Recommendations for essential accessories for the new

Question

So I finally pulled the trigger and ordered the base iPhone 16 in that new teal color because my old iPhone 11 is basically a brick at this point and the battery lasts maybe four hours if I'm lucky. I'm super excited about the upgrade but honestly the accessory market is a total nightmare to navigate right now. I've been spending way too much time on forums and YouTube trying to figure out what's actually worth the money because I don't want to drop another $200 on junk after spending a grand on the phone itself.

I've been looking into cases mostly and I'm totally torn. I read online that the official Apple silicone cases are total magnets for lint and dog hair which would drive me absolutely insane but then I saw some reviews saying the third party ones from brands like Spigen or ESR don't have the right cutout for the new Camera Control button. Apparently if the cutout is too deep it makes the sliding gesture really hard to use and that's like one of the main reasons I wanted the 16 for my hiking photos. I'm up in Seattle so it's always damp and drizzly and I'm constantly worried about dropping the phone while I'm out on a trail so I need something that's actually grippy but doesn't look like a giant plastic tank.

My budget is probably around $120 for the whole setup. I'm also stuck on the screen protector thing because I saw Belkin has that really expensive one they do in the store but is it actually better than the cheap 3-packs you get on Amazon? Some people say the cheap glass ruins the look of the screen or messes with the touch sensitivity since the bezels are so thin now. Also I'm coming from the old lightning cable era so I'm starting from scratch with USB-C. Do I really need a 30W brick to get the fast charging or can I just use my old iPad charger and call it a day? I'm just trying to get the essentials sorted before the phone actually arrives next week... what are you guys actually using?

nxsfrlfpki · Accepted Answer

@Reply #1 - good point! I'm satisfied with these budget picks:

iPhone+16&linkCode=osi&------123456890?5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">ESR Cloud Soft Case for iPhone 16 has a specific gesture cutout.

Use Anker 313 30W GaN USB-C Charger for full speeds.

xrirtpkzui · Answer

> I saw some reviews saying the third party ones from brands like Spigen or ESR don't have the right cutout for the new Camera Control button. Unfortunately, most brands totally botched that button cutout depth. Its a disappointment. I tried a few and settled on the iPhone+16&linkCode=osi&------123456890?5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Caudabe Synthesis for iPhone 16 as it feels natural. Also, my old iPad+bricks+wouldnt+hit+t&linkCode=osi&------123456890?5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">iPad bricks wouldnt hit the peak 20W speeds. I went with the Ugreen Nexode 30W USB-C GaN Charger and its much more efficient. The iPhone+16+Screen+Protector&linkCode=osi&------123456890?5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">amFilm OneTouch iPhone 16 Screen Protector handles those thin bezels perfectly without the Belkin markup.

lskmjyihsr · Answer

That teal color is absolutely amazing! I've been testing gear for years and I promise you don't need to blow your whole budget on official Apple stuff. Since you're hiking in Seattle, I highly recommend the iPhone+16&linkCode=osi&------123456890?5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Spigen Liquid Air Case for iPhone 16. The grip is fantastic for damp conditions and the cutout for the Camera Control is perfectly tapered so it won't interfere with your sliding gestures! Don't bother with those expensive in-store screen protectors. The iPhone+16+3-Pack&linkCode=osi&------123456890?5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">ESR Tempered Glass Screen Protector for iPhone 16 3-Pack is a total steal and honestly feels just as smooth as the native glass. For the charger, grab an Anker 511 Charger Nano 3 30W. It's tiny, way more efficient than your old iPad brick, and supports the full fast charging speeds. You'll have a pro-level setup for under $60 total!

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Recommendations for essential accessories for the new iPhone 16?