AARP Hearing Center
Get a Phone Case that Actually Protects Your Phone
Drops happen, but breaks don’t need to with the right materials and design
Your smartphone is a $1,000-plus investment, so protect it with a strong case.
AARP (Shutterstock, 3)
Key takeaways
- Polycarbonate cases reinforced with rubber can better absorb impact from drops.
- Raised lips, corner bumpers, and interior silicone pads help protect weak points.
- Features like textured grips, screen protectors, and water seals reduce common damage risks.
Your cellphone is likely the most expensive item you carry with you. “It’s a $1,000-plus investment that goes with you everywhere,” says Courtney Lindwall, a home and technology reporter for Consumer Reports. And so protecting it with a strong case makes sense.
Phone cases are not new, but they have been updated and improved over the years. When you’re shopping for one, the first criterion, of course, is to make sure it fits your specific phone model. But beyond that, the options can seem overwhelming. What to look for:
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Materials
Phone cases come in a wide variety of materials — silicone, durable plastics, leather and even Kevlar. Catherine Lambert works as a senior category manager for uBreakiFix by Asurion, a repair service for personal devices, and she recommends one above the others: polycarbonate, a shatter-resistant plastic. Cases made of polycarbonate are also often reinforced with impact-resistant rubber layered around part of the exterior. “That helps with bounce and drop protection,” she says.
But no matter which material you choose, Lambert suggests looking for these words on the packaging: “rugged” or “military-tested.” This indicates that a case can withstand repeated drops. She also suggests shopping for a case in person so you can put it to the test. “If you can’t bend or twist it, if it’s pretty rigid, that’s probably going to give you the best durability,” Lambert says.
Raised edges
Cases should protect the phone’s most fragile components: the glass screen and rear camera. A raised lip around those areas can do a lot to help. “If your phone drops, the case absorbs the impact instead of the glass,” Lindwall says.
Corner bumpers
Some cases add another layer of protection with corner bumpers, which stick out slightly from the case and work like a football player’s shoulder pads to absorb impact. “If you’re a person that drops your phone a lot, you want to protect the corners of the phone,” says James Jaeger, a uBreakiFix by Asurion district manager.
Interior cushioning
Cases may include cushioning on the inside, often a silicone pad that rests against the phone. “When you are in a store looking at cases, really feel around in there and make sure that silicone pad’s in there and those [screen] edges are thick,” Lambert says.
Screen protectors
These transparent rectangular accessories are usually sold separately. They are thin and are meant to look and feel just like your phone screen. “You want tempered glass,” Jaeger says. “There are screen protectors out there that just prevent scratches, but you want something that is going to help prevent breaks.”
Grip
Smooth cases may look sleek, but they can slip out of your hand easily. “Look for something that has ridges around the outside or some type of texture,” Lambert says. “That just makes holding it in one hand easier.”
Lambert also recommends cases with a collapsible phone grip, like those by PopSockets or Ohsnap. This is a knob that can be pushed flat against the phone case or can be extended out like an accordion to hook your fingers around while using your phone. “You can hold it more easily, and it prevents drops,” she says.
Water resistance
Most phones today offer some level of water resistance, but a case can add more protection against spills — or the occasional dunk in water. Some rugged smartphone case brands offer fully waterproof options. These are sealed cases, meaning the entire phone is enclosed. They typically include a plug that seals the charging port. But that added protection can make your phone feel bulkier and may affect the feel of your touchscreen. If you only need occasional protection for a beach day or boat trip, an inexpensive waterproof phone pouch can be a simpler option. These slip over your phone and its case. Many offer lanyards so you can wear your phone around your neck if you don’t have pockets or a purse — and some even float.
The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
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