Hello all,
I have been trolling MacRumors for some time now, and I've found it to be a useful tool for reviews and product information. I thought I might as well share a few of my own experiences that I've had so far with my Verizon iPhone 4 and my search for the best case!
The first case I purchased was the Griffin Elan Form Graphite. I picked it up from the Best Buy right next to the Verizon store, just to make sure I was taking care of my new investment.
PROS:
+ Relatively cheap (~$20)
+ Faux carbon fiber look
+ Lightweight
+ Light rubber inside for protection
CONS:
- Feels cheap
- Didn't seem to stay together very well (see "clip" connector pic below)
- Rounded edge bulging up around the screen felt strange
I eventually got tired of the Griffin after about a month and moved on to the newest case by Ion-Factory, the Ion Stealth Predator Zero. With a name like that, it's GOT to be great, right?
PROS:
+ Relatively quick shipping
+ Real carbon fiber
+ PERFECT fit (read P-E-R-F-E-C-T)
+ Many colors to choose from
+ Foam backing inside for extra padding
CONS:
- Pricey ($69.99)
- Feels thick (That's what she said. Any Office fans?)
- BIGGEST ISSUE: After about 1 week of use, the "ionized plasma paint" began to chip away from the plastic in a corner. I contacted Ion, and the rep that I exchanged emails with was very nice and responded quickly. The final verdict was that I could not get a replacement because they tested the finish and couldn't get it to chip under normal use situations. Needless to say, the finish chipped away more and more, in new places, over the following month. (see pics below)
enter macrumors.com
I stumbled across this site and immediately wanted to try out the e13ctron hybrid case. I paired the case with an Atomic Industries TrueCarbon Backplate.
PROS (e13ctron):
+ Looks amazing
+ Great fitment
+ Fairly simple installation
+ Nearly endless color combination possibilites
+ Little to no signal strength drop (from what I have experienced thus far)
CONS (e13ctron):
- Pricey ($69.99)
- The silence toggle switch and volume buttons aren't as easy to access
- Wireless internet signal dropped one bar (see pic below for screen shot taken from ~20 yards from my router)
PROS (atomic):
+ Real carbon fiber
+ Good fitment
+ QUICK shipping (see CON below)
CONS (atomic):
- Had to pay for 2nd Day Air shipping (only choice on the site)
- Small piece in the apple logo cutout (between the apple and leaf) seems flimsy and might separate
I placed a small piece of red vinyl behind the apple logo cutout on the backplate.
Matte Dark Grey on Acetal Plastic
Comes with black and silver screws. I figured out that the hybrid doesn't need both spacers. So I guess I have an extra :shrugs:
The color is slightly darker than my MBP, so if you're looking to match, get a lighter silver color.
I hope that this can help someone out in their future purchases. I just ordered the made2dock black, slanted dock for my desk at work, and I can't wait to see how great they work together.
Later,
Ryan
I have been trolling MacRumors for some time now, and I've found it to be a useful tool for reviews and product information. I thought I might as well share a few of my own experiences that I've had so far with my Verizon iPhone 4 and my search for the best case!
The first case I purchased was the Griffin Elan Form Graphite. I picked it up from the Best Buy right next to the Verizon store, just to make sure I was taking care of my new investment.
PROS:
+ Relatively cheap (~$20)
+ Faux carbon fiber look
+ Lightweight
+ Light rubber inside for protection
CONS:
- Feels cheap
- Didn't seem to stay together very well (see "clip" connector pic below)
- Rounded edge bulging up around the screen felt strange
I eventually got tired of the Griffin after about a month and moved on to the newest case by Ion-Factory, the Ion Stealth Predator Zero. With a name like that, it's GOT to be great, right?
PROS:
+ Relatively quick shipping
+ Real carbon fiber
+ PERFECT fit (read P-E-R-F-E-C-T)
+ Many colors to choose from
+ Foam backing inside for extra padding
CONS:
- Pricey ($69.99)
- Feels thick (That's what she said. Any Office fans?
)- BIGGEST ISSUE: After about 1 week of use, the "ionized plasma paint" began to chip away from the plastic in a corner. I contacted Ion, and the rep that I exchanged emails with was very nice and responded quickly. The final verdict was that I could not get a replacement because they tested the finish and couldn't get it to chip under normal use situations. Needless to say, the finish chipped away more and more, in new places, over the following month. (see pics below)
enter macrumors.com
I stumbled across this site and immediately wanted to try out the e13ctron hybrid case. I paired the case with an Atomic Industries TrueCarbon Backplate.
PROS (e13ctron):
+ Looks amazing
+ Great fitment
+ Fairly simple installation
+ Nearly endless color combination possibilites
+ Little to no signal strength drop (from what I have experienced thus far)
CONS (e13ctron):
- Pricey ($69.99)
- The silence toggle switch and volume buttons aren't as easy to access
- Wireless internet signal dropped one bar (see pic below for screen shot taken from ~20 yards from my router)
PROS (atomic):
+ Real carbon fiber
+ Good fitment
+ QUICK shipping (see CON below
)CONS (atomic):
- Had to pay for 2nd Day Air shipping (only choice on the site)
- Small piece in the apple logo cutout (between the apple and leaf) seems flimsy and might separate
I placed a small piece of red vinyl behind the apple logo cutout on the backplate.
Matte Dark Grey on Acetal Plastic
Comes with black and silver screws. I figured out that the hybrid doesn't need both spacers. So I guess I have an extra :shrugs:
The color is slightly darker than my MBP, so if you're looking to match, get a lighter silver color.
I hope that this can help someone out in their future purchases. I just ordered the made2dock black, slanted dock for my desk at work, and I can't wait to see how great they work together.
Later,
Ryan