I have been looking for a stellar case for my Surface Pro (original version) for months, but was reluctant to pull the trigger on any specific one. I poured over the offerings on Amazon.com during those excruciating months and just couldn't decide. While many of the cases looked good, some of the reviews pushed me away. I had finally narrowed it down to a couple cases, but with Amazon gift cards now being one of the most popular gift items, and me receiving a couple for Christmas, I had my chance to toss the dice without fear of too much pain of choosing the wrong one.
Even with this in mind, it still took me another couple days to finally stick one in my Amazon.com cart. What I finally chose was the Manvex Leather Case for the Microsoft Pro, and I'm glad I did.
The piece that allowed me to finally make the decision was how the case offered multiple stand angles. The Surface Pro 2 now offers two stand angles, which is nice, but after physically reviewing how Microsoft engineered this new feature I can clearly see that the hardware will wear out quickly. The Manvex case provides me with the same feature for the original Surface Pro, but also offers even more angles than just the limited number of the Surface Pro 2. I can comfortably sit with the Surface Pro in my lap without straining my neck to see the screen.
The case works without the keyboard just fine, but is built thick enough to store the keyboard so you can have it available at any time. Working this way makes the Surface Pro feel even more like a laptop.
The case is solid and really goes a long way to making me feel like the Surface Pro is adequately protected. The outside of the case I made from high quality PU leather and the inside of the case is lined with non-scratch suede-like material, ensuring the case won't scratch the screen. An elastic strap is sewn into the case. The strap stretches across the case to keep it from accidentally opening during transport. In addition, Manvex has added a stylus loop at the top of the case, allowing Surface Pro owners to keep the pen stored and handy. I know pen storage has been a complaint for many since Microsoft decided to use the device's power connector as the pen storage compartment. The stylus loop eliminates that issue.
The Surface Pro is held firmly and snugly in the case using a Velcro flap that wraps around the bottom of the Surface Pro.
One of the key aspects of any case is that it be custom designed to allow access to all of the device's ports. The Manvex Leather case does a great job with that, with all ports open and accessible.
The case works for both the original Surface Pro and the Surface Pro 2 and supports both the touch and type keyboards.
With any device or accessory, there's always at least one thing that could be better. Except for the case adding additional bulk, I simply can't find any issue or anything I would ask to change. But, still, the way the case promotes confidence in protection, I can live with the extra bulkiness. At around $35, I'd say that's a pretty cheap insurance policy.
The Manvex case comes in two color options: Black/Gray and Pink/White.
Bottom Line: If you rely on your Surface Pro as much as I do (or want to start), you'll definitely want to add this case to your everyday setup.
You can find it on Amazon.com here: Manvex Leather Case for the Microsoft Surface PRO Tablet
