 2,500MB/s write, making complex workloads and file transfers a breeze. In fact, the speeds are fast enough that you can do photo edits right from data accessed from the drive.

You can pick up a SanDisk Professional 4TB Thunderbolt 3 Solid State Drive from Amazon for $380.

Apple Pencil Pro

The Apple Pencil Pro is probably a no-brainer for anyone who’s picking up the 2024 M4 chip-equipped iPad Pro, and that’s because it’s the next generation of Apple’s first-party stylus that brings powerful, natural, and fluid controls to your device.

Not only does the low-latency Apple Pencil Pro offer a fluid drawing experience with nearly no lag for things like sketching and writing, but the built-in gesture system lets you be productive in more ways while receiving complementary haptic feedback along the way.

One of my favorite things about the Apple Pencil Pro is how it magnetically attaches to the side of my 13-inch iPad Pro and charges there. This means that instead of plugging in to a port on the device (like the first-generation Apple Pencil), there’s always a safe place to store it and it charges at the same time.

I often use my Apple Pencil Pro for a quick doodle or for pixel-perfect photo editing where I want to interface with my photo editing apps with more precision than would be possible with my fingertip. So anyone in a similar boat is going to love this thing if they don’t already have one.

You can pick up an Apple Pencil Pro from Amazon for around $100.

Conclusion

Everyone uses their iPad Pro differently. Some use it as their primary computer, while others use it as an on-the-go powerhouse while returning to their full-sized workstation at home (like I do). But in any case, it’s important to be equipped with the right tools to handle any situation, and that’s why I focus so heavily on the accessories I use with my devices.

While accessories are subjective, I do hope that the list above helped with discovery of something you didn’t know you might have needed for your iPad Pro. As always, we welcome your commentary below about anything you use with yours that isn’t mentioned in this piece.

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