Leaf&Core

Carved iPhone 13 mini Review: Wood, Resin, and Grip

Danielle from Leaf and Core
Reading Time: 6 minutes.
A Carved iPhone 13 mini case on a stand. It has wood on top and swirreled resin below, but other designs are vastly different.

It’s one of a kind!

I’ve used a variety of cases over the years. Reviewed many of them. Many of them ended up in the garbage (though there are better solutions now, like composting and recycling). However, some cases I just couldn’t part with. At least not entirely. I took the cases apart to salvage them. I don’t know why. Initially I thought of some kind of composite or art project. Working them into something else. I don’t know. But I was digging around in my drawers to write this piece and I found them.

The backs of my old Carved cases.

Carved makes cases with a wooden inlay. Originally these were just a piece of wood, either with a painted or engraved design. Now they’re doing more with resin and wood burls. The end result is something that is beautiful, completely unique, and sustainable, using pieces of wood that are usually discarded. I’ve got a few of their chargers with this design and, as I wanted a better MagSafe case, I decided to go to Carved for my latest iPhone 13 mini case as well.

It’s more than a pretty face though. This case is solid, grippy, and has some of the best buttons I’ve seen on an iPhone case.

Note

The old Carved cases had a fragile plastic. The new ones have a more durable TPU.

A disclaimer, of sorts. I have received products from Carved in the past (the wireless charger I currently use for my AirPods). However, this product was purchased with my own money, and the fact that they gifted me a product for a review in the past will not sway my opinion. I’ve been critical of Carved before and I can do it again!

Specs:

This is a thicker case, but not necessarily a bulky one. It’s thicker than most slim cases, but not quite as bulky as those “ultra protective” cases you might see from Otterbox, Lifeproof, or some Spigen models. It adds about 2mm on the sides and 2.5mm on the top and bottom. That’s right on the cusp of “too big” for me. Any larger and I’d feel like it defeats the purpose of having an iPhone 13 mini. The Rhinoshield case I reviewed, for example, added about 3.25mm to each side of the device, and it was unusable.

The depth is a bit more than most cases, thanks to the thicker wood and resin back, along with the substantial lip to protect the screen on the front add about 1mm to the front and 3mm to the back. This does, however, allow you to lay your iPhone flat on a table or charger.

Protection 10/10

The extra bulk of this case comes in handy in a drop. It’s a solid case. It really snaps when it goes on your phone, gripping the sides and providing a solid 1mm of protection over your screen. It doesn’t budge when dropped face-down on the corner (which I’ve done, multiple times). In fact, I’ve gotten to the point where I haven’t made an effort to stop my iPhone once I notice it’s falling because of this case. It is a solid, durable case that’s just thick enough to provide more than adequate protection.

But it doesn’t stop there. On the inside of the TPU case, there are air gaps on the corners. This means that, when you drop your iPhone on the most vulnerable part of your device, the corners, force is distributed away from the corner and into the case and the rest of your iPhone’s frame along the sides. It’s a fantastic way to disperse the force of a drop. Even the sides of the case also have multiple small leaf-shaped divots to create little air pockets for cushioning.

The back of the case on the inside has a soft cloth material, preventing scratches. This is a very well thought out case that makes use of its moderate size to make a case that’s as tough as you’d need a case to be, without the bulk.

Looks 10/10

Over the years, I’ve had a few cases that have gotten a lot of attention. You’re not going to turn heads with the same case from Apple, Spigen, or Otterbox that everyone else has. The cases I’ve had that stood out where unique, looked cool, or added a great deal of utility. I used to get many compliments on the loop case I had for my iPhone 6, which looked cool and held my metro card. My original Carved cases similarly got a few compliments. This one though, this isn’t just a head turner. No one else in the world has this design.

Each of Carved’s designs are hand made from wood burl and resin. The wood meets the resin with a live edge, with the resin filling in gaps until it sits flush. Wood burl is perfect for this. It’s often thrown out for other wood projects due to its unpredictable shapes and knots. However, those qualities make it rough, unique, and perfect for a case with a live edge. Once the resin is in and the case is sanded down to a smooth finish, you have a unique combination of wood and resin unlike anything else.

You can also get wood and resin bracelets, if you like the design. Ask me how I know.

Don’t like the design on my case? That’s fine! I chose it for me, I like it. There are hundreds of other designs to choose from with different types of wood and resin swirls. If you don’t see something you like, give it a week or two. Carved replaces the items as they sell them, so you’ll find a new selection if you’re patient.

This case is a stunner, and it’s unique too. It’s like an NFT, if NFTs were actually worth anything and looked cool.

Ergonomics 9/10

I’m not a fan of thick cases. I got the iPhone mini because I like I wanted something that was comfortable to hold in my hand, use one handed, and slip in a pocket. To preserve that, I need a case that isn’t too thick. The Carved case bumps right up against “too thick.” It’s just thin enough to keep the iPhone 13 mini nice and, well, mini. Still, I wouldn’t say no to an extra half a millimeter shaved off the sides.

Outside of that, the material isn’t uncomfortably grippy. This isn’t like silicone, which holds on to your pockets. Instead, it’s more like a TPU case. It’s not slippery. It has just enough grip in the texture to keep it in your hand. Besides that, it also has some nice grooves in the side to provide extra grip. With those features combined, it feels really good in the hand, and can prevent drops.

The buttons are some of the best I’ve seen in a case. They feature a floating design with hard plastic buttons that aren’t attached to the case directly. Buttons retain their clickiness. Often, cases cheap out on buttons and just cut out some material, or, worse, require you to do it yourself. Instead, Carved did the buttons the right way.

Sustainability 2.5/10

Carved describes the case material as “rubber,” but that may just be a more colloquial name for TPU. This feels more like TPU than rubber. A car tire, this is not. That would feel too grippy and bouncy. TPU is not easily recyclable. Neither are the plastic buttons. The back has wood and resin, both of which could be reused, but likely won’t. Their “Live Edge” cases would likely be a better environmental fit, as they use more wooden material and less TPU. However, these are harder to come by, and you have to watch their website closely.

One interesting note is the packaging. It’s from Braverly, a company that “provide[s] safe, fair paying jobs to empower local women along the Thai/Myanmar border.” It’s a pretty great goal, and the little bags are nicely made. You can re-use them and they’re certainly far better than plastic packaging. It’s a really nice touch.

Durability 9/10

This case is protected by a dense TPU material that isn’t going to come apart. I’ve dropped it quite a few times with no serious damage on any part of the case. The worst drop left a scuff on one of my corners, but it’s hard to notice and isn’t serious damage. From the few weeks I’ve been testing this case, it has shown no serious signs of wear. The scuff means it’s not perfect, but it’s close, this case will likely last you as long as your phone does.

Value 9/10

Separate clicky buttons are more expensive to produce, but worth it.

Carved’s case is certainly more expensive than many of the other cases you can find online. You can find a passable MagSafe case for $20, some high-end cases for $50, and Apple’s overpriced passable cases around $50-$60. Carved’s case comes in at $52, with MagSafe bringing the price up to $56. That definitely puts this into the “high-end” category which, unlike many cases in this price range, the Carved case actually belongs. It’s unique, hand crafted, durable, protective, has good grip, and the buttons work flawlessly. Sure, it’s more expensive, but it may also be the only case you need.

MagSafe Compatibility: 3/6

You can add MagSafe to any of Carved’s cases for an additional $3.99. The default $52 price won’t include MagSafe. It’s a small price to pay to add it though. Many case manufacturers still haven’t built MagSafe into all of their cases, especially sustainable cases.

I will admit, the MagSafe isn’t quite as strong as it is on my Moment cases for the iPhone 12 mini, but it’s enough to hold on to an Apple Wallet or the MagSafe charger. Because of the thickness of the case itself, as well as the wood and resin, it’s at a bit of a disadvantage. Still, it works well enough for everything I need it to do.

Update

I updated this with the new ranking system I’m trying out here. This takes into account MagSafe strength and comparability, the vertical alignment bar. The MagSafe here is a bit weak, but not useless, so it gets a middling 3/6 score.

Overall 9/10

Each Carved design is unique and I was able to find one that I really liked. It’s comfortable to use, has clicky buttons right from Carved’s factory, and it has that wonderful, hand made touch. This is a fantastic, unique case, and I’m really glad I took another chance with a Carved case. This is what a premium smartphone case should be.

Carved makes their cases for a range of iPhone models going back to the iPhone 6s, and even many Samsung Galaxy models, so you can find the right one for you.

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