REVIEW – There is a curious tug-of-war in the smartphone world: what color phone is the most fitting for my personality, and what case is the most protective? Since opaque phone cases are usually the ones we get, why not have them be interesting? That’s the first thing I noticed about the Monocarbon Carbon Fiber iPhone 13 Pro Max case: the back is a three-dimensional checkerboard. Read on to find out the other features of this case.
What is it?
The Monocarbon Carbon Fiber iPhone 13 Pro Max case is a form-fitting carbon fiber MagSafe™ compatible iPhone case.
Design and features
The Monocarbon Carbon Fiber iPhone 13 Pro Max case has two textures: the slightly rubbery flexible edges, and the slick, tough carbon fiber back. When you first see it, however, you’re just mesmerized by the pattern of the carbon fiber on the back. Woven in shades of grey and black, the carbon fibers dance in the light under a smooth, clear overlay that seems to defy damage.
The case itself is a fairly standard form-fitting case that has cut-outs for the mute switch and speakers, and well-designed bulges where the buttons are on your phone.
There’s no insert within the button area, and the case actually indents where the buttons are so that there are no incidental button presses. (Some cases try to put in “button-pushers,” in order to enhance the feel of their cases. This can often backfire by slightly pressing the buttons, or getting out of line and missing button presses.) The side edges of the case below the button bumps have a pattern of diamond-shaped dots that give your hand traction when gripping the case. The dots are close together so that they just feel like a roughened area, but visually, they are much more pleasing.
There are raised edges around the screen and the camera area, which prevent the glass from touching a surface you may lay it on.
The interior of the Monocarbon Carbon Fiber iPhone 13 Pro Max case is a soft fleece-like lining, which will preserve the resale value of your phone.
Performance
I put the Monocarbon Carbon Fiber iPhone 13 Pro Max case on when I got it and have been using my iPhone normally since, and I cannot see a mark on the case. It’s been over a month, and nothing has phased it. I still have to look to see if the smooth surface I feel is the screen or the case – it’s that smooth.
The case allows me to use MacSafe™ items, even though it doesn’t have the traditional circle showing on the back of the Monocarbon Carbon Fiber iPhone 13 Pro Max case. (MagSafe™ is Apple’s enhancement to Qi that holds devices into alignment with the charging coils – or whatever other accessory they are connecting to.) I’ve tested it with Apple’s MagSafe™ wallet and several Belkin stands, as well as Apple’s MagSafe™ battery and it has yet to balk. The smooth back makes the connection much tighter than other cases I’ve used.
What I like
- Sides with highly textured surface
- Raised lips protect the screen and the camera lenses.
- Doesn’t show wear.
What I’d change
- I really can’t think of anything.
Final thoughts
Every time we buy a new phone, we always worry about what color we’re going to get, and then we cover it with a case. What’s the point of the color? I don’t know, but I see it all the time. Friends go on about their phone’s new color, then have to peel it out of a case to show it off. It’s happened since the first smartphones came out. At least with the Monocarbon Carbon Fiber iPhone 13 Pro Max case, there is much more protection than those little silicon sleeves from 2007! I’m not sure why, but this case has felt more secure in my hands than any case in a long time, and I’ve tested quite a few. It also has given the strongest connection to MagSafe™ accessories of any other one I’ve tested.
Price: $49.90
Where to buy: Monocarbon website and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Monocarbon.
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What kind of drop protection does this case offer? Is there any extra padding in the corner? I’ve been going ‘naked’ for the last couple years, but having witnessed a friend’s brand-new 13 Pro Max get damaged in a simple fall, I’m rethinking my position with the just arrived 14 Pro Max. I’m looking for the thinnest possible case (since the Pro Max’s are already so humongous) that has some drop protection. Most important are the corners and a lip in case it lands face down on a smooth surface.
I doubt a carbon fiber case provides any more drop protection than other cases, including those silicone sleeves of call out – if anything, shouldn’t those soft cases have better shock absorption? With scratch protection you get no argument from me. And carbon fiber is lighter weight than most other materials, so the case could be outfitted with more shock absorbing material without outweighing other cases – if the case manufacturer decided to do that.
I used to use edge bumpers from Utomic – they used a material that supposedly dispersed shock better than anything else – and since they just went on the corners of the phone, you could still see and feel the texture of the original phone. They were pretty pricey years ago. But now that I’m writing to you, I went back to the utomic web site and see that they a lot cheaper than before, so I guess I have you to thank for getting me back in touch with the utomics – thanks! 🙂