Best iPhone 16 cases of 2024: Full grain-leather, metal bumpers, backplates, Camera Control, more

Welcome to the 2024 Electronicsforward iPhone 16 case awards. We have gone hands-on with a massive selection of new cases for Apple’s iPhone 16 and, as is tradition around here, now that we have had a chance to truly test them out for a good four months, we are here to weigh in before the year ends on our absolute favorites across various categories.

All of the cases in this year’s best of awards are those we have indeed actually tested out, still use to this day, and have put through the paces of daily life – they aren’t just cases we stuck on the phone for a couple hours just to snap some pics and write a review. With the new Camera Control button on the series 16 handsets, we have decided to alter this year’s categories slightly and factor in the relatively thin selection of options out there that actually have the conductive button cover alongside the usual leather and unique categories as well as a nod to our favorite case back.

Best leather iPhone 16 case – Nomad Traditional

Anyone who has read my review of this model will already know why it’s at the top of the list and an easy winner of this year’s best iPhone 16 leather case of the year – the Nomad Traditional leather case is simply gorgeous and unless you must have a proper Camera Control button, it is essentially flawless.

If there was one thing about some of the other Nomad leather case I was never totally in love with was the side of the cases that feature a rubberized material – the Traditional leather delivers a full-wrap leather treatment and I love it. The 3/4 cutout for the Camera Control shows just enough of Apple’s iPhone design, the rest of the buttons feature a gorgeous gunmetal vibe, and the front lip is just right for me (not too big, not too small).

• Nomad Traditional Leather Case
  • Runner up: Burton Goods iPhone 16 Heritage case
  • Runner up: Native Union’s cross-hatched eco leather

Full Review: Nomad’s full-wrap Traditional Leather iPhone 16 case – the best just got even better

Best iPhone 16 Case Back – Atom Studios Soft Snap

I loved Nomad’s leather case back treatment, but the Atom Studios Soft Snap is my favorite backplate-style case of the year and a surprise entry on a list typically dominated by well-established brands. The Soft Snap features a textured vegan leather wrap that fits the back of iPhone 16 Pro wonderfully, with a subtly rounded edge that looks and feels like an extension of the iPhone more so than any other backplate case I tested out this year. It securely connects to iPhone magnetically with no adhesive and retains compatibility with all of your MagSafe accessories. If you like the look here and are interested in the backplate vibes, don’t overlook Atom Studios.

• Atom Studios Soft Snap
  • Runner up: Nomad’s Magnetic Leather Back case

Full Review: Atom Studios’ agave leather iPhone 16 Soft Snap is the best MagSafe backplate case yet

Best iPhone 16 Camera Control Case – Spigen Ultra T

I did not expect the third-party brands attempting to release proper conductive Camera Control button covers to actually pull it off – Apple seems to have kept the official sapphire crystal close to the vest – but Spigen somehow did. The Ultra T Camera Control case comes in a couple different colors now and features a wonderful Camera Control button cover. As I said in my hands-on review, it in many ways makes the touch gestures even easier to use for me than just the naked button. While this might not be the case for everyone, the Spigen treatment just somehow seems to make the button less sensitive but still entirely functional – I don’t take pictures accidentally like I do with the naked button from time to time. 

• Spigen Ultra T iPhone 16 Camera Control case
  • Runner up: OtterBox Lumen iPhone 16 case
  • Runner up: AppleSilicone Case with MagSafe and Camera Control

Full Review: Hands-on with Spigen’s Ultra T iPhone 16 Camera Control case…it might make the button even easier to use

Most unique iPhone 16 case – Arc Pulse

Arc’s Pulse Bumper Case is back in the hot seat this year. Not only is it our choice for the most unique iPhone 16 case of the year (if you even want to call it a case at all), but it has also been one of the most popular cases of any type this year among 9to5 readers. The aerospace-grade metal looks great, installs with zero adhesive, and allows your iPhone color of choice to shine through unlike just about anything else out there – it looks brilliant on the Desert iPhone 16 Pro.

Full Review: Arc Pulse – a near perfect metal iPhone 16 bumper case [Exclusive deal]

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