MagBak has been making magnetic accessories for the iPhone since before Apple was. They’ve used their own magnet configuration for wallets and mounts before MagSafe and, once MagSafe was introduced, modified their lineup to support their own magnetic configuration as well as Apple’s. I was mostly interested in their wallet, but the additional magnets in the case were also intriguing. Thanks to those extra magnets, a MagBak case with a MagBak wallet would make for an extra strong connection, one that puts Apple’s own solution to shame.
However, while the case is highly impressive in some ways, it’s disappointing in others. I tested two MagBak cases as part of this review, as well as the MagBak Wallet, which I will go into more detail separately. Both accessories have well-engineered features alongside issues I wouldn’t expect from a company with as much experience as MagBak.
In This Article:
Specs
- Height: 135.91mm
- Width: 68.29mm
- Depth: 11.10mm
- Weight: 38g
This is a pretty compact case, with a thin plastic shell and silicone lining, much like Apple’s own silicone cases. However, the weight is notably different. Because of all of the additional magnets, the case weighs 15g more than Apple’s leather case, and around 10g more than most cases. Even Carved’s case, which features wood and resin, weighs 4g less than the MagaBak case.
Protection 9/10
A part of this case that stands out is its shape. When you look at it, it’s instantly obvious that the case has more squared-off corners than other iPhone cases. This is because the case doesn’t fit the flow of your iPhone perfectly in the corners. Instead, there’s a large bubble in each corner of the case, to improve drop protection on the corners. This also gives it a slightly larger shape, but the more squared-off design helps with grip. The shape itself isn’t uncomfortable to hold, and adds some solid protection. These are the only air-gapped spaces in the case though, there’s nothing along the sides. Arguably, the corners are the most important section for additional protection.
The case feels stiff, with decently dense silicone. It feels more solid than the Apple silicone cases I’ve used in the past. MagBak claims it’s drop tested to 6ft on concrete. However, that seems low for this case, it seems like it could do better in drop tests. I’m sure if MagBak had better results at 10ft, they’d say that.
There are decently sized lips around the screen that protect the case when falling face down or just for sitting on a desk. These wrap around the phone tightly, so I don’t think they’d come off during a drop, as I’ve seen on cases with smaller lips. There’s also some decent protection around the camera. It’s certainly a sturdy case.
Looks 4/10
At first, I loved the more squared-off corners. It felt new, different. Something that Apple wouldn’t do. The iPhone got flat edges, which I love, but hasn’t changed dramatically. Every year is just a slight evolution. It was nice to have something that really felt different. The red color of my first MagBak case was vibrant. I genuinely liked the way this case looked.
If you couldn’t tell already, that didn’t last long.
These cases quickly collect marks. I’m talking, “Used a MagSafe accessory once and now have marks on the back of the case” fast. Oils from your skin, dye from your jeans, just about everything will leave its mark on here. I tried all kinds of washing and scrubbing too. Alcohol, dish soap, bar soap, laundry detergent, nothing worked. The red case was worse as the marks were dark and made the corners and MagSafe area look dingy. But you can still see these marks on the black case as well. It’s something about the silicone. I’ve had silicone cases before that didn’t get marked up this badly. The cheap no-name brand I got from Amazon did, however. I had actually heard this about this case before, but assumed it was a problem for people with more oily skin, not someone who’s hands are usually really dry. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
The MagBak case will look great for a few days, then quickly deteriorate. If you really like the features of this case, I recommend going with the black or maybe the gray color. The black would be the best at hiding these marks, though they’re still plainly visible under bright light.
Ergonomics 7/10
When I first got this, I didn’t think the buttons were too bad. They seemed only a little more stiff or mushy than I’d want. But I started using other cases again, like the Carved case, which has the best buttons around, and Apple’s leather case (review pending). Then I came back to the MagBak. The buttons were stiffer than I realized. I carefully elongated the cutouts around the button slightly with a sharp knife (don’t try this at home) and this made the buttons work much better. Still, I always say people shouldn’t have to modify their case out of the box just to use it comfortably. It’s not safe.
The case is silicone, but it’s surprisingly slick. Normally you’d expect silicone to have grip, potentially even too much grip, but this is almost as slippery as a clear case. It’s uncomfortable to hold when your hands are dry because there’s so little grip so you’ve really got to squeeze your iPhone.
The other thing I noticed when coming back to this case after using others was the weight. This is a heavy case. It’s heavier than my wood and resin Carved case, and is the heaviest case I currently own. You’ll notice that if you’re holding your phone for an extended period of time. Of course, this is because of the extra magnets, which are very useful, so it’s a trade-off you’ll have to accept.
Finally, a positive. The edges of this case have a firm lip to protect your screen. However, at the bottom, this lip is lowered so you can easily swipe up from the bottom of the screen. It still protects your screen, but it also makes way for a swipe.
Sustainability 1/10
Make the case compostable and make this portion easy to swap out into a new case and you have an amazing eco-friendly design.
There’s not much to say here. The case is plastic and silicone. It does appear as though it would be easier for a company like Terracycle to remove the MagBak magnets under the plastic on the inside of the case, but it’s still just a case made up of plastic and silicone. The box it came in was a little larger than it needed to be, and also had plastic on the inside of the cardboard, for really no reason. This could have been an entirely cardboard case. I get that cases aren’t often going to be made from eco-friendly materials, but at least go with 100% cardboard on the case.
Durability 4/10
The silicone itself is dense, has survived a few falls, and will maintain integrity. It’s certainly tougher than Apple’s silicone cases, which often start to fall apart quite quickly. Unfortunately, it’s not very good at resisting marks. Perhaps the dye isn’t thick on it, or perhaps it just soaks up oils and dye easily, but I found it got messy and impossible to clean. That’s the really lousy part: you cannot clean this case. Once it’s messed up, it’ll be like that forever.
Value 2/10
This is a $55 case. It’s very well-made and rigid in even places that normally are weaker, like the mute switch area as well as the port and speaker cutouts. However, you’d expect something that’s $55, more than most other silicone cases, to stand the test of time. This doesn’t. The additional magnetic features are really nice. I even intend to put my phone in this for use of Continuity Camera in the next versions of iOS and macOS. But I just can’t rate something that I stop using so quickly because it starts to look ugly as a good value.
The black one, which shows marks less, is likely a better value than the other colors, but nothing should look so bad so quickly.
MagSafe Compatibility 4/6
Note how, even almost brand new, you can start to see the magnet outlines.
The MagBak case could have gotten a perfect score here. It has exceptionally strong magnets. The extra magnets also help your phone stick to metal objects, mount anywhere you can stick a magnetic strip, and really grip accessories. But MagBak forgot the vertical alignment bar. Without it, non-MagBak accessories can easily spin on the back. It’s absurd! They put so many magnets in this case, yet somehow neglected to put in the vertical alignment magnets? Not even one little magnet?
MagBak’s own accessories don’t spin around, as they essentially surround the circular MagSafe array with a box of magnets. However, official MagSafe accessories, like battery packs and other wallets, won’t align properly on here. It’s such a frustrating oversight.
Other Features
I’ll just state the obvious: this has a lot of magnets. A normal MagSafe setup is a ring of magnets around the wireless charging coil and a vertical alignment magnet under it. This case does, unfortunately, skip the alignment magnet. Instead, it has three strips of magnets above and to the sides of the MagSafe ring. This is MagBak’s proprietary magnet system. Along with the case, MagBak gives you three strips of magnets with 3M adhesive on the other side. You can stick these to your car, behind your monitor so you can use your iPhone with Continuity Camera, on exercise equipment, or anywhere else. It’ll turn whatever you stick it to into a surprisingly decent magnetic mount.
All of those additional magnets also make your phone… well… magnetic. You can easily stick your phone on metal and it’ll hold it up (at least for the iPhone 13 mini). I stuck my phone on my fridge, on the side of my toaster (not while on), and to my monitor. It’s really useful in the kitchen when I want a phone with a timer visible.
The wallet aligns with these additional magnets for a really strong lock. This is great for adding a loop to the back of your phone to hold it better, as well as using your wallet as a stand for your iPhone. The wallet itself is nice, though it loosens up a bit too much with use, in my testing.
Customer support is also great, and deserves a shout-out. I emailed them, asking if there was any way to clean off the marks left on my red MagBak case. They just offered to send me a black replacement, as it’ll hide marks better. Definitely a great support team.
Overall 4.5/10
The MagBak case is exactly why I take my time with case reviews. When I first got it, I loved it right away. I was impressed with the look of the case, that the texture wasn’t overly grippy, and the exemplary magnetic strength. But as I kept using it, and used a few other cases in between testing, I realized that the buttons were stiffer than I like. The case picks up oils, dye, and everything else it comes in contact with. And the vertical MagSafe alignment magnet is a necessity. This went from being my new favorite case to one of my least favorite in just a month.
The MagBak case isn’t a bad case. You can go with a darker color to reduce the rapid drop in appearance. If you have the wallet on the back of the case all the time, you may not even notice a difference. However, this discoloration issue has been a problem at MagBak for some time. They need to use a different silicone, or, better yet, leather, fabric, recycled materials, or a compostable material. The biggest flaw with this case is certainly the discoloration, however you’ll also wonder why they didn’t simply add an alignment magnet for other MagSafe accessories. MagBak’s problems are small and easy for the company to solve, but they completely ruin this case for me.
Having a case that looks awful is like having a broken screen. It’s just embarrassing. It makes me look gross for having a gross phone. That’s just not something I’m going to use in public. It’s a real shame, this case could have been the best silicone case I tested for the iPhone 13 mini. Instead, it’ll just be my case for Apple’s Continuity Camera when I’m at home. My own dirty little secret. Like the fact that I’ll be wearing pajama bottoms during those meetings.
The Good Stuff
- Strong magnets on a versatile platform
- Air pockets in corners for more protection and a unique look
- Strong construction
The Bad Stuff
- Looks terrible after a few uses, even with regular cleaning
- No alignment magnet
- Slippery feeling