Apple’s long-rumored first-party clear case is now finally available. At $39.99, it’s pricier than many of the third-party iPhone XR clear case options out there. Is the iPhone XR Clear Case worth it? Watch our hands-on video review for the details.

There’s not a whole lot to the iPhone XR Clear Case, but a few things are immediately obvious about this release. For starters, this is the first clear case that Apple has produced since the iPhone debuted back in 2007. Considering the amount of iPhones and cases we’ve seen from Apple during that stretch, it’s a little surprising to me that this is its first clear case attempt.

Specifications

• First-party Apple product

• Hard clear case

• Specifically designed for 6.1-inch iPhone XR

• Fully cut out bottom to accommodate gestures

• Protected buttons

• Price: $39.99 from Apple

Of course, many third-party manufacturers have produced clear cases over the years, often to mixed results. One of the most difficult things about producing a clear case is ensuring that it won’t yellow over time. Some case manufacturer’s products perform better than others in this regard, so it will be interesting to see how the iPhone XR Clear Case maintains its clarity over time.

Apple obviously felt very strongly about the iPhone XR color scheme, so much so that it was willing to launch the phone without any first-party case option until the iPhone XR Clear Case was ready to ship. Apple really wants its users to show off those beautiful iPhone XR colors.

We’ll have to wait a while before we can tell how well this case holds up to UV exposure. One would think that this is an issue Apple worked hard to address, but only time will tell if the case is subject to yellowing after prolonged use.

If the case doesn’t end up yellowing, then its asking price will be that much easier to justify. I’ll report back once I’ve tested it in this regard.

The bottom line is that there are cheaper third-party iPhone XR clear cases available, particularly ones with much better button feedback. Yet, many of these third-party offerings lack the cut out at the bottom that’s so important for gesture controls. In my opinion, gesture controls trump everything else, as it’s something you use constantly while engaged with iPhones that lack the physical Home button.

The iPhone XR Clear Case will do a great job of protecting your phone and looks fairly good in the process. It’s undeniably overpriced and has iffy tactile button response, but it gets most of everything else right.

Here is the video from the review of 9to5mac