Do Cases Protect Phones?

If you don’t live under a rock, you may be the proud owner of a smartphone, safely nestled within a case for protection. But how effective are these phone cases at actually protecting our phones? 

After all, the phone already comes in a case and if you don’t need your phone to be invincible to the forces of nature, you might not be bothered to use a phone case at all. 

We all pretty much assume that no phone case will prevent your phone from surviving a car crash or six-story drop. 

Let’s case out this matter and help you decide whether you need to opt for that phone case to protect your phone by looking at what a phone case will and won’t do to protect your phone from damage.

Do Cases Really Protect Phones?

First let’s look at what phone cases do, or what they are intended to do. Primarily, phone cases are designed to absorb shock and to protect your phone from scratches and damage.

What a case will do 

A good and well-designed phone case will cover the corners, back, and edges of your phone and will absorb the impact when your phone is dropped.

Cases not only protect some of the more vulnerable parts of your phone but also provide grip and an opportunity to personalize your phone. 

Any durable case will provide you with a better grip on your phone so you need not necessarily invest in an expensive rubber case to get the most out of it when many fashion-forward phone cases will do the trick.

And as an added bonus, you will look super stylish when you hold up your phone to take a selfie! 

Now that we have established what phone cases can do for your phone, let’s look at what they won’t do to establish whether a phone case is worth it.

What a case won’t do 

A phone case won’t protect your screen

Phone cases only cover the edges, corners, and backside of your phone, often leaving your screen exposed and vulnerable to damage. 

This is a drawback since the screen is one of the most vulnerable parts of your phone, so if you are asking yourself whether glass screen protectors are worth it, they probably are.

Cases won’t necessarily protect your phone from water damage

Some phone cases are specifically designed to protect your phone from water damage but many of these have a specific tolerance level in terms of the water level and the time they can be submerged underwater. 

So, many accidents (such as dropping your phone in a swimming pool) will not necessarily be covered but having a phone case will provide some protection against splashes of water and minor accidents.

Cases won’t protect your phone from dust and sand

Like water tolerance, many upmarket phone cases advertise that they are resistant to dust and sand particles, keeping your phone clean. 

Once again, there is a limit to this, as evident by many people on the internet who have invested in top-market cases just to be disappointed when their phone damage wasn’t covered under the specific conditions of the warranty.

Phone cases may also worsen the accumulation of dust and sand particles because it gets stuck between the phone and the phone case. So, if you really want to protect your phone from dust and sand, you should regularly clean your phone and your case. 

This will ensure that the phone case adequately prevents dust particles and bacteria from coming near your phone.

Cases won’t protect your phone if a car runs it over

Or if it gets run over by a train, motorcycle, or even a bicycle. The bottom line is that some forces are just too strong for a phone case to withstand. 

So while having a phone case is no excuse for using your phone when engaging in extreme sports, for the most part, you are better off using a phone case to offer some resistance in the event of an accident.

Cases won’t protect your phone from the heat

This is unfortunate but true. Phone cases may worsen the heat impact on your phone. 

Phones are designed to be effective in cooling themselves down, which is often blocked by protective covers. 

Many people advise removing the case completely, and if you don’t know how to take a phone case off, at the very least, keep your phone out of the sun.

Cases won’t keep your phone stable in an upright position

Cases are just an encasing for your phone, so many of them will not provide the stability needed for your phone to be mounted in a vertical or horizontal position. 

This is why pop sockets were invented and they are pretty easy to use as long as you know how to put a popsocket on your phone case. 

Be careful, because some popsocket’s adhesive may stick to your phone case after removal so just make sure how to get adhesive off a phone case before you invest in a popsocket.

So What’s the Hype About Phone Cases?

At this point, it is important to distinguish between the protective cases and those that are less protective. 

Some brands,  pride themselves on providing a phone case that is shock absorbent, heat resistant, and dust and sand resistant, which leads many people to opt for this type of case for protection. 

But the warranty does exclude many instances in which your phone might be damaged and you won’t have to look far on the internet to see people’s frustration with this matter. 

So what happens if your phone breaks in a case is that some manufacturers  will assess the circumstances and extent of the damage.

They might replace the case but not the mobile phone as some circumstances are just too great to be prevented by a smartphone cover. 

If even the most top-notch phone cases out there cannot be a permanent shield for your phone, is a phone case necessary? The short answer is yes. Cases can provide protection to the occasional drop, which is one of the main reasons people damage their phones. 

Phone cases are a preventative measure and are a suitable option for the clumsy among us or those that want to resell their phones in a good condition. As an added bonus, you can tailor your phone case to feature your personality. 

But phone cases can only protect your phone to a certain extent. 

In order to ensure optimal protection, you should ideally protect your phone with a phone case and a glass screen protector and you should probably have insurance as well to cover all your bases.

Do Cases Protect Phones FAQs

Should I buy a phone case or a skin?

In the case of phone case vs skin, skins are generally regarded as less bulky and, therefore, preferred by people who want to easily slide their phones into their pockets or handbags.

Phone cases are regarded as more durable and protective overall

Do phone cases last long?

How long phone cases last depends on the amount of shock it has absorbed and other factors such as water damage. Basically, a good phone case should last at least as long as your phone, if properly cleaned and handled with care.

What is the best phone case for your phone?

It really all depends on your lifestyle. 

If you are into water sports, you probably need to invest in something water resistant but if you are just looking for protection from dents, cracks, and scratches, any phone case that covers the corners, edges, and back of your phone will do.