This is why I use a smartphone case

Key Takeaways

A smartphone case offers drop protection to prevent damaging your phone in the event you drop it.
A case can also help shield your phone from everyday elements and surprises, like dirt, sand, lint, and accidental spills.
Cases come in various designs to represent your style. They also help preserve the value of your phone if you want to trade it in or sell it in the future.

Phones are expensive investments worth protecting, and one of the best ways to protect your smartphone is with a case. Smartphone cases are available to purchase what seems like everywhere, especially on Amazon, and there are so many different case options out there to choose from.

While some people prefer to go case-free because they like the visual aesthetic of their phone from the outside, it could be a risky move, especially if you’re more prone to dropping your phone. Cases are relatively affordable, depending on which ones you’re looking at. You can find smartphone cases ranging anywhere from $10 to $100 or more. The price variations are mainly due to the type of protection the case offers and the materials it’s made of. But almost every case offers similar incentives for its use.

5 crazy times a phone case saved our phones from ruin

It turns out phone cases do far more than just protect against falls.

1 Drop Protection

The main culprit for damaged smartphones

Drop protection is typically the first reason people buy and use a case. That’s the reason I first bought a case. I’ll admit I’ve dropped my phone countless times on my hardwood floor, and my case has saved it. To be honest, if I had a dime for every time I dropped my phone and my case saved it, I’d be rich.

Depending on the type of phone you have, the material it’s made of will vary, as will its damage resistance. Low-range and mid-range smartphones typically are manufactured with cheaper materials than flagship phones and may be more prone to damage when dropped.

But that doesn’t mean flagship phones, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, which are made from aluminum, are immune to drop damage. Even the iPhone 15 Pro’s frame, which is stronger and made out of titanium, isn’t immune to drop damage. The best way to protect your phone from any dents, dings, or cracks from dropping it is by using a case. It will certainly give you peace of mind.

Promoted Pick

Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case for iPhone 15 Pro

In partnership with Supcase

Supcase’s iPhone 15 Pro Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case is made of a shock-absorbing TPU and unbending polycarbonate to protect your iPhone if it’s dropped.
OtterGrip Symmetry Series for iPhone 15, 14, and 13

Includes a built-in finger grip

OtterBox’s OtterGrip Symmetry series offers a wide range of color options and solid drop protection. It also has a built-in finger grip that lets you hold your phone more securely.
Peak Design Everyday Case for iPhone 15 Pro

A good balance of aesthetic and protection

Peak Design’s Everyday Case for the iPhone 15 Pro features an ultralight polycarbonate body and premium aluminum buttons. It has a rubberized full-surround shock-absorbing bumper.

2 Keeping dirt, lint, and spills away

Even Pocket-lint’s writers deal with ample pocket lint

In addition to drop protection, a smartphone case also protects your phone from outside elements you could drop it in or expose it to, such as dirt, lint, sand, and spills. I live near a beach, and I’ve occasionally dropped my phone in the sand, but luckily, thanks to my phone case, it was protected. The same could apply to dirt or really anything outside.

A smartphone case is also handy if you leave your phone on a table or counter and a drink or liquid is accidentally spilled on it. Even if your phone has IP68 protection, it’s better your case gets wet than your phone.

My work pant pockets are also extremely prone to building up lint, and my phone case helps protect that lint from getting stuck to every part of my phone. Some cases even offer a tab to protect your phone’s charging port from lint. Whatever your daily life throws at your phone, a smartphone case helps protect it from any hardship it may face.

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3 For looks

Cases can be a representation of yourself

new iPhone silicone case colors spring 2024

Apple

The amount of options out there for smartphone cases seems endless. Cases come in many different designs and colors. A smartphone case can be minimalistic or an outright expression of yourself and your interests. You can get a case that is your favorite color, or with images from your favorite TV show, movie, or book. As a Star Wars fan myself, I love all the different cases you can get featuring characters and imagery from all parts of the Star Wars galaxy.

No matter what your personal interests are, a smartphone case is a great way to represent you and help distinguish your phone. One trend I’ve seen in recent years is people buying clear smartphone cases. These transparent cases help showcase the phone’s original color. You can also put stickers on a clear smartphone case to help further customize it.

Whatever your heart desires in the look of a smartphone case, there’s a good chance it exists and is available.

If you want to be more minimalist, there are plenty of options out there that protect your phone while maintaining that clean and fashionable look. Many phone cases made of leather, silicon, and other materials offer clean and minimal looks while providing protection for your phone. A case also helps make your phone stand out and can help ensure you grab the right phone. Everyone in my household uses an iPhone, and our cases help differentiate which phone belongs to whom. Whatever your heart desires in the look of a smartphone case, there’s a good chance it exists and is available.

This iPhone 15 Pro case has Donald Duck’s butt on it

This is your chance to feel Donald Duck’s soft side.

4 Grip and feel

Prevent a drop in the first place

Using a case that is grippier or has grips on it is a great way to prevent dropping your phone in the first place. I’ve found iPhones and some Android devices to be somewhat slippery in my hands, especially during the summer months, so I’ve always leaned towards a case that has grips on the side or is made of a material that feels firmer in my hands.

Personally, I’ve always liked using leather cases as their look and feel always felt good in my hands. I’ve also used other cases made of recycled plastic and polycarbonate that have felt good in my hands while maintaining affordability. Most smartphone cases make your phone easier to hold, especially since they typically make thinner phones a bit bulkier.

A blue Anker Magnetic Battery attached to an iPhone 15.

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The iPhone 15 feels great to hold, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t protect it from damage with a great case.

5 Preserving the value of your phone

Get more money back

One of the most important things a smartphone case does is protect and preserve the value of your phone. When it comes time to upgrade, there are programs out there that allow you to trade in your phone and get a trade-in credit for a new phone. The better condition your phone is in, the more you get back.

I’ve done this before with Apple’s Trade-In program. By using a smartphone case and protecting my old iPhone from drops and outside elements, I was able to get a higher trade-in value and more money back for my old iPhone. I was even able to do this with an older iPad that had a case protecting it as well. This also applies to the general resale value of your phone if you choose to sell it rather than trade it in. Using a smartphone case helps make your phone look newer and cleaner when it comes time to sell it.

Like cars or homes, phones are investments, and protecting them with a smartphone case from life’s daily rigors helps maintain their condition and value, while also providing a way to express yourself.