I haven't seen any reviews of the Ion-Factory CarbonFiber Shell for the 15" rMBP on MacRumors or on the Internet in general, so I thought I'd post my thoughts.
You can find the product here:
http://www.ion-factory.com/CF_Shell_Retina_15.php
First, this product is ridiculously expensive. It retails for $179.00. In comparison, similar products from Speck can be had for $49. This is intended to be a "luxury" product, not a quick upsell at an Apple Store. In fact, it's probably overkill for the vast majority of users.
The design on the CarbonFiber Shell is pretty great. Unlike almost every other hardshell case on the market, the CarbonFiber Shell doesn't use tabs to keep the pieces in place. One common complaint about the Speck and InCase products is the brittleness of these tabs. Speaking from personal experience, I've never had a hardshell case that lasted more than two months before the tabs broke off.
Instead of tabs, the CarbonFiber Shell is so form fitting, it stays in place without needing any additional support. The fit is just right-- not so tight that it's impossible to get off (like the Speck can be), but not loose enough to allow dirt and dust to get in or fall off with regular use.
That's the good. Now on to the bad.
Build quality isn't wonderful. In fact, it's pretty disappointing. On the unit I received, one of the rubber feet was missing, the top had a chip in it, and two sides of the carbon fiber lid were "rough" for lack of a better term-- like they were scraped on concrete.
After three days of use, I've noticed three or four very obvious scratches on the top of the case, which is solely from removing the computer from a bag. It hasn't been laid upside down or been in contact with anything that could produce scratches.
That's the bad, now on to the ugly.
Customer service is atrocious. Actually, it ranks among the worst I've experienced. I sent them an email regarding the issues I had right out of the box-- the missing rubber foot, chipped top cover, and rough sides. I received an email asking for pictures and receipt. I sent both and was told that, because I purchased it from an "Authorized Dealer" and not the official website (where they've been out of stock for weeks), I would have to work with the original seller to get a replacement.
Why have "authorized dealers" if purchasing from them doesn't yield the same "service guarantee" that is afforded to online shoppers?
Speaking from personal experience, I haven't dealt with a company in the last five years that has such a backwards policy. If a Speck case breaks, Speck replaces the case. If an InCase bag rips, they replace the bag. Neither company will refuse a repair (or replacement for an out-of-the-box issue) based on where the item was purchased, as long as it was purchased new.
Ion-Factory, on the other hand, will not even work with you if you did not purchase the product directly from them. To top it off, the company is obviously based overseas and it's very difficult to make sense of their emails. Nearly every sentence reads as if it was put through Google Translate three times.
In short, I'd stay away from the CarbonFiber Shell. For nearly $200, the quality of the product and customer service should be impeccable. Or, at least better than products which cost 1/4th of the price. Unfortunately, that's not the case here.
You can find the product here:
http://www.ion-factory.com/CF_Shell_Retina_15.php
First, this product is ridiculously expensive. It retails for $179.00. In comparison, similar products from Speck can be had for $49. This is intended to be a "luxury" product, not a quick upsell at an Apple Store. In fact, it's probably overkill for the vast majority of users.
The design on the CarbonFiber Shell is pretty great. Unlike almost every other hardshell case on the market, the CarbonFiber Shell doesn't use tabs to keep the pieces in place. One common complaint about the Speck and InCase products is the brittleness of these tabs. Speaking from personal experience, I've never had a hardshell case that lasted more than two months before the tabs broke off.
Instead of tabs, the CarbonFiber Shell is so form fitting, it stays in place without needing any additional support. The fit is just right-- not so tight that it's impossible to get off (like the Speck can be), but not loose enough to allow dirt and dust to get in or fall off with regular use.
That's the good. Now on to the bad.
Build quality isn't wonderful. In fact, it's pretty disappointing. On the unit I received, one of the rubber feet was missing, the top had a chip in it, and two sides of the carbon fiber lid were "rough" for lack of a better term-- like they were scraped on concrete.
After three days of use, I've noticed three or four very obvious scratches on the top of the case, which is solely from removing the computer from a bag. It hasn't been laid upside down or been in contact with anything that could produce scratches.
That's the bad, now on to the ugly.
Customer service is atrocious. Actually, it ranks among the worst I've experienced. I sent them an email regarding the issues I had right out of the box-- the missing rubber foot, chipped top cover, and rough sides. I received an email asking for pictures and receipt. I sent both and was told that, because I purchased it from an "Authorized Dealer" and not the official website (where they've been out of stock for weeks), I would have to work with the original seller to get a replacement.
Why have "authorized dealers" if purchasing from them doesn't yield the same "service guarantee" that is afforded to online shoppers?
Speaking from personal experience, I haven't dealt with a company in the last five years that has such a backwards policy. If a Speck case breaks, Speck replaces the case. If an InCase bag rips, they replace the bag. Neither company will refuse a repair (or replacement for an out-of-the-box issue) based on where the item was purchased, as long as it was purchased new.
Ion-Factory, on the other hand, will not even work with you if you did not purchase the product directly from them. To top it off, the company is obviously based overseas and it's very difficult to make sense of their emails. Nearly every sentence reads as if it was put through Google Translate three times.
In short, I'd stay away from the CarbonFiber Shell. For nearly $200, the quality of the product and customer service should be impeccable. Or, at least better than products which cost 1/4th of the price. Unfortunately, that's not the case here.
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