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Clear case vs. silicone -what's best for a child?

macstatic

macstatic

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Oct 21, 2005
2,052
175
Norway
We're trying to decide on a protective case for a child's iPhone 11.
She wants a clear one (so to see the white iPhone through it) but I've read that at least Apple's clear case is extremely slippery and gathers dust which means it needs to be opened and cleaned now and then (if you don't like to show off a dusty phone).
Apple's silicone case on the other hand appears much less slippery (which is a huge advantage, especially for a child), but (as far as I know) isn't available in transparent, and although there's a white one she wanted the phone itself to show through. I've also read that it starts flaking off after a while, but I'm unsure if that's with normal or rough use.

In the end however it's all about finding the best protection for an expensive investment, so what are the advantages and disadvantages of these two case types? Which one protects the best? And is it possible to get a transparent silicone case?
She definitely doesn't want a leather case, so as far as I know the two above are the choices we have.
 
Clear - very slippery and plastic which is easier to crack even when simply taking the case on/off.

Silicone - most grip of any Apple case and has some shock absorption if dropped. However, some people report cracking or peeling issues after extended use.
 
stanza.richi said:
Clumsy child? Otterbox or Spigen Ultra Hybrid, not Apple cases.
Click to expand...

Any specific model of Otterbox you're suggesting? I see they have lots of different iPhone 11 cases.
I see there's even a transparent case with a built-in Popsocket (which helps against it accidently slipping out of the hands), but I suppose it's similar to the transparent one from Apple (i.e. slippery).

Likewise, I see the Spigen Ultra Hybrid you also suggested is a hard case too. How about slipperiness and being prone to cracking when taking the case off the phone as Sheepish-lord comments earlier in this thread.
 
I have a slim transparent non-Apple case on my iPhone and quite like it, as it adds a minimal bulk and still protects it from bumps & scratches.

The few drawbacks are:

1) It goes yellow after a while. Depending on the amount of sun around you, this can become obvious after several months of use and the simplest remedy is just getting a new case.

2) Indeed, no matter how tidy one is, some bits of dust will be getting under, so the case needs to be flexible enough to be easily removed & cleaned.

IMO, Apple cases are super expensive for what they do, so I would look elsewhere.

Update: see my post #16
 
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For a child an Otterbox is best. You can plan on the device being dropped many times -- sometimes even thrown.
 
Look into the Miracase for iPhone 11. It is a reasonably priced 2 piece case with a built in screen protector and is clear on the back. It is very sturdy and the rubber bumpers are extremely protective. There is also no cracking to worry about if you follow the instructions on how to install the case properly. I am using it on my iPhone 13 and I love it!
 
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macstatic said:
Any specific model of Otterbox you're suggesting? I see they have lots of different iPhone 11 cases.
I see there's even a transparent case with a built-in Popsocket (which helps against it accidently slipping out of the hands), but I suppose it's similar to the transparent one from Apple (i.e. slippery).

Likewise, I see the Spigen Ultra Hybrid you also suggested is a hard case too. How about slipperiness and being prone to cracking when taking the case off the phone as Sheepish-lord comments earlier in this thread.
Click to expand...
Both have tpu border and hard back. Less slippery than Apple clear case, I think.
 
Regarding your desire for an inexpensive investment, you can find lots of new condition Apple cases (including pretty decent fakes) for older iPhone models on eBay from highly rated sellers with extremely very low prices.
 
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Clear TPU JEtech ones. My kids have them in their iPhones. They haven't broken a phone yet.

The important thing is that they have a thick lip around the cameras and the front of the device so if you drop it face down the display or cameras won't hit the ground.
 
Well, it had to happen sooner or later.... sooner in this case!
The phone fell into a concrete floor. Luckily the phone survived but there's a slight crack on one corner of the (Apple clear hard) case.

No scratch or dent to the phone, but I'm wondering if we should replace the case or not (in case the fall has made that corner weaker)?

Apart from getting another Apple clear hard case for the iPhone 11 I can also get an Otterbox Symmetry Clear for the iPhone 11 where we are, which is a little cheaper as well.
Is this a good (or better) replacement for that Apple clear case? It's to be used by a teenager.
 
Clear cases fall into three main categories: TPU (soft), hard plastic & TPU & hard plastic combined.

All the TPU ones will turn yellow-brownish of a different degree after about a month under the UV light and there is no way to avoid it, unless your iPhone never sees the daylight.

The hard plastic cases will yellow less, yet can scratch your iPhone sides and are more difficult to take off to clear the stuff getting in.

Mixed plastic & TPU (Apple clear MagSafe, for example) are a bit better, but its TPU sides will still yellow with time, it does not protect the bottom of the phone and is quite stiff on buttons.

So I would say invest into a good quality silicone case for your child and make sure it fits the iPhone well, as some of them are quite loose, so if the phone falls screen-down it can just snap-off it.

I have tried several cases and ended up with original Apple silicone, which fits the phone like a glove and looks very neat.
 
We considered the Apple silicone case, but decided against it because several tests and reviews (such as MacWorld's) showed it got worn pretty quickly by peeling and even bits falling off here and there. And with a child's generally rougher and more treatment than with an adult I assume it might fall apart even quicker.
That's why we went for the Apple clear case.

When you talk about clear cases and the TPU (soft) ones, you're not referring to silicone cases, right, but softer hard cases than the Apple clear case etc? I've asked around and have been told that there aren't any transparent silicone cases, so I'm a little confused.

Here's the iPhone 11 white silicone case from Apple at the Apple store -is this the one you're referring to?
The phone's white, so this would probably be a good choice.
 
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macstatic said:
When you talk about clear cases and the TPU (soft) ones, you're not referring to silicone cases, right, but softer hard cases than the Apple clear case etc? I've asked around and have been told that there aren't any transparent silicone cases, so I'm a little confused.

Here's the iPhone 11 white silicone case from Apple at the Apple store -is this the one you're referring to?
The phone's white, so this would probably be a good choice.
Click to expand...

When you talk about clear cases and the TPU (soft) ones, you're not referring to silicone cases, right, but softer hard cases than the Apple clear case etc?

I was talking about hard (rigid) transparent plastic cases here (not silicone), sorry about the confusion.

Here's the iPhone 11 white silicone case from Apple at the Apple store -is this the one you're referring to? The phone's white, so this would probably be a good choice.

Yes, in the end I went with this one for my white iPhone mini, however I “baby it”, so for a child another colour might be better?

I would be curious to know how your clear Apple case gets on, let’s update each other in about 6 months? ;)
 
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