You're buying a new cell phone, and you're on a budget, so you're thinking about skipping the protective case. Our experts say "Don't."
Are Phone Cases Still Worth It in 2025?
Published on May 05, 2025
Cell phones wear out, become obsolete or both, so you’ll need a new one at some point, and they aren’t cheap. When shelling out hundreds of dollars for the latest iPhone or Android device, it makes sense to wonder: Do you need a phone case too? That just adds to the financial burden of upgrading your device, and it’s tempting to skip it if it isn’t really necessary.
Tom Payne, the editor of a tech journal, and Sam Devia, an expert in hands-on tech repair, agree that you need a case. “I want to say that now more than ever, consumers need cases and screen protectors for their devices,” says Devia. Manufacturers may make phones out of tougher materials, but Payne points out that without a case and screen protection, your phone is still one bad drop away from an expensive regret.
This post explains why spending the extra money to protect your device is probably in your interest.
How Phone Cases Protect Phones
Cell phones are vulnerable to impact and water damage. Cell phone cases are usually made of resilient materials like leather, silicone or hard plastic, which absorb impacts and prevent the resultant vibrations from damaging the circuitry inside. Some top-shelf cases enclose the phone in a hermetic seal to protect it from water damage.
Cases could include a clear covering to protect the screen, the most vulnerable part of a cell phone, but most do not. That means you also need a screen protector, which costs extra.
A History of Phone Materials
The body of the bulky Mororola DynaTac, which was the first cell phone to hit the market in 1983, was made of polycarbonate (PC) plastic, and that material was common until Apple introduced the iPhone with its lightweight aluminum body in 2007. Manufacturers still use both materials today, with modifications. They use other materials as well, including rubber for the keys (on models that have keys) and glass for the screen.
Both PC and aluminum are impact-resistant, but despite that, phones have always been vulnerable to damage when dropped on their corners or edges (which is usually how phones land). The main purpose of a protective case was—and still is—to absorb the force of such impacts.
What Are Phone Screens Made of in 2025?
All phone screens are made from glass, although the composition of the glass has evolved over the years. According to Payne, many contemporary cell phones feature Gorilla Glass or Gorilla Glass Victus, which are types of reinforced glass that use sodium silicate glass as a raw material and are chemically reinforced in the lab. In addition, Apple and Samsung coat their screens with a ceramic-glass material derived from silicon dioxide called Ceramic Shield for extra durability.
Do you really need a phone case to protect your phone screen?
Few phone cases provide screen protection, so the answer to “Do you need a phone case to protect the screen?” is generally no. Phone cases are designed to protect the back and sides of the phone. If you want screen protection, you need to purchase a screen protector, which is an extra expense, and it’s an excellent idea to do so.
If you want to know why, don’t ask a salesperson; ask a repair pro. Despite advances in glass technology materials, Devia says screens are still fragile (that could be because they’re thinner). “It used to take multiple drops before you’d crack your screen, but now screens scratch easily and break within just a couple drops.”
What Is the Body of a Phone Made Out of in 2025?
Manufacturers still use aluminum to make cell phones. But instead of pure aluminum, they use alloys like magnesium-aluminum or titanium-aluminum. Apple makes the iPhone 16 Pro out of pure titanium. This metal is noted for being lightweight, corrosion-resistant, heat-resistant, non-allergenic, non-toxic and among the most durable metals known.
Do you really need a phone case to protect the body of your phone?
Aluminum alloys and titanium may be durable to the point of being unbreakable, but they are still metals, and metals transmit vibrations that can wreak havoc on the delicate circuitry inside a phone when someone drops it. When you’re asking “Do you need a cell phone case?” keep in mind that one of the main purposes of the case is to dampen vibrations and protect the phone’s innards.
Devia claims he has been noticing “an uptick in cases where customers drop their phones and there’s zero visible damage on the outside but internally, motherboard chips crack or lift right off the board, making the whole device useless.” In other words, If you don’t want to suddenly discover that your phone is inoperable after you drop it, you probably need a case.
Are Phone Cases Worth the Price?
When it comes to budget issues, Payne had this to say: “Repairing or replacing a flagship screen often costs over $300, depending on the model, so skipping a $50 case and a $30 screen protector from a reputable brand is a gamble most travelers, commuters, and daily users can’t really afford. An $80 investment for this combo is only 5% compared to the cost of a new $1600 iPhone Max Pro!”
Do you need a phone case with all the bells and whistles, or will a basic one do? That depends on the value of your phone, how much you need it and how careful you are with it. As for whether protecting your phone is worth doing, Devia is unequivocal: “If you’ve got a newer phone, I highly recommend grabbing a good case and solid screen protector. A small investment that can lower the chances of wrecking your expensive device.”
FAQ
Is a screen protector enough to protect my phone?
No. A screen protector will protect the screen from scratches and impacts, but it won’t protect the circuitry inside your phone from damage if you drop it. You need a phone case for that, and the more resilient and shock-absorbing the material from which it’s made is, the better it will do its job.
About the Experts
- Sam Devia is a seasoned tech expert at eRepair, a Chicago-based company specializing in comprehensive smart device solutions. He has 15 years of experience in phone repair, and his company has fixed over 10,000 smartphones.
- Tom Payne is the creator and editor of {Tech} for Travel. Founded in 2015, {Tech} for Travel is a collaboration of technology, luggage, apps and travel ideas, that people rely on as they traverse the globe.
