about 2 years ago

Buying a colorful phone case can be a quick and easy way to personalize your smartphone and make it stand out in a crowd. But that’s not the only function a case serves.

Some cases protect the phone’s hardware and screen from drops and the elements, while others double as a wallet.

Close-Up Of Mobile Phones With Covers Over White Background. Getty Images/Buree Lalitathada/EyeEm This buying guide will help you find the best phone case for your smartphone model based on your style and what features are important to you.

Types of Phone Cases A phone case is typically a soft silicone, leather, or rigid plastic shell that protects your phone. While these phone cases are the most popular styles, others look like a leather journal with a cover that closes over the screen like a book cover, some that can transform into a stand, and sleeves that look like a bag or purse.

Other types of phone cases include armbands for strapping a smartphone to your arm during exercise, and lanyard cases, to hang your phone from while attending an event. Clear screen protectors, which only protect the smartphone’s screen, also often fall within the phone case category. Some phone cases feature a built-in screen protector and function as a two-in-one product.

5 Factors to Consider When Buying a Phone Case The sheer variety of phone cases on the market can make picking one very intimidating. The whole process can be much more complicated than deciding between a clear phone case and a colorful one.

Here are the five most important issues to consider when choosing which phone case to buy for your smartphone.

Phone Model Type of Protection Fashion Function Price and Quality Sizing a Phone Case The most crucial factor to consider when buying a phone case is the smartphone model it fits.

You can’t simply buy a phone case for an average iPhone or Android smartphone. Most cases fit only one smartphone model. For example, a phone case designed for an iPhone 12 won’t work with an iPhone 14. Furthermore, an iPhone 14 Plus case won’t fit a regular iPhone 14.

When buying a phone case, check the specific model number and the smartphone brand or type.

You can use sleeves with more smartphone models than a silicone or hardshell phone case, but it’s still worth checking the list of supported phones first.

What Type of Protection Does the Phone Case Offer? If your primary motivation for buying a phone case is to protect your smartphone from physical damage, check what type of protection it offers. This information is usually on the case’s packaging and official website.

Rugged smartphone case. Lifewire/Tamara Staples Here are some terms to keep in mind.

Waterproof: Protection against splashes and submersion Shock Absorption: Protection against hits and bangs Drop Proof: Protection from drops and throws Dust Proof: Will stop dust from entering a phone’s ports The 7 Best Waterproof Phone Cases of 2023 Most phone cases offer some degree of protection. Still, there’s a big difference between the protection offered by a cheap hardshell phone case and that provided by a higher-end product offered by companies such as Urban Armor Gear and Otterbox.

If you're after a phone case with high-level protection, look for MIL-STD-810G or MIL-STD-810H certification on its packaging. The US military uses these specifications to guarantee protection against shock, humidity, low and high pressure, and even gunfire shock.

Some phone case companies offer hacker or intrusion proofing. These phone cases are sleeves that function as a Faraday cage and block most outgoing and incoming wireless signals.