iPhone 13 (all models) Ultimate protective cases review
This video is part II in my iPhone 13 accessories series.
So you just got this beautiful iPhone 13, whether it was the Mini, Pro or Pro Max,
you invested quite a bit of cash on your shiny new toy.
But even if you got it as a gift, right? This device is something you want to protect.
But everyone is different, you may be like me and drop your phone a lot,
in which case you’re gonna need something a bit heftier that has been drop tested and everything.
Or you may be a lot more cautions and you never drop your phone but
you still want to protect against scratches every now and then.
If that is you, you might want a lighter case, or even a skin...
Something a bit more discrete but that will keep your phone away from scratches as well.
Or you may be looking for a case that protects but also has multiple functions.
So this video will cover a range of options
touching on those different levels of protection and functionality.
As I mentioned, this video is part of a series of iPhone 13 accessories videos
so make sure to check the links I will leave at end of this video.
Pitaka Today we
will start with three stylish options from Pitaka.
My favourite one without question is the MagEZ Pro. This has a reinforced TPU frame,
that lovely aramid fiber finish and it suits me as I like cases that have drop protection.
I love the overhyping in the marketing materials… 3X the Military grade drop protection.
In English I think it means they dropped tested the case from about 10 feet.
It has a nice raised edge all the way through, which initially I thought would be a problem - I
am used to Mous which has raised corners leaving a bit more freedom on the sides.
But actually, it has a very nice and smooth feel so it will protect your iPhone
when placing it face down, and it doesn’t get in your way when swiping in any direction.
Another feature of this case that wins some good points for me
is their interior lining. It’s not the best I’ve seen, when compared with Nomad for example but…
I understand they are trying to keep the case nice and slim too. But it is
nice and soft and will look after the back of the phone which I appreciate.
This case feels very tight to the phone which gives me a really nice sense of security
and even if we didn’t have that fiber lining, because it is so tight, it
means that dust particles and debris won’t get in there in the first place .
And the soft feel of Aramid fibre adds to that grip too which means you’re gonna be
less likely to drop the phone in the first place.
The camera bumper is a funny one...
my initial reaction was hmmm not sure about this one.
But it grew on me, I like when companies try to be slightly different and the reason it grew on me is
because it has this really soft feel to it, so if you like fidgeting, this has a nice fidget-ability
Charging through MagSafe is a breeze and I am gonna say,
I noticed that these magnets are super strong.
I was in the kitchen the other day (must have been an accident)!
Nah, I do cook. I placed the phone on top of a spaghetti bolognese
sauce pot and when I went to pick it up, the whole thing came with it.
So yeah, very strong magnets. Which means
car mounts will work great - check out this other video here afterwards for more on that.
One thing I notice though and I am not sure if it’s a negative or not,
is that you can feel some of the fibre.
It’s not visible, but what I am saying is that it is not 100% smooth. It’s
not gonna splinter your fingers or anything, it’s actually barely noticeable.
Don’t think you can see it even using the iPhone 13 Pro’s new macro shot!
Or my 100mm macro lens!
the other small criticism I have is the frame itself at the bottom here.
I feel like it should be sturdier. I know it must be a challenge in manufacturing
given all the cutouts we have here, but it's a little bit on the flimsy side for me.
Final point on the Pitaka Pro case, is that it's way less bulky than last
year's 12 Pro Max version of it. It's a huge improvement.
I mean that was super protective too but it felt like you were holding a tank!
This is much more manageable and comfortable to hold.
Pitaka Ultra light options Then Pitaka has these ultra light options,
in the their now classic MagEz, which is called MagEZ 2 now. And their Pitaka Air.
These are ultra light cases, I reviewed them before on the channel so I know
they are super durable but the main thing about this case is how light they are.
The MagEZ 2 is now 0.92 ounces (26 grams) and the Air case is 0.39 ounces (11 grams).
Both made with genuine Aramid fiber and the main difference is MagSafe support.
Whilst the Air will charge through MagSafe and Wireless chargers,
it’s not really what is for, so the connection isn’t the best.
What this IS the best for is enjoying your
device in a way that is closer to what the manufacturers envisaged.
So you're not rocking it completely naked but you get to enjoy your chosen color a bit more.
I love how modern these cutouts look and how exposed the buttons are,
so you get to enjoy some of the original feel of the device.
And if you have an Apple Watch, Pitaka have these beautiful straps as well which
follows that carbon fiber vibe. I will do a separate video on these actually.
I can see that they improved the protection at the back for the
camera lenses which is super important now with this humongous camera module.
The feel of the Aramid fiber is very similar on both, but the Air has a finer design.
Personally I prefer the bigger shapes, as it reminds me a bit more of carbon fiber and motor
racing style, but in terms how it feels, this is a tiny bit softer than on the Pro.
I don’t feel any of those microscopic fibres getting caught by my fingers.
I mean it was barely noticeable in the first place.
TAC
And talking about being barely noticeable, this is a case from a startup brand called TAC.
This caught my eye because of how light and thin they are.
By the way, after watching this video if you are interested in this case they are kindly offering
all my viewers a 10% OFF, so just use ALEX10 at check out they will give you 10% OFF your order.
So yeah, if you are looking for the thinnest and lightest case for the iPhone,
that’s a decent deal right there.
This feels more like a skin than a case top be honest.
But unlike with a skin, this has the advantage of letting you remove and try different cases.
I love how it sort of camouflages the iPhone,
so it’s now in this stealth mode. Reminds me of that B-2 aeroplane actually.
Literally just wrapping everything away
so you can’t even tell really what color my iPhone is now.
But the main point is how thin it is really, the only protection you’re gonna get
is against scratches and a little bit of front screen protection, but quite minimum protection.
It feels great on the hand though and certainly very different than
the stuff I normally review here but I hope it helps you
if don't like those bulkier cases. You might appreciate that about TAC.
And with that 10% OFF it might be worth a try anyway.
Before we move on to the next brand, just a quick reminder to like this video if you
are getting any value from it - it really helps the channel!
And i you like my stuff, there's over 120 videos for you to enjoy and it
would mean a lot if you subscribed to my channel!
Mous I did a
video about Mous actually just before the iPhone was released
so it’s nice to finally be able to show you these beautiful cases with the actual phone now in hand.
And there's 20% discount code for you that makes this case a really decent option!
I was worried that the Sierra Blue, especially around the camera area wasn’t gonna look good
but I think it’s a beautiful contrast against Mous’ real material finishes.
Leather, Walnut, Speckled Leather, Aramid fibre...
People always ask me which one I prefer, and having now tried them all,
my preference is a combination of grip and style.
I love the Aramid Fibre for the looks,
but I prefer the leather as it gives me a little bit more grip at the back.
The sides are the same grip but at the back you get a little bit more grip on the leather.
Mous are ALL about protection.
And if you like Mous, you know that these are not cheap. But I have some great news for you!
So if you use ALEXTECH20 at checkout, you get 20%
off your order so definitely worth checking it out!
And make sure to check my description as well for the right links to use
and the latest discount code, because sometimes they expire and change.
Nomad Something else that is definitely
worth checking out, especially if you like great quality leather products is the Nomad cases.
I did a dedicated video on these cases but I just love how classy these are.
Top quality Horween leather, looks AND feels better as it ages.
Just like me.
And they now come with a little trick up its sleeves
which is this ability to tap your phone to share all of your contact details, your socials.
Very easy to setup through popl - and a very neat feature that comes with the case.
Can’t fault this one, beautiful cases, very stylish.
And they have just sent me this leather skin
and screen protector to try out so rather than just unboxing it, I will use it for
a week or so and then do a video for you and include that in my next episode of this series.
CASETiFY Now, another one
of my favourite brands, these cases are CASETiFY.
Now, CASETiFY are a partner of the channel
and have sponsored other videos but this one is not sponsored.
I just like how protective they are and how you can customise them to your liking.
Literally whatever your style, they will have a case for you.
I just drop tested the iPhone 13 Pro Max with this case on.
Yeah, that was a nervy drop test but it’s a great testament to this product.
But not a single scuff, and I dropped it from quite high up.
Very grippy, they offer some
anti bacterial material coating which is a great feature especially these days.
And like with Mous, I have a special code that you can use at check out for 15%
OFF so.. Yeah, Christmas came early for you!
I am aware I am giving you a lot of information to take in but don't worry,
all of this is nicely laid out in the description for you.
And if you watched all the way through,
you’re a legend! And for that I shall reward you with two more great cases!!
Torras That’s right!
We’re not done yet! These are great cases from Torras.
We have a clear case option which is really nice and sleek,
we have this ultra light option, here with these interesting cutouts on the corner.
This was a very popular case for the iPhone 12 actually and I reviewed it last year too. Their
camera protection is probably one of the best ones out there, really nice and high.
And they feel great too, I like that their cutouts are symmetrically aligned to the
speakers. I never understand why some cases don’t do that. But hey, this keeps my OCD in check.
Very discrete branding which I like.
They pride themselves in the fact that they are minimalistic and I quite like that sometimes,
to have a less flashy case, quite understated but still looks really nice.
And then they have this option here which not only offers a bit more shockproof but comes with these
extra buttons in different colours so you can customise them to your liking, that’s really cool!
TUCCH
And talking about cool, here is a product that really surprised me.
These are "Tucch" cases. They gotta work on that naming I think,
I am not too sure how to pronounce it but I will stick with "Touch"
Toosh felt a bit risky!
It's a folio leather case, and it comes with RFID blocking which is great, so if you have
a credit card here it will be protected against anyone trying to nick your details.
So it's not just a case, it has multiple functions too, I love when brands do that.
But for me, what really surprised me was the level of quality.
They have different options WITH AND without this magnetic clasp.
I think the magnetic clasp could be a bit stronger and I wish the cover would stay
a little tighter when the case is empty, but this is me being overly critical.
When you do have a couple of credit cards and money in the case,
then the whole thing feels a lot better so yeah, it just wasn't designed to be empty.
You get the extra convenience of having he phone
in this viewing angle which I think is a great added bonus.
They have various colours as well but yeah, don't let the budget price of
$20 bucks (at the time of recording) FOOL you because you get a lot for that money.
I honestly wasn't expecting this to be such a great quality case for this price,
all the buttons are decent enough, the interior lining feels nice and soft...
I mean it does add a considerable amount of bulk, but maybe you like that convenience of
using this as your wallet and case and you're happy with that bulk.
It will charge wirelessly but don't expect any sort of MagSafe connection,
because there's no magnets here. To be honest,
when you go for a case like this you're probably better off using the lighting cable to charge.
Verdict Right... This is not that
type of video that requires a verdict but I know you, you DO want to know what my favourite is.
And I am not going to beat around the bush here with you.
I have a soft spot for Mous, for many reasons but mainly because BEFORE I made YouTube videos
I remember trying many cases but Mous was the one that really suited my needs.
So Mous is the case I would recommend for protection. Full stop.
I would still recommend a screen protector with any of these cases,
but more on screen protectors in a different video!
I would then say that Pitaka, with their Pro cases and CASETiFY with their Ultra Impact cases
offer very similar protection levels and are my other favourites.
And I’ve dropped tested them as well in previous videos, so I can 100% trust them too.
I think it will then come down to preference and style.
CASETiFY offer great customisation options and Pitaka have beautiful looking Aramid fibre cases.
Then you have Nomad, which when it comes to leather… there’s nothing better in my view.
So I hope that answers the question of what my preferred option is...
But as I said in the intro, everyone is different and you might actually prefer different cases.
I will be reviewing lots more cases, from RhinoShield, Spigen,
I’ve got ESR cases coming in, and a few others too.
But I hope I gave you enough options here today to get you started and some good discounts as well.
One last thing!
If you are looking for iPhone 13 accessories, like these beautiful stands from Satechi,
or these MagSafe accessories from Mous, check out this playlist or this video over
here where I reviewed some of the coolest accessories for this beautiful device!
And I will see you and your smiling faces over there! Hopefully!
Don’t forget to subscribe!