Arc’s Pulse bumper case for iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max and the new iPhone Air are now available for purchase and we have had a chance to test one out for ourselves. These minimalist 2-piece metal bumpers were a popular option among readers last year and it’s time to make sure Arc’s treatment of the new iPhone 17 (Pro in this case) design is just as impressive as it was in year’s past.
Arc Pulse Bumper Case for iPhone 17 Pro review
While I have only had a chance to test out the iPhone 17 Pro model thus far – the iPhone Air Arc Pulse is still en route – the new Arc Pulse bumper cases are now available for purchase on all four of the new iPhone releases.
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max:
- Matte Black $69.99
- Polished Silver $89.99
- Polished Graphite $99.99
- Polished Rose Bronze $109.99
- Polished Gold $129.99
- Titanium Onyx Black $299.99
iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air:
Features at glance:
- Made from CNC-machined from aerospace-grade Aluminum 7075-T6.
- Anti-scratch coating for durability.
- Pressure-fit with a slide-on mechanism—no glue, no moving parts, no residue.
- Edge and corner wrap with raised protection around the screen and camera plateau.
- Full access to buttons, ports, microphones, and speakers.
- Wireless charging compatible.
- Engineered and tested for up to 3 m | 10 ft drop protection.
- 360° coverage focused on high-impact zones – corners and camera plateau.
gadgetnewsonline Take
The best iPhone bumper case is back. Delivering its special brand of aerospace-grade metals, the Arc Pulse still sits atop the totem of bumper-style cases for iPhone (and a few other popular smartphones) for good reason. It’s certainly not for everyone – some folks just don’t appreciate the look and minimalism – but if you’re going to take this route it is one of the best if you ask me.
Not a whole lot has changed here for the new iPhone 17 models. I have only had a chance to test out the iPhone 17 Pro model, just so we are on the same page here, and there is a new iPhone Air variant I’m still awaiting review units for. So if you are familiar with my review of the iPhone 16 Pro variant you’ll largely know what you’re in for here.
This time around I got my hands-on the polished silver variant, which is perhaps not the best fit for the Cosmic Orange, but it has grown on me. This polished silver treatment, much like last go around and presumably all of the ultra polished colors can be a bit of a fingerprint magnet, but the material used here also allows it to quickly and effectively wipe clean – a small microfiber cloth or even your t-shirt can get it back to its polished sheen in seconds.
One thing that is different this year is the shape. These Arc bumper cases are designed to protect all four corners (front and back) as well to provide a frame around the camera array around back. This year’s 17 Pro models have the new camera plateau design, as you know, and Arc Pulse has accommodated for this nicely.
We are still getting the snap, pressure-based fit here. There is no adhesive or glue to worry about at all – a sort of rubberized interior the brand refers to as a “custom inner layer” tightly hugs the phone and holds the bumpers on. In my testing on iPhone 17 Pro thus far, everything has been solid and remained snugly in place. It is slightly more cumbersome to get on and off this year, simply due to the shape of the camera plateau, but nothing particularly egregious or annoying. It works just fine and is perhaps even more securely held in place because of it, and I’m truly thankful Arc didn’t compromise its design approach and create some kind of clunky two piece snap on for the top of the phone – Arc Pulse is still a two piece design, one bumper for the top and one for the bottom.
As for the front of the phone, much like last year’s model the bumpers wrap around the front edge of iPhone 17 Pro. This ensures you can rest your iPhone display-side down without having your new screen or phone make contact with the flat surface at all, much like you would expect from any good case. It is perhaps just a touch more chunky-looking around front than I would like, but we are talking by millimeters here at most.
It is still the best I have used. While I can certainly appreciate the new iPhone Air Bumper from Apple, it’s hard to argue it being anywhere near as elegant as the new Arc Pulse option, and Apple only makes its bumper for the Air anyway – there’s an Arc Pulse for all of Apple’s new handsets: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the Air. It is a little bit unfortunate you can’t get all of the colors on all models (only the 17 Pro and Pro Max have all of them), but the Arc Pulse it still a seriously notable option.
Buy the Arc Pulse Bumper Case for iPhone 17, Pro, Pro Max, and iPhone Air
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