Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Incipio Atlas Waterproof Case
- Thread starter medulla
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Did you happen to do a water test before hand? I saw on the fb page one person was having a similar issue and then once the phone dried it went away.
Nope haven't done one yet. I'd just put the phone in the case on my way home from the store. Thanks for the suggestion though.
I've tried to take the phone out and put it back in a couple of times to see if it aligns better but it hasn't seemed to help.
Patiently awaiting some more reviews on this. I've been holding off buying one, but I really need a dustproof case for when I'm at work. It's between this and the Armor. I don't really care about waterproofness or call quality.
Anyone who has this: How easy is it to put on and take off? Would you be willing to repeat the process daily?
Anyone who has this: How easy is it to put on and take off? Would you be willing to repeat the process daily?
Maybe he/she just needs some hooters to cheer em up
----------
I see the comments and the only one complaining seems to not be having any issues after he realigned the phone....
Already have some hooters and they are not cheering me up at the moment.
Already have some hooters and they are not cheering me up at the moment.
Pics or it ain't true
The best reviews are the ones who put the case through daily use for a few days or maybe a week. Then they come back after a month to update their review.
I doubt a lot of people would do that with an accessory though.
I've tried the Armor, Lifeproof and now the Atlas. You're definitely correct. The Armor was pretty easy to remove. Lifeproof...not so much. The Atlas seems like it should be about the same as the Lifeproof, but its much more difficult because both the door on the bottom and the two halves of the case fit together very tightly. The door is a bit tough to pry open (it'll make you dread doing so right after cutting your fingernails) but not so much that it seems like a deal-breaker. On the other hand, it's very difficult to pry the back off even after you've gotten it started. It helps to use a dime or penny in the groove on the top corner, but it's too thin to use any other coins.
To give some other initial impressions, the case feels a bit thicker than the Lifeproof but also notably sturdier. The plastic seems very similar, but thicker. That tightness that makes it difficult to pry the back off seems to contribute to the overall sturdy feel of the case. I'd feel more comfortable if I dropped it than I did with the Lifeproof, but it definitely is a step or two below the Armor in that category (but then again I returned the Armor because it was such a brick).
The headphone plug isn't very deep but it seems like it'll do the job well with the door on the bottom holding it in place. I was surprised that there's rubber or plug that inserts into the Lightning port on the phone when you close the door on the bottom of the case though. Instead, there's a rubber piece on that door that just presses over the top of the port. Seems like it'll do the job though and it'll probably be less likely to deform over time.
I was also happy to see that the opening for the Lightning port is larger than the one on the Armor. Seems like it should accommodate most 3rd party cables that may have a larger plug than the Apple cable; along with the 30-pin-to-Lightning adapter (the Apple one with the cable, which wouldn't fit in the opening on the Armor case).
As mentioned, the headphone cable that's supplied is referred to as "splashproof" rather than waterproof so I wouldn't submerge the phone while using it. It basically has some rubber rings that plug the hole in the case but not particularly tightly. The adapter is shorter than the Lifeproof one and has a nice flat cable. The other nice thing is that the hole for the headphone plug is larger and shallower than the one on the Lifeproof case. It should accommodate (without using the adapter) more headphones with thicker plugs than the Apple ones that come with the phone. I'm even able to use a pair of Sony headphones I have that have a right-angle plug since the port isn't too deep (which is great right now since I can't make a call with the phone "normally" as mentioned in my previous post).
As others have mentioned, sound quality in terms of the speakerphone or playing music from the speaker is a bit muffled and seems pretty comparable to the Lifeproof. The sound does indeed seem to come more from the back of the case, and I hear a bit of vibration like I did with the Lifeproof. Personally I think it's decent enough that it'll be tolerable for most people though. With the Armor, however, I thought the speakers sounded just as good as they do without a case.
I discussed my issues with the responsiveness of the glass screen and some sort of feedback sound from the earpiece (when trying to make a call "normally") in my posts above. Both issues are VERY bad so I'm anxious to hear if anyone else is having them as perhaps I got a defective case. No complaints on sound quality so far from callers on the other end though using the phone normally or in speakerphone. In the short periods where I wasn't getting feedback (or whatever it is) using the phone normally, sound quality through the earpiece was pretty poor however. The person on the other end sounded a bit muffled and distorted.
Hope this helps address some questions. The case has potential - I'm just waiting to see if I'm the only one having issues with the touchscreen and earpiece.
Last edited:
I just went to the VZW store and they had it in stock. One of the employees had it on his phone so I asked to test out how responsive the screen was.
It sure as hell was responsive. It felt like my other glass screen protector on the market.
Audio definitely sounded softer though which isn't an issue with the Otterbox Armor.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to do test the phone call quality.
The worker did state he was having issues registering for water protection warranty through Incipio's app.
One issue I did find was that it is a lot harder to remove the phone from the Atlas than any other waterproof case out on the market right now.
Overall a very good case from what I saw at the VZW store. I'd rank it second to the Otterbox Armor with the LifeProof coming in at third. Forget about the OBEX. Seidio dropped the ball on that one with the flimsy mute switch cover.
Just for the OCD people, there wasn't any oil slicks, lol.
It sure as hell was responsive. It felt like my other glass screen protector on the market.
Audio definitely sounded softer though which isn't an issue with the Otterbox Armor.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to do test the phone call quality.
The worker did state he was having issues registering for water protection warranty through Incipio's app.
One issue I did find was that it is a lot harder to remove the phone from the Atlas than any other waterproof case out on the market right now.
Overall a very good case from what I saw at the VZW store. I'd rank it second to the Otterbox Armor with the LifeProof coming in at third. Forget about the OBEX. Seidio dropped the ball on that one with the flimsy mute switch cover.
Just for the OCD people, there wasn't any oil slicks, lol.
Great review IMO! Second to Armour, third to LP makes it number 1 for me, since i already had both. Guess i'll wait til they hit the BB stores in my area. I'll forfeit the sound for waterproofing, similar to the LP. Does it feel like the Atlas can be removed multiple times similar to the Armour or about 25X like the LP? Wished they had all black though
----------
Definite bonus with no oil slicks, guess I won't have to return it 10X like the LP.
Thanks for the first impressions!
I wouldn't mind leaving a case like this on full time if the screen worked well and the call quality was good. I guess I'll either wait for more reviews or maybe I'll pick an Atlas and an Armor up to try them out and return the loser.
I wouldn't mind leaving a case like this on full time if the screen worked well and the call quality was good. I guess I'll either wait for more reviews or maybe I'll pick an Atlas and an Armor up to try them out and return the loser.
It's a shame that this case has sound issues as well. I guess we should wait for http://www.catalystlifestyle.com/products/ec-ipho5 or buy Otterbox Armor.
Not that I am a cheerleader for Incipio, but we don't really have all that much input yet on this. Just a couple of people on here, and I think one on their Facebook page who apparently fixed the issue. I am still waiting on mine. Should have it tomorrow I think.
I have owned all three other waterproof cases (LifeProof, Seideo Obex, OtterBox Atlas). Of those the Atlas was the best, it was just too big for everyday use. I also didn't like how there was a slight gap between the two pieces that dust and dirt gathered in.
Time will tell how the Atlas really is. To be honest, I am most excited about the warranty for this. If the case works decently, I will finally have a waterproof case that I can actually use in the water without being paranoid that it might get a little leak and ruin my phone.
Well I just exchanged my case with the touchscreen and call "feedback" problems. I'm literally just starting to try out the new one, but I'm happy to report that my first case definitely had a defect. The touchscreen is much more responsive now. I also tried making a call and didn't get the feedback thing, although the sound quality is still pretty poor.
Overall this may be a keeper. I'll report back if any issues pop up...
Overall this may be a keeper. I'll report back if any issues pop up...
I had the same feedback issues with an early LifeProof case. I think it has to do with the rear mic. Hopefully your case really was a dud and it's not a general problem on the Atlas.
So I just purchased the Atlas @ Verizon. They stock white/gray and all black. Happy about this since the white/grey is what I really wanted anyways.
Feedback thus far:
- No oil slicks
- Much sharper screen due to glass vs plastic
- Much more responsive screen. Sometimes the edges can be unresponsive in edge but I noticed that this happened after I removed/reinstalled. There might be some dust/particles inside.
- It is tough to open the bottom. Generally tough to open.
- Serial number is in the box as well as inside the case. This is good to know so that when you follow the registration instructions you don't end up removing the case again.
- Sound: similar to LifeProof but the speaker sound is slightly better. Cannot give too much feedback on call sound quality yet.
- Tactile feel: glass = win! Case tactile feel isn't as good as the back/edges of LifeProof but since its not a shiny plastic it will work fine for me.
Feedback thus far:
- No oil slicks
- Much sharper screen due to glass vs plastic
- Much more responsive screen. Sometimes the edges can be unresponsive in edge but I noticed that this happened after I removed/reinstalled. There might be some dust/particles inside.
- It is tough to open the bottom. Generally tough to open.
- Serial number is in the box as well as inside the case. This is good to know so that when you follow the registration instructions you don't end up removing the case again.
- Sound: similar to LifeProof but the speaker sound is slightly better. Cannot give too much feedback on call sound quality yet.
- Tactile feel: glass = win! Case tactile feel isn't as good as the back/edges of LifeProof but since its not a shiny plastic it will work fine for me.
Attachments
What about the mute switch, does it work easily? I had real trouble with the mute switch on the otterbox amor
It's about the same as the Fre
----------
I have a black phone. There is some black around the glass so you can't really tell what phone color you have.
Just got mine in the mail with the free shirt Got it in the dark gray. Screen works perfect feel is great. Only thing I'm having a problem with is speaker phone and te volume of my ringtone. Anyone having any problems.