One of my favorite iPhone cases of all time is Spigen’s Classic C1 MagFit case. Inspired by the iconic iMac G3, the translucent case is strong, protective, easy to get on and off, and inexpensive.
I used a similar Spigen case all last year to protect my iPhone 14. The case now looks worse for wear, but the iPhone remains pristine.
Spigen updated the case in a limited run for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, and in my hands-on testing, it’s as good as ever.
Hands-on with the Spigen iMac iPhone 15 case
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
As luck would have it, the very moment I put the Classic C1 case on my iPhone 15 Pro, I dropped it. In fact, it was worse than that. I fumbled it so that it flew several feet in the air, and then dropped in a terrifying arc toward the uncovered concrete floor in my office.
At that point, I wasn’t sure I’d got the case on properly. The iPhone landed face down, so I feared the worst. But I shouldn’t have worried. The Classic C1’s internal cushioning and raised screen bezel did its job. My brand-new iPhone was completely unharmed. Phew!
Military-grade drop protection
The case is officially called the Classic C1 MagFit Case, and is inspired by the iconic Bondi-blue iMac G3 released in 1998. Jony Ive of old would approve.
The Classic C1 is available only in a limited run and just for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Unfortunately, it’s not available for the iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Plus.
The two-piece case is made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which Spigen says offers military-grade drop protection. The case comes in three colors: Graphite, Ruby Red and Bondi Blue.
See inside your iPhone, just like the iMac
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
The semitranslucent case has several layers that mimic the iPhone’s internal components, including a cool MagSafe ring. It gives the impression that you’re looking through the outer shell at the components inside, just like the original iMac.
A cutout offers a peek at the Apple logo on the back of the iPhone 15, although it’s sometimes hard to see through the colored plastic.
The case’s soft, matte finish feels good in the hand. The rounded corners make it easy to hold. Plus, it boasts raised bezels for both the screen and the camera array. I’m certain they prevented my iPhone from an expensive trip to the Genius Bar.
The inside is lined with some kind of impact foam. It’s hard to tell for sure, but this too likely protected my iPhone from any damage.
Thanks to integrated magnets, the case is compatible with all MagSafe accessories and wireless charging devices.
The external buttons are a nice touch. Silver in color, they stand out and are easy to press. These buttons give the case a luxe touch.
I also liked the simple packaging made from 100% recycled cardboard.
Pricing and availability
You can buy the limited-edition Classic C1 MagFit Case now for iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max.
While listed for $65 on Spigen’s website, you can currently grab one for just $29.99 on Amazon. Input the discount code helloagain20 for 20% off.
Buy from: Amazon (don’t forget the 20% off code: helloagain20)
Leander Kahney is the editor and publisher of Cult of Mac.
Leander is a longtime technology reporter and the author of six acclaimed books about Apple, including two New York Times bestsellers: Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products and Inside Steve’s Brain, a biography of Steve Jobs.
He’s also written a top-selling biography of Apple CEO Tim Cook and authored Cult of Mac and Cult of iPod, which both won prestigious design awards. Most recently, he was co-author of Cult of Mac, 2nd Edition.
Leander has been reporting about Apple and technology for nearly 30 years.
Before founding Cult of Mac as an independent publication, Leander was news editor at Wired.com, where he was responsible for the day-to-day running of the Wired.com website. He headed up a team of six section editors, a dozen reporters and a large pool of freelancers. Together the team produced a daily digest of stories about the impact of science and technology, and won several awards, including several Webby Awards, 2X Knight-Batten Awards for Innovation in Journalism and the 2010 MIN (Magazine Industry Newsletter) award for best blog, among others.
Before being promoted to news editor, Leander was Wired.com’s senior reporter, primarily covering Apple. During that time, Leander published a ton of scoops, including the first in-depth report about the development of the iPod. Leander attended almost every keynote speech and special product launch presented by Steve Jobs, including the historic launches of the iPhone and iPad. He also reported from almost every Macworld Expo in the late ’90s and early ‘2000s, including, sadly, the last shows in Boston, San Francisco and Tokyo. His reporting for Wired.com formed the basis of the first Cult of Mac book, and subsequently this website.
Before joining Wired, Leander was a senior reporter at the legendary MacWeek, the storied and long-running weekly that documented Apple and its community in the 1980s and ’90s.
Leander has written for Wired magazine (including the Issue 16.04 cover story about Steve Jobs’ leadership at Apple, entitled Evil/Genius), Scientific American, The Guardian, The Observer, The San Francisco Chronicle and many other publications.
Leander is an expert on:
Apple and Apple history
Steve Jobs, Jony Ive, Tim Cook and Apple leadership
Apple community
iPhone and iOS
iPad and iPadOS
Mac and macOS
Apple Watch and watchOS
Apple TV and tvOS
AirPods
Leander has a postgrad diploma in artificial intelligence from the University of Aberdeen, and a BSc (Hons) in experimental psychology from the University of Sussex.
He has a diploma in journalism from the UK’s National Council for the Training of Journalists.
Leander lives in San Francisco, California, and is married with four children. He’s an avid biker and has ridden in many long-distance bike events, including California’s legendary Death Ride.
You can find out more about Leander on LinkedIn and Facebook. You can follow him on X at @lkahney or Instagram.
