An Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max case roundup
Following on from a look at a number of 11 Pro cases here, it's time to review some iPhone 11 Pro Max (i.e. the larger one!) cases from MobileFun, kind people that they are. See their complete range of iPhone 11 Pro Max cases and covers. Plus one from Totallee!
The 11 Pro Max, like its little sister, is one of the very top specced phones in the world right now, see here for my full video review.
The Fusion cases have a great reputation for protection and style and this 'X' variant bears this out. Styled plastic inserts into an ultra-clear transparent back make this instantly recognisable.
The 11 Pro Max, like its little sister, is one of the very top specced phones in the world right now, see here for my full video review.
In no particular order(!):
Ringke Fusion X - Black, £17
To keep the back so pure there are protective layers from the factory that need to be peeled back, but once in place the iPhone 11 Pro Max is beautifully cocooned and you still get to admire the original colour of the phone (ok, ok, in this case black, but hey!)
The fit is perfect and despite the steam punk looks not too much thickness is added. Moreover, it's added where it's needed, with substantial corner (drop) protection and raised edges at top and bottom, to help protect from face drops.
Perhaps over the top protection for a day at the office, but this is perfect for when down the pub or out for the day.
Score: 9/10
Olixar Fortis Tough Case - Black, £17
Arguably just as protective because of its two piece design, the Fortis here looks all-in-one but is actually two, with the back and sides of the case tough rubberised plastic and with the rest of the case (including corners) made from softer, shock-absorbing rubber.
It's a design masterpiece and feels very solid indeed when on the phone, with minimal increase in overall thickness.
The various ridges and textures are subtle and all help give better grip, day to day. My only slight complaint would be that the case edges only give marginal protection from a face drop, i.e. onto the front of the phone, but I do recognise that this is always a trade off, against usability and style.
Great value, just as with the Ringke case above it.
Score: 8/10
Olixar Soft Silicone Case - Midnight Blue, £10
Oddly, the cheapest case in this round-up is also the most premium, at least in terms of feel and look/style in the office.
Styled along the same lines as Apple's own premium official case, we have a rubberised grippy exterior and a soft 'velvet' interior. It's simple but very effective.
Most importantly, the somewhat brutish iPhone 11 Pro Max is tamed to look stylish and even pretty, with this case available in a range of pastel colours.
The trade-off, understandably, is that there's far less drop protection, both for the corners and phone screen. Which - probably - restricts the use here to office and home use, since greater care is needed all round.
Superb value too.
Score: 9/10
Olixar 'Farley' RFID Blocking Executive Wallet Case - Black, £13
The idea with this Olixar design is that you take two debit or ID cards with you - fair enough, we've seen card slots in cases before. But the selling point here is 'RFID blocking', to stop people brushing up against your phone case in the street and perhaps pulling off a contactless payment.
Which sounds good, though the same RFID layers may also stop you tapping your phone to a terminal to legitimately pay for something with either card - you'd have to be careful at angling, since the top of the phone should be what's needed.
More worryingly, the extra layers and cards mean that Qi (wireless) charging is unlikely to work at all. And that's an issue, for me at least.
Then there's the obvious (to muggers) "Hey, here's my iPhone 11 Pro Max and my contactless payment cards, all on display and all in one easy to swipe form!"
Or maybe I'm being a little too negative here - the Farley is actually very well made, with faux leather covered plastic and similar card pouches. And great value for money.
There's minimal face drop protection, though the corners seem pretty strong.
I'd only recommend this is you actually need to carry a card or two with you (for example, for ID?) My own daughter regularly has her ID tucked inside her iPhone case, so I know this a thing, and the official slots here legitimise the idea.
Score: 8/10
Zizo Bolt Series iPhone 11 Pro Max Case & Screen Protector - Black, £20
Ah yes, the obligatory 'protection at any cost' mil-spec rugged case from Zizo! The important thing here is not to get too put off by the outrageous belt mounting system, styled and dimensioned for Sylvester Stallone.
Because 99% of you won't actually need (or want) to use this and will be happy with a super-rigged traditional case that will protect the iPhone 11 Pro Max while hiking or cycling or anything else that's possibly hazardous to a phone's health.
The general thickness of this case is substantial, but then half a centimetre of soft plastic all round is exactly what you need when your £1200 phone drops and hits a rock!
There's plenty of material to spare for the top 'lip' too, so face drops should be no problem. Super thick and super-encompassing.
You'll have spotted the built in kickstand too, for those moments when, presumably out on a hike, you want to sit down and watch some Netflix! Hmm...
It's completely over the top but in a bonkers-good way and you can't fault how rugged this really is.
Unlike Totallee's 'Soft' design, I'm not such a fan of their classic 'thin' cases, made from super, super-light tough plastic. You can't argue with the physicalities, mind you - this adds less than a millimetre to the iPhone 11 Pro Max and essentially weighs nothing, about 3g. Yes, you heard that right, 3g, which given the weight of the phone itself is indeed nothing!
The fit is excellent and as an example of Totallee manufacturing prowess and good material science it's great - I just don't rate it as a smartphone case in 2019, especially for a phone costing well over a thousand pounds in the UK. Instead, I'd point you towards some of the other cases on this page or indeed Totallee's own clear soft case for the same phone here, which might not look quite as sexy but will offer vastly more practical protection!
Score: 7/10
The idea here is just cosmetic protection against casual scratches - there's no cushioning for falls and no face protection for when you put the phone face down on a table. It's all a bit token, really.
The fit is excellent and as an example of Totallee manufacturing prowess and good material science it's great - I just don't rate it as a smartphone case in 2019, especially for a phone costing well over a thousand pounds in the UK. Instead, I'd point you towards some of the other cases on this page or indeed Totallee's own clear soft case for the same phone here, which might not look quite as sexy but will offer vastly more practical protection!
Score: 7/10
Olixar Attache, £5
Yes, you read the price right. This is half price as I write this review. So if you're in time, grab it with both hands!
One of my favourite textured TPU designs of all time, the 'Attache' looks and feels like premium leather. It's not, of course, but to get the toughness of hard wearing plastic with the appearance of leather is a wonderful mix.
There's no raising of the ends for drop protection, but there's a good millimetre of protection all around the front anyway. Though I was disappointed to see no extra corner protection - no doubling up of the plastic, no air bubbles, and so on. A bit of a missed opportunity.
The button covers feel great and the cased whole feels really secure in the hand, with the matt finish edges nicely bevelled for extra grip.
(Almost) top marks!
Score: 9/10
Olixar Ultra-Thin, Clear, £7
Another top value case - in this case there doesn't seem much to it, but there IS close attention to detail. Rather than being a clear 'condom'-like plastic offering, this is finely fitted, to the extent that it almost feels like you're handling the phone itself.
The fit around the screen edges is perfect. Which, admittedly, means zero protection if you drop the phone on its screen, but it also means that the case never, ever gets in the way. You're only adding a millimetre to the phone's thickness and it's this that is a welcome change amidst a sea of - admittedly - more rugged offerings.
(In fact, at this very moment, a very similar case, for the 11 Pro, is in use on my person. I've been round the houses on 11 Pro cases, but amazingly I've ended up, day to day, with this minimalist option.)
If your goal in fitting a case to your 11 Pro Max is to increase grip and to reduce the likelihood of dropping it, with the smallest increase in size or weight, then the Ultra-Thin serves its purpose very well, and at minimal cost.
Score: 8/10
Olixar NovaShield Bumper, £13
A solid case with matt black bumper and clear plastic on the back, so that you can admire your iPhone - of course. The indentations on the rear and at the corners are purely cosmetic, in that they don't achieve any function - but they do look cool and distinctive.
As with the other recent Olixar TPU offerings, there's enough protrusion all around the phone screen to protect again face drops and scratches, though again I was disappointed not to see any corner buttressing - corner drops are by far the most common impacts.
The button covers are flush and - again looking cool - I didn't care for them, since they were harder to find by touch and also harder to press in. Sorry, Olixar, but the NovaShield didn't pass my day to day tests here. Plus the sides are gently curved, making the case more droppable than it needed to be.
Score: 7/10
Olixar Carbon Fibre, £6
Also on special offer as I write this, the Carbon Fibre case is very similar to the Attache design, with identical main structure, button covers and all-round drop protection.
The only real difference is in the styling, here mimicking woven carbon fibre rather than leather. But both designs work in terms of looking good despite daily abuse, both have the neat bevelled edges and so... both end up with the same score here.
How can you go wrong with a capable and stylish tough case for £6? The only downside of these designs is that you're not showing off to the world the Apple logo and that you 'have an iPhone'. But that's surely only for the pretentious? Yes, it's occasionally nice to see the iPhone you paid £1000+ for, but it's even better to know that you can't easily drop it or break it!
Score: 9/10
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