Apple’s latest iPhone is the iPhone 16e. It’s the most affordable iPhone you can buy, but at $599 and up, it’s still a considerable investment, so you’ll want to keep it pristine and safe. There’s a wide range of cases available, with different aspects and capabilities—including some that partly overcome the 16e’s noticeable oversight: no MagSafe.
Only partially, mind. Though some cases allow your phone to snap securely into place on a MagSafe charging pad, it won’t charge as fast as the other iPhone 16 series phones, which have MagSafe. But it’s better than nothing.
The iPhone 16e is almost identical in size to the iPhone 16 so, you might wonder, you could use an iPhone 16 case, right? Wrong. First, because the dimensions aren’t quite the same and second because the placement of the flash on the 16e is different, so any iPhone 16 case will obscure it. Dear reader, I tried it, so you don’t have to.
Below are some of the new cases available, with details of their features and the latest deals.
The deals highlighted in this post were independently selected by the Contributor and do not contain affiliate links.
Official Case
Apple iPhone Silicone Case
$49 from apple.com
This is the only case Apple has released for the iPhone 16e. It has the company’s trademark silky smooth, but not slippery, finish. Of course, because Apple makes it, you know that it’ll be an exact fit. The buttons are responsive and precise, unlike some cases which are too clicky or spongy to feel right. It comes in five colors: black, white, winter blue, lake green and fuchsia. Since the phone only offers white and black options, three of these offer a way to brighten up the look of the iPhone 16e.
Leather Protective Case
Mous Limitless 6.0
$64.99 from mous.co
Mous uses a bespoke protection system, a material called AiroShock. It absorbs and disperses the energy caused from a drop, to protect the phone inside. Mous has held stunts over the years to show it works even when hurled high into the air to come crashing down onto the sidewalk—I’ve witnessed this happen—with no ill effects.
The Limitless is available in different finishes, such as leather, walnut and aramid fiber.
Case With Extensive Design Choices
Casetify Impact Case
$64 from casetify.com
The wide range of cases from Casetify include decorations that range from black kingsnakes to stamp collections, spring flowers to sunsets. There are literally hundreds more. The Impact case promises protection from drops of up to 8 feet and more, and there are side sockets so you can attach charms, for instance.
But there’s also the addition of MagSafe compatible magnets, so when you plonk it on a MagSafe charging pad, it snaps into place securely. Please note, the faster charging speed offered by MagSafe iPhones is not on offer here, so it charges at up to 7.5W.
Clear Case
Spigen Liquid Crystal MagFit Case
$24.99 from spigen.com
Spigen’s clear case is flexible and soft enough to ensure that it’s easy to take it on and off. It is transparent, so you can show off the white or black finish of your iPhone. And it has MagFit, that is, there is a ring of magnets that fit with MagSafe chargers though, as with the Casetify above, the charging speed is limited to 7.5W. It’s reasonably slim so it doesn’t add much bulk.
Protective Case
Spigen Slim Armor
$54.99 from spigen.com
This case is made to be durable, with military-grade drop protection and raised edges to protect the camera and the display. It has a kickstand that folds out to allow the users to stand it up to watch a video on the screen hands-free.
Like the Spigen case above, it has what the company has called MagFit, the a ring of magnets placed exactly to allow users to snap the iPhone 16e to a charging pad. Choose from black, gunmetal and frost black finishes.
Chunky Case
UAG Plasma XTE
$69.95 from urbanarmorgear.com
UAG’s case has its own MagSafe module but it comes in a strikingly different design, as though disguising its purpose. This is a big, ruggedized case that has a raised bezel around the camera and deliberately oversized buttons.
The corners are raised and angled as part of the surrounding frame, designed to act as cushions for the phone if it’s dropped. There are also lanyard anchor points if you want to hang the phone around your neck, say.
