Of the different variations of folio-style cases available for the iPad mini, one of the most prevalent combines a hard plastic shell with some form of folding lid. Today, we’re looking at three recent variations on the theme: Incipio’s LGND ($30), Maroo’s [ii] Series Protective Cover ($50), and Toffee’s Slim Folio ($70). As the full-sized version of [ii] Series Protective Cover ($40) is essentially the same as the smaller model, we’re also including it in this review.
It may not look too fancy, but Toffee is hoping you’ll choose its Slim Folio for iPad mini over similar designs based on the admittedly nice premium genuine leather exterior. It comes in black, red, blue, or pink. Of the three cases reviewed here, the shell offers the most protection, properly reaching all four edges.
It still omits button coverage, though. The soft, supple leather covers almost all of the shell, exposing the black plastic underneath only at the very edges.
This case has the least distinctive lid of the bunch, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing: it’s a flat sheet of leather stretched over a sturdy piece of material. While there are magnets for locking and unlocking, they’re very sensitive; move the lid up or down just a bit and it’ll trigger. The magnets aren’t strong enough to hold the case shut, either. Instead, there’s a tab on the right side that fits into a slot on the back of the case.
It’s also used in the reverse position, when you fold the case into a stand.
Of these cases, LGND is the most aggressively priced, making its small issues forgivable. It’s one of the least expensive name brand folios we’ve seen for the iPad mini, and really quite good—worthy of a strong general recommendation. [ii] Series Protective Cover is also quite nice, although the price differences between the two sizes are confusing. Were the costs reversed, it’d be easy to say that both models are worthy of a B+. At $50 though, the iPad mini version is reaching the point of too expensive, earning it a general recommendation; the iPad version is a comparative bargain. Finally, there’s Slim Folio.
