Leather vs Silicone - the X edition

[aevan]

For my iPhone 6 and 6S I had one silicone and two leather cases (Apple, natch). I liked them all, however, leather cases became more coarse in the areas to the side, where I hold my phone, due to sweat, I guess. It's hard to describe - like small bubbles started forming. I had this on my first case (Black), but also on the newer one (Saddle Brown) which used the new "European Leather". Please note, I am not talking about patina - the darkening of the leather - which naturally developed (and looks quite nice to me, actually). Also, generally, the leather cases just seemed more worn after a year (again, not talking about patina/discoloration, that is fine)

On the other hand, the white silicone case remained pristine and even after a year of use, it's almost the same as day one.

So, now it's time to get a case again, and I was wondering what people here prefer. The thing is, I really like how Saddle Brown looks and I think it feels really good in the hand. Also, I don't know when Apple changed this, but leather cases now have metal buttons, which is cool.

However, I wouldn't be surprised for it to wear badly again. Also, after watching DetroitBORG's iPhone X cases video, he notes that Silicone cases have a microfiber inside all the way to the sides, while the leather ones have it only on the back (sides are just leather, and even worse, the buttons are metal to metal which can cause wear faster).

Look, I don't mind a scratch or two, and I really like how Saddle Brown looks, but it does seem Silicone cases are a better option. What do you guys think?

 

[KrisLord]

Apple silicone cases are too grippy for me. When I tried one in store last year it was hard to get my phone out of my jeans pocket - I felt I was more likely to drop it with the case on than no case.

The leather doesn’t have this problem.

 

[CharlesShaw]

Nobody says you can only have one case, but if you only want one case and you mentioned more than once that you like the Saddle Brown leather case even with patina, and haven't had one since they changed to metal buttons, I believe you'll be happy.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I like the Apple leather cases. They can be slippery out of the box. After 3 weeks or so, it is not a problem. I have the case in Black, Saddle Brown, and Midnight Blue.

 

[iJustiney]

silicone has the best grip

 

[Boardiesboi]

I have both the white silicone and saddle brown leather.

Silicone great for every day use. Velvety and grippy in the hand.

Leather great for dressing it up for a formal occasion. And ages nicely.

 

[jtwlbz]

I like leather case though wish thr buttons were a bit stiffer. They are too easy to press

 

[Starship67]

Apple silicone cases are too grippy for me. When I tried one in store last year it was hard to get my phone out of my jeans pocket - I felt I was more likely to drop it with the case on than no case.

The leather doesn’t have this problem.

The silicone cases are like that when new, they slicken (Is that a word?) a bit after a while especially when wiped down with some damp cloths or alcohol.

 

[MICHAELSD]

The leather case is very nice and worth the cost but I’ve found that even after almost a year my 7 Plus case never got nearly as grippy as the phone itself. Since it sounds like they haven’t changed that on the X case I’m leaning towards a silicone case or a bumper.

For what it’s worth I found my 7 Plus leather case to hold up better than my 6s silicone case if you don’t mind the patina, but the silicone case is more practical for everyday usage. Leather requires a solid grip otherwise it’s slippery.

 

[redman042]

For my last three iPhones, I went with the Apple leather case. Nice quality, wears well, provides solid protection from drops. However, it hates water, whereas the phone itself is now water-resistant. That bugged me, especially on a rainy day. So this year I decided to get an Apple silicone case with my X. At the same time, I bought one of these cheapo cases on Amazon for my wife's X to hold her over until her Casetify case arrived:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0743577RN/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Long story short, my Apple silicone case is now on the shelf and I've got the clear case linked above on my phone. It's actually a good quality and well-fitting flexible clear case, and does a great job showing off the stainless steel and glass design of the phone. Unlike the Apple silicone case, it does not grip the fabric of my pocket or attract lots of lint. My only complaint about the clear case is that it shows fingerprints. But I can easily wipe those off. Also, note that there is a lip over the display but it's not much of one.

 

[Ryan1524]

Water and oil affecting the leather is just part of normal wear and tear. It'll create unique markings on the leather. Embrace the character.

 

[iMi]

I tried both and personally prefer the silicone cases. They last longer and maintain more uniform look throughout the time. Leather wears more quickly. It stains easily. It does look nice when new though.

 

[arcturuz]

will the apple white silicon get stained by indigo color from denims?

 

[Ralfi]

A few new colours for the silicone case...

iPhone X Silicone Case — Flash
https://store.apple.com/xc/product/MR6E2FE/A

iPhone X Silicone Case — Spicy Orange
https://store.apple.com/xc/product/MR6F2FE/A

iPhone X Silicone Case — Cosmos Blue
https://store.apple.com/xc/product/MR6G2FE/A

 

[Precursor]

U

will the apple white silicon get stained by indigo color from denims?

Used apple white silicon case on my 7+ for a year, it got no stains whatsoever, is also very easy to clean. Got it after using saddle brown Vaja leather case on my 6+ for a year (which wore out horribly)

 

[MjWoNeR]

I have used silicon and leather apple cases long term. I had a saddle brown with the 6S, and two silicon cases, a black and a green when I changed iPhone size to the Plus.

The leather is a bit slippery at first but as the patina is formed it gets more grippy with time. As other have noted the patina forms more intensively were you have the most contact with the phone. That is often on the sides and lower part. So those parts will look darker. I now have the saddle brown again with the X and I’m trying to hold my phone more evenly to spread the patina better. We will see if that helps because most of the time you hold the phone the way it’s most comfortable anyway and that is sides and lower part.
The leather case took drops much nicer than any other case I’ve used. The leather got a bit ripped where it hit the pavement and that part got darker too since it absorbed more oils from the hands. But it actually looks normal since everybody is used to seeing old and used leather. So instead of looking damaged and broken like plastic would, it looked used and aged.
I generally avoid grabbing the phone with wet hands as it leaves marks even though they dry up and disappear. And if I’m cooking or working with the motorcycle and have oily hands I wash them thoroughly before grabbing the phone. If the phone is flat on a surface then I use the phone with dirty hands and avoid lifting it up.


When I moved to the Plus I went with silicon to have extra grip to avoid accidental slips. The silicon is very grippy out of the box. Though that grip tends to fade as the silicon gets slowly rubbed off by your hands. After 8 months the silicon rubs off exactly were the patina is formed in the leather cases and then some. You can see shiny parts on the sides around the edge of the case. The silicon deteriorates also from putting the phone into and out of pockets. In that parts the oils from your hands are enough to make the case even more shiny and more slippery. I actually managed to drop the Plus two times, one with the black and one with the green silicon case. Both hit on the same corner. The silicon peeled at the point of impact. On the black the peel managed to stay on the case and on the green it fell off completely. The damage wasn’t a deal breaker though, dropping a phone is not uncommon so it didn’t bother me. You can also grab the phone with dirty hands and not care, you can just wash the silicon case afterwards easily.

What made me chose the saddle brown again with the iPhone X was that leather holds better long term. After a year with the 6S and the leather case it didn’t cross my mind to change a case. The silicon case after around 8 months did not look or feel nice. The rubber was fading intensively, it was getting oily faster and I had to go through two cases in ~16 months.

 

[JonMPLS]

I have both Apple silicone and leather. Like others have mentioned, the silicone has way more grip (but also collects more dust). The leather is easier to slip in and out of pockets. The leather seems a little thicker than the silicone. But I do go back and forth between these two depending on my plan for the day. Both are really nicely made. I like the soft interior too.

 

[Boardiesboi]

silicone has way more grip (but also collects more dust)

I keep hearing everyone say this but my white silicone for the X doesn’t seem to be collecting much lint or dust at all?

 

[Coffee50]

I keep hearing everyone say this but my white silicone for the X doesn’t seem to be collecting much lint or dust at all?

Mine doesn't either. This is the first apple silicone case I had, so I was expecting major dust / issues & while there is a small amount, it's nowhere near what I was expecting, so I'm good

 

[chriscrowlee]

These "which case should I buy?" threads are always so strange. It's like asking what make\model\color car you should buy. It's really based on your needs and preferences. Is leather or cloth interior better on a car? To someone they might think leather, to others they might say cloth. Neither is right, neither is better for everyone or even one person. Color and material are personal preference.

Right now Apple is in the holiday return period... so you can buy both and have until January to return the one you don't prefer, or both if you like neither. Why not just get them both, and decide for yourself which you like better, rather than letting someone on here decide for you? Use the return policy. You pay a huge premium for Apple, you should use the service that comes with the premium you pay.

 

[Archer1440]

I wish Apple would use the same fluoroelastomer material used on sport Apple Watch bands for a case. Less sticky and more durable than silicone.

 

[thadoggfather]

I’m fitting in a white silicone like a Hefner robe

Silky and exotic

 

[Nick11Mac]

I’ve used an Apple leather case for a while, but now prefer the silicone. It has a decent grip, wears reasonably well and looks pretty good. Right now using the Blue Cobalt on a SG X.

 

[jlczl]

These "which case should I buy?" threads are always so strange. It's like asking what make\model\color car you should buy. It's really based on your needs and preferences. Is leather or cloth interior better on a car? To someone they might think leather, to others they might say cloth. Neither is right, neither is better for everyone or even one person. Color and material are personal preference.

Right now Apple is in the holiday return period... so you can buy both and have until January to return the one you don't prefer, or both if you like neither. Why not just get them both, and decide for yourself which you like better, rather than letting someone on here decide for you? Use the return policy. You pay a huge premium for Apple, you should use the service that comes with the premium you pay.

Good advice.

These threads are fun to read since everyone has a different take on what makes for a good case.

 

[AE14]

I am really liking my Cobalt blue silicone that I am currently using. My only concern with the Silicone is does it hold up