Apple folio case vs off brand knockoffs?

[jm31828]

I just ordered an iPad Air 5, and instead of spending $79 for the Apple folio case, I opted for a $16 ESR brand folio from Amazon that appears to be identical.

For those who have used both, are they pretty much the same- or is the Apple case worth the extra cost?

 

[hughbdo]

The ESR case likely offers better protection round the sides of your iPad. The Apple does not cover the sides but that lets you see the ipad’s colour, it also also means it is slightly less bulky. I bought a procase off Amazon for my Air then a week later got the Apple one on a Black Friday deal, the Apple one is the one that I like and use.

 

[chugg]

Which ESR case are you asking about? If you're talking about the Smart Folio knockoff (i.e., the "Rebound" case), I have (or had) both.

• The ESR case doesn't feel as nice as the Apple one in terms of material but that's to be expected. I don't find it bad at all.
• The fit / cut of the case isn't as good and somewhat does bother me. The edges of the Apple Smart Folio pretty closely line up to the edges of the iPad (maybe within 1mm). The ESR extends further out and kind of looks and feels bad but this is a little nitpicky.
• The thing that was a deal breaker for me though was that the Apple case folds back on itself and magnetizes the entire front cover to the back so it's very flat and doesn't move around. The ESR only seems to magnetize at the front edge / flap area and so if you try to type with it folded back, the front cover starts curling.

I think for most people the ESR is fine but I'm a crazy person so I returned it and went with the Apple one.

 

[jm31828]

Which ESR case are you asking about? If you're talking about the Smart Folio knockoff (i.e., the "Rebound" case), I have (or had) both.

• The ESR case doesn't feel as nice as the Apple one in terms of material but that's to be expected. I don't find it bad at all.
• The fit / cut of the case isn't as good and somewhat does bother me. The edges of the Apple Smart Folio pretty closely line up to the edges of the iPad (maybe within 1mm). The ESR extends further out and kind of looks and feels bad but this is a little nitpicky.
• The thing that was a deal breaker for me though was that the Apple case folds back on itself and magnetizes the entire front cover to the back so it's very flat and doesn't move around. The ESR only seems to magnetize at the front edge / flap area and so if you try to type with it folded back, the front cover starts curling.

I think for most people the ESR is fine but I'm a crazy person so I returned it and went with the Apple one.

Yep, sorry I should have clarified- it is the Rebound case I ordered, the one that appears to be identical to the Apple folio case- with no side protection (nice and thin, just what I was looking for).

Thank you for the details on the ESR in comparison to the Apple!

I ordered the ESR case last Friday, it was a Black Friday sale on Amazon (normally $25, got it for about $16), it will arrive today.

I will take a look at it to see what I think. I have a $50 Apple gift card, so I could use it to buy the Apple case, and it would only be about $30 out of pocket- from what you said it sounds like it might possibly be worth it for that amount to upgrade to the actual Apple case? But I'll see what I think of the ESR once it arrives today.

Thank you!