Hands on with Apple’s folio case for iPhone X—but is it worth $99?

When the latest iPhones were announced, Apple also released an assortment of cases. The one that has peaked most people’s interest, including my own, has been their luxurious leather folio case with premium fit and finish and some cool smarts.

The magic of the magnets

Apple’s snap-on case lets you use all the best features of your iPhone X, like wireless charging, while keeping some cards or cash with you. Better yet, it will automatically wake your iPhone X when you open it, and lock it when you close it.

I was able to get ahold of one of these new cases and take it for a spin. Check out my hands-on video embedded below to see how it looks and feels for yourself.

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The case is crafted from specially tanned European leather, giving it a premium feel and finish.

Premium fit and finish, indeed

The leather feels very similar to Apple’s other cases and sleeves like those for the MacBook, Apple Pencil and iPad. On the left side of the folio are two pockets. The top, smaller pocket can hold 2-3 credit cards easily. Below that is a larger pocket capable of keeping track of some cash, business cards or other small items.

It is important not to put any credit cards in the bottom pocket as the lower-left corner houses a magnet. That magnet is important as it allows the case to automatically wake the phone when you open it and lock it when you close it.

This is very akin to the Smart Covers for iPad. I’m excited for this because it means other manufacturers can take advantage of this feature as well for their cases.

The case comes in four different colors.

I have the Cosmos Blue option, but you could instead opt for Berry, Taupe or Black. One thing that is always a minor complaint about Apple’s cases, is the lack of bottom protection.

Final words

The bottom of this particular case is exposed, which could lead to some damage if you dropped it the wrong way. I don’t mind it myself, and I find it works with more docks, but I know it is something I hear quite often.

That being said, I really love Apple’s iPhone X folio case.

I love the feel of the leather, and it really offers a lot of protection and versatility. I hate carrying a wallet around, but storing my cards on the back isn’t possible if I want to take advantage of the wireless charging. This gives me best of both worlds. My girlfriend also loves that she can leave her purse at home when we go out on the weekends.

Pricing

Price is the biggest hurdle, but Apple does its best to justify the price with features and quality materials. I think they do an acceptable job at that, but it is hard to overlook many third-party options out there. The biggest standout feature is the auto sleep/lock, but I can easily see this coming to other cases in the near future.

Availability

If you’d like to pick up one of Apple’s new folio cases for your iPhone X, you can find them in your nearest Apple Store or from Apple’s website for $99 in any of the four colors.

Let us know what you think of the iPhone X folio case, down below in the comments. Are these unique features enough to make you part with a hundred bucks?