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Are the Speck hard shells really so bad?

M

mcmul

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 14, 2009
341
12
I'm interested in buying the below hard shell case, however there are tonnes of negative comments: "snaps after one month", "can't be removed without cracking", "heavily scratches the laptop" and "clips break quickly".

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/H...atin-case-for-macbook-pro-with-retina-display

Does anybody have any experience with these cases? I travel a lot and would like the extra protection. I also like the matte black finish!
 
bmclaurin said:
Just my opinion (but based on personal experience), the negative comments are warranted. They are scratch magnets, and I think they provide much less protection than a good sleeve. I recommend the Incase Tensaerlite sleeve, which I have been using with great results for several months now.

https://www.goincase.com/shop/sleeves/icon-sleeve-mb-retina-13/blackslate/
Click to expand...

To clarify, when you say "scratch magnets", do you mean the shell scratches the MBP or the shell itself attracts lots of scratches? Thanks for the recommendation. I was going to use a sleeve for general transportation in my bag and the shell for extra protection, i.e. when I'm watching film/tv in a hotel room and I want to place it on the dressing table without obsessively cleaning it first.
 
^ The actual shell will be scratched due to it being a plastic while the mbp is a much harder aluminum. Also, dust and dirt will get between the case and your computer and eventually scratch both the case and the mbp. My old mbp that had a speck case has more scratches than my new caseless mbp. That speck case also experienced broken clips. I would never buy a speck case again or any case for a computer.
 
mcmul said:
To clarify, when you say "scratch magnets", do you mean the shell scratches the MBP or the shell itself attracts lots of scratches? Thanks for the recommendation. I was going to use a sleeve for general transportation in my bag and the shell for extra protection, i.e. when I'm watching film/tv in a hotel room and I want to place it on the dressing table without obsessively cleaning it first.
Click to expand...

Generally people report that bits of dust and grit get trapped between the case and you mac and scratch it up.

I don't use any case just a laptop bag for transport.

But having read a fair few threads on here and a fair few reviews I have come to the conclusion you either love them or hate them (like marmite). Many people swear by them and it's a big part of getting a new system getting their new case. Others give them up as a bad job after a couple of negative experiences.
 
They are very poor quality and it's a crime to pay $40 or $60 in your case since you are in the UK.
They crack easy because the material is too hard and brittle. Plus as others have said, dirt will get trapped between the case and the aluminum body even without ever removing the case.
I wasted $40 on one of them and never again. The $25 one from Kuzy that I use now is better.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008B06FJ6?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Interesting replies, thanks for making the effort. I'm intrigued by the idea of dust building up between the shell and the MBP and then scratching the MBP. Stupid question: why is this the case?
 
I'd recommend Kuzy or HDE. They're about the same quality and a cheaper price. I currently have a HDE case on my MacBook and it serves me well. I had a Kuzy before that and I started to dislike the material that I chose - it was too rubberized and collected dust too much. It became so gritty to touch it felt like a chalkboard. They have different material options I believe though. The one I have more is a more plastic-like matte finish.
 
For what its worth i had the speck clear case on my 2012 macbook pro. Just took it off to sell it. Not a single scratch on my macbook, looks brand new. Now the case was beat to hell but thats what its for....I now have the same exact case for my 2015 macbook pro retina. If you take it off every once in awhile to clear out the trapped dust/hair it will be just fine.
 
I had a Speck case on my 2011 MBP for 4 years (I took it off once a month to clean it), and it kept my MBP in flawless condition. I just recently got a rMBP, and first thing I bought was a Speck case for it. They've always worked great for me!
 
Kuzy case from amazon is dirt cheap and works well. Plastic with a rubber like feel on the outside. It snaps on both the base and the lid. Impossible to get off, so once its on, its on. I have used two sets of covers from Kuzy for both of my 13" retina macbook pros. I like them and for only $25 for the set, its a steal. Their keyboard cover is awesome too. Saves **** getting into the keyboard.
 
Im another that likes the product, bought my 2010 MBP from a mate in 2013, it was in spotless condition due to being in a speck case. I bought myself another (in clear, didnt like his red one) and have had it on ever since.
No breaks, no scratches on laptop, although I do take it off to clean probably once a month.

My 5 year old Mac looks pretty much brand new!
 
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