I've been a fan of flip-cover cases since I bought my first Vaja case almost eight years ago. To me, they offer a good balance between looks and protection - the case kept my PDA in great shape despite many drops on hard surfaces, so I bought another one (an ivolution Top Holster) for my iPhone 2G. For some reason, though, it didn't wear as well as the first one, and it wasn't cheap at $90. For my 3G S, I decided to look for something less expensive.
After eliminating a few, I came across the SGP illuzion. At $36, it's considerably cheaper than the Vaja, despite looking almost identical. I ordered one last Monday and had it in my hands two days later. I've been using it since getting my iPhone on Friday, and I've been very pleased so far. Positives and negatives:
So that's it. I realize that there are a lot of choices out there, and I hope this helps someone.
After eliminating a few, I came across the SGP illuzion. At $36, it's considerably cheaper than the Vaja, despite looking almost identical. I ordered one last Monday and had it in my hands two days later. I've been using it since getting my iPhone on Friday, and I've been very pleased so far. Positives and negatives:
- Workmanship: Excellent. It's very well made. The soft inner lining is glued on perfectly.
- Fit: Very good. The case fits like a glove - there's no way the iPhone will slip out.
- Protection: Excellent. When the case is shut, no parts of the iPhone protrude beyond the edge of the case, so they should be protected during most falls.
- Ease of use: Very good. Like other flip cases, you have to lift the flap that covers the screen to use the iPhone. I haven't found that hard to do with my Vaja cases, and I don't expect that'll change with this one. The cover is held in place by a curved "hook" that grabs the top of the iPhone - it's easy to release without being too loose or too tight.
- Appearance: Excellent. I chose a dark brown case with a textured finish that looks like it'll wear well, though only time will tell. (The pics on SGP's site are very good, so I didn't upload any here.)
- What's missing: SGP doesn't offer this case with a belt clip. I wanted one originally, but decided to try this case anyway. So far, I don't miss it - it's been just as easy to carry the iPhone in my shirt or pants pocket as on my belt. It's also much easier to get at the phone when I'm in my car.
So that's it. I realize that there are a lot of choices out there, and I hope this helps someone.
