At first, dismissed Zugu as another “everything and the kitchen sink/sold on Amazon” Chinese gadget company. Still, after receiving my Zugu iPad case, I’m thoroughly impressed after reading about the company’s genesis and journey to where they are today.
During its first seven years as a company, founder Tim Angel admits that they were going in too many directions. But, then, some redirection led to focusing on the iPad case, the company’s original product.
First things first, I am an absolute stickler for perfection when choosing an iPad case. It’s not uncommon for me to spend weeks to a month shopping for a good case. With owning more than six different models and at least twice as many cases, not many have measured up. Personally, I prefer a slim profile with a model-specific form factor. I absolutely detest universal cases, which is exactly what led me to Zugu.
My previous case, a Targus model, held my iPad Pro with intrusive elastic bands on all four corners that didn’t always hold the iPad completely in place. In addition, its outer material attracted dust, dirt and despite its strength and durability, I just wasn’t happy.
My black Zugu Prodigy X case ($59.99 USD) came in a sturdy Zugu branded box with the case inside wrapped in branded black tissue paper accompanied by an instructional card with a brief company history and instructions for mounting your iPad on the refrigerator (more on that later). Zugu also offers a variety of colors and accommodates all current iPad models available.
The first thing that I appreciate about this case is that it’s designed with a user in mind. Everything about it has been thoughtfully considered, with my convenience at the forefront. My particular case includes an elastic holder for my Apple Pencil on the back, which I found very helpful because I can never decide what to do with it when it’s not in use. More recent Zugu case models include the apple pencil slot on the edge of the case, which may streamline it further.
The case also features a magnetic kickstand with multiple angles, which I was apprehensive about at first. Usually, kickstands of this nature add extra bulk to the case and make it cumbersome. However, the Zugu kickstand practically disappears into the back of the case and doesn’t seem to increase the bulk at all.
The super-strong magnets for the kickstand also serve a dual purpose allowing you to flip back the kickstand and mount the entire iPad case to your fridge. So now I can follow recipes, watch the game, entertain the kids and even have a centrally located communications device right in my kitchen!
Buttons, the iPad’s lightning port and camera are all well accommodated for and easily accessible. But, I will warn, the nice textured back of the case’s magnetic auto-wake cover is a bit of a dust/pet hair magnet. But a couple of swipes with a lint roller will bring the fabric back like new.
From a protection standpoint, Zugu’s case delivers. The extra strong shell that surrounds the iPad will absorb even major drops keeping your iPad well protected, again without increasing unnecessary bulk. Again, a feature I can’t stress enough.
At $59, the Zugu iPad case is a pretty small investment to protect and preserve such an important product in our daily lives. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything in that price point that includes the same features. I refuse to use an iPad without a case, and from now on, I’ll be packing a Zugu!