REVIEW – Many, maybe most, people who get a new phone spend almost as much time finding a case for their new device as they do in deciding when and which device to get. When you have a thin, light slab of glass that gravity and water hate with a passion, you have to protect it somehow. Benks is a fairly large maker of cases, and they recently offered the Gadgeteer team a couple of Kevlar® models in subtle woven patterns.
⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $54.99
Where to buy: Benks.com (Save 15% with code: Readers15) and Amazon
I’m always on the lookout for a new iPhone case, having dry skin that prevents me from holding on to anything smooth and slippery, no matter the weather. Winter just makes things worse. They sent me two colorways, Aurora and Prestige, in two different styles. One is their ArmorPro (this case) and the other is the ArmorAir. They are different enough to each warrant their own review. Also included was a MagSafe holder, their MagClap Phone Grip & Stand, which I will review in yet another article.
What is it?
The Benks Prestige ArmorPro Case is a hard-shell case for iPhone finished with Kevlar fiber for protection, with button covers and a camera control cover.
Hardware specs
- Camera Control Button
- Dupont™ Kevlar® Fiber
- MagSafe Compatibility
- Drop-Defying Strength
- Enhanced Lens Protection
- One-year Warranty
- 30-Day return policy
Design and features
I’m going to forego the full description and measurements since we all know cases are just a little larger than the phone they are on. I’ll cover the differences between this and other cases, however.
The Benks Prestige ArmorPro Case Built with Kevlar® is a full-coverage case. The edges are raised, so if you place your phone face down, it will not touch the screen, at least on flat surfaces. Around the rear of the camera “mesa” (this term of art is from John Siracusa, of Accidental Tech Podcast fame), there is a metallic frame that contrasts nicely with the dark Kevlar weave. I’ll forgive them a spot of branding here, since it’s the only place they put it. I find that guard comforting and helpful. It’s slightly angled so that your finger doesn’t worry against it.
The buttons are all metal, visible, and easy to find with your fingers. They never failed to activate. The camera control button is covered by a smooth, very functional window. This was the first case I used with my iPhone 16 Pro Max, so I didn’t know how different this could be. It is the least disruptive of the several cases I have now tested. It feels and functions identically to the naked button, but it at the same level as the case. There’s no disrupting change of level or material.
The bottom is fully covered, except for the ports. This may hamper your ability to swipe up or tap targets at the bottom of the screen, but I didn’t notice any issues. The charging port will be a squeeze if you’re using plugs with larger-than-Apple USB-C plugs. I have a few, but usually use the stock ones everywhere for phones.
Setup
It’s a case. Put it on your phone. I recommend putting it on starting with the edge that has the most buttons first. Your mileage may vary.
Performance
The case fits very tightly, but if you need to remove it, pushing through the camera area will usually get it out. The edge gives a bit, so it’s not too bad to remove, if you ever decide to. I liked it so much, I dragged my feet in testing other cases.
The feel of the Kevlar is smooth and easy to hold. It’s not like plastic, even though it’s a man-made material. It has a tweed-ish feel, which is a good thing to me. At times, I thought it was fraying on the edges, but it hasn’t shown any signs of wear over the month or so. I’ve been using it; it’s just very soft fabric.
Final thoughts
Protecting something as personal as a phone is a daunting task. In order to be effective, you have to cover a lot of the screen. But in order to not impair usability, you have to allow swiping and touching the screen, so you have to not cover important touch points. Especially as the iPhone has removed the bezel and made the screen touch points closer to the edge, being able to swipe up from an edge or corner has made that balancing act more difficult. But this case feels amazing in hand, and I don’t notice it feeling larger or more cumbersome than any other the other Max-sized phones I’ve used. (Just for the record, the iPhones I’ve had over the past years have all been the largest ones available: iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro Max) The raised edges are smooth and never felt in the way. In fact, they may have blocked some of the edge taps (which bother the heck out of me, anyway!).
What I like about the Benks Prestige ArmorPro iPhone Case
- Subtle good looks
- Metal “camera mesa” surround
- Metal buttons are well done
- Camera control cover works well
What I’d change
- None for the case.
- The naming of the patterns and models could be more clear, but that’s true of every manufacturer.
Price: $54.99
Where to buy: Company Webstore and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Benks and the company did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
