Native Union Paris MagSafe Case iPhone Air REVIEW

Every day carry, protective, lightweight, stylish iPhone Air Case from Native Union

When considering the price of a new iPhone, a new screen, and the desire to maintain a scratch-free device, I have never understood how someone could comfortably carry, utilize, and enjoy their iPhone without some form of case or protection.  Despite this reservation, I still see naked iPhones sticking out of back pockets or slid into a jacket, backpack, or lying on a table.  For those who want to protect their phone without encasing it in bulky armor and sacrificing function for protection, you may consider a slip-on, bumper-style case.

The Native Union Paris Magnetic case arrived in a 4 5/16 inches wide by 7 1/8 inches tall by 13/16 inches thick hanging-style retail package.  I appreciated the clean white cover panel, the contrasting black-font company name along the top of the panel, the lower bold-black accent bar, and the two product feature icons along the bottom right of the panel (iPhone 17 Air, 10Ft Drop Protection).  The main focal point was the slightly raised, glossy image of the iPhone 17 Air case.  The case’s image demonstrated the upper black camera protective layer, the off-white backing material, and an eye-catching black dot design.  The side panels provided the same generic “ACTIVE CASE/MAGNETIC” logo like the lower edge of the cover panel.  

The rear panel listed five product featurette sentences and reviewed the durable design, animal-free leather material, shock-absorbing frame, smooth feel, scratch-resistant, touch-sensitive camera control button, 10-foot drop protection, and MagSafe compatibility.  The lower edge of the panel provided details about the recycled materials, MagSafe compatibility, and company contact information.  Lastly, the ottom panel provided manufacturing labels and SKU barcodes.  I enjoyed the layout, overall design and the black-on-white packaging display.  

I pressed the hanging tab downward and slid the inner black tray out from the main packaging.  I removed the 1.6 ounce, 3 1/8 inches wide by 6 5/16 inches tall by 5/16 inches thick case from the tray.  I pressed the cardboard tray out of the phone case, read the small paragraph, and then inserted the 5.82-ounce iPhone 17 Air into the case.  The left side panel had a 5/16 inches long by 1/8 inches tall action button and dual 7/16 inches by 1/8 inches tall volume buttons.  The right side panel had 11/16 inches long by 1/8 inches tall power button and a 3/4 inches long by 1/8 inches tall camera button cutout with scratch-resistant cover. The bottom panel had a 1/2 inch long by 3/16 inches tall USB-C cutout and dual 3/16 inches long by 1/8 inches tall speaker cutouts.  

The case was divided into an upper black and lower grey segment.  The side panel, buttons, and screen protective edges were made of a dark, matte-black plastic material.  The light grey, leather-esque backing material had a pleasing touch-feel and visual appeal.  The leather case did not have a characteristic leather smell but did provide the feel of real leather.  I liked the slightly darker grey dot elements on the rear of the case, as well as the stamped “Native Union PARIS” name along the bottom.  The back panel’s top segment had a 2 3/4 inches long by 1 1/8 inches tall by 1/8 inches thick camera protective layer.  The case had a form-fitting cutout for the camera, flash, and lidar.  Lastly, the inner suede, felt-like, grey-colored surface had a nice, soft touch-feel.  The Native Union Paris name was listed on the surface along with a MagSafe ring and a “made with recycled materials” logo.  

I was impressed with the lightweight nature of the iPhone 17 Air plus Native Union case at 7.44 ounces, especially when compared to the unadorned 8.22-ounce weight of the iPhone 17 Pro Max.  I liked the bouncy, reactive volume, action, and power buttons, and the touch-sensitive camera button.  The open-access USB-C port design allowed for easy charging via USB-C.  The rear panel MagSafe compatibility allowed for wireless charging and MagSafe accessory customization.  I loved the form-fit camera protection, the raised screen protection, and the Oreo-esque color design.  The ~$50 price may be a bit high for a similar-style case without a kickstand or USB-C port protector. To summarize, the Native Union Paris Active Case provided a sleek, form-fitting upgrade for the iPhone 17 Air.  

Learn more about the Native Union Paris Active Case and follow Native Union on Facebook and X (Twitter).