The first thing that popped into my head when I received my new iPhone 15 Pro Max last month was: I have to put a case on this thing. Although I got a sweet deal on the phone, it’s easily the most expensive handset I’ve ever owned. Fortunately, I had a bunch of great iPhone 15 cases to choose from, as I had been sent a few review units from Totallee, Speck, OtterBox, and others.
I obviously went straight for the Totallee. I don’t really like cases, so I tend to go as minimal as possible. But at some point curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to check out the others. Some were too bulky, others were too stiff, and one was a bright neon color that, if we’re being honest, kind of hurt my eyes. But I eventually landed on the OtterBox Figura, and after spending a good amount of time with it, I have to say, it might be my new favorite iPhone case.
Design
The first thing you notice about the Figura is its…unique design. If you’re looking at the stock photos thinking, “there is no way in hell I’d use that case,” trust me, I said the same thing. As aforementioned, I’m normally very minimalist when it comes to my cases, and I tend to shun anything beyond a solid color. But look at the photos I took of the case below, and then look at the photos on OtterBox’s website. Either their images are super inaccurate, or I got sent a totally different color, because this blue looks way more dark. And honestly it looks even better on my Titanium iPhone. The blue gets even darker, and the white swirls blend better—it looks a lot more like a camouflage pattern than it does…whatever this is. Also I apologize, I tried taking some photos with the case actually on my phone, using an old backup iPhone, but let’s just say they were bad enough that I decided to go without.
Protection
If you can get past the design, though, you’re rewarded by the Figura’s feel and function. I’d describe it as a soft-touch case, that really nails the sweet spot between thickness and protection. No disrespect to Totallee—I’m still a huge fan—but a trade-off you make when using their ultra-thin cases is that there is a big drop-off in protection. They are about as thin as a sheet of paper, meaning if you drop your phone on a hard surface, there’s not much there to cushion the fall. I don’t care what the rules of Rochambeau say, in real life, rock beats paper every time.
But this isn’t an issue at all with the Figura. There’s more than enough cushion here to protect your phone in the event of a drop. It’s not the Defender by any means, but OtterBox does say it has drop-tested the case to meet military standards. That may seem like more of a marketing gimmick these days, but it does indicate the case passed testing that requires dropping devices some 25 times, on all faces and sides. And again, you get this extra protection, without the extra bulk. For me, it doesn’t make the Pro Max iPhone any more difficult to hold or pocket.
MagSafe
Another feature worth mentioning is the built-in MagSafe magnet(s). I have a MagSafe charging stand, where your phone essentially sits vertically, untethered, so a strong MagSafe connection is important to prevent it from simply falling off. I will say that I have used some ultra-thin cases that don’t have the magnets, and they still sat just fine on the MagSafe stand, but the connection with the Figura is noticeably more crisp and secure. There are a lot of cases out there that promise ‘MagSafe support,’ without having built-in magnets, but unless it’s an extremely thin case, I’m not buying it. You should always get the magnets people, and this case has them.
Final thoughts
Some final thoughts on the Figura: the sides are rigid, which helps it keep a fairly tight fit on the phone, so it doesn’t let in a bunch of dust/dirt. I’ve only been using the case for a few weeks, so it very well could end up stretching out like other plastic cases, but right now it’s holding strong. I also like the rigid plastic piece around the rear camera—the 3-lens system is expensive and vulnerable, so I appreciate the added protection there. The built-in buttons are easy to press, which isn’t always a guarantee, and I haven’t had to use it yet, but I think the opening around the USB-C port is big enough to accommodate a bulky charger head. Finally, the case is easy to put on and take off, and as with most soft-touch cases, it has a nice, anti-slip grip to it.
Obviously, phone cases are a dime a dozen these days, and there are hundreds of options out there for less than $10 or $15. But if you just picked up an expensive new iPhone, and you want to protect it with a case made by a company that literally built its reputation on protecting smartphones, check out the OtterBox Figura. You can find it on OtterBox’s website for just $35 right now. That’s 30% off its regular price of $50, but there is no guarantee how long the deal is going to last, so if you want one you’re going to have to act fast.