Top Rated iPhone 13 Pro Max Protective Covers : A Comprehensive Guide

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• We’ve reviewed our recommendations and updated our picks for the best case overall and the best leather case.

You’ve chosen the big iPhone 13 Pro Max , which means the laws of physics will show no mercy if you drop your phone. Luckily we’ve got a list of sizable covers that will keep your colossal cellphone safe and shiny.

UPDATE: 01/24/2024

We’ve reviewed our recommendations and updated our picks for the best case overall and the best leather case.

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  Spigen

Spigen Mag Armor for iPhone 13 Pro Max

Best iPhone 13 Pro Max Case Overall
$13 at Amazon

Spigen Liquid Air Armor

Best Budget iPhone 13 Pro Max Case
$15 at Amazon

Apple Clear Case with MagSafe for iPhone 13 Pro Max

Best MagSafe iPhone 13 Pro Max Case
$58 at amazon

Smartish iPhone 13 Pro Max Wallet Case

Best Wallet iPhone 13 Pro Max Case
$20 at Amazon

Otterbox Defender Series Case

Best Rugged iPhone 13 Pro Max Case
See at Amazon

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Otterbox Symmetry Clear Series Case for iPhone 13 Pro Max

Best Clear iPhone 13 Pro Max Case
$25 at Amazon

Totallee Thin iPhone 13 Pro Max Case

Best Thin iPhone 13 Pro Max Case
$28 at Amazon

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  Torro

TORRO Case for iPhone 13 Pro Max

Best Leather iPhone 13 Pro Max Case
$38 at Amazon

What to Look for in an iPhone Case in 2024

Choosing a case to protect your phone from accidental damage as well as wear and tear isn’t as simple as it should be. But when you have a large device like the iPhone 13 Pro Max, a case is even more important.

Bigger, heavier devices will hit the ground with more force, and despite the latest Corning Gorilla Glass and Ceramic Shield improvements, a bad-luck corner drop can still annihilate your expensive phone screen. Because of that, a case is integral.

Silicone cases offer a good compromise between bulk and protection. They also provide a more grippy surface to hold on to, something that matters with larger phones, especially if your hands are on the smaller side. Silicone cases are fine for handling small day-to-day drops, such as from your desk onto the carpet, but they won’t protect too well with drops onto hard surfaces.

Hard cases, especially those with air cushions on the corners, are a much better choice if you suspect that your phone might take a less gentle trip to the ground at some point in the future. Ironically, they offer less grip than silicone cases. This isn’t an issue when holding the phone in your hands, but hard cases are more prone to slide off your lap or any slanted objects you place them on.

Exceptional rugged cases can bulk up your phone, and you may want to consider having a slim case and a rugged case, depending on the occasion. You probably don’t need a rugged case in the office, but if you’re going on a hike over the weekends, it makes sense to add extra protection to your phone.

Whatever case you choose, there’s always a tradeoff between how much weight and bulk a case adds and the protection it provides.

In the end, you need to think about where you want to use your phone, what type of damage it’s likely to suffer, and how much you care about extra weight or thickness. While balancing these factors, you’ll find one of these cases offers a perfect fit.

How-To Geek’s product recommendations come from the same team of experts that have helped people fix their gadgets over one billion times. We only recommend the best products based on our research and expertise. We never accept payment to endorse or review a product. Read More »

Best iPhone 13 Pro Max Case Overall: Spigen Mag Armor

Spigen

The Spigen Mag Armor Case for iPhone 13 Pro Max is an excellent all-round choice for your phone. It has a sleek and slim aesthetic with a subtly textured finish which gives it a nice tactile quality, but is robust enough to stand up to some punishment, too.

Air Cushion Technology pads out the corners of this matte black case, adding some much-needed shock absorption. Plus, raised lips on the front and back help to protect your phone’s screen and camera from surface scratches.

In addition, this protective case is compatible with MagSafe and it supports wireless charging for added convenience. Tactile buttons on the case’s outer shell provide solid feedback, rounding out the feel of the Spigen Mag Armor nicely.

Representing a great marriage of style and substance, the Spigen Mag Armor has plenty of visual appeal, and offers solid protection with convenient MagSafe compatibility, making it the best case overall for your iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Best iPhone 13 Pro Max Case Overall

Spigen Mag Armor for iPhone 13 Pro Max

$13 $45 Save $32

With convenient MagSafe compatibility, wireless charging compatibility, and a premium tactile design, the Spigen MagSafe Armore is the best iPhone 13 Pro Max Case overall.

$13 at Amazon

Best Budget iPhone 13 Pro Max Case: Spigen Liquid Air Armor

Spigen

It may seem odd to pair a flagship phone like the iPhone 13 Pro Max with a budget case, but there’s no reason to spend more money on an accessory if it does the job you need adequately. With the Spigen Liquid Air Armor case, it’s actually surprising that the price tag is so low.

The case certainly doesn’t look cheap, although its military-style finish isn’t for everyone. At least the look serves a purpose, though, since that grip pattern can help you hold onto the large device even with sweaty hands.

Spigen also claims that the case offers military-grade drop protection, and it includes air pockets to increase the survival rate following serious falls. It’s practical, looks like a quality product, and offers real protection. At this price, it’s hard to say no.

Best Budget iPhone 13 Pro Max Case

Spigen Liquid Air Armor

$15 $25 Save $10

Don’t let the low price fool you. The Spigen case offers serious protection and features in a military-style wrapping.

$15 at Amazon

Best MagSafe iPhone 13 Pro Max Case: Apple Clear Case with MagSafe

Apple

Apple’s MagSafe feature, which was off to a slow start with the iPhone 12, is finally starting to gain steam. If the range of MagSafe accessories has piqued your interest, you’ll want a case that’s going to offer the best compatibility with MagSafe on all fronts.

While all MagSafe cases from Apple offer proper physical compatibility with MagSafe gadgets, only this Apple Clear Case offers aesthetic compatibility with any color accessory. It’s a good clear case with a special anti-scratch coating and treatment to prevent yellowing.

Of course, the Apple Clear Case has the same magnetic alignment found in Apple’s other MagSafe covers, and you can see them through the case itself. Overall, if you plan on using a variety of MagSafe devices, this is the case we think you should choose.

Best MagSafe iPhone 13 Pro Max Case

Apple Clear Case with MagSafe for iPhone 13 Pro Max

This solidly-constructed clear case from Apple will go with any MagSafe accessory and let you admire the color and design of your iPhone 13 Pro Max

$58 at amazon See at bestbuy See at target

Best Wallet iPhone 13 Pro Max Case: Smartish iPhone 13 Pro Max Wallet Case

Smartish

Your iPhone 13 Pro Max is going to take up a lot of real estate, whether in a pocket or a bag. So why not cut save some bag space and use a wallet case instead? Most of us don’t carry much cash around anymore, so this Smartish wallet case with its capacity for a few cards and a little paper money is perfect.

Many wallet cases use a flipbook design, which can be a little annoying to use. Smartish uses a clever push-pull design that makes it easy to insert and remove cards. It also offers a textured surface to improve grip and air pockets in the corners for exceptional drop protection. The case features raised lips around the cameras and screen, so they don’t touch the ground when the case is flat.

The main downside here is that nothing wireless, like Apple Pay or wireless charging, will work because the back of the case is too far from the phone’s back. It’s not a huge deal, but if you need a case that still allows those features to work, you’ll have to look elsewhere .

Best Wallet iPhone 13 Pro Max Case

Smartish iPhone 13 Pro Max Wallet Case

$20 $25 Save $5

Smartish has a great take on the wallet case concept here, but it comes at the cost of wireless charging and MagSafe compatibility.

$20 at Amazon

Best Rugged iPhone 13 Pro Max Case: Otterbox Defender Series

Otterbox

The Otterbox Defender Case for the iPhone 13 Pro Max isn’t messing around when it comes to protecting your phone. The case is made of different layers of material, which helps diffuse impacts away from the fragile phone itself. Otterbox claims it can survive four times as many drops as the US military requires for its devices.

Sure, it’s understandably a bulky beast, and you should be prepared for that. But, with the addition of a belt clip, you may even avoid using your pockets entirely.

Otterbox’s Defender Series Case even comes with a port cover for the Lightning port, probably the weakest point in the iPhone’s general water and dust resistance abilities. The only real potential negative is that this rugged case doesn’t come with a screen protector, but Otterbox says that its iPhone 13 Pro Max screen protectors are compatible with this case.

If you don’t mind the extra bulk and work or play in rough conditions, this is the case for you.

Best Rugged iPhone 13 Pro Max Case

Otterbox Defender Series Case

The Otterbox Defender lacks an included screen protector, but it’s got you covered with a raised lip, port covers, and a stupendous resistance to falling.

See at Amazon

Best Clear iPhone 13 Pro Max Case: Otterbox Symmetry Clear Series

Otterbox

The Otterbox Symmetry Clear Case doesn’t have the full MagSafe compatibility of Apple’s clear case. Still, if you don’t particularly care about MagSafe, we think Symmetry is the better clear case of the two.

The Symmetry manages to combine the best aspects of clear cases with the additional ruggedization you’d usually expect from opaque cases like the Defender Series, our rugged case pick . While it’s not outright as tough as the Defender Series, this offers more protection than typical hard clear cases, and it’s not super thick either.

Although MagSafe goodies won’t stick to this case, wireless charging works fine. If you lay it down on your MagSafe puck, you can still charge your phone. If Otterbox ever puts MagSafe compatibility into this case, it would knock Apple’s offering off the podium.

Still, for now, your attachment to the magnetic technology remains the dividing line between the two clear case options here.

Best Clear iPhone 13 Pro Max Case

Otterbox Symmetry Clear Series Case for iPhone 13 Pro Max

$25 $50 Save $25

Despite not having MagSafe compatibility, this is the best case for those who want to see their phone, yet also want to protect it from the world.

$25 at Amazon

Best Thin iPhone 13 Pro Max Case: Totallee Thin iPhone 13 Pro Max Case

Totallee

When smartphone engineers put in all that effort to shave just a few more millimeters from a phone’s body, it feels like a shame to slap a thick and bulky case on the device. But what about essential protection against cosmetic damage?

That’s where this Totallee Thin case comes into the picture. At only 0.02 inches thick, it’s more like applying a coat of thick paint to the device rather than a case.

This is a case you’ll want to pair with a screen protector, but surprisingly it has a raised lip to protect your cameras. After all, you don’t want to stick anything over those. We like the Frosted Clear option in particular, but there are several attractive color options.

Is there a point to such a thin case? While it’s not going to be much help in a severe drop onto a hard surface, it should be just fine when it comes to preventing cosmetic damage such as scratches or minor dents. Most people encounter these during their phone ownership cycle, so if you don’t have a history of being a butterfingers and want to go the minimalist route, this is a great choice.

Best Thin iPhone 13 Pro Max Case

Totallee Thin iPhone 13 Pro Max Case

$28 $35 Save $7

It’s super-thin and will keep your iPhone from collecting scratches and other cosmetic damage, but if you’re looking for serious drop protection, something with a thicker skin would be better.

$28 at Amazon

Best Leather iPhone 13 Pro Max Case: Torro Case

Torro

If premium leather’s your thing, you’ll want to check out this Torro Case for your iPhone 13 Pro Max. This wallet-style phone case has the same luxurious feel as a traditional bifold leather wallet and contains dedicated storage space for your cards and cash.

A solid TPU frame underpins this folio case, providing shock absorption to protect against accidental drops and knocks, while the phone screen itself is protected by a raised lip that ensures there’s no contact between the phone and case cover when closed.

The case is foldable and can be fashioned into a supporting integrated kickstand, allowing you to watch media in landscape mode with ease. Plus, precision cutouts in the case frame mean easy access to all charging ports, with cutouts for the iPhone 13 Pro Max’s speakers as well.

It may come with a price tag that’s as premium as the leather that surrounds it, but the Torro Case has an impeccable high-quality finish, and is ideal for anybody wanting a secure phone case and wallet combo for their iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Best Leather iPhone 13 Pro Max Case

TORRO Case for iPhone 13 Pro Max

With a premium leather finish, this wallet and phone case combo from Torro is the perfect way to add a touch of class to your iPhone 13 Pro Max, while keeping it protected against accidental damage..

$38 at Amazon

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