Today we are going hands-on with the new UAG Civilian iPhone 16 Case. The brand is well known for its ultra-protective solutions for Apple’s handsets, but it is the mid-ranger Civilian that catches my eye first, managing to both offer a notable level of protection without looking (or feeling) like there’s a gigantic chunk of plastic around my phone. Let’s dive in down below with some hands-on impressions to see how this year’s model stacks up against Apple’s latest handset design.
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Hands-on with the UAG Civilian iPhone 16 Case
The new UAG Civilian iPhone 16 Case comes in four colorways (Olive Drab, Mallard Blue, Black, and Bordeux) with a $59.99 price tag, and is available directly from the official site or over on Amazon with Prime shipping benefits. Just take note, buying it straight from UAG will net you 25% off one of its MagSafe accessories as well.
Features at a glance
- MagSafe Compatible
- Eco-Friendly Construction Made with 25% recycled materials
- Lanyard Anchor Points
- Hypercush Impact Protection
- 20 ft. Drop Protection Passes MIL-SPEC 810G-516.6
gadgetnewsonline’ Take
UAG has long been making some of my personal favorite protective cases. It somehow finds a way to separate itself from the giant collection of other brands that dabble in this space and this is, at least for me, best exemplified in its Civilian model. It’s not the most protective option in the lineup, but manages to balance the line between being something that looks like a giant piece of armor on your beautiful smartphone and something that is actually sort of fashionable in a rugged way. I love the military-style vibes on it.
It should come as no surprise to folks that have read my case reviews that I much more often tend towards thinner and more casual leather models. And this remains true, but the UAG Civilian is the rare exception here. Be it when I’m rocking a more military-inspired Apple Watch band – the UAG Active Watch Strap is a good example here and one that just landed in our roundup of favorites – or just when I need extra protection (camping trips or anything along the lines).
There’s just something about not only the look of this case I love – especially the olive green vibes and hits of orange on the model we are featuring in this review – but also the feel.
The sort of beveled edges of the case allow me to get a good grip on the phone and it somehow feels much less bulky than the amount of protection it provides would suggest. It’s hard to put this “feel factor” into words, but it’s just something that holds great in the hand and I think it’s largely due to this angular edges in combination with the softer matte rubber-like material used on the sides of the phone.
This feel factor also carries over the button covers. I specifically remembering seeing the covers in images a couple generations back and thinking to myself, “oh I’m definitely going to hate those.” I was wrong.
They deliver a wonderful clicking experience for me – that pleasing clicky feel here makes the entire process even easier than the naked buttons themselves. Again, I do prefer to look of the metal on leather treatment we see from brands like Nomad, but if you’re into the Civilian’s looks, I can all but guarantee you’ll love these button covers.
That leads us to this year’s biggest question on any case, the Camera Control cutout. And this, at least when it comes to the more rugged, protective case category, is the best yet. Had UAG opted for a straight, basic cutout without the beveled edge, this case would have been a disaster – it would have been just too thick on the sides to dig your finger in there. But with the sloped edges on either side end of the Camera Control button and more than enough real estate on the front and back sides, the multi-gesture, pressure-sensitive button remains entirely accessible.
While it might not be the case I use everyday personally, I am having a hard time finding anything about I don’t like – this case will indeed be my go-to whenever I need some extra protection or on days when I’m specifically going for the more rugged, military vibes. If I had to find one thing I don’t like about it, the interior is really the only aspect I might change. Clearly no one is ever going to see the inside of your case, but I for one do like to see some kind of soft lining to press up against my device. The interior on the UAG Civilian hasn’t scratched my device yet, nor is there any indication it will, but at this price I expect some of these minor details.
In conclusion, this is a great case. I love the button feel, the MagSafe array works great, I love the carry experience, and I love the way it looks even more. Clearly this is only going to be for folks who can appreciate the military vibes and protective nature, but I’m certainly one of them.
Buy the UAG Civilian iPhone 16 Case
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