Oakywood Wooden MagSafe Case for iPhone 12 review: Beautiful natural wood

If you're looking for something different, check out the Oakywood Wooden MagSafe Case for your iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. A thin layer of durable, solid wood is attached to a polycarbonate case with magnets built-in for MagSafe compatibility making it one of the best iPhone 12 cases you can buy. Though Oakywood does make several different iPhone cases for various models, this case is just for the iPhone 12 series handsets. The case comes in two wood colors, Cherry and Walnut.

Technically, any case that has wireless compatibility will work with a MagSafe charger. But cases that are specifically made for MagSafe will have magnets inside, giving them a stronger connection to your MagSafe charger, MagSafe wallet, and third-party MagSafe accessories. The Oakywood Wooden MagSafe Case for iPhone 12 is MagSafe compatible. In my testing, it does form a nice strong attachment to my MagSafe charger.

Attractive and functional

Oakywood Wooden MagSafe Case for iPhone 12: What I like

Oakywood's workshop is in a small town in Poland called Ciche. The artisans there handcraft Oakywood products from solid wood. Using natural oils, they hand-polish each item. The result is a case with a beautiful wood panel. You can see and feel the care that has gone into crafting this case. The wood panel fits neatly into the full polycarbonate (plastic) case.

The buttons that cover the Sleep/Wake and volume buttons work just fine, though they aren't "clicky." Precision cutouts for the mute switch, Lightning port, speakers, and camera module ensure that the iPhone is fully functional within the case.

The case is on the slimmer side, though the polycarbonate bumper does come up just over the iPhone screen for face-down protection. The bumper is flexible enough that putting the case and taking it off is easy. You'll find two small holes on one side for attaching a wristlet or lanyard, though neither of those comes with the case. There is no visible branding on the outside of the case; inside, it says, "Oakywood Woodworking Co." and "This Product Plants One Tree."

Slippy grip

Oakywood Wooden MagSafe Case for iPhone 12: What I don't like

The wood on the back of the case is polished and oiled to perfection, but there is such a thing as too smooth. Though the case doesn't feel oily at all, it does not provide any grip. The bumper isn't quite so smooth, but it's not exactly what I'd call grippy, either. If you tend to drop your phone, this might not be the ideal case.

The competition

The OtterBox Figura is one of my favorite cases; it's an extremely thin and attractive MagSafe-compatible iPhone case. While it's still smooth, it does provide a bit more grip than the Oakywood case.

If grip is an important feature for you, I'd suggest either an Otter + Pop case which has a PopSockets PopGrip built right in, or a Loopy iPhone case which has a convenient loop on the back. Both cases make MagSafe or wireless charging tricky (i.e., you'll have to remove the case to charge), but they do provide ultra-secure grip.

Oakywood Wooden MagSafe Case for iPhone 12: Should you buy

You should buy this if ...

You love the natural beauty of wood

A real, solid, handcrafted wood panel graces the back of this case. Choose either Cherry or Walnut.

You want a slimmer but protective case

The polycarbonate body provides decent iPhone protection while maintaining a slim profile. Even with the addition of the wood panel, it's not a bulky case.

You want MagSafe compatibility

While there are tons of wireless-compatible cases out there, it's a bit harder to find specifically MagSafe-compatible cases. The case's built-in magnets provide a secure connection to your MagSafe charger and other MagSafe accessories.

You should not buy this if ...

Your iPhone tends to slip out of your hands

This is a very smooth case, especially the wood panel on the back. This feels great to the touch, but it can be slippery.

You're on a tight budget

This isn't one of the cheapest cases you can buy. A basic TPU/polycarbonate case will cost much less.

If you are looking for a slim, attractive MagSafe-compatible case and you don't need a lot of grip, this is definitely a case you should consider. Handcrafted in the mountains of Poland, the wood panel offers so much aesthetic appeal.

I like this case a great deal for its beautiful solid wood panel. This gives the cold metal and glass iPhone a touch of warmth and natural beauty. The more I use MagSafe accessories, the more important it becomes to me to have a MagSafe-compatible case, not just a wireless-compatible case. This one works great with my MagSafe chargers and the MagSafe stand I use. The smooth, hand-oiled wood back feels wonderful to touch. But unfortunately, it does make the case somewhat slippery. This particular case is only for the iPhone 12 models, but Oakywood makes other iPhone cases and several wood accessories for home and office.