Best Apple iPhone SE Cases for 2024 [CNET]

Our Experts

David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews

Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET’s Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He’s also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Kobo e-books and audiobooks.

Expertise Headphones, Bluetooth speakers, mobile accessories, Apple, Sony, Bose, e-readers, Amazon, glasses, ski gear, iPhone cases, gaming accessories, sports tech, portable audio, interviews, audiophile gear, PC speakers Credentials

• Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer

We generally encourage people to spend the extra money for a Qi-enabled case because of the wireless charging capabilities associated with the product.

Qi Wireless Charging Support — or not?

Because iPhone SEs do not have MagSafe capabilities, you’ll want to decide how important wireless charging is to your daily lifestyle. If you’re someone who would find the set-it-and-forget-it style convenient, consider getting a thinner phone case that would allow for the electrical currents to travel through. If you’re fine with using the traditional Lightning cable, you’ll be able to buy a phone case as thick as you’d like.

Thin or thicker?

Some people like minimal cases that add little to no bulk to their iPhones, but the majority of people are looking for a case that offers good protection — or even maximum protection. I tell people to find a case that’s not too thick and maybe even pretty slim and that offers at least 6-foot drop protection (and good corner protection).

Do you want a clear case?

Clear cases are popular because they show off your phone (and its color). Clear cases, especially cheaper ones, can become less clear over time and slowly start to yellow. Many case makers now add UV protection to their clear cases to prevent yellowing. 

Several of the cases on this list were available for previous models and we added them to the list based on our testing. Typically, we try to use the case on the phone for at least a day and make sure the buttons on the phone work properly with the case on. With some phone cases, we use them for several days or even weeks to see how they wear over time. 

• Design: We evaluate the more superficial and cosmetic aspects of cases and consider how aesthetically pleasing they are because people sometimes buy cases solely for their colors and artwork. 
• Durability: We look at how durable a case is, paying particular attention to corner and camera protection (raised corners on a case can help your phone survive face-down falls).
• Grip factor: We review the material the case is made of so we can talk about such factors as how grippy the phone feels in your hand and how protective the material is. 
• Extra features: Some iPhone cases have extra features such as MagSafe, an integrated kickstand or grips, and, in the case of folio models, slots for storing credit cards and cash.
• Long-term testing: Although we don’t do long-term testing for most cases, we do use some of the most popular cases for longer periods to gauge how they wear over time and see how well our phone holds up during accidental drops with the case on it. We don’t do formal drop tests.
• Waterproof cases: Only a few fully waterproof cases are available, but If the case is supposed to be fully waterproof, we test it by submerging it in water. 

Torras cases: Torras makes several cases with integrated kickstands, but they each have their own style of stand. They include the Lstand which has a retractable kickstand ring around the camera, the Pstand which has a flip-out kickstand on the bottom of the case, and the Ostand which has a retractable ring around the MagSafe ring. 

Inbeage case: Inbeage cases are made out of plant-based materials and are 100% biodegradable (over 3 years). They’re not going to look and feel exactly like your typical silicone or hard plastic case and they are fairly basic. They offer decent drop protection and come in a variety of eye-catching designs. Better yet, they’re affordable, costing around $19 and sometimes less (like now where there are some cases on sale 50% off) after you apply an instant coupon. Their one downside is they’re not MagSafe-enabled (there’s no built-in ring), but if you can live with that and are looking for an eco-friendly case, Inbeage is one of the best ones out there for the money.

Pitaka MagEZ Case 4: If you’re looking for more serious protection from drops, this probably isn’t the right case for you, particularly because it’s rather expensive (between $60 and $70). If you’re looking for a very slim, lightweight case, you should give it some consideration. It does come in a few different designs, some a little more eye-catching than others. All the cases are MagSafe-enabled using Pitaka’s MagSafe SlimBoard technology.

Mujjo cases: Mujjo has been making attractive vegetable-tanned leather cases for the iPhone for a while and its cases for the iPhone SE include its standard Leather Case with MagSafe, a Leather Wallet Case with MagSafe and its tougher Shield case with MagSafe. They cost $64, although sometimes you can find them on sale for less on Amazon. They are currently on sale for $45 on Mujo.

SwitchEasy Roam M + Strap: I haven’t tried SwitchEasy cases for a few generations of iPhones but I got a chance to test a few of its new cases for the iPhone SE that come with a crossbody strap, including the Roam + Strap and Odyssey Ultra M + Strap. Both feature excellent drop protection, but the Odyssey Ultra has even more elevated corner protection. They’re both available in a few color options. 

Watch this: 2022 iPhone SE Disappoints in Drop Test

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