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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
Which is the best iPhone 14 case overall?
As much as we love them, we can be a little careless with our phones. They slip out of pockets, tumble out of our truck doors when stepping down and drop right out of our sweaty, greasy hands. If you have the right case on, however, you can protect your phone and keep it in mint condition. Not only is that great for just generally keeping your phone for longer, it will also get you a better trade-in or sale value when you upgrade your phone. If you’re looking for a protective and stylish phone case for your iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max, you’re in luck. I’ve tested the best iPhone 14 cases out there — ranging in price, style, and features.
To find the best iPhone 14 series case, I personally tested all the cases on this list and chose the ones below that I deemed the best. If I had to choose one standout from the pack, it would have to be the Otterbox Core case. It has a unique look, a nice grippy texture and comes in a variety of colors. Of the cases I’ve used, this one is my go-to, but fair warning, it doesn’t come cheap.
Do you have an iPhone 14 and need a case? Before you make a purchase, it’s important to know that each new iPhone model comes with its own unique case specifications. As such, making sure you get the correct case for your model is paramount. For instance, the Pro versions, which include the iPhone 14 Pro and the larger iPhone 14 Pro Max, come with extra cameras that require a larger cutout on the back of your case.
Best iPhone 14 cases of 2024
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When you combine Peak Design’s accessories with all the MagSafe accessories out there, you certainly get a lot of accessory options to choose from. The cases start at $32 and come in three versions, one with a loop built into it that you can slip your finger into for added security (to keep you from dropping your phone).
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“,”imageCredit”:”Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET”,”imageAltText”:”Peak Design’s Everyday cases for iPhone are available in a few variations”,”imageFilename”:”peak-design-iphone-14-cases.png”,”imageWidth”:1596,”imageHeight”:898,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageDateCreated”:”2023-04-04″,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{“id”:”q605q8mwid45krv”,”type”:”listicle”}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__19972939-f140-4073-b759-2946b48eb2ff” index=”6″ contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”FAQ Markup + BL Precap” tagslugs=”gap-project,hv90,freelance-update,apple” isbestlistredesign=”true” imagecredit=”Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET” imagealttext=”Peak Design’s Everyday cases for iPhone are available in a few variations”>
Peak Design’s Everyday cases are MagSafe-compatible in that you can connect a MagSafe wireless charging puck and other magnetic MagSafe-compatible accessories to the case, including wireless charging batteries, wallets and more. They have Peak Design’s own built-in magnetic locking system — the company calls it SlimLink — that connects to a wide assortment of Peak Design’s mobile mounts and accessories. That includes bike mounts, charging stands, tripods, car mounts and more. The only accessory I don’t recommend is the wallet, which doesn’t lock onto the case and doesn’t stick to it that securely.
When you combine Peak Design’s accessories with all the MagSafe accessories out there, you certainly get a lot of accessory options to choose from. The cases start at $32 and come in three versions, one with a loop built into it that you can slip your finger into for added security (to keep you from dropping your phone).
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“,”imageCredit”:”Amazon”,”imageAltText”:”Cyrill iPhone 14 cases are stylish and relatively inexpensive”,”imageFilename”:”cyrill-iphone-14-cases.jpg”,”imageWidth”:3000,”imageHeight”:1500,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageDateCreated”:”2022-09-08″,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{“id”:”k7w0r412lkcnao7″,”type”:”listicle”}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__0e93f322-0dba-44ed-b625-6816246e66e3″ index=”10″ contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”FAQ Markup + BL Precap” tagslugs=”gap-project,hv90,freelance-update,apple” isbestlistredesign=”true” imagecredit=”Amazon” imagealttext=”Cyrill iPhone 14 cases are stylish and relatively inexpensive”>
Cyrill is a sister brand to Spigen, and its cases are arguably slightly more stylish, although they cost a few bucks more. I like the UltraColor Mag ($22), and the Kajuk Mag ($25) is also pretty nice, owing to its faux “vegan” leather back. The transparent Shine Mag ($27) cases are attractively designed with “a touch of sparkle” for those who like a bit of flash in their iPhone case.
The Eagle 3 is fairly pricey at $70.
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“,”imageCredit”:”Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET”,”imageAltText”:”Designed for golfers, the Rokform Eagle 3 case has a very strong magnet”,”imageFilename”:”rokform-eagle-3-iphone-14-case-yellow-background.png”,”imageWidth”:1596,”imageHeight”:898,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageDateCreated”:”2023-03-16″,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{“id”:”4l973hhcn0t1c5e”,”type”:”listicle”}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__3411eecf-4d43-40a9-b456-fecf55f5a79b” index=”19″ contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”FAQ Markup + BL Precap” tagslugs=”gap-project,hv90,freelance-update,apple” isbestlistredesign=”true” imagecredit=”Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET” imagealttext=”Designed for golfers, the Rokform Eagle 3 case has a very strong magnet”>
Rokform makes some mountable rugged cases for iPhones (see above), but its Eagle 3 case has a unique feature that I appreciated: A powerful MagSafe-compatible magnet built into the case.
Rokform bills the Eagle 3 as an iPhone golf case because it’s designed to stick to the metal roof poles on your golf cart, allowing you to conveniently view hole yardage info from golf GPS apps or mount your phone to capture your swing on video.
This is also the case for someone who wants a powerful magnet so you can securely mount your phone on anything metal or have your MagSafe accessories really stick to your phone. For example, a lot of MagSafe-enabled wallets just don’t stay on your phone all that securely. With this phone case, they stick well. With some MagSafe accessories, like the Clckr Stand and Grip, I had to work a bit to pull the accessory off.
The Eagle 3 is fairly pricey at $70.
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Smartish’s affordable, simple, slim cases and wallet cases are great for the iPhone 14. The Wallet Slayer 2.0 case (pictured) comes in a few different designs, including the Groovy color shown here. It holds three credit cards plus cash, and you can use one of your credit cards as a kickstand. Its one downside is that it’s not compatible with wireless and MagSafe chargers.
Smartish also sells a MagSafe case called the Gripzilla ($30). It’s one of the most affordable MagSafe cases and is easy to grip, as its name implies.
MagSafe support or not?
You can save about $8-$10 by getting a case that doesn’t have MagSafe support (the metal ring built into the case). I generally encourage people to spend the extra money for a MagSafe-enabled case because of the number of MagSafe accessories on the market, some of which are quite useful.
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). The 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.
Virtually every case that appears on this list has been tested by CNET’s expert reviews team on at least one of the iPhone 14 models (we tested cases using an iPhone 14 and an iPhone 14 Pro). That means using the phone with the case on the phone for at least a day and making sure the buttons on the phone work properly with the case on.
- Design: We evaluate the more superficial and cosmetic aspects of cases, considering how aesthetically pleasing it is, because people often buy cases solely for their colors and the artwork on the cases.
- Durability: We look at the durability of the case, paying particular attention to the corner and camera protection (raised corners on the 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 it is.
- Extra features: Some iPhone cases have extra features such as MagSafe, integrated kickstand or grips and, in the case of folio models, slots for storing credit cards and cash.
- Long-term testing: We don’t do long-term testing for most cases, but 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.
We look at design features like the raised corners on this Otterbox case when we test the best iPhone cases.
David Carnoy/CNETTorras 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 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 14 include its standard Leather Case with MagSafe, a Leather Wallet Case with MagSafe and its tougher Shield case with MagSafe. They cost $50 to $60, although sometimes you can find them on sale for less on Amazon.
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 14 that comes 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.
How protective of an iPhone 14 case should I buy?
I like cases that aren’t too thick but offer decent drop protection, with a lip over the edge of the screen (sometimes referred to as a “screen bumper”) and raised corners that help prevent your screen from cracking if your phone should fall face down. A folio case will more fully protect your screen.
The good news is that you don’t have to buy a super-protective iPhone 14 case like the OtterBox Defender to get good protection. Most cases are reasonably thin and still offer at least 6-foot drop protection. I did include one very thin case on this list for those who prefer minimal protection. Before you go with a case like that, just remember how much your phone costs. At least it’s better than having no case at all. Make sure you get a sound-tempered glass screen protector for your iPhone 14 model to prevent deep scratches and safeguard the screen.
Should I get a MagSafe case for my iPhone 14?
All the iPhone 14 models are equipped with Apple’s MagSafe feature, which offers faster wireless charging with compatible chargers. It also supports optional accessories — including a Magsafe wallet, mini wallets and various mounts — that adhere magnetically to the back of your phone. Like the iPhone 13, the iPhone 14 has “an array of magnets” (Apple says they’re recycled) embedded around a charging coil that can pull up to 15 watts of power.
If you want to use those MagSafe accessories without taking your phone out of its case, you need a phone case that’s equipped with MagSafe support. The MagSafe symbol is a circle with a short pipe below it. You can see it on clear cases, but it’s embedded on the inside of the case so if it’s nontransparent, you’ll only see it from the inside.
If you already have a MagSafe accessory — or plan on buying MagSafe accessories in the future — you’ll want to get a MagSafe compatible case; it’s a good option to have. With that in mind, the majority of the cases in this roundup are equipped with MagSafe.
Are MagSafe cases more expensive?
In general, yes — about $10 more. Some more affordable MagSafe cases cost around $20, but most cost upwards of $30. We see cases from certain companies that are essentially the same, but one has MagSafe and the other doesn’t, and the MagSafe version usually sells for $10 more. It may seem like a little too much to pay for something that doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade, but in time MagSafe compatibility may command less of a “tax.”
