ESR Tough Case (Cyber Series) review: a ten dollar tank for my AirPods Pro 2

I’ve been trying to retire my original AirPods Pro 2 for a while now, but the truth is they still work fine. The battery is hanging in there, ANC is good enough, and they’ve become my default grab-and-go earbuds. The problem is the case. Apple’s glossy white soap bar looks great in photos, but in real life it’s a scuff magnet that loves to yeet itself out of pockets.

So instead of upgrading the earbuds, I decided to armor up the case.

For the last month and a half I’ve been running the ESR Tough Case (Cyber Series) Designed for MagSafe on my Lightning AirPods Pro 2. I paid around ten bucks for it on Amazon, slapped it on the day it arrived, and it’s been my daily driver ever since.

Short version: this thing absolutely slaps for the price.

It turns the stock AirPods Pro 2 case into a compact little tank, adds MagSafe compatibility for future chargers, and somehow doesn’t feel bulky in my pocket. The only real downside is that once it’s on, it really doesn’t want to come off.

ESR Tough Case (Cyber Series) for AirPods Pro 2

5 / 5 ★★★★★

A ten dollar tank for your AirPods Pro 2. ESR’s Tough Case wraps the stock charging case in a hard shell that adds real drop protection and MagSafe support without turning it into a pocket brick.

• Pros: Excellent all-around protection, secure fit, surprisingly compact in pocket, MagSafe-ready, great value around $10.
• Cons: Difficult to remove once installed, basic plastic carabiner, needs a proper MagSafe pad (Apple Watch puck won’t charge it).

View ESR Tough Case on Amazon

Pricing and availability are subject to change.

Price and versions

I’m testing the black ESR Tough Case (Cyber Series) for AirPods Pro / AirPods Pro 2, specifically on the Lightning version of the AirPods Pro 2 case. ESR also sells variants that work with the USB-C model and original AirPods Pro.

• Street price: I paid $10 on Amazon
• MSRP: typically around $17–18 depending on color and listing
• Colors: several, but black is the safest, stealthiest option and matches the “tough” branding nicely

Inside the box you get:

• The two-piece Tough Case (bottom shell + lid shell)
• A plastic carabiner with a wire gate
• Paperwork you’ll look at for 0.3 seconds and then ignore

Nothing fancy, but at this price I don’t need extras. I just need it to protect a case I’d rather not replace.

Design: tiny rugged camera energy

Apple’s AirPods case is all smooth curves and minimal lines. The ESR Tough Case is not trying to blend in with that aesthetic at all, and I kind of love it for that.

ESR wraps the case in a hard outer shell with angular cut lines, textured side panels, and raised ridges around the corners. In black, it looks like a shrunken-down rugged camera or a mini Pelican case. There’s a small cutout on the front for the charging LED and a subtle ESR logo under it.

The hinge area is covered, the pairing button is still reachable, and the Lightning port at the bottom gets a clean, precise cutout. Everything lines up with the AirPods Pro 2 Lightning case like it was designed for it from the start.

More importantly, it feels solid. There are no sharp seams or loose edges. The lid closes cleanly and doesn’t snag. If you’ve ever used a cheap silicone sleeve that constantly shifts around and misaligns, this is the exact opposite experience.

Installation and fit: once it’s on, it’s on

Getting the ESR Tough Case on is easy:

1. Slide the AirPods case down into the bottom shell.
2. Press the top shell onto the lid until it clicks into place.

That’s it. No stickers, no alignment dance, no extra tools.

Taking it off, though, is a different story.

Once the Tough Case is installed, it is tight. You have to really work your fingernails under the edges and peel it away from the case. I would not want to do this every day, or even every week.

For me, that’s actually a positive. I’m not swapping AirPods cases like phone wallpapers. I want to put something on once and forget about it. A snug fit also means no annoying wiggle, no top shell creeping up over time, and no random lid piece popping off when you drop it.

If you’re a serial case collector who likes to change the look every other day, this probably isn’t the one you want. If you just want a set-and-forget armor shell, the secure fit is perfect.

Protection: finally, I’m not babying this case

In the month and a half I’ve used this ESR case, I haven’t had any dramatic, slow-motion drops onto concrete. But everything about the design screams “I can handle it” in a way the bare Apple shell absolutely does not.

The Tough Case wraps every important surface:

• Hard shell around the entire body
• Raised edges around the corners for impact absorption
• Covered hinge area
• Small lip around the bottom to keep the Lightning port area from taking direct hits

The plastics ESR uses feel dense rather than hollow or flimsy. If I tap it against a desk, it sounds like knocking on a rugged phone case, not a cheap decorative shell.

There’s also a magnetic locking lid. The AirPods Pro case already has its own hinge and magnets, but ESR adds a bit of extra magnetic resistance so the lid is less likely to fly open if it hits the ground. It’s not in-your-face strong, but you can feel a subtle extra “click” as it closes.

For the crowd this case is aimed at—people who drop their AirPods constantly or chuck the case into backpacks with metal water bottles, keys, and whatever else—that added layer of impact absorption is exactly what you want.

MagSafe and charging: future-proof, with one important caveat

This version of the Tough Case is labeled “Designed for MagSafe.” Translation: there’s a magnetic ring built into the back of the case so it can snap onto MagSafe-style chargers or stands that support wireless charging for AirPods.

In theory, that means you can drop your AirPods Pro 2 onto a MagSafe pad or MagSafe combo stand and the case will auto-align and stay put, instead of sliding around like it would on a flat Qi charger.

In my setup, there’s one hitch: the only MagSafe-style charger I own right now is an Apple Watch puck.

And just to be super clear, the Apple Watch charging puck will not charge this case. That’s not ESR’s fault—Apple Watch uses a completely different charging coil and layout. AirPods Pro are meant to charge on:

• Flat MagSafe or Qi pads
• 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 stands that specifically list AirPods charging support

With wired charging, everything is boring in the best way. The Lightning cutout is roomy enough for Apple’s cable and chunky third-party cables. No fiddling, no half-seated connectors.

So while I can’t personally test the magnetic snap strength on a proper MagSafe pad yet, the case is clearly built with that ecosystem in mind. If you already own a MagSafe charger or plan to grab one later, you’re covered.

Everyday use: rugged, not ridiculous

Here’s the part that surprised me the most: for a “Tough Case,” this thing doesn’t actually make my AirPods feel huge.

I carry my AirPods in my front pocket most of the time, and with the ESR on, the case still slides in and out easily and doesn’t feel like a brick. Yes, it’s thicker than the bare Apple case, but not in a way that changes how I carry it.

The textures along the sides help with grip when I’m fishing it out of my pocket or grabbing it out of a bag. The matte finish also hides fingerprints and scuffs way better than glossy plastic.

The carabiner situation

ESR includes a plastic carabiner with a small wire clip. On paper that sounds sketchy. In real life it’s better than I expected.

I keep it attached, but I rarely use it. When I do clip it to a belt loop or a bag strap, it feels secure enough that I’m not worried the case is going to vanish halfway through the day. I still wouldn’t load-test it by hanging my keys and a multi-tool off the same clip—if you’re going to hang your AirPods off the outside of a backpack every day, I’d probably upgrade to a metal carabiner. But as a freebie in a ten dollar package, it’s totally fine.

Who this is for

This case makes the most sense for a few specific types of people:

• The dropper: If you’re constantly dropping your AirPods on tile, concrete, or gym floors, this is a cheap insurance policy.
• The bag stuffer: If your AirPods live loose in a backpack, gym bag, or work bag with hard objects, this shell gives you a lot more confidence.
• The set-and-forget user: If you just want to put a case on once and not think about it again, the tight fit and rugged build are huge perks.

If you’re super picky about minimal design and want your AirPods to still look like a tiny Apple product at all times, you might prefer a slimmer silicone sleeve or a clear case. And if you like to regularly swap cases depending on mood or outfit, the Tough Case is going to annoy you with how stubborn it is to remove.

For everyone else, especially at this price, it’s kind of a no-brainer.

Value: ten bucks very well spent

At the $10 I paid on Amazon, the ESR Tough Case feels like stealing.

You’re getting:

• Full-body hard-shell protection
• Extra drop resistance and a magnetic locking lid
• MagSafe compatibility baked in for future wireless chargers
• A design that actually looks like it means business
• A carabiner that’s better than it has any right to be at this price

There are more premium options out there with real leather, metal carabiners, or brand-name designer logos. There are also ultra-cheap silicone cases that cost a few bucks and feel like they’ll stretch out in a month.

This ESR Tough Case lands in the sweet spot: affordable, actually protective, and not disposable.

Final thoughts

After a month and a half of living with the ESR Tough Case (Cyber Series) on my AirPods Pro 2 Lightning case, I don’t feel any need to take it off—or to upgrade the earbuds themselves just to get a fresh case.

It’s simple to install, quietly stylish in black, genuinely protective, and surprisingly pocket friendly. The only real trade-offs are a plastic (but decent) carabiner and a removal process that takes more effort than you’d expect.

If you:

• Want to keep using your AirPods Pro 2 without babying the case
• Are tired of worrying about drops and bag abuse
• And want to spend around ten bucks, not thirty

then the ESR Tough Case Cyber Series is an easy recommendation. It turns Apple’s slippery little soap bar into a compact, tough-as-nails companion that finally feels ready for real life.