Is the OEM Apple iPhone X Leather case worth the high price? (review)

Apple is the definition of premium in the tech world. Its products are extremely well designed, function as promised, last longer than the competition, and they come with a premium price tag to match. If you own an iPhone X, one of the first things you will get is a brand new case. The X is priced so high that very few will dare to go case free, especially with repair prices now well over $200. There are hundreds, if not thousands of cases to choose from since the iPhone is the best selling premium smartphone on the planet. Considering you just dropped a cool $1k, what kind of case should you get? You could shop on Amazon for budget cases that are more than capable of protecting your iPhone. There’s also the protective route of using a LifeProof or Otterbox as well, but those might be too bulky and ugly for your taste. Or maybe, you’d like to go premium. If you’re in this last category, you’ve come to the right place. We got our hands on the OEM Apple iPhone X Leather case and think its worthy of its premium $49 price tag.

iPhone X Leather case build and usage

Cases are pretty simple when it comes to how they’re constructed. Apple’s Leather case is designed to protect the back, sides and front edges of the phone with a hard polycarbonate shell wrapped in genuine Italian leather. What I particularly like about all OEM cases, including Samsung’s for its own Galaxy phones, are the nuances that give them a slight edge in quality over just about all third-party case makers. Those nuances include precision fitment where the cases fit like a glove. The leather case is the perfect example of a product that is perfect for the device it intends to protect.

Looking at the image above shows how the camera cutout fits just right. It’s so tight fitting that it appears the leather is tucked into the camera like the iPhone X is actually wrapped in leather instead of having a glass back.

Apple went a step further and added anodized aluminum buttons that are a similar color (burnt orange maybe?) to the natural leather Saddle Brown case. The power button on the opposite also has the same finish and it looks really freaking good. All of the cases have the same metal buttons that match their respective colors which come in Black, Red, Charcoal Gray, Cosmos Blue, Dark Aubergine, Midnight Blue, Pink Fuchsia, and Taupe. The buttons also have good feedback meaning you get a clicky sensation when pushing on them. They don’t at all feel mushy and are easy to find without having to look at your phone.

The inside of the case is lined with microfiber to ensure the case does not scratch the glass back of the iPhone X even if some sand or dirt got between the two.

The front of the iPhone X leather cover is slightly curved and raised over the display. This helps prevent scratches from forming on the display in case you set the phone face down on a flat surface. It also adds a little bit of drop protection if the phone were to fall flat on its face too.

The Italian leather has a great feel and certainly ages well with wear and tear. I like that it absorbs the oil from my hand and never feels gross. Some plastic cases start to feel really dirty if they haven’t been cleaned, but maybe I need to wash my hands more too.  The case is rather thin and can stay on when wireless charging the iPhone X. It’s also thin enough to make the iPhone X still feel manageable where some protective covers from Otterbox can make the phone feel huge. The tradeoff in a thin case versus a protective one is that you get much less drop protection. While I love the leather case for its build, I wouldn’t recommend using if you’re the clumsy type. If you’re clumsy I highly recommend trying out a UAG case which comes with military drop test ratings.

The downside to owning light colored leather cases like the one in the photos is the ability of blue jeans to wear off on them. I haven’t come across that with my leather case yet, but have with previous iPhone leather cases I’ve used in the past. If you wear really dark jeans, I suggest going with a dark colored case instead of Saddle Brown, Red or Taupe.

So is it worth $49?

If you factor in looks, feel, fit, and finish the OEM Leather Case for the iPhone X is well worth the money. You’ve already spent $1k on the iPhone X so why not get a case that matches the great looks and build too. The Leather case offers enough protection to withstand the daily lives of most and also looks great at the same time.

Get your own iPhone X Leather case at Apple, Best Buy, Target or Amazon.