Top Picks: Stylish and Protective iPhone 17 Cases that Pass the Test

The beauty of the Apple ecosystem is that you’re never at a loss for accessories, but that’s also the challenge. It opens up a lot of possibilities, but in a market flooded with generic plastic finding the right gift can be overwhelming. If you’re looking for a gift that actually matters, it’s important to find something that’s been put through its paces.

Over the last 15 years of reviewing iPhone gear, I’ve seen cases that yellow in a week and “rugged” shells that crack on the first drop. For this guide, I didn’t just look at spec sheets. I lived with each one of these cases on my cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro Max for at least a week to evaluate their real-world durability, pocketability, and how they handle the new Camera Control button.

Today, in the first installment of our four-part holiday series, we’re looking at the best overall cases for protection and style. After all, you didn’t pick an iPhone with a cosmic orange or sage finish just to hide it under a slab of generic plastic.

The Last-Minute iPhone Gift Series

Part 1: Style & Protection (You Are Here)
Part 2: Wallets & Utility Cases (Now Live!)
Part 3: Charging & Power (Coming Monday)
Part 4: Car Mounts & Essentials (Coming Tuesday)

The Top Contenders: Hands-On Reviews

While I focused my testing on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, most of these designs are available for the standard iPhone 17, the Pro, and the ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air.

Rhinoshield: Rugged and Classy

Rhinoshield prides itself on mixing creative design with a strong focus on sustainability, and it’s new SolidX and ClearX styles continue that ethos with solid impact protection in an ultra-light design that it promises won’t yellow or fade. With even its most protective cases coming in at well under 40 grams, the company has mastered the art of the “lightweight tank.”

I tried out both the SolidX in Classic Black and the Clear in Gleam Rose, which have list prices of $45 and $47 (although they’re currently available for $5 off at Amazon).

The SolidX uses an eco-friendly material the company calls ShockSpread ECO that’s designed for high-impact absorption, with reinforced corners, raised edges, and full MagSafe passthrough. The plain black both looks and feels classy, and there’s coverage for all buttons, including the Camera Control, and a raised edge to offer better protection around the Camera plateau.

The SolidX mostly hides the iPhone’s finish, but Apple’s decision to go with a larger camera plateau this year allows that part to show through, and it actually made a nice contrast with the classic black case and the cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro Max. The buttons are also responsive yet low profile, and it’s remarkably lightweight. Overall, it’s a durable, minimalist case that’s great when you want to give your iPhone a more subtle look without compromising protection, and it’s become one of my favorites of the bunch this year.

The Clear is a surprising contrast to the SolidX in more ways than just its transparency. Despite the name, the Gleam Rose complemented the cosmic orange iPhone very well, although there are more than a dozen other color and pattern options to choose from. The design is every bit as shiny as you’d expect from a clear case, but it’s also incredibly light — even more so than the SolidX, weighing in at just under 32 grams.

The sides and back also add minimal bulk, but that seems to have resulted in Rhinoshield extending the buttons a bit further. I personally feel they protrude a bit too much, making the case seem a bit bulkier than it really is. Of course, your mileage may vary; the buttons work well, they’re clicky, and you’ll be at no risk of missing them, but for me it detracted from a case that I really liked in every other way.

On the upside, Rhinoshield guarantees that the case won’t discolor, to the extent that it’s backing it with a lifetime anti-yellowing warranty, offering a free replacement if any discoloration occurs.

Smartish: Texture That Won’t Slip

While Smartish is best known for its Wallet Slayer (which we’ll talk about in the next installment on utility cases), the company also has the Gripmunk and Gripzilla lineups.

The Gripmunk is a nice but rather typical case that’s distinguished mostly by some fun designs. You get MagSafe support and textured sides for a solid grip, but the Camera Control remains uncovered on all but a slightly pricier black version, and unless you opt for a pattern like Very Cherry Blossom or Moving Mountains, the design is somewhat minimalist.

That’s not a bad thing, as some folks like simple and minimalist designs, and the $20 price tag is easy on the wallet. However, the Gripzilla series takes things up a nice notch, and the $35 Gripzilla Clearly Black is one of my top picks.

This more premium case offers strong drop protection with full button coverage and MagSafe support, but what I particularly liked was its namesake grippiness and clear back design. The sides are not only textured but also slightly contoured so it feels great in the hand, and the back features a matching black MagSafe ring that complements both the case design and my cosmic orange iPhone.

Casetify: Art Meets Armor

While many companies offer cases in fun colors and styles, if you’re looking for something that you can really tailor to fit someone’s personal style, than Casetify has you covered in more ways than one.

That’s because the company offers extensive customization options that let you put anything you want on your case, whether that’s a monogram, initials, or even a short quip in a variety of fonts and colors.