Alright, let’s talk about finding a case for the old iPhone 7 Plus. Seems simple, right? But man, it turned into a whole thing back when I first got that phone.
So, I finally upgraded to the 7 Plus. Big screen, shiny jet black finish – felt super slick. Too slick, actually. Holding it felt like trying to grip a wet fish. I just knew, knew I was gonna drop it sooner or later. My hands aren’t exactly the steadiest, especially after wrestling with the kids all day. Needed a case, fast.
First Steps: The Big Search
Jumped online, typed it in. Whoa. Pages and pages. Cases everywhere. You had:
- Super thin ones that barely looked like anything.
- Big chunky ones that looked like they could survive a bomb.
- Clear ones to show off the phone’s color.
- Leather ones, wallet ones, ones with kickstands…
Honestly, it was a bit much. I just wanted something to stop it from shattering if – okay, when – I dropped it. Didn’t need Fort Knox, just something decent.
Trying Things Out: Round One
First I grabbed a cheap, clear TPU case. You know the type, soft plastic. Seemed okay. Showed off the phone, added a bit of grip. But after like, two weeks? Started getting that nasty yellow tint. Looked awful. Then, the inevitable happened. Fumbled it getting out of the car. Phone landed corner-down. The case itself cracked, and the phone corner got a tiny ding anyway. So much for protection.
Round Two: Getting Serious (Maybe Too Serious)
Okay, clear case was a bust. Decided I needed more protection. Went the other way entirely. Got one of those rugged, multi-layer cases. Thing was built like a tank. Snapped together in pieces. Felt really solid. Too solid. It doubled the phone’s thickness. Suddenly my sleek new phone felt like a brick. Couldn’t slide it into my pocket easily. Typing near the edges felt weird because the case lip was so high. Yeah, it was protected, but it was kind of annoying to actually use.
Finding the Sweet Spot
Used the brick-case for a while, grumbling. Eventually, I found a middle ground. Just a simple, black silicone case. Not too thick, not too thin. Covered the back and sides, had a tiny lip to protect the screen if placed face down. The silicone gave it a really good grip, which was honestly half the battle. It wasn’t fancy, didn’t have kickstands or card holders. Just… a case.
And you know what? It worked. Dropped the phone plenty of times after that. Onto carpet, tile, even concrete once (that was a heart-stopper). The case got scuffed up, sure. Picked up some pocket lint. But the phone inside stayed fine. That’s all I really wanted.
Looking Back
Used that iPhone 7 Plus for a good few years with that same simple silicone case. Eventually the case got kinda worn and loose, but it did its job. It’s funny how much mental energy went into picking a simple phone accessory. Now phones are even bigger and probably slipperier. Guess the case hunt continues for newer models, huh? Same old story, different phone.