I’ve an iPad Mini and a 13-inch iPad Air (2025), which reside in a folio case and a Magic Keyboard, respectively. Whereas the iPad Mini is my favourite, most transportable pill, the Magic Keyboard + iPad Air combo makes the larger machine too heavy for duties like video consumption and utilizing it as a second display screen, which covers greater than 50% of my use case. I may swap the Magic Keyboard for a folio case to avoid wasting weight, however that limits me to a single viewing angle and I lose a bodily keyboard.
That’s why I added the $30 Rolling Sq. Edge Professional Core to my iPad Air. It has made my large pill extra transportable and user-friendly with out forcing me to sacrifice flexibility. My use case differs from the one marketed, however right here’s how I exploit two of those easy equipment to get extra out of my 13-inch iPad Air.
Rolling Sq. Edge Professional Core is a good accent for the Apple ecosystem
The Rolling Sq. Edge Professional Core is a flippable steel bracket that magnetically attaches to units. The equipment consists of nano-suction layers and skinny steel plates with adhesive backing. As soon as the plates are put in, the Professional Core snaps onto them magnetically.
Formally, the Edge Professional Core is marketed as a approach to mount your iPad on the lid of your MacBook for a big-screen transportable setup. I used my iPad Mini for that as a result of mounting a 13-inch iPad Air onto my MacBook Air would add an excessive amount of weight and doubtlessly loosen the hinge over time. However I discovered a unique, extra helpful approach to incorporate the Edge Professional Core into my setup.
By attaching two Professional Cores to my 13-inch iPad Air, I’ve made my video consumption expertise a lot simpler. I nonetheless carry the Magic Keyboard for productiveness, however for leisure, I can now shortly detach my iPad Air and prop it up utilizing the 2 Professional Cores as a light-weight, transportable kickstand.
This provides me far more viewing angles than a inflexible folio case, which additionally helps when utilizing the iPad Air as a second display screen at my desk or as an leisure machine on flights. Better of all, it doesn’t intrude with the Magic Keyboard’s magnets, so I can now ditch the cumbersome keyboard when all I want is a kickstand.
It won’t be for everybody
The one compromise is that it’s important to connect everlasting steel stickers to your machine. Whether or not you’re utilizing it to help a pill or so as to add equipment to your MacBook, you’ll want to stay on a skinny steel disc or ring. And never everybody will love the thought of getting a everlasting black sticker on their {hardware}.
It really works for me as a result of my iPad Air often resides contained in the Magic Keyboard case, so I not often discover the steel plates. However for those who add the plate on to your MacBook, you’ll must reside with a black sticker in your laptop computer lid. You commerce style for perform.
I seen one other limitation for Folio case customers. Whenever you connect these steel plates to your iPad, you received’t be capable to use a magnetic folio case. I extremely advocate the Edge Professional Core for those who primarily use a Magic Keyboard, however for those who’re joyful along with your folio case setup, there’s no pressing cause to modify.
On the brilliant facet, the Edge Professional Core is expandable. It helps extra equipment like Rolling Sq.’s wi-fi charger and Edge Professional Gentle so as to add a comfortable gentle to your video calls. You may also magnetically mount your iPhone to your MacBook for a whole on-the-go video conferencing setup. It’s accessible because the Rolling Sq. Edge Professional Full Package in addition to standalone equipment.
In my six weeks of use, the magnets have confirmed stable, simply holding angles as much as round 135 levels with out worry of collapsing. The flipping plates additionally match comfortably into my journey pouch with out including bulk. I like having a kickstand setup on my 13-inch display screen with out lugging the Magic Keyboard in every single place. In case your workflow sounds something like mine, the $60 Edge Professional Core pill equipment could be a wonderful addition to your setup.