5 things every phone case needs to be truly great

Key Takeaways

A phone case is a must to protect your device from inevitable wear and accidental damage.
Look for cases that cover the rear, sides, and screen of the phone for full protection.
Choose a stylish case with easy button access and MagSafe support for wireless charging.

Phone cases are ubiquitous when it comes to smartphones. Although there’s something elegant about the look of a phone outside of its case, it’s not worth the risk. Even the most careful person can’t prevent an accidental drop. Smartphones are only getting more expensive each year — I’m looking at you, iPhone 16. It’s worth investing in a phone case to protect your device for as long as possible.

I’ve often had a love/hate relationship with phone cases. Across the board, many phone cases seek to protect a phone. However, most stand out as ugly or don’t provide easy access to functional buttons. As time progresses, I’ve become more critical about phone cases and the ones I use. These days, I often look to ensure that all the boxes are ticked off before I make a purchase.

With all of this in mind, here are the five things I look for in every smartphone case.

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1 A case needs to provide all-encompassing protection

Save your precious smartphone from drops and scratches

Wear and tear is almost inevitable when it comes to smartphones and technology. What is preventable, however, is accidental damage. I’ve been fortunate to have never broken a screen or irreparably damaged my phone. This is mostly thanks to my continuous use of phone cases over the years.

Phone cases should protect the rear side of the device. It should wrap around the sides of the phone as well. Some case manufacturers play fast and loose with how much protection is provided. At the bare minimum, you want the back and side of your phone protected as they can be vulnerable to drops and scrapes. A case as simple as the Otterbox Figura produces great protection without too much fuss.

OtterBox Figura

Otterbox Figura supports iPhone 16 with MagSafe support, a soft-touch material and a hydro-dipped art style.

2 A small lip to protect the screen does wonders

If you’re not purchasing a screen protector, get a case that’ll offer some protection

On top of protecting the rear and the sides of your phone, one of the most vulnerable points on the smartphone is the screen. If you’re like me and don’t like screen protectors, you’ll want to have a case with a reasonable lip running along the perimeter of the display.

With a small elevated bump, you can make sure your screen never makes direct contact with a table or desk when placing it down. Even if your phone falls screen-side down, that lip can provide increased protection from the screen making direct contact with the ground. Apple’s Silicon cases provide reasonable protection, including this very perk.

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3 Rugged protection doesn’t have to interfere with style

Unless you’re working in construction or are an avid rock climber, less can be more

Supcase

I’ll never go as far as saying you don’t need a solid and stable phone case for protection. However, some cases are a bit too cumbersome if you’re simply leaving the house to go grab brunch with friends. You don’t want to be the person who pulls out a brick from your pocket because you’re afraid of a little knick on the side of your phone.

There are a ton of great cases to choose from that don’t necessarily compromise protection while also remaining stylish. For instance, the UB Pro case from Supcase fits that mold. It includes shock protection from drops as well as protection from dust and dirt. While offering full-body protection, it’s still one you could use in a public setting without getting any glances.

A gray iPhone 16 Pro Max case with a ridged MagSafe ring on the back.

Supcase UB Pro Mag case for iPhone 16 Pro Max

Supcase’s UB Pro Mag case for iPhone 16 Pro Max technically comes in two pieces, one that’s a back casing and the other a front, that creates a complete protective seal around the edges of your phone. It also has a MagSafe-compatible back and supports the Camera Control button.

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4 Ease of access to function buttons

iPhone 16’s inclusion of the Camera Control emphasizes the importance of button access

Any good phone case should allow you to use the device’s volume controls and power button with ease. These are quintessential functions on a phone. However, with the iPhone 16, you need to account for the Action Button and Camera Control. These are relatively new inclusions that may throw some case makers for a loop.

I’d recommend trying a case on your phone and seeing how comfortable it feels to play with the Camera Control or use the Action Button before committing.

You want to make sure that your case can give you unrestricted access to all the button functions your phone provides. Thankfully, many cases are designed to support the latest additions to the iPhone. If you’re able to, I’d recommend trying a case on your phone and seeing how comfortable it feels to play with the Camera Control or use the Action Button before committing.

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What did you get for Black Friday?

The deals are coming in fast and furious this Black Friday, and it has been an especially good deal season thus far for gamers specifically, with both the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 getting significant price cuts. Though I wasn’t in the market for a new console this time around, I did take advantage of the insane deals on Switch games happening now, picking up a copy of Persona 5: Royal that cost less than a trip to the McDonald’s Drive Thru. You can check out more deals on Nintendo Switch games at the link, and be sure to drop a comment down below letting us know what deals and steals you took advantage of!

5 MagSafe support for wireless charging

Since Apple offers wireless MagSafe charging on iPhone, you might as well take advantage

A nightstand with the Belkin Boost Charge Pro charging dock with an iPhone and Apple Watch on it.

One of my favorite additions to the iPhone in the past few years has been wireless MagSafecharging. Because of this, I’m constantly cognizant of using cases that provide support for this feature. Apple has implemented MagSafe charging, so you might as well use it if you can find an option for a case that suits your needs.

A case like the iPhone 16 Pro Case with MagSafe is designed to support MagSafe charging right out of the box. It’s compatible with any MagSafe-approved charger and provides full protection against incidental drops.

Beats iPhone 16 Pro Case with MagSafe

Beats iPhone 16 Pro Case with MagSafe support wireless charging with a microfibre inner lining. It’s also fully compatible with the new Camera Control feature on the device.