Oberon Design iPad mini Cover Review

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I’ve been a fan of Oberon Design’s products for several years, and it seems to go without saying (at least in my home) that if you have a new iPad or Kindle, you’ll probably want an Oberon Design cover to go with it. Kev has the Celtic Hounds cover in wine on his iPad 3, and I have the Van Gogh Sky cover in sky blue on my Kindle touch. I have found that there is no better leather cover available if you want to keep your device a book-style case.

I was sent the latest Oberon Design cover for the iPad mini, which I’ve been using it for the past few weeks. The design I picked was the Bold Celtic in black, which matches the large smartphone sleeve I recently reviewed. A square pewter button sits on the front for attaching the elastic closure loop; this keeps the cover closed securely.

The leather used in this cover is thick and slightly stiff; it has a lovely grainy texture in the unembossed areas. Over time, as I have found with all of my other Oberon Design products, the leather will soften with use; it’s only been a few weeks, and my iPad mini cover is already getting softer with use — just like I like it!

The inside of the cover has a single pocket that runs along the bottom left. Extra bungee cords are included; just put them somewhere safe in case you ever need them.

 

As in all other Oberon Design covers, you’ll find a removable sheet of stiff plastic tucked into each inner pocket inside the case; I always remove them, since I like a floppier cover. Note that the only branding evident on the cover is on the right side, under where the iPad will sit.

The iPad mini is held in place with a series of leather and elastic loops; there are two leather loops on the bottom which you should insert the iPad into first, and then there are elastic loops for the top that you pull over once the iPad is seated in the leather loops.

In a perfect world, there might be another way to safely and firmly attach the iPad that didn’t involve anything covering the corners, but this method works well enough, and it isn’t too obtrusive.

Isn’t the dimensional embossing lovely? Now just imagine how it feels when you are touching it …

When the iPad is inside the cover, you still have easy access to all buttons, switches, and ports. Because there is a border of leather around the iPad, the cover provides excellent corner protection in the event of drops or falls. The cover does add some bulk and weight to the iPad mini, but it is not so much that it annoys me; this is truly a leather book-style cover done correctly!

You don’t have to remove the iPad to take photos; there is a perfectly placed hole on cover’s the back side.

Even though I don’t ever seem to need it, it’s a handy feature that the iPad mini cover has the ability to be turned into a horizontal stand with a tug and a tuck of the elastic system. I always threaten that since I never use it, I’m going to cut the extra elastic system out of each cover that has it … but I always end up tucking it into the deep pocket behind the iPad, which keeps it out of sight and out of mind.

For a little bit more about Oberon Design covers, check out this video; it was filmed with a larger iPad cover, but much that is mentioned also applies to the iPad mini cover.

Adding an Oberon Design cover to your iPad mini is the easiest way to kill two birds with one stone; you’ll not only be protecting your iPad from bumps, drops and spills, you’ll also be personalizing it inside the most beautiful and functional leather book-style case available.

The Oberon Design iPad mini Cover is available directly from the manufacturer.

MSRP: $69.50

What I Like: Gorgeous leather covers with pewter accents; leather borders protect iPad from corner drops, while leather bands and elastic keep iPad firmly inside the cover; reasonably priced; elastic bungee system can be used to prop iPad up for horizontal viewing

What Needs Improvement: Adds some bulk and weight to the iPad mini, but I think that the tradeoff is worth it

Source: Manufacturer provided review sample

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About the Author

Judie Lipsett Stanford
Judie is the co-owner and Editor-in-Chief of Gear Diary, which she founded in September 2006. She started in 1999 writing software reviews at the now-defunct smaller.com; from mid-2000 through 2006, she wrote hardware reviews for and co-edited at The Gadgeteer. A recipient of the Sigma Kappa Colby Award for Technology, Judie is best known for her device-agnostic approach, deep-dive reviews, and enjoyment of exploring the latest tech, gadgets, and gear.

5 Comments on "Oberon Design iPad mini Cover Review"

  1. I am genuinely surprised at the price for this, Judie; that seems like an incredibly low price for such a beautiful item. Seems like a great deal to me!

    • I completely agree. The price is on par with what I paid for the Kindle touch cover, which is slightly smaller than the iPad mini. Compared with the price for the full size iPad case ($126), this is a bargain!

    • It is funny – I think most people would look at a $70 iPad case and not think ‘inexpensive’ … but once you have used anything from Oberon, and also thinking of the Mini as a *real* iPad rather than a ‘small tablet’, I had fully expected a >$100 price – and it would have been WORTH the price!

  2. Judie, nice to see such a comprehensive review on this Oberon cover. I’ve had an Oberon ladies wallet for over a year and it’s one of my most favorite things. Top quality, a design that’s elegant and not too much …..and the compliments I get! Their products and their site are a feast for the eyes and I recommend them every chance I get. I’m glad to see you showcasing one of their fine products! (I have my beady little eye on the Tree of Life Kindle cover for my daughter …)

  3. Like Doug I’m amazed- and impressed- by the price of this case. It truly is a bargain. When I saw you using it a few weeks ago I really did consider trying to steal it. 🙂 The thing that always gives me pause with Oberon’s cases is the method of securing the device into the case. As you note Judie, it works just fine, but for such a nice leather case I would love to see a more refined approach.

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