Are you looking for a way to accessorize your new iPhone XR? Or Are you just here to find the best accessories for your existing iPhone XR?
No need to fear! Here’s what we think are the best accessories (from cases to chargers) your iPhone XR based on our real usage.
| Cases | Lightning Cables | Qi-Chargers | Wired Charging |
Cases
The best way to protect a $1000 iPhone thatʼs covered in glass? A case!
We’ve reviewed 100’s of cases over the last few years and the two cases that we always end up putting our devices into are any case from Mous and Loopy. If those two cases aren’t enough for you, check out the our Top 10 list for the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and XS Max.
MOUS LIMITLESS & CLARITY
PROS:
- Tough
- Handles well
- Comes with screen protector
- Modular accessories (only for Limitless 2.0)
CONS:
- Slightly bigger than all the other cases on this list
- Fingerprinting will be an issue on Clarity
The Mous Limitless 2.0 is well-made, tough case. The different finishes actually feel part of the case, not just an afterthought. We had the opportunity to re-review the Mous Limitless and we took it through a gauntlet of drops ranging from 4 ft to 13 ft and we still have a working iPhone. Every aspect that we don’t like from the previous version was fixed and actually went beyond our expectations. The Mous Limitless 2.0 survived 48 drop tests from our review with only a few scratches and a broken rear camera.
The added accessories, wall mount, flip wallet, and card wallet, also adds to the functionality of the case. The flip wallet was so great to use that it replaced our old favorite wallet case.
There are also subtle design choices that can help you during your day-to-day usage. The flip wallet can hold more cards and money thanks to the elastic and sleeve inside the case and also the added pockets in the back of the case. The auto-align system of the magnet is also perfect, especially when using the card wallet accessories.
Aside from the added protection, Mous Limitless 2.0 also has a free screen protector.
The Mous Clarity, on the other hand, may seem like a clear Mous Limitless but it is a completely different case that scores almost as well as the Mous Limitless 2.0. The clear back is highly scratch resistant and has a slightly tacky texture which improves the handling. The Mous Clarity is thinner than the Mous Limitless 2.0 (there are no magnets in the case) but still has the larger corners with the tapered center. We’re not big fans of clear cases due to the fingerprinting but if you need one to show off the color of your iPhone the Mous Clarity is a solid choice.
Before we continue, we’ll point out that a case is probably the most important accessory for the iPhone XR. The glass on the front and back of Apple’s new “budget” iPhone looks nice but needs a bit of protection when it comes to day-to-day usage.
LOOPY CASE
PROS:
- The most useful case ever
- Allows you to get the most out of your iPhone
- The only case that prevents drops 100% of the time if your hand is in the loop
CONS:
- Your iPhone ends up having a hump
- Buttons are a little tougher to use
The Loopy case is one of the most handy cases we have ever used. In fact, it’s one of our favorite goto iPhone cases. The Loopy case changes your iPhone from being a device that you worry about dropping and breaking to a device thatʼs easy to use. Itʼs incredibly handy when your hands are full. The moment your finger is in the loop, your iPhone is not going to accidentally fall. Unless you fall. Which would be the bigger problem.
Out of all the cases on this list, the Loopy is the only case that we would say is made for real life. It greatly simplifies how we use my iPhone in every aspect of our life. Except for wireless charging BUT letʼs face it, Qi-charging isnʼt very good.
Honestly, words canʼt describe how useful it is, so watch 21 things you definitely canʼt do with any other case except for the Loopy.
Lightning cables
Lightning cables are an essential part of an iPhone experience. If you’re thinking that you can buy cheap cables to compensate for the expensive price of the iPhone. DON’T.
Here’s our recommend Apple Lightning cable alternative!
ANKER POWERLINE
Get IT now on Amazon!
PROS:
- Cheap
- Apple MiFi Certified
CONS:
- Cable isn’t as flexible as the Apple branded cable
Anker Powerline is the best lightning cable for your iPhone XR because it’s well-priced and it meets all of Apple’s MiFi standard guideline. How do we know this? Well, we actually destroyed our Powerline on purpose to see if the build quality was there!
SEE ALSO: Are all iPhone Lightning cables created EQUAL? – Charge Tests, Tips for FAKE cables & Tear Downs
In general, the cheaper the cable is, the more dangerous they seem. During our teardown of each cable, Apple MiFi certified cable was much harder to destroy when compared to the cheap $10 dollar gasoline station cables. From our perspective, this is a safety issue as a fault in the connection on a cheap cable might be dangerous.
If you’re unsure if the 10-pack of Lightning cables are actually Apple MiFi certified, make sure you use their MiFi certification tool to see if you should spend $7 dollars for the 10-pack of cables (you probably shouldn’t).
Qi-Chargers
The newer iPhone’s (8 and beyond) are Qi-charging compatible. This isn’t a ground-breaking feature since Android devices have been utilizing Qi-charging for years now. But, at least the option is now available for iPhone users.
However, it should be noted that Qi-charging on the iPhone is slow which is an issue for us. Even with a 7.5W charger, it still takes 3+ hours to charge an iPhone X from dead. With a normal 5W Qi-charger, it’s closer to 4 hours to charge your device.
But if you want to have that “wireless” charging experience, here are the two products we recommend. As a side note, despite certain chargers listing higher wattage values (such as 10W and 15W), the current iPhone’s can only handle 7.5W’s so don’t go overboard with your purchase!
Anker PowerWave 7.5W stand w/ Quick Charge 3.0
Get IT now on Amazon!
PROS:
- Nice design
- Angle is suited for a desk setup
- Can be used on both portrait and landscape charging
- Comes with a spare charger and cable
CONS:
- Price
- Doesnʼt charge the iPhone faster
Anker PowerWave 7.5 stand w/ Quick Charge 3.0 is one of few Qi-chargers that can let you utilize the new iPhone feature of 7.5W Qi-charging. However, this doesn’t mean that your iPhone can now be charged faster with it. The 7.5 W Qi-charger is actually almost on par with the charger that comes with the iPhone X. In fact, the spare charger that comes with the Anker PowerWave 7.5 stand w/ Quick Charge 3.0 is even much faster!
SEE ALSO: I used 8 different Qi-Fast Chargers over 4 months. Which one was the best Qi-charger? for the difference in charge speeds between Qi-chargers.
For a Qi-charger, Anker PowerWave 7.5 stand w/ Quick Charge 3.0 is unique due to its design and coils. But if you actually want a faster charger, this one is far too expensive and not actually deliver on that promise. Youʼre actually better off spending the money on a USB-PD power source like a 29W Apple MacBook charger.
Pictek Fast Wireless Charger
Get IT now on Amazon!
PROS:
- Cheap
- Thin
- Large LED to indicate connection
- One of the faster Qi-chargers
CONS:
- Requires itʼs own charger
- Not useful in office areas
- Easy to lose track of
Pictek Fast Wireless Charger might be lacking in the design department but it is the fastest Qj-charger we used. The Pictek Fast Wireless Charger also has the biggest charging gap which is important for people with thicker cases. This means you will have a better chance of charging your iPhone or Android device in a wallet case.
The only place where we might use a flat style charger like the Pictek Fast Wireless Charger would be on the nightstand since we generally have no need to check the device while we sleep. But other than that, we donʼt find flat-style chargers to be terribly useful. If we’re going to place the device on a table, weʼd be better off going with a normal wired charger with better charging rates.
Wired Charging
Looking for a better-wired charger than the 5W charger that comes with every new iPhone?
The iPhone for the last few years always benefited from using higher wattage chargers (like the iPad 2.1A charger) but the newer iPhones (8 and newer) also have fast-charging which allows you to charge the device from 0-50% in approx. 30 minutes. But it’s going to cost you a bit more cash than the average charger in order to get that functionality.
As a side note, you’d be better off spending $50-$70 on a wired fast charger than a Qi-charger. We value speed of charging over the novelty known as wireless charging.
SCOSCHE Powervolt
Get IT now on Amazon!
PROS:
- Fastest charger we tested
- Small size w/ two ports (USB-A & USB-C)
- Certified with USB-IF
CONS:
- A little more expensive than other options
- Can’t charge laptops
We tried to find what was the best fast charger for the iPhone before and we found that SCOSCHE HPDA2C8 Powervolt was one of the best chargers for your iPhone. SCOSCHE HPDA2C8 Powervolt has the best build quality and the fastest charge rate among the USB-PD chargers we tested. Not to mention, SCOSCHE HPDA2C8 Powervolt can charge two devices without any loss in charge rates, unlike other USB-PD chargers.
SEE ALSO: The BEST Fast Charger
However, it should be noted that SCOSCHE HPDA2C8 Powervolt is quite expensive. Similarly priced chargers have more ports than SCOSCHE HPDA2C8 Powervolt which makes them better options.
MacBook 29W Charger
Get IT now on Amazon!
PROS:
- Cheapest fast charger available
CONS:
- Still pretty expensive
If you’re looking for an Apple branded charger, your best bet is going to be the 29W laptop charger. You could put out the cash for a 61W or 87W charger BUT those power bricks won’t charge your iPhone XR any faster than the 29W charger.
If you’re lucky enough to get one of Apple’s new 2018 iPad Pro’s, the charger included with the tablet will also function as a fast charger for your iPhone. Oddly enough, you can’t buy that smaller sized charger by itself just yet…
Anker 4-Port Charger
Get them now on Amazon!
PROS:
- Cheap
- Multi-port
- Offers near fast charging rates
CONS:
- Not a true fast charger
If you’re looking for a normal charger, this is our goto. We love this charger. From our testing, this charger provided our iPhone 8 with a charge of 40% in 30 mins which is just a bit slower than the MacBook charger. However, it costs a fraction of the price (we bought it for $20).
The 4-ports also makes it handy for use in busy areas in your home and office!
So that’s what we think are the best cases and accessories for the iPhone XR! Have any questions? Leave them below! Definitely SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel to stay on top of all the new things we are review!
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