iPhone 16 Pro Max OpenCase Review - less is more.
I bought an OpenCase after hearing about it on the Talk Show, and I found it to be quite fascinating. It’s like ripped jeans, except this actually makes sense. You get less, but it provides more value. Can’t say the same about ripped jeans.
You can guess why it’s called the OpenCase.
You have an iPhone case, but you have a hole in the back of it for MagSafe accessories that attach directly to the phone instead of the case. This gives you an overall thinner profile when attaching your wallet or a battery pack or any other accessory. Not only do you get a thinner profile but you get a better, more secure fit. No more wallets falling off while you stick your iPhone into your skinny jeans.
The cut out matches Apple’s MagSafe wallet and MagSafe battery pack perfectly, so that is your template for fitment. If you have a battery pack that is too bulky, or a wallet with bigger dimensions, this case is not for you. Thankfully OpenCase also makes compatible accessories if you’re looking for a one-stop shop. I do have an Otterbox MagSafe battery pack that fits right into this slot, making it a perfect fit.
Here are some accessories that I have that fit the OpenCase perfectly:
Apple MagSafe Battery Pack
Apple MagSafe Wallet
Otterbox 5K mAh Wireless Power Bank
The case material is a vegan leather that feels good in the hand, and more importantly, feels good in the pocket. It doesn’t stick to pockets like silicone cases do, and it makes it easy and hassle-free when removing and putting your phone in your pocket. That is my biggest gripe with silicone cases, and cases in general. No matter how premium they are, they still tend to be lint magnets and have a tendency to turn your pockets inside-out. The OpenCase doesn’t have that problem.
A nice ridged texture that makes it easy to grip and doesn’t attract lint.
Pocket dynamics are also good with the case and a MagSafe accessory because you can even use the MagSafe accessory that is jutting out from the back of the phone to help pull the phone out of your pocket. Normally the MagSafe accessory would just slide off leaving the phone in place, but in this case, the attachment is secure enough to help pull the phone out with ease. It’s almost like a grab handle to help retrieve your iPhone from your pocket.
The cutout at the bottom for the USB-C port is big enough for most cables, but you will have trouble charging with a thicker cable, such as a Nintendo Switch USB-A to USB-C cable. The buttons I think are aluminum, and have a satisfying click to them. If they’re plastic, they do a really good job of looking and feeling like aluminum.
The port cut-out might be a bit small for really big cables, but the alignment is perfect.
I can’t tell if these are aluminum or plastic, which is a good thing.
Volume Buttons and Action Button
The cut out for Camera Control is not the most professional looking, but I can see why they did it the way they did it. Since there is already a big hole in the back of the case, having a bigger cutout for the Camera Control button would have made the case flimsy and on the cusp of breaking. I know their website mentions they went through a lot of prototyping, and I’m sure this Camera Control button gave them frustration. You really do have to press a bit harder to launch Camera Control, which could be a plus or a minus depending on the person. The swipe and click gestures do work on it, but if you are really into the Camera Control button and use it a lot for taking photos and changing controls, zooming, etc, you will get a better experience with other cases or no case. Since I use it solely for launching the Camera app, it’s fine for me.
Not much wiggle room to carve out a Camera Control hole.
That Camera Control button on the White Titanium iPhone closely matches the color of the OpenCase.
The case is a bit recessed by the Camera Control button to make it a bit easier to press.
Let’s talk about that hole in the back in more detail.
The MagSafe charging puck fits right in place near the top of the square hole, so if you have a 3rd party charger with a bigger diameter, it won’t line up properly. Any other accessory that has the same diameter as the standard MagSafe puck will work fine.
The Moment MagSafe puck has the same diameter as a MagSafe, making it a perfect fit in portrait or landscape.
If you have a non-circular MagSafe charger or one with a larger diameter, you can’t put your iPhone flush with the charger due to the nature of the case. You can still charge it, but it won’t be as secure and will fall if bumped lightly.
3rd party charger with bigger diameter leads to…
Improper fit in portrait…
and landscape.
The case is as thick as Apple’s Clear Case and the recessed cutout for MagSafe is 3mm, so you get exactly a 3mm savings in thickness when attaching an accessory. Doesn’t sound like much but you can definitely feel it.
~3mm of thickness is enough to secure your MagSafe accessories.
It’s genuinely harder to take an accessory out of that recessed hole versus a regular case where it will just slide off. Rest assured, any accessory that fits the hole perfectly will not detach without significant force.
You get a certain level of satisfaction when connecting an accessory and seeing it fit right in place, kind of like the classic children’s shape sorting cube toy where you have different shapes and wooden blocks that fit only one particular hole. Magnets are always fun, and so is MagSafe, but this is just that extra level of fun when you magnetically fit it into the perfect shape.
Dear Apple, make another MagSafe Battery Pack with USB-C.
If you’re concerned about durability, I would get the black one since it’s harder to notice wear and tear versus the light gray one. I would like to see more colors in the future.
I don’t normally put a case on my iPhone except when I’m traveling, and this seems like the perfect travel case since I can slap on my wallet or battery pack without worry or bulk. Pocket space is already at a premium when traveling, so if I can consolidate two things into one I’m all for it.
This isn’t an ultra-rugged case for all your outdoor adventures, but it is a nice modern case that will keep your phone protected in day to day use.
The case costs $55 for the iPhone 16 series, but if you own an iPhone 14 or 15 variant, you can snag one for $39.
Even with some of its minor quibbles such as wireless charging, this case was purpose-built for one thing, and it does that one thing very well. If you want the most secure and compact way to carry a MagSafe wallet or battery pack while protecting your iPhone, the OpenCase is not just your only option, but a great option.
Case closed.