Why A Good Phone Case Is More Important Now Than Ever

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When the first iPhone was introduced, it cost $500. This was considered too expensive for a mobile phone, no matter how smart it is. Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer scoffed at the price and predicted it would fail, and several predictions have grown less gracious. Today, the iPhone 17 starts at $800 for the base model, while the 17 Pro Max can hit $2,000. On the Android front, Samsung’s new Galaxy Z TriFold retails for an eye-watering $2,900. At least it includes a charger in the box! What most phones don’t include, however, is the story. And cases are more important than ever for smartphone owners.

Devices like the TriFold are slimmer because of their folding designs, but the phones are standard, with a slab style like the iPhone 17 Pro break. Ironically, the more expensive your phone is, the more likely it is made of fragile materials like glass. Companies like Corning, which supplies Gorilla Glass to Apple, Samsung, and other manufacturers, can do more to overcome the reality of physics. And of course there are big camera humps on flagship phones, which is a good case to protect as well.

Even with insurance or a maintenance plan, breaking a phone can still result in expensive repairs, replacements that take time to arrive, and data you can’t recover. In that light, a quality smartphone case is a small investment to avoid such a headache. But there are still more benefits to using a case that you may not have considered.

There are more benefits to using a case than just protection, especially in 2026. If your smartphone doesn’t have a MagSafe-style magnetic ring on the back, you’re missing out on one of the most innovative ecosystem services in recent memory. Once you add a magnetic case and get a few accessories, it’s hard to beat the satisfying click that comes with quick connections for charging banks, tripods, and car smartphone mounts, not to mention being the best Popsocket alternative.

Cases can also improve the ergonomic experience of using a smartphone. Glass and metal may look good, but they are not very comfortable to hold. Cases like the Speck Presidio 2 Grip fix this by having ridges and anti-slip material for an easy grip. Furthermore, with nary a scintilla of bezel left around modern smartphone displays, those with large hands can find their bare smartphone constantly registering unwanted input in the palm of their hand. The cases put more distance between the user’s hand and the touch screen.

With that said, smartphone designers put a lot of work into making outstanding products, and going guilt-free is a valid decision. As long as you’re willing to take the risk and have the means to get a new phone in case yours breaks, go for it! Just make sure you back up your data first. But if you’re in the market for a good case, check out our ranking of the biggest smartphone brands.

According to a 2023 YouGov survey, 68% of smartphone users use a case. Some use them as a means of defense, others as a means of communication, and many, both. By 2024, the market for protective smartphone cases has grown to $21.51 billion, according to Grand View Research, which is a huge number when you consider that most phone cases are sold for less than $50.

As phone costs continue to rise and new designs make them prone to damage, a case can be the difference between an expensive mistake and business as usual. That being said, it’s hard to know how much to pay for a good case, or what makes a case good in the first place. After all, some popular cases cost just a few bucks, while others can cost nearly $100. Not all cases are created equal: Some are purely aesthetic and offer very little protection from drops and scratches, while others offer different levels of protection depending on the design and materials.

A cheap case may not protect your device, but expensive ones won’t, either. In general, the best protection will come from a case that uses high-quality, shock-absorbing materials like TPU or has a dual-layer design. The latter will resemble a bicycle helmet, with a hard exterior and a very soft interior. No matter which model you choose, check that your buttons are still easy to press, that your charging port can still accommodate your USB-C cable, and that the phone can still dissipate heat from its chassis. If you use wireless charging, also check that it works with the case.