Pitaka’s MagCase and MagCase Pro are solid cases. If youʼre looking for a minimalist case but donʼt want a skin, or a cheap TPU case, get the regular Pitaka MagCase. If you want something tougher with a bit more texture, consider the Pitaka MagCase Pro.
The Pitaka MagMount Qi, on the other hand, is still missing a few things. However, the downsides of the Pitaka MagMount Qi shouldn’t deter you to buy the product. Not only that it is a very great Qi-charger but it is also great partner with Pitaka MagCase or MagCase Pro.
PROS:
- MagMount Qi works well with MagCase and MagCase Pro
- MagMount and Pro are well constructed
- MagMount Pro is light weight despite the bulk
- The tiny magnets doesn’t interfere with Qi-charging
CONS:
- MagMount will show wear and tear over time
- MagMount Qi has no usb cable and power source
- MagMount Pro might not do well in face first drops
Pitaka MagCase and MagCase Pro Review
| Design | Functionality | Protection |
Pitaka MagMount Qi Review
| Why does Qi-charging in a car suck? | Functionality | Why are we happy with the entire setup? |
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DESIGN
Pitaka MagCase
The Pitaka MagCase is made primarily of Aramid Fibre which is basically the base material for Kevlar. This means the Pitaka MagCase is thin and light while offering the same level and durability of steel (based on the marketing fluff anyways).
The Pitaka MagCase fits the iPhone quite well. However, there are parts of the case that donʼt conform to Appleʼs case design specifications. The overall texture of the case is quite nice and gives your slick iPhone X extra texture that isnʼt too abrasive.
The back of the Pitaka Magcase isnʼt going to slide around on a flat surface. However, the front edges of the case are quite low. Because of this, weʼd recommend using the free screen protector that comes with the case. Though to be honest, the price of the MagCase doesn’t really make the screen protector feel free. The tiny Pitaka MagCase costs $50 while the Pitaka Magcase Pro also cost $50.
When it comes to general wear and tear the Pitaka Magcase does show fingerprints easily. The back is also easily scratched despite being marketed as having high scratch resistance. The entire case is also covered in a soft-rubber coating which Pitaka calls “Baby soft” which is the reason why it handles so well.
Looking for an alternative? Check out: Cork cases from 15.21
Pitaka MagCase Pro
The Pitaka MagCase Pro is completely different than the regular Pitaka MagCase. We would say the Pitaka MagCase Pro is more of a traditional iPhone case because itʼs made from several layers, such as foam, TPU Frameʼs and microfibre cloth. Aramid isnʼt as prevalent on the Pitaka MagCase Pro but the back of the case has the same finish to the entire case of the regular Pitaka MagCase. The overall build quality of the Pitaka MagCase Pro is quite nice.
Pitaka seems to have a pretty tight control over their manufacturing process. The seams between their TPU pieces are quite smooth. The difference is noticeable when you compare the Pitaka MagCase Pro to a $30 Olixar case. The seams on the Olixar case are quite noticeable whereas the Pitaka MagCase Pro is quite smooth. This is expected given the $50 dollar price tag.
The microfibre and foam of the back is also a nice touch. It’s springy! We’ve understood that the reason for putting these features on the back is to prevent scratches. However, we really don’t think that’s a foolproof way of getting rid the scratches. Regardless of material, if dust and debris are getting between your iPhone and case, itʼs going to get scratched.
The iPhone wonʼt slide around easily on the front or back of the case. Also unlike the Pitaka MagCase, the edges of the grip have ridges that make the case handle quite well but are quite noticeable. The Aramid back doesnʼt show fingerprints as easily as the regular Pitaka MagCase and will hold up better over time as the back of the case is raised.
But despite all the extra bulk, the Pitaka MagCase Pro is quite light as it weighs 38 gʼs. This put the Pitaka MagCase Pro just a tad heavier than the Rhinoshield SolidSuit and lighter than the Mous Limitless.
Mous Limitless
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FUNCTIONALITY
The regular Pitaka MagCase doesnʼt have any button covers so you wonʼt have any issues with iPhone access. The bottom is fully exposed so you can use whatever 3rd party cable you want.
For the Pitaka MagCase Pro, the iPhoneʼs buttons are easily reached through the edge of the case. They have a nice response to them and come close to the feel of the iPhone inside a Catalyst Impact Protection and not as mushy as the Mous Limitless v2.
Mous Limitless
When it comes to functionally , the standout feature of both Pitaka cases are the tiny magnets embedded along the inside of the case. Theyʼre laid out in a manner that do not obviously interfere with the Qi-charging functionality of the iPhone. We will note. however, that the magnets arenʼt as strong as traditional magnetic cases with the massive magnets on the back. But the magnets are still strong enough to keep the iPhone from sliding around while driving.
You might be able to get away with using a normal magnetic car mount. But a normal magnetic car mount doesnʼt feel as stable as the Pitaka branded mounts. And if youʼre wondering if the magnetic backs messes with your iPhones internals, it doesnʼt.
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PROTECTION
The Pitaka MagCase Pro is apparently three times drop-rated. If youʼre not terrible with your iPhone and just need something to prevent excessive scratching on your device, go with the Pitaka MagCase. It is one of our go to minimalistic cases. Pitaka MagCase removes our biggest complaint about the iPhone X which is the handling of the device from the metal edge and glass backs. Make sure you put on the free screen protector on the Pitaka MagCase.
The edges of the Pitaka MagCase are extremely low. The top and bottom of the case doesnʼt even have edges (use the screen protector!). The Pitaka MagCase and Pitaka MagCase Pro also have a raised edge for the camera which is nice. Pitaka calls it an “EXTRA Protective Ring” for your camera lens.
However, at the end of the day, we wouldnʼt go around dropping an iPhone on purpose with the regular Pitaka MagCase. Itʼs one of those products that you know will protect your device but you just donʼt know by how much.
Pitaka MagCase Pro, on the other hand, is a much tougher case. It has 5 layers of protection though one of those layers is a microfibre cloth. When it comes to drops, Pitaka employs the usual air pockets in the corners which they called “AirBag” in the marketing fluff. The side of the case also has a series of air pockets which help with the impact protection of edge drops.
We liked the oversized corners of the Pitaka MagCase Pro as it adds additional protection. They also improve the handling of the device in your hand. Now all these features allows Pitaka to claim that it provides 3x the drop protection. However it doesnʼt say 3x the height or that they dropped it 3x the normal amount (usual tests is 26 drops).
From our experience in dropping iPhone cases, we know that an iPhone X is going to be fine when it comes to corner drops in the Pitaka MagCase Pro. However, we’re not confident when it comes to face first drops because the case edges are quite pliable.
What happens when the iPhone hits a surface relatively face first? The corner is going to absorb the initial impact but if itʼs too flexible, it pops off the iPhone and the only thing thatʼs stopping the screen from breaking is nothing.
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Pitaka MagMount Qi
WHY DOES QI-CHARGING IN A CAR SUCK?
First of all, Qi-charging for the iPhoneʼs isnʼt great.
SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about 7.5W Qi-charging on the iPhone 8 and iPhone X
Second of all, we generally find the average car mount to be large and clunky. Designers spend a lot of time drawing out the curves of your dash and then we go and plop down a piece of plastic with arms. With magnetic mounts, the setup is less of an eyesore and theyʼre so easy to use!
Car Qi-chargers arenʼt any better as a normal car mount. They are large and clunkier. For example, the iOttie charger requires you to loudly clamp your iPhone in place. The Jindo Smart charger, on the other hand, requires you to wait while the unit whirʼs the arms in place. While you are forced to play tug of war with the mPOW product.
Honestly, thereʼs a good chance that plugging your iPhone into a 2.4 A cigarette charger is going to provide a faster charge than plugging into the Qi-chargers we mentioned above.
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FUNCTIONALITY
The Pitaka MagMount Qi is a slightly evolved vent mount. The entire surface of the Pitaka MagMount Qi is much larger than your average magnetic mount. Pitaka offers two other mounting methods, a suction cup and CD Slot. We personally prefer the suction cup as we donʼt like having our ventʼs blocked. Especially during the winter time.
There are a couple of downsides to the Pitaka MagMount Qi. The first thing is that it doesnʼt come with a cable (SERIOUSLY).
The next downside is that the Pitaka MagMount Qi doesnʼt even come with a power source. Thatʼs right, you need to supply the cable and the power source. The solution to this problem is simple as all you need to do is buy a cigarette adapter charger. Or if you have an AC converter for your car, you can use that instead. Or if you have a spare battery power source, you could plug that into the Qi-charger.
Not having the power supply and cable doesnʼt make any sense to us. Companies nowadays do a great job of ensuring that the ecosystem of their products are being used in is very controlled. How quickly your device charges will depend on the quality of micro-usb cable as well as output from the power source. So if you buy a 3 dollar charger and a 13 cent cable, your iPhone is going to charge incredibly slowly.
When it comes to charge speed, the MagMount with a 2.4A cigarette adapter charger, is faster than a stock 5W Qi-charger. However the MagMount with a 2.4A cigarette adapter is 30 minutes slower than our 7.5W Qi-charger. And when compared to the wired options, the MagMount Qi is much slower than the normal iPhone charger and the 29W Apple fast charger.
Qi-charging in your car is going to be great the longer you drive. Itʼs not often we drive more than 15 minutes on a trip with the Pitaka MagMount Qi, that getʼs us about 6% extra charge. Thatʼs way slower than the 3 minutes it would take with an Apple Fast Charge.
The last downside of the Pitaka MagMount Qi is that it isnʼt WPC certified. Which means it might damage whatever device it is charging. This might be alarming to some. However we are not sure yet. We will figure that out real soon.
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WHY ARE WE HAPPY WITH THE ENTIRE SETUP
If you can look beyond Pitaka MagMount Qi’s shortcomings, youʼre going to find that the Pitaka cases and corresponding Qi-mount works incredibly well, The Pitaka MagMount case and Qi combo makes using your iPhone in your car simpler.
You get in your car and you plop your phone on the pad. And then it starts charging! There is nothing else to do! There isnʼt any finagling to see if the iPhone is set in place. Thereʼs no waiting for tiny arms to wrap their hands around the iPhone. Thereʼs no loud noises. Thereʼs no buttons to push to release the iPhone.
iPhone accessories should make your life easier and Pitaka has done that with their cases and Qi-mount.
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