I Love Apple’s TechWoven iPhone Pro Case Despite Its Price and Flaws

Apple has finally launched a follow-up to its ill-fated FineWoven range with the arrival of the TechWoven case, exclusively for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max.

While we won’t know how they hold up over time for a while, we can take a look at what you get for your money.

Price and Availability

The Apple TechWoven Case With MagSafe is available for iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max for $59 at Apple, Best Buy, and Amazon. It comes in five colors: blue, purple, sienna, green, and black. Some of these are clearly designed with the iPhone 17 Pro’s three color choices in mind.

Today, I’m reviewing the green, which I’ve paired with a silver iPhone 17 Pro.

Build and Design

Like the FineWoven cases that it replaces (and Apple’s official leather ones before that), the TechWoven case is an all-over design that covers every edge of the iPhone 17 Pro’s chassis. There are cutouts at the bottom for the USB-C charging port, speaker, and microphone, and two lanyard loops for attaching Apple’s CrossBody strap (or anything else you want). At the back is a window for the camera plateau, with a small bumper edge that sits slightly higher than the triple-camera system lenses.

The rest of the iPhone 17 Pro’s buttons are covered, with anodized color-matched aluminum for the volume, action, and side button, and a capacitive Camera Control cover that sits perfectly flush with the case’s bumper.

The rear of the case is made from what Apple calls a “custom technical woven fabric,” which is 100% recycled polyester. The sides of the case, which on the unit I’m reviewing are a slightly darker shade of green, are made from a textured thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Naturally, the case includes passthrough MagSafe compatibility.

This is the thinnest case I’ve tried in a decade of exclusively using Quad Lock cases. To me, it doesn’t feel like it adds a significant amount of heft to the design, but compared with some of the ultra-thin cases out there, the added bulk will be noticeable. It tightly grips the iPhone 17 Pro and requires a bit of force to apply, which is always reassuring.

I’m a big fan of the green, but that’s all down to personal preference. I toyed with the idea of going “full Master Chief” and pairing the green with a cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro, but after living with the case and phone combination for a weekend, I’m very happy I went for the silver instead. I’m not a huge fan of the other colors except for maybe black, and even that looks a bit washed out.

What It’s Like to Use

I’m a big fan of how the case feels in my hand. I’m not sure I’d describe the woven fabric as “premium,” but it’s got a satisfying, tactile feel that’s a welcome change to the perfectly smooth cases I’m used to. The bumper that runs around the outside of the iPhone also feels good, with enough of a grippy texture that I’m not worried about it slipping out of my hand.

In the center of the TechWoven fabric is a stamped Apple logo, which has become something of a fidget toy, whether I’m holding the phone in my hand or reaching into my pocket. All the buttons snap as if you had no case on there at all. Considering the price, aluminum was the right call.

I’m also a big fan of the way the case handles the Camera Control button. I’ve noticed that cases that use a cutout here can make Camera Control feel awkward. This is particularly true of the lighter press and swipe gestures, but I’m having no such issues with the TechWoven case. There are lots of cases that now cover the button, and it’s a feature you should insist on, even if you only use the button as a camera shortcut and the occasional Visual Intelligence lookup.

I can’t speak to how well the case will stand up to drops, or what kind of protection it provides, but I appreciate the slightly-raised bumper that protects the front screen and the one on the back that lifts the camera system out of harm’s way. The bumper feels pretty hard, unlike silicon or softer shock-absorbing plastic, but with the 17 Pro range now being made from softer aluminum rather than tough titanium, this might be a good thing. It’s not so raised that it gets in the way of gestures, and there’s even a small gap that lets a little bit of your iPhone’s natural chassis color poke through, which I love.

The thin band that runs around the edge of the camera plateau deserves a special mention since it allows you to use the phone on a flat surface without it wobbling around. Without it, the protruding camera lenses would cause the iPhone 17 Pro to move. As someone who often uses their iPhone on a table or desk while reading or eating, this would have been a dealbreaker for me.

It’s Not Perfect

So far, so good, but there is one area where I’ve noticed things aren’t quite so rosy. For a case that costs $60, there’s a surprising amount of what I’m going to call “manufacturing residue” left behind. For example, there appears to be some visible adhesive left behind where the Camera Control cover and CrossBody strap eyelets have been attached to the case.

This isn’t a huge issue, truth be told, you don’t even feel it while the iPhone is in use. But I can’t say I wasn’t slightly disappointed when I noticed this after slipping the case onto my iPhone 17 Pro. The phone beneath is immaculate, and I expect a case produced by the company that made it to be immaculate too.

I’m not alone; I’ve seen others online talking about the same thing. Ultimately, I’m far more concerned about how the case will hold up over the long term, considering what happened the last time Apple launched a “woven” case.

The only other gripe I have, and it’s a small one, is a slight break in the case near the USB-C charging cutout. It’s barely noticeable, and I suspect it’s just part of the manufacturing process because it’s a perfect line. It doesn’t bother me enough to even query it with Apple, but it’s not something I’ve seen on other cases either.

Should You Buy a TechWoven Case?

There’s no denying that Apple’s TechWoven case is expensive, but I have to admit that it does everything I want it to. It’s tactile and nice to hold, it covers every edge of the device, has excellent Camera Control integration, and it even makes it easy to use your iPhone on a flat surface. I love the green and silver color scheme, and the overall experience of using the phone in the case is excellent.

This is subjective, of course. If you want an ultra-low-profile case, this one will probably feel a bit big. My partner’s first reaction was “it feels like an airline seat,” so the man-made stitching might not be to everyone’s tastes. It’s unapologetically polyester and plastic, and I’m happy with that since I don’t buy leather products anyway.

I could have saved $15 if I’d gone for my usual Quad Lock purchase, and far more had I gone for a budget option. The quality control could be a bit tighter, and I can’t vouch for how this thing will hold up to a chest-level drop onto asphalt. There’s no denying that there are cheaper cases out there that do all of this and more, some of which are even made by Apple.

Will the gamble pay off, or will the TechWoven fabric start to unravel in a few months? We’ll have to wait and see!