I can’t make my mind up when it comes to cases. No joke. I think my phone looks best completely unburdened by a case. On the flip side, I can see the practicality.
It doesn’t slide off my lap so easily, I can hold a few cards in the back, cases can look pretty great and, of course, a case protects my $1,000+ phone. So when it comes to actually choosing a case for my iPhone X, I can be particularly picky.
There are so many out there and they all have their benefits. So what case have I been using the past couple weeks with my iPhone X? That would be the lovely leather cases from Alto.
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After watching our hands-on video, continue reading for my in-depth impressions.
Quality, minimalist cases
Alto, from the Italian word meaning “high” (as in quality), has a lineup of cases and accessories all crafted from some of the finest leather. I’ve been a fan of their cases for years, and their new iPhone X cases are no exception.
To start, for the minimalist person these cases are ideal. They actually leave certain areas exposed like the volume rocker, side button and the bottom. This is exactly as much protection as I want because the case protects the sides and corners in a fall, but allows unparalleled access to ports and buttons.
Most buttons get covered in leather or rubber, which means they’re a bit harder to depress and difficult to discern when they have been hit. When the bottom gets covered, it can muffle the speakers and be a tight fit for certain Lightning cables if the cutout isn’t large enough.
Quality of materials
There is also the quality of the inner shell.
It isn’t nearly as flimsy as most snap-on cases, and actually has a solid feel to it. On the inside is a soft microfiber lining to help ensure no debris can scratch your phone when trapped inside. A hard-lined case can mar your phone by persistently rubbing dirt and dust against your device.
The outside of these cases is exceptional genuine leather.
Many manufacturers use “genuine leather,” but they still add coats of other finishers to the outside to make it smoother and cover blemishes. Alto uses aniline dyed leather, a more subtle and the most natural looking leather. You have to be sure to use a premium, quality piece of leather to start because so much of the natural hide is exposed.
If you have leather covered in marks, you will know. There is no place to hide it.
Types of Alto cases
There are three primary types of cases that Alto creates for iPhone X.
There is the simple case with no frills, the Metro case that has a card pocket on the back and the Anello which has a click that can be attached to a lanyard. The original case is nice, but the Metro is my go-to as I love having the option to hold 1-2 cards in the back of the case.
Alto calls it the Metro case because when a metro card is in the back, the reader is still able to read the card without you having to remove it. Of course, putting cards in the back may prevent you from using wireless charging.
That’s because Qi charging can cause issues and demagnetize the magnetic strips on the back of your credit cards. My usual flow is using a wallet during the days. When I go out in the evenings, I ditch the wallet and put my most used cards in my phone. The Metro case allows me to have this option.
The Anello style case is quite nice, too. I’d love this if I was traveling and being paranoid about displacing my phone. Or possibly while taking photos in a perilous situation like on a bridge.
Get yours & save some cash
Alto cases are all unique and gorgeous.
I used them with my iPhone 7 Plus and am currently rocking them once more with my iPhone X. If you like minimalistic leather cases, then Alto is a fine choice. You can find their whole lineup over on their website.
Even better, we’ve been able to secure an exclusive discount just for iDownloadBlog readers: head over to the official Alto website, pick out a couple cases for you (and maybe as gifts) and enter promo code idbza8b4fpj for an instant 20% off your order.
All orders are shipped via DHL and will usually arrive in only 3 days.
If you act quickly, your order should be easily delivered before the holidays. And if your order is over $100, they will even ship for free! I’m a fan of Alto, but I want to hear from all of you.
Which is your favorite case between the Original, Metro and Anello?
Let us know below!