Moment iPhone 12 Case Review: Better Than Apple Clear Case?
There’s an old joke. If an iPhone owner trips and hears a crack, he prays that it be the bones and not the phone. When I bought my iPhone 12 Mini, and you can read my iPhone 12 Mini review here, I was looking for a good iPhone case to reduce the chances of a broken phone.
Since I bought it the same day it was up for grabs, I went with the regular Apple MagSafe clear case. It is a good one but it misses out on the protection part. That’s where Moment contacted and sent out the Moment thin case for iPhone 12 Mini. After using these cases for over a month, here’s my review of the Moment iPhone 12 Mini case.
Materials And Build Quality
The first thing you’ll realize when you touch the case is the premium build quality. The case is made out of plant-based TPU and is partially degradable. All you have to do is remove the detachable lens-mount interface and throw it in a compost pit when you’re done.
Talking about the fit and finish of the Moment iPhone case, it really goes for the detail here. I like the semi-rigid rubberized finish of the case. It is flexible enough to absorb shocks and solid enough to feel one with the phone.
The sides and the top of the case are slightly raised to offer drop protection. These raised sides also keep the display from rubbing against the surface if you place the phone screen down. The buttons are clicky and the alert slider cut out is also good.
The bottom chin is flattened to flush with the display and adds a bit more personality to the phone. Thanks to this extra chin, you have some more room for the gestures. The bottom has raised corners for protection. You’ll also see two holes at the bottom for wrist straps, and the lightning port cutout is wide enough for easy access.
On the inner side of the case, you’ll see the ‘M’ branding with a circle highlighting the MagSafe compatible array. The inside of the Moment iPhone case is soft to touch and won’t leave any marks or scratches when you decide to ditch the case.
Coming to the back of the case, this is where the Moment iPhone case can be distinguished from the rest. It comes in a matte finish with a textured grip covering almost the entire back of the phone.
In the camera module, you can fit the M Series lens interface. It is removable and you can use it to attach the Moment camera mounts. Although it’s a good feature, I think it’d be better if they provided matching mounts for the cases. Sometimes it’s a bit odd, seeing the red bits of my iPhone jump out of the subtle indigo color of the case.
Colors
I received the Black, mustard yellow, and indigo blue colors of the Moment iPhone 12 cases. All three look good but I personally like the indigo blue, because it is subtle and adds a personality to the phone.
The black one is also a good option because it perfectly blends with the M-series lens interface. You’ll like the mustard yellow color if you’re not using the lens interface. Since it is a bright color, the black interface just dulls it out a bit. Not sure if it is intentional, but the mustard one also highlights the MagSafe array when you look closely.
You can also get the Moment iPhone 12 cases in walnut wood, olive, spicy red, and black canvas colors.
MagSafe Compatibility
Let’s get to the magnetic elephant in the room now, shall we? I have a MagSafe charger but I still prefer the wired 20-watt power brick, because it is fast and efficient. However, to test the Moment iPhone 12 case MagSafe compatibility, I used it with a MagSafe charger.
Not just this case, I charged my iPhone 12 Mini with the Apple MagSafe clear case and without any cases on. Here are the numbers for your reference.
| Condition | Time Taken (charging 20-80%) | Phone at usable temperature |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 12 Mini without case (Using MagSafe) | 1 hour 20 minutes | No |
| iPhone 12 Mini with Moment thin case (Using MagSafe) | 1 hour 18 minutes | Yes |
| iPhone 12 Mini with Apple clear case (Using MagSafe) | 1 hour 15 minutes | No |
| iPhone 12 Mini with wired charger | 40 minutes | Yes |
Note: In all cases, the phone wasn’t used during charging and it was charged from 20% to 80%.
All in all, the Moment iPhone 12 Mini cases are MagSafe compatible and if you’re going to use your phone while wirelessly charging it, this is a good case to have.
Moment iPhone 12 Thin Case Vs Apple Clear Case
The Moment case covers your iPhone’s original finish, but you can always buy a matching case to avoid that from happening.
The Apple clear case is completely rigid and despite Apple’s promises, mine yellowed out a bit in the first month of usage. The clear case also misses out on chin protection for the phone, so it can’t stand on its own. The Moment case has a better grip, finish, and durability compared to the clear case.
Pricing And Availability
You can get the Moment iPhone 12 thin case for $49.99 which is about $10 cheaper than the Apple clear case. You can buy the Moment cases from the Moment online store.
If you’re into photography and want a modular case with options for MagSafe accessories, Moment offers a ton of them and you can check them out here.
Moment iPhone 12 Case Review Roundup
The Moment Thin Case for iPhone 12 is a value-for-money addition to your iPhone. You can certainly use an iPhone 12 without any cover but it just doesn’t give you the confidence to use it all the time.
One of the big things I noticed while testing for the Moment iPhone 12 case review is that a case needs to be solid but flexible enough to feel good. The Moment cases have a good fit and finish and sit plush on the iPhone 12.
