This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Since Apple discontinued their leather cases after the iPhone 14, I've been searching for a good alternative. Bellroy was selling their offering on sale directly through their website, so I purchased it from them.
This is no substitute for Apple-branded cases.
The buttons are not solid: there are two piece, inside and outside, held together by two plastic pins which pierce the case. They are flimsy, and they stick out quite a bit. Because there is virtually no added resistance, they are easily clickable. This might be good for some, but in my experience it presents the problem of FREQUENT accidental activation. This is especially annoying when Siri, Wallet, and other apps pop up erroneously. When Best Buy asks about "ease of use," I can only give this two stars because after reattaching the case after taking photos I'm submitting, I set the phone down and accidentally activated Wallet again. It's always something. It's TOO easy to activate the buttons, which makes it harder to handle.
Another thing to point out, which others have complained about but I kind of gave it a pass, is that the top and bottom of the case are not completely wrapped in leather. The open face edge and the ends of the case appear as if they were coated in rubber, as if to seal the edges of the leather. While this would normally be fine, I thought it should be pointed out because it also appears that Bellroy has gone through some length to hide this fact in their photos. It isn't noticeable in most cases (no pun intended) but it is something to consider.
As far as MagSafe strength: It ISN'T WORSE than no case at all. Magnet strength is good and I've had no issues with my MagSafe magnetic charger mounted in the car, even on bumpy roads. It doesn't feel as solid as the Apple silicone case, and that might actually be because of the texture (this case does not "stick" to the charger puck like other Apple cases) but the very light weight of the case probably renders that moot point. I do feel like I'm going to knock it off the charger anytime I reach for it though, which says at least something.
Finally, the whole thing does just feel cheap. Sure, going from the Apple silicone case to this one will make your phone feel much smaller and possibly more comfortable. But I've had mine for a week, and it still feels like plasticized paper or something, not like natural leather. If you've owned an Apple leather case (I had two - someone ELSE broke the first one trying to remove it from my iPhone 12 mini) and liked it, you will not be pleased with the feel of this case. There is zero extra grip; It feels like it could slip out of your hand at any minute.
Overall, I'm quite disappointed that Apple stopped selling their own leather cases (despite the ridiculous MSRP they want) because THOSE WERE GOOD CASES. This... it isn't even worth the price I paid for it (about 30% less than Best Buy's price, 20% less after shipping). I'd skip over this one.
If you want a good leather case for your iPhone, you'll probably want to look at those luxury brands. You know, the ones which actually manage to cost more than Apple. Anything less, and you won't be getting what you paid for. I'd say that about the only redeeming quality of this case is that if you prefer lightweight cases and sensitive buttons, it will fill those needs. But I'm a 250lb gorilla and I'm not looking for anything that requires no more than a delicate touch.
