Premium Defense Gear: Leading iPhone 13 Pro Sleeves and Cases for the New Year

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• We’ve updated our recommendations for the best case overall, best clear case, and best leather case.

The iPhone 13 Pro is a serious piece of creative kit, especially when it comes to the next-level cinematic camera system. It would be a shame to drop it during a tense scene, but these cases can help prevent damage!

UPDATE: 01/23/2024

We’ve updated our recommendations for the best case overall, best clear case, and best leather case.

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  Smartish

Smartish Gripmunk for iPhone 13 Pro

Best iPhone 13 Pro Case Overall
$20 at Amazon

Spigen Liquid Air Armor

Best Budget iPhone 13 Pro Case
$15 at Amazon

Apple Clear Case with MagSafe for iPhone 13 Pro Max

Best MagSafe iPhone 13 Pro Case
$58 at Amazon

Smartish iPhone 13 Pro Wallet Case

Best Wallet iPhone 13 Pro Case
$20 at Amazon

Otterbox Defender Series Case for iPhone 13 Pro

Best Rugged iPhone 13 Pro Case
$25 at Amazon

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  Speck

Speck GemShell for iPhone 13 Pro

Best Clear iPhone 13 Pro Case
$33 at Amazon

Totallee Thin iPhone 13 Pro Case

Best Thin iPhone 13 Pro Case
$28 at Amazon

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  Wilken

Wilken Leather Wrapped Case for iPhone 13 Pro

Best Leather iPhone 13 Pro Case
$44 at Amazon

What to Look for in an iPhone Case in 2024

A modern flagship phone like the iPhone 13 Pro is a significant investment, and you’ll want to protect it as best you can. Of course, the iPhone 13 is pretty tough out of the box, so some brave individuals don’t feel the need to have a case at all. For the rest of us, the dangers of daily life mean that you always run the risk of dropping your phone accidentally or in a moment of inattention.

While all phone cases provide some form of protection for your device, they don’t offer the same degree or type of protection. You need to carefully choose a case that strikes the right balance between look, feel, and functionality. Think about how and where you use your phone and match that with the most appropriate case.

The first choice you’ll have to make is what material you want for the case. The main choices are soft silicone, clear plastic, and leather. Some cases, such as those ruggedized against serious hazards, may use carbon fiber or other rigid materials.

Silicone cases offer the least added bulk and preserve the slimline feel of a phone. They’re great for preventing scratches and dents, but there’s limited protection against drop damage since they are so thin.

Hard plastic clear cases do the same, but they also provide better impact protection than soft silicone cases. They aren’t quite as lovely to hold as silicone but offer a good mix of looks and protection. If you pick a clear plastic case, you can also show off your Apple iPhone 13 Pro’s colorway.

Ruggedized cases are meant for people who spend time in rough places, such as construction sites. Modern smartphones, especially high-end ones, have some intrinsic water and dust resistance . Specialized cases aren’t necessary for most people, but they’re practically necessary for those that do need them.

Finally, leather cases offer some of the best overall protection. Leather does weather naturally over time, and not everyone likes that, but if you want something that can take a beating and feels good to hold, it’s a good premium option.

With all of this in mind, here are our iPhone 13 Pro case recommendations.

The cases below only fit the standard iPhone 13 Pro model. They will not fit the iPhone 13 Mini , the standard iPhone 13 , or iPhone 13 Pro Max .

How-To Geek’s product recommendations come from the same team of experts that have helped people fix their gadgets over one billion times. We only recommend the best products based on our research and expertise. We never accept payment to endorse or review a product. Read More »

Best iPhone 13 Pro Case Overall: Smartish Gripmunk

Smartish

The Smartish Gripmunk is a no-frills but excellent case for the iPhone 13 Pro. As the name suggests, it’s designed to offer superior grip and includes textured sides for the same. Besides its grippy nature, the Smartish case is also great at keeping the iPhone safe from everyday mishaps.

In other highlights, the case features raised edges around the screen and the camera module to protect both from scratches and scrapes. There are also air pockets on the corners to aid in drop protection. Plus, while its relatively slim profile doesn’t add too much bulk to the phone, it makes it slightly less protective than more rugged and thick cases.

Another great thing about the case is its microfiber lining that ensures that the case itself doesn’t end up leaving blemishes on your phone’s exterior. You will also be happy to know you can get the Smartish Gripmunk in eight color and design options, six of which are MagSafe compatible. Additionally, you can use the customizable variant to add one of the available pattern designs to your case.

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Best iPhone 13 Pro Case Overall

Smartish Gripmunk for iPhone 13 Pro

The Smartish Gripmunk is a fantastic case for the iPhone 13 Pro and offers superior grip, MagSafe compatibility, raised edges, and air pockets for good drop protection.

$20 at Amazon

Best Budget iPhone 13 Pro Case: Spigen Liquid Air Armor

Spigen

Do you need to spend what Apple’s asking for its in-house cases to get good protection and usability? Spigen’s answer to that is a resounding “no”, and based on what we’ve seen of this Liquid Air Armor case, we believe them.

The looks of this case might divide buyers since it has that pseudo-military “tacticool” look, but there are plenty of worse-looking cases out there. The textured finish actually helps with grip, so it’s not just for looks. Also, the thin case profile hides several air cushions that reduce the force that goes through the phone during a dreaded corner drop.

The Spigen case isn’t just a good choice when you’re budget conscious after buying an iPhone 13 Pro; it’s downright desirable regardless of price.

Best Budget iPhone 13 Pro Case

Spigen Liquid Air Armor

$15 $25 Save $10

Spigen’s tacticool case has a low asking price, but still protects like Apple’s premium-priced alternatives.

$15 at Amazon

Best MagSafe iPhone 13 Pro Case: Apple Clear Case with MagSafe

Apple

Apple and third-party sellers are churning out a variety of MagSafe accessories, but not all of them are going to look terrific attached to a MagSafe Silicone Case . If you’re planning on really investing in the MagSafe ecosystem, it makes more sense to go for the Apple Clear Case with MagSafe .

The logic is simple—anything and everything looks great with a clear case. This is one of the few clear cases guaranteed to be compatible with MagSafe accessories both physically and aesthetically.

Thanks to a special coating, it’s also scratch-resistant, which deals with a common complaint regarding hard clear cases. You also get the same precise magnetic-aligned fit, and the material is treated to prevent yellowing.

The only real downside to a clear case like this is a lack of grip, so be careful when putting it down on your leg or a sloped surface. Then again, if it does fall, this clear polycarbonate material will do a good job of making sure the phone isn’t damaged.

Best MagSafe iPhone 13 Pro Case

Apple Clear Case with MagSafe for iPhone 13 Pro Max

For the MagSafe faithful, the Apple clear case will look great with any MagSafe gadget, regardless of design or color. It also helps that it’s a fantastic case in its own right.

$58 at Amazon See at bestbuy See at Target

Best Wallet iPhone 13 Pro Case: Smartish iPhone 13 Pro Wallet Case

Smartish

What do you carry around in your wallet these days? ID, driver’s license, and perhaps a little paper money for an emergency? If that sounds like you, then this Smartish Wallet Case will be the perfect way to optimize your pocket space.

Instead of carrying around two things, you can carry around your iPhone and put your wallet stuff in the phone case. It even saves you from buying an Apple AirTag for your wallet, since it’ll now all be in one place.

We’re especially impressed by the card insertion and extraction mechanism with Smartish’s case. It uses a push-pull design that holds your cards securely, while still making them easy to pull out. It’s particularly pleasing that Smartish has managed to develop a wallet case that doesn’t involve an annoying flipbook design.

Apart from a thicker phone, the only real downside here is that you can use anything that needs to make contact with the back of the phone. That includes MagSafe gadgets, wireless charging, and NFC payments.

Best Wallet iPhone 13 Pro Case

Smartish iPhone 13 Pro Wallet Case

$20 $25 Save $5

This Wallet Slayer case from Smartish is less bulky than a wallet and a phone and only slightly bulkier than a phone by itself. A real space saver with a convenient card retrieval system.

$20 at Amazon

Best Rugged iPhone 13 Pro Case: Otterbox Defender Series

Otterbox

You have a tough job, and that means you need a tough phone case to keep your device working. If you’ve set your heart on an iPhone 13 Pro but think it’s too risky to take it where you need to go, this rugged Defender Case from Otterbox is just what you need.

The Defender Series uses a multi-layer design to ensure that forces from drops and bumps are diffused through the case and not through your delicate phone and its components. According to the store page, the Defender stands up to four times the drop protection that qualifies as military-grade. It also has raised edges to ensure your camera and screen don’t touch the ground when the case is flat.

Speaking of the screen, this does not come with a screen protector, as many rugged cases do, but it is compatible with Otterbox’s screen protectors for the iPhone 13 Pro.

You might not use your Lightning port much thanks to wireless charging and AirDrop, but you don’t want it filling up with crud either. The Defender case comes with port protection. Just make sure that you need this level of protection because the Defender does add more thickness and bulk than standard phone cases.

If you need less protection and less bulk, there are other options .

Best Rugged iPhone 13 Pro Case

Otterbox Defender Series Case for iPhone 13 Pro

While it doesn’t come with a screen protector, the Defender offers raised screen and camera edges and tough overall defense for those with a paranoid (or clumsy) streak.

$25 at Amazon

Best Clear iPhone 13 Pro Case: Speck GemShell

Speck

If you are looking for a durable clear case for your iPhone 13 Pro, it’s hard to go wrong with the Speck GemShell . It’s built to withstand drops from as high as eight feet but still has a slim design that supports wireless charging. Its dual-layer bumper helps protect the iPhone from impacts and other mishaps. You also get raised edges, precise cutouts, and tactile buttons.

Plus, the transparent design is perfect for flaunting the color and design of your iPhone 13 Pro. You can also choose from 10 other variants of the case, which have a color or design thrown in over the transparent look. Additionally, there is a MagSafe-compatible version of the GemShell if you want to use MagSafe accessories.

Unfortunately, the Speck offering is slightly expensive. So, if you don’t want to shell out for the GemShell, you can consider the Tech21 Evo Clear . It offers similarly solid protection with a transparent design. But it costs significantly less.

Best Clear iPhone 13 Pro Case

Speck GemShell for iPhone 13 Pro

The Speck GemShell shines as a clear case with its durable construction, raised edges, and multiple variants. It’s also lightweight and slim.

$33 at Amazon

Best Thin iPhone 13 Pro Case: Totallee Thin iPhone 13 Pro Case

Totallee

If you aren’t worried about dropping your iPhone but do worry about scratches and minor dents, then this Thin iPhone 13 Pro Case from Totallee has the best minimal protection option out there. It’s wildly thin at only 0.02 inches, and that does include a raised lip to protect your cameras.

There’s a fair selection of colors, but if you want to pretend that you’re not using a case at all, we recommend having a look at the Frosted Clear option so you can see your phone’s colorway.

Totallee’s case is the best way to have basic protection for your iPhone, without adding any bulk.

Best Thin iPhone 13 Pro Case

Totallee Thin iPhone 13 Pro Case

$28 $35 Save $7

Totallee’s case is really thin. However, don’t expect much drop protection from this case. It’s a scratch and dent protector.

$28 at Amazon

Best Leather iPhone 13 Pro Case: Wilken Leather Wrapped Case

Wilken

Made from genuine top-grain leather, the Wilken Leather Wrapped Case is a high-quality iPhone 13 Pro cover that looks elegant and premium. Like any genuine leather accessory, it will develop a lovely patina as you use it.

Besides its good looks, the case will protect the iPhone from scratches, bumps, dents, and other blemishes. It also has raised edges, MagSafe compatibility, and metal buttons. Additionally, you can pick from brown and tan/blue color variants. While the brown variant gives you that classic leather look, the dual-tone tan/ blue variant looks stylish. But as you can expect, it’s an expensive case.

You can also consider the Casus Logo View Case if you prefer vegan leather over animal leather. It comes in four color options and has a slim design. The case also looks great and feels good in hand. Additionally, being a faux leather case, it’s not as expensive as a genuine leather case.

Best Leather iPhone 13 Pro Case

Wilken Leather Wrapped Case for iPhone 13 Pro

The Wilken Leather Wrapped Case doesn’t disappoint. It uses genuine top-grain leather for a premium look and has metal buttons for added elegance.

$44 at Amazon

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