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Snugg Ultra Thin iPad Stand/Case Review – A practical alternative to the ‘Smart Cover’

Like many people, we felt that Apple’s Smart Cover left a lot to be desired in terms of protection.  Sure, it protects the screen, but the back of your iPad is still left completely exposed.  Myriad companies started developing cases that were ‘Smart Cover compatible’; meaning they could be used in conjunction with a smart cover.  Snugg took a different approach.  They took the smart cover design and picked up where Apple left off.  How did they do?  We’ll talk about that in this review…

Manufacturer: Snugg
Model: Case Cover and Stand Ultra Thin Version (for iPad 2)
Pros: Auto Lock & Sleep function, Very thin
Cons: Not quite as flush & precise as smart cover.  Magnet not perfectly aligned.
The Lowest Trusted Price We Could Find: Only $34.99 (Get 15% off!) with FREE shipping through this link
iCaseReview Rating:



Construction & Appearance
Snugg’s Ultra Thin case looks great.  They did a nice job of combining different materials to provide some accent lines and textures.  The top has somewhat of a brushed aluminum feel to it, and you can feel the grooves when running your fingernail perpendicular to it.  It’s is a flexible vinyl material, and encloses the three rigid segments that closely mimic the smart cover.

Open the case up and you will see a no-frills fabric lining that comes neatly to the edge of the case.  This lining continues to the other side and gives your iPad something soft to press up against.  It does not, however, continue all the way to the edges and corners on the inside rear (behind your device).  The rear panel is constructed from a hard (yet mildly flexible) single piece of plastic, with corners that snap tightly around the iPad.  With this particular case, we think that fitment may be a little too tight for the iPad 3, and can therefore only recommend this for second generation devices.


The back side of the case is made up of the same continuous strip of vinyl set in to the plastic black; creating a nice texture contrast and adding to the visual appeal.  We had no problems accessing any of the iPads physical buttons and/or any of the ports.

As a Stand
The Ultra Thin Case/Cover from Snugg does give you two options for standing your iPad, but we feel that this is one of the weaker areas of the case.  This is partly due to the fact that the vinyl that acts as the ‘hinge’ is just a little too stiff.  Not only does this keep the cover from laying absolutely flat, but it also decreases the stands stability.  To be clear, on a flat surface, it still functions as a stand, but it is more prone to falling over and/or losing it’s grip.  In general, the top cover just doesn’t have the same feel of quality that a smart cover does.

Things to Think About
With a case like this, you’re going to sacrifice portrait stand functionality.  You’re also not going to get a ton of protection in the instance of a drop.  There is no cushion, but there is some corner protection.  In all honesty, it’s a better cover than it is a stand.  The rigidity of the vinyl is just a little too much for optimum ease of use.  If you’re willing to dish out the extra money, a Mag Snap  Case (Check out the Review here) with a Smart Cover might be the way to go.


Our Review in Summary
If you want smart cover functionality along with additional protection on a budget, the Snugg Ultra Thin Cover and Stand is a decent option.  It’s is not quite as sleek as a smart cover, but it does come with some added benefits for the same price.  It is for these reasons that we gave the Snugg Ultra Thin stand and case a 3 out of 5 star rating.

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Tags: 2, 3, Auto Sleep / Wake, black, iPad, snugg, Stand, Ultra Thin