The 5 best iPhone 16e cases we actually tested
The new iPhone 16e may be Apple's least-expensive phone right now, but $599 still ain't cheap. As such, you'll want to protect your investment with a case — and fortunately for you, there are a whole lot of them. From simple clear covers to ultra-rugged shells that look like they could survive an explosion (please don't actually test that theory), you've got plenty of options for putting that cash you saved on skipping the regular iPhone 16 towards some extra peace of mind. But which ones are actually worth it?
To figure that out, I put nine different iPhone 16e cases to the test, factoring in things like durability, grippiness, comfort, ease of use and aesthetics; after all, no one wants an ugly case. Cases with built-in kickstands earned some extra points, as did ones with MagSafe support — a perk that makes up for the fact that Apple's new phone doesn't work with magnetic accessories on its own. After covering up my iPhone 16e with as many different shells as possible, here are the five that I would actually rock every day.
UAG Essential Armor iPhone 16e Case
The Essential Armor ticks a lot of key boxes for $40 — it's comfy to hold, its thick corners and 15-foot drop protection rating make me feel confident about carrying it around and its button covers felt nice and clicky as I adjusted my volume, locked the phone or fired up the action button. I also dig the translucent, honeycomb-like design that added a subtle pop of Cloud Blue to my plain black iPhone (you can also get it in Olive Drab, Ash, Rose or Black). And like nearly every other case I tested, this case sports a magnetic ring for use with MagSafe accessories like battery packs or wallets, something that solves one of my biggest issues with the iPhone 16e itself. Zagg Santa Cruz Snap
In terms of sheer aesthetics and grip, Zagg's Santa Cruz Snap case just might be my favorite. Its translucent Retro Blue shell (it also comes in Hyacinth and Black) does a great job spicing up the iPhone 16e's vanilla design, and its textured sides gave me the most confident grip of any other case on this list. Its MagSafe support allowed me to plop my iPhone 16e onto my favorite charging stand, and you get a solid 13-foot drop protection rating in case of accidents. The almost-identical Crystal Palace Snap is a solid alternative if you want a totally colorless clear case, but it lacks the Santa Cruz's extra grip and fun colors. I just have one aesthetic nitpick: Zagg's iPhone 16e cases also work with the iPhone 13, 14 and 15, which makes them wonderfully versatile but also leaves a lot of awkward blank space around the camera bump when you have it on Apple's cheapest phone.Apple Silicone Case for iPhone 16e
I spent most of my iPhone 16e review period with Apple's silicone case strapped to it, and I don't have a ton of complaints. The Winter Blue and Lake Green models I tested added a much-needed pop of color to my boring ol' black iPhone, and that soft silicone material just feels nice to hold. However, the lack of MagSafe is a pretty glaring omission here, and the case gets pretty smudgy fast (not to mention that Apple's silicone cases don't have the best reputation when it comes to long-term use). There's also no official drop test rating like you'll find on the other options I've tested. Still, if you're looking to spend less than $50 and are set on having an official Apple case, this is a perfectly fine place to start. Zagg Denali Snap With Kickstand
Kickstand cases are a godsend for folks like me who will prop their phone up at a bar to watch basketball while ignoring their friends, and the Denali Snap has my favorite kickstand of any model I've tested. Its svelte pop-out stand is both sturdy and subtle, and works equally well whether you're catching up on vertical TikToks or laying your phone horizontally to binge on YouTube. It also has a nice textured rear grip, complete with 16 feet of drop protection and the usual MagSafe support for your snap-on chargers. This case feels a bit too slippery for my liking, and like the Santa Cruz, leaves some awkward extra space around the 16e's camera. But if having a hearty amount of protection and a reliable kickstand are priorities, the Denali Snap should be near the top of your list.UAG Plasma XTE for iPhone 16e
The UAG Plasma XTE is one of our favorite Galaxy S25 cases, and I love its iPhone 16e counterpart for all of the same reasons. It's easy to grip, has clicky buttons, sports a cool translucent design, comes MagSafe-ready for all of your wireless accessories and boasts a strong 20-foot drop protection rating for when things go south. But the real star of the show is the fold-out metal kickstand, which, while a little wobbly in horizontal mode, feels very durable and allows you to stand your iPhone 16e up at multiple angles. The Plasma XTE's high asking price won't be for everyone, but you get a lot of durability and functionality for the money.
CNN Underscored thoroughly tests all the products we cover, and we provide full transparency about how these products are tested, so you know they'll meet your standards when they meet our requirements. Our skilled writers and editors have many years of testing experience and work that informs how they properly vet products and ensure each article is edited for accuracy and clarity. Senior tech editor Mike Andronico has been covering smartphones for more than a decade, and has been one of Underscored's primary iPhone reviewers since 2022.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Apple under pressure to shine after AI stumble
Pressure is on Apple to show it hasn't lost its magic despite broken promises to ramp up iPhones with generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as rivals race ahead with the technology. Apple will showcase plans for its coveted devices and the software powering them at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicking off Monday in Silicon Valley. The event comes a year after the tech titan said a suite of AI features it dubbed "Apple Intelligence" was heading for iPhones, including an improvement of its much criticized Siri voice assistant. "Apple advertised a lot of features as if they were going to be available, and it just didn't happen," noted Emarketer senior analyst Gadjo Sevilla. Instead, Apple delayed the rollout of the Siri upgrade, with hopes that it will be available in time for the next iPhone release, expected in the fall. "I don't think there is going to be that much of a celebratory tone at WWDC," the analyst told AFP. "It could be more of a way for Apple to recover some credibility by showing where they're headed." Industry insiders will be watching to see whether Apple addresses the AI stumble or focuses on less splashy announcements, including a rumored overhaul of its operating systems for its line of devices. "The bottom line is Apple seemed to underestimate the AI shift, then over-promised features, and is now racing to catch up," Gene Munster and Brian Baker of Deepwater Asset Management wrote in a WWDC preview note. Rumors also include talk that Apple may add GenAI partnerships with Google or Perplexity to an OpenAI alliance announced a year ago. - 'Double black eye' - Infusing its lineup with AI is only one of Apple's challenges. Developers, who build apps and tools to run on the company's products, may be keen for Apple to loosen its tight control of access to iPhones. "There's still a lot of strife between Apple and developers," Sevilla said. "Taking 30 percent commissions from them and then failing to deliver on promises for new functionality—that's a double black eye." A lawsuit by Fortnite maker Epic Games ended with Apple being ordered to allow outside payment systems to be used at the US App Store, but developers may want more, according to the analyst. "Apple does need to give an olive branch to the developer community, which has been long-suffering," Sevilla said. "They can't seem to thrive within the restrictive guardrails that Apple has been putting up for decades now." As AI is incorporated into Apple software, the company may need to give developers more ability to sync apps to the platform, according to Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi. "Maybe with AI it's the first time that Apple needs to rethink the open versus closed ecosystem," Milanesi said. - Apple on defensive - Adding to the WWDC buildup is that the legendary designer behind the iPhone, Jony Ive, has joined with ChatGPT maker OpenAI to create a potential rival device for engaging with AI. "It puts Apple on the defensive because the key designer for your most popular product is saying there is something better than the iPhone," Sevilla said. While WWDC has typically been a software-focused event, Apple might unveil new hardware to show it is still innovating, the analyst speculated. And while unlikely to come up at WWDC, Apple has to deal with tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump in his trade war with China, a key market for sales growth as well as the place where most iPhones are made. Trump has also threatened to hit Apple with tariffs if iPhone production wasn't moved to the US, which analysts say is impossible given the costs and capabilities. "The whole idea of having an American-made iPhone is a pipe dream; you'd have to rewrite the rules of global economics," said Sevilla. One of the things Apple has going for it is that its fans are known for their loyalty and likely to remain faithful regardless of how much time it takes the company to get its AI act together, Milanesi said. "Do people want a smarter Siri? Hell yeah," Milanesi said. "But if you are in Apple, you're in Apple and you'll continue to buy their stuff." gc/arp
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Apple's Siri Could Be More Like ChatGPT. But Is That What You Want?
I've noticed a vibe shift in the appetite for AI on our devices. My social feeds are flooded with disgust over what's being created by Google's AI video generator tool, Veo 3. The unsettling realistic video of fake people and voices it creates makes it clear we will have a hard time telling apart fiction from reality. In other words, the AI slop is looking less sloppy. Meanwhile, the CEO of Anthropic is warning people that AI will wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs. In an interview with Axios, Dario Amodei is suggesting government needs to step in to protect us from a mass elimination of jobs that can happen very rapidly. So as we gear up for Apple's big WWDC presentation on Monday, I have a different view of headlines highlighting Apple being behind in the AI race. I wonder, what exactly is the flavor of AI that people want or need right now? And will it really matter if Apple keeps waiting longer to push out it's long promised (and long delayed) personalized Siri when people are not feeling optimistic about AI's impact on our society? In this week's episode of One More Thing, which you can watch embedded above, I go over some of the recent reporting from Bloomberg that discusses leadership changes on the Siri team, and how there are different views in what consumers want out of Siri. Should Apple approach AI in a way to make Siri into a home-grown chatbot, or just make it a better interface for controlling devices? (Maybe a bit of both.) I expect a lot of griping after WWDC about the state of Siri and Apple's AI, with comparisons to other products like ChatGPT. But I hope we can use those gripes to voice what we really want in the next path for the assistant, by sharing our thoughts and speaking with our wallet. Do you want a Siri that's better at understanding context, or one that goes further and makes decisions for you? It's a question I'll be dwelling on more as Apple gives us the next peak into the future of iOS on Monday, and perhaps a glimpse of how the next Siri is shaping up. If you're looking for more One More Thing, subscribe to our YouTube page to catch Bridget Carey breaking down the latest Apple news and issues every Friday.
Digital Trends
6 hours ago
- Digital Trends
3 big iOS 19 changes that I hope Apple reveals at WWDC 2025
We're less than two days away from Apple's big WWDC 2025 keynote, where the company will reveal new versions of each of its software platforms. One of the biggest changes this year is the expected shift from iOS 19 to iOS 26, with new versions of macOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS also set to follow suit. We're also expecting to see the evolution of Apple Health, including a new AI doctor and Health subscription. iOS 26, if it is to be named that, is expected to introduce one of the biggest evolutions in design for Apple software since the first iPhone was launched. Inspired by visionOS and the Apple Vision Pro, it's expected to be a monumental redesign, but I hope that Apple also takes the time to make a few improvements. Recommended Videos I've used the iPhone for over a decade, which I carry every day along with one of the best Android phones. While iOS is an excellent platform, there are a few key areas where it could improve. Here are the five improvements I'm hoping to see on Monday. 1. True support for third parties It's somewhat antithetical for Apple to embrace third parties, evidenced by its ongoing lawsuit with Fortnite developer Epic Games, but this might be the best time for the company to do exactly this. It may also prevent regulatory challenges, like the Epic Games lawsuit, which resulted in support for third-party app stores on the iPhone, but only in Europe. The success of the iPhone can be largely attributed to its early adoption by third-party developers. These developers built the apps and experiences that enabled the iPhone to have the impact it has had. While this has been great for apps, Apple only enabled third-party solutions to replace certain system functions, and these features don't work anywhere near as well. Third-party keyboards have been supported for over a decade, yet it's still a bit-part installation, which results in the OS often freezing and resorting to the default keyboard. Apple's new Passwords app in iOS 18 also made third-party password managers less stable. This could also help address a significant issue for Apple. The company's troubles with Apple Intelligence and the new Siri could be somewhat solved by enabling third-party assistants to be set as the default, at least in the interim. This would also benefit its partnership with OpenAI and ChatGPT, or allow an assistant like Google Gemini to be set as the default. 2. A rebuilt OS that just works again For Apple to truly allow third-party support, it needs to rebuild iOS. Over the past 19 years, Apple's iPhone software has largely stayed the same under the hood. The result is that while many features have been added over the years, they have directly contributed to the OS's load and instability. Consider iOS 18 and the launch of the theming engine, as well as the more flexible approach to the homescreen layout, and the transformation of widgets. All are great additions to the customizability of iOS 18, but none launched with the same stability and aplomb that made Apple as successful as it has been. Apple products are infamously meant to 'just work', and it's time to return to that era, starting with a rebuild of iOS. The visionOS platform demonstrates that Apple can still design beautiful, first-generation software experiences, and the iPhone needs a next-generation experience. 3. Advanced features from Android There are many features available on Android that aren't available on the iPhone. While iOS 18 brought the iPhone closer to the customizability of an Android phone, there are still a few things that are needed for the iPhone to continue competing with the best phones. Consider the Galaxy S25 Ultra: it features multiple telephoto lenses, the S-Pen stylus, and true multitasking capabilities. Or the Oppo Find N5 and Galaxy Z Fold 7, which feature two screens and advanced stylus input. Then there are phones like the Oppo Find X8 Ultra, Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Vivo X200 Ultra, which all feature multiple telephoto lenses and advanced camera systems that are more capable than the iPhone, at least for still photography. Then there's Apple's approach to the homescreen. Last year, Apple introduced significant improvements to the homescreen, but there are still many ways for Apple to take this further. I'd love to see resizable icons, a choice of grid layouts, and more advanced management of icon positioning and grid. And yes, I hope they fix the current homescreen introduced in iOS 18, so we can put apps wherever we want, and they'll stay in place. The next-generation iPhone experience needs to do more than fix the bugs; it should set the iPhone up to compete with the very best phones. Apple is rumored to launch an iPhone Fold eventually, and iOS 19 should lay the groundwork for this to compete with the best folding phones. I can't wait to see what Apple launches on Monday during the WWDC 2025 livestream. I use an Apple product in each category, and I am genuinely excited to see what the company does next. I suspect we'll see a mix of bug fixes, design changes, and some new features to highlight, but less from Apple Intelligence than we did last year. We'll all find out soon!
