The Selfix Case aims to turn your iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max into an all-in-one vlogging system. This can also be useful if you shoot video with an action camera or drone. The issue is currently on Kickstarter.
The main selling point – and the reason behind the name – is the display on the back of the case. This allows you to use the main camera for selfie photos and videos while getting the framing correct.
It’s a 1.6″ OLED display with a 480 x 480px resolution. And yes, it’s round. It sounds strange at first, but there’s actually a good reason for it – it retains compatibility with MagSafe accessories. Many MagSafe stands and selfie sticks have an O-shaped magnet, which attaches to the phone without covering the display.
The Selfix Case features a circular 1.6” OLED display on the back
The way this case works is interesting – there are no apps to install, instead the case simply plugs into the phone’s USB-C port and uses its video output to drive the display.
It’s a touchscreen, but note that you have to enable AssistiveTouch – this allows the display to send touch input back to the phone. This works quite well for basic controls of the camera app, for example you can use taps to focus or adjust the zoom level.
It’s a very clever design overall – for example, you can attach the phone to a selfie stick, which you hold with one hand, and use your other hand to control the touchscreen. Or if the phone is on a tripod, you can use the touchscreen to set things up without needing to go to the other side.
Plus, since it only uses screen mirroring, you can technically navigate the phone’s full UI — the small round display isn’t ideal for this, but it works well enough for launching third-party apps, like the Blackmagic Camera app or streaming apps.
Using the rear display to frame a selfie
However, this does mean that the case takes up the phone’s USB port. The case has its own USB-C port, which can power the phone for charging. It requires a minimum of 18W to function, but a 27W USB-PD adapter is recommended. However, ideally, you would use a 45W adapter as the case can send up to 40W to the phone (which is equivalent to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max). Keep in mind that there are some limitations here. For one thing, you can’t charge the phone and use the rear display at the same time. Additionally, the case’s USB port is for charging only (ie you can’t connect it to a computer to transfer files via the case).
Since the display draws power from the phone, it dims after a minute of not updating the screen and turns off after 5 minutes. The case turns itself off after 10 minutes to conserve the phone’s battery. You can turn it back on using the case-only button on the bottom left corner of the phone. It takes 6-7 seconds to power on. This button also lets you flip the image horizontally on the display, just like on a phone mirror front camera Mode (instead of just for the rear camera).
There’s a microSD slot inside, which supports cards up to 2TB
The display alone might be reason enough to get the Selfix case, but it has one extra feature – a microSD slot. This case lets you add up to 2TB of external storage, so you can copy files from the internal storage to the microSD card and free up some space.
Or put another way – as we mentioned in the opening paragraph, you can remove the microSD card from an action camera or drone and read it using this case. The only hitch with this use-case is that the card reader is only accessible from the inside, so you have to take the phone out whenever you want to swap cards. iOS has the option to format external storage, although most microSD cards should come pre-formatted in exFAT. exFAT is also the format commonly used by action cameras and drones.
You can also record video directly to a microSD card, although bandwidth limitations mean you can’t use the most demanding modes. The card reader is rated V30, meaning 30MB/s, while 4K ProRes 60fps footage requires write speeds of 220MB/s. But if you’re not shooting in ProRes, you can record to the internal storage and then upload the files to a microSD card. This is especially useful if you haven’t paid for one of the higher storage tiers for your iPhone.
The 2TB iPhone 17 Pro Max costs $2,000 ($800 more than the base 256GB model), while a 2TB microSD card will cost you half that. And that’s only because 2TB cards are expensive – there’s nothing stopping you from carrying multiple 1TB or 512GB cards, for example, and replacing them as needed.
The Selfix case itself is made of high-quality TPU and is available in Satin White, Morganite Pink, and Onyx Black. Only iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max cases are available – we tested the Pro version. In case you were wondering, no, the Pro Max case doesn’t have a larger display (again, the display is designed to fit inside the MagSafe ring of magnets, which is the same size on all phones).
Selfix Case on iPhone 17 Pro
The case makes the phone thick – both the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max cases are 17mm thick, but not much heavier than a regular TPU case.
Right now, the Selfix case is on Kickstarter with three weeks left. You can get either the iPhone 17 Pro Edition or the 17 Pro Max for $79. There’s also a $109 option that includes the Selfix Magnetic Ring Holder with Mirror (normally priced at $15) and the Selfix Adjustable Crossbody Strap-Black (normally $25).