When Dbrand told me it was launching a new minimalist case sub-brand, I was immediately interested. I've loved the company's products for years, and they often come out with new and interesting design ideas, but MNML immediately felt different from Dbrand's usual vibes.

It's such a departure from the company's usual designs that you won't even find the name Dbrand on the case. It's just MNML on the corner, and there's no support for Dbrand skins or any of the usual snarky flair most of us are used to.

You'll also find the prices to be much more minimalist than Dbrand's usual afair. At just $39, these are a bit more palatable than the $50 Ghost cases or the $60+ Grip cases, and they come in four simple colors. The burgundy is my favorite of the four, although I think it looks terrible on an orange iPhone. Better stick to black or tan for a bolder color like that.

Dbrand sent me cases for the Pixel 11 Pro and the iPhone Pro Max 17/18 (since they're the same phone anyway). The "sandstone" texture on these isn't at all like OnePlus's sandstone phones or cases — meaning they're textured but not rough like sandstone usually is — which gives it a nice grip without sanding your fingerprints off by accident.

I also love the clicky covered buttons on the case. It's got all the port cutouts you'd hope to find on a case, plus a perfectly sized lip around the front glass to protect it. I didn't have trouble using gestures with these cases, unlike some rugged cases that have too large a lip and usually get in the way.

These also aren't minimalist in the way Thinborne cases are. They're not super rugged like Dbrand's Tank cases are, but they still add a little bit of bulk to the phone. They're cushy and a few millimeters thin, but they weigh around 40-50g, depending on the phone, which is roughly twice the weight of an aramid fiber case (like Thinborne).

The bright side to the extra "bulk" is that these are more drop-resistant than aramid fiber cases. I purposefully dropped the Pixel 11 Pro on the concrete from about 3ft up a few times to see what would happen. The phone looked untouched, and the MNML case just had a few minor dings on the corners.

Seems to me that these will generally hold up nicely to wear and tear over the life of your phone, making them a great option to grab the next time you're in a Best Buy (so long as you don't care about Dbrand skins).

Dbrand makes MNML cases for 24 phone models across Apple, Samsung, and Google Pixel phone lines. That MNML sub-brand also includes a handful of MagSafe accessories, like a kickstand wallet, slim wallet, and an AirPods case (I guess that's a thing?).

Hunting for an iPhone 18 Pro case to go with your shiny new handset? I'm here to help. I've rounded up my favorite cases and covers from some of our favourite brands. Sure, you can get cheaper options if you go for a weird, no-name brand on Amazon, but with a phone this pricey, it really is worth paying a bit more for a case that's going to provide proper protection.

If you want a case with personality, head to CASETiFY — here you can choose your level of impact protection, as well as picking from a massive range of fun designs. Mous is brilliant for premium feeling, streamlined cases, and OtterBox shines when it comes to covers with built-in extras like finger grips and stands. Spigen is great for ultra-rugged protection, and if you want a leather wallet, Snakehive is the brand to look for. Of course, Apple makes a few official options, too. You'll find all these below.

Not bought your phone yet? Here are our iPhone 19 Pro first impressions, and a guide to Apple iPhone 18 Pro preorders.

In the US? Head to my US iPhone 18 Pro case roundup instead

iPhone 19 Pro cases

What you need to know

• Samsung is reportedly working on Galaxy Buds On, a new pair of open-ear earbuds with a clip-on design.
• Leaked renders show two rounded sections connected by a silicone loop, with black and white color options expected.
• Galaxy Buds On could offer Auto Volume, head gestures for controls, and automatic pausing when you fall asleep.

It looks like Samsung is cooking up a pair of open-ear Galaxy Buds, and they could launch fairly soon.

While the best wireless earbuds still offer features like ANC and superior sound quality, open-ear earbuds have suddenly started taking over. We recently checked out the Huawei FreeClip 2, which we called one of the most comfortable open-ear earbuds we've tried, and now it looks like Samsung is preparing to challenge the throne.

As reported by SammyGuru, Samsung appears to be working on a pair of open-ear earbuds called the Galaxy Buds On. The publication has shared what appear to be product renders of the device, giving us an early look at the earbuds.

According to the leak, the Galaxy Buds On will feature a fairly standard open-ear design, with two rounded sections connected by a flexible silicone loop. One side will presumably sit closer to the user's ear, while the flatter section will remain on the outside and likely provide an area for touch controls and gestures.

The leaked renders show the Galaxy Buds On in black, although a white color option also appears to be in the works.

The publication was also able to extract illustrations showing how the Galaxy Buds On will clip around the user's ears. The report claims the earbuds will feature Auto Volume, which will automatically adjust the volume depending on your surroundings, alongside head gestures like nodding and shaking.

Another interesting feature will reportedly detect when the wearer has fallen asleep and automatically pause whatever is playing.

There's still no word on exactly when Samsung plans to launch the Galaxy Buds On. However, the company now has several products rumored to be waiting in the pipeline, including the long-awaited Galaxy Glasses and Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, so we could be hearing much more about Samsung's upcoming hardware fairly soon.

I've been using UGREEN's Nexode Pro chargers while traveling for well over two years now. These charges don't take up much room thanks to GaN tech, and they have all the ports I need. The latest iteration of the product — the UGREEN Nexode Pro 160W Charger with Retractable Cable — adds a retractable cable, built-in panel, and foldable pins, and while it is a little bigger than its predecessor, it the new features provide much better convenience in daily use.

The Nexode Pro 160W charger is now available for $99 on Amazon, and I think that's a reasonable price when you look at everything on offer. I the Nexode Pro 160W for the better part of three months, and I'm outlining three reasons why it is now my go-to GaN charger.

The built-in LCD panel takes guesswork out of charging

While the Nexode Pro 160W isn't the only charger to come with a built-in LCD screen, it makes a big difference in my usage. I connected a lot of accessories and phones to the charger in the last three months, and knowing just how long it takes to fully charge these devices takes all the guesswork out of charging.

The screen also shows real-time charging speeds, including wattage, voltage, and which charging protocol is being used. This is particularly useful for me, as I tend to use phones like the Find X9 Ultra and Vivo X300 Ultra that use their own charging standards. Thankfully, these phones rely on USB PD at up to 50W, and that's what I ended up using. The screen rotates based on the orientation of the charger, which is a nice addition.

The retractable cable is an added bonus

Retractable cables in charging products became a thing around two years ago, and since then, I didn't use a power bank that didn't have it. They're just so useful, and I'm excited to see brands adding these cables to chargers. The retractable cable on the Nexode Pro 160W goes up to 140W, and is ideal for charging phones, notebooks, and power banks.

The cable has four preset lengths, and goes up to 70cm with a full extension. The USB-C connector has a built-in magnet that ensures the cable is attached to the GaN charger when not in use, and after three months of extensive use, I didn't see any issues with the retractable motor.

It has all the ports I need

With three USB-C ports (including the retractable cable) and a USB-A connector, the Nexode Pro 160W has all the ports I need in daily use. The USB-C1 and retractable ports go up to 140W over the USB PD 3.1 protocol, the USB-C2 port hits 100W, and the USB-A port goes up to 22.5W, which is ideal to use with accessories.

It has a total power budget of 160W when using all three USB-C ports — 65W + 65W + 30W — and it's a decent choice if you're like me and need to charge several devices at once. I also like that the plug is foldable; that's the case with U.S.-style blade plugs anyway, but I'm using the EU model, and it's just easier to have a plug that folds — it makes the Nexode Pro 160W just that little bit better as a travel charger.

Overall, the Nexode Pro 160W has all the features I need in a GaN charger, and the build quality combined with the extras make it a good choice if you need a new charger to use at home or on the road.

The iPhone 18 Pro was unveiled at yesterday's Surprise and Shine event, and if you've decided this is the smartphone for you, now's the time to get a case sorted. After all, this new handset isn't cheap, and if you're investing all that cash you'll want to take precautions against bumps, scrapes and scratches.

You can pick up cases from no-name brands for ultra-cheap prices at Amazon, but if you're serious about protecting your new iPhone 18 Pro, I wouldn't recommend it. I'd spend a bit more to pick up a case from a trustworthy brand, so you'll know it'll be good quality. Below, I've rounded up my favorite cases from my favorite brands — there are options direct from Apple, as well as CASETiFY, Mous, OtterBox, Snakehive and Spigen.

Each offers different things — some are more robust, some have fun designs, and some have useful extras like built-in grips and stands. I've added a little brand overview to the start of each section to help you make sense of the different ranges (because, let's face it, most of these look roughly the same).

Not bought your phone yet? Here are our iPhone 18 Pro first impressions, and a guide to Apple iPhone 18 Pro preorders.

In the UK? Head to my iPhone 18 Pro case roundup instead

Official Apple iPhone 18 Pro cases

At time of collecting this Collection, there are a couple of official Apple cases available for the iPhone 18 Pro. The TechWoven case is made from a custom woven technical fabric, created using 100% recycled polyester. It's available in a range of colors. If you'd prefer to let the color of the phone itself shine through, you'll be better off with the Clear case, crafted from "optically clear polycarbonate and flexible materials".

CASETiFY iPhone 18 Pro cases

CASETiFY is a great brand to look at if you want fun designs. Its main collection is the Impact range, which is designed as a strong all-rounder. If you'd like more protection, there's the Ultra Impact case, which adds bumpers to the corners. You can also choose to add a stand, which takes the form of a hinged frame around the camera array.

If you really want to be able to throw your phone around, there's the Bounce case, with even bigger corner bumpers (this one doesn't seem to be available for the iPhone 18 yet, but I assume it'll arrive soon). All of these cases are available with a wide variety of different patterns and designs on their back panels.

The Ripple case range is made from soft-touch silicone, with a subtle rippled effect on the back panel. It's available in a selection of colors. Finally, the Alloy Ripple case has the same design but fashioned from aluminum.

Mous iPhone 18 Pro cases

Mous makes a selection of sleek, streamlined cases. There aren't tons of patterns to choose from, but the build quality is premium. The brand's flagship case is the Limitless, but it also has a transparent Clarity case, a new Super Thin with two molded plastics fused for extra resilience, a barely-there Ultra Thin Aramid case, and an IntraLock case with patented mechanical mounting, designed for use on bikes and the like.

OtterBox iPhone 18 Pro cases

OtterBox makes a few different case ranges, a number of which have added features like built-in grips and stands. The Defender Series case is built for maximum protection against drops and scrapes. The Commuter Series has special grippy sections and/or a retractable finger grip for secure, single-handed use, while the Symmetry Series features a 360-degree swivel stand / finger loop.

The minimalist Lumen Series is ideal if you want something streamlined, and the Sole Series comes with ridged tread around the case edge and fun, distinctive designs.

Snakehive iPhone 18 Pro cases

Snakehive specializes in high quality leather products. It makes a slim leather case in a few different colors, and a leather wallet case in a few colors, and that's it.

Spigen iPhone 18 Pro cases

Spigen makes a wide range of case options, with a particular focus on rugged protection. The core range has 'Armor' on the end: the Optik Armor has a sliding lens cover, Tough Armor T has a triple-layer build and built-in kickstand, Rugged Armor uses flexible TPU, Core Armor is streamlined with a grippy finish, and Slim Armor is an even more minimalist option.