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iPhone 4: case, bumper? Wow. Another thread. Was it really necessary? :-)

A

Ale72

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Wow. Now it's getting difficult.
Yesterday I bought my new Iphone 4 and I said. This time it will remain naked!
On my iphone 3G I was using a case mate barely there.
So I randomly started browsing at least the first 6/7 pages of accessories on the forum.
GOt amazed by the SPG EX, thought a lot to the Element Vapor Case but both did not fit my original reqs.

So I changed my approach.
Let's start from the requirements (yes, the post will be long –and probably boring- but it helps to clarify my mind)

What do I have to take into consideration
- At least 2 times per week the phone is thrown in the airport trays for security checks
- Often hanging around on my table in the office
- During long trips by plane stored in a pouch with other stuff
- Often in the plane to listen to music until I fall asleep
- Usually kept in my suit ticket pocket when I am around
- Change sim card at least two times per week

Why do I need the "case"
- Not to keep immaculate the phone
- Pretending 🙂 limit damages due to small falls to the floor/ground (from the plane seat, from the desk, etc)

How it should be the case
- Barely visible
- Not changing colors/aspect of the iphone
- Light
- The less the better

Candidates (not necessarily matching substitutes).
I put pictures to make the old boring thread a little bit more interesting 😀

A. Case Mate Hula Black
hula.png


B. Griffin Reveal Black
31m9i79ekal.jpg


C. Apple Bumper black
mc839av3.jpg


D. Case Mate Barely There Clear
getdynamicimage.jpg


E. SwitchEasy Vulcan Clear
28943576.jpg




To summarize the five options identified:
A. Case Mate Hula Black
B. Griffin Reveal Black
C. Apple Bumper black
D. Case Mate Barely There Clear
E. SwitchEasy Vulcan Clear

For sure I missed many other bumper/barely case, so suggestions/comments will be very welcome.
Starting from the five mentioned above, which one would you choose and why?
 
Ale72 said:
Wow. Now it's getting difficult.
Yesterday I bought my new Iphone 4 and I said. This time it will remain naked!
On my iphone 3G I was using a case mate barely there.
So I randomly started browsing at least the first 6/7 pages of accessories on the forum.
GOt amazed by the SPG EX, thought a lot to the Element Vapor Case but both did not fit my original reqs.

So I changed my approach.
Let's start from the requirements (yes, the post will be long –and probably boring- but it helps to clarify my mind)

What do I have to take into consideration
- At least 2 times per week the phone is thrown in the airport trays for security checks
- Often hanging around on my table in the office
- During long trips by plane stored in a pouch with other stuff
- Often in the plane to listen to music until I fall asleep
- Usually kept in my suit ticket pocket when I am around
- Change sim card at least two times per week

Why do I need the "case"
- Not to keep immaculate the phone
- Pretending 🙂 limit damages due to small falls to the floor/ground (from the plane seat, from the desk, etc)

How it should be the case
- Barely visible
- Not changing colors/aspect of the iphone
- Light
- The less the better

Candidates (not necessarily matching substitutes).
I put pictures to make the old boring thread a little bit more interesting 😀

A. Case Mate Hula Black
hula.png


B. Griffin Reveal Black
31m9i79ekal.jpg


C. Apple Bumper black
mc839av3.jpg


D. Case Mate Barely There Clear
getdynamicimage.jpg


E. SwitchEasy Vulcan Clear
28943576.jpg




To summarize the five options identified:
A. Case Mate Hula Black
B. Griffin Reveal Black
C. Apple Bumper black
D. Case Mate Barely There Clear
E. SwitchEasy Vulcan Clear

For sure I missed many other bumper/barely case, so suggestions/comments will be very welcome.
Starting from the five mentioned above, which one would you choose and why?
Click to expand...

If you're throwing this thing into trays in the airport regularly, I would definitely get one of the ones that covers the back as that's most likely to take abuse. I'm a big fan of the body glove vibe slide, however since it comes in electric blue it will definitely change the look of the phone dramatically.

The vulcan is, from what I've heard, nice...and I certainly like the appearance of it.
 
I have the case mate hula black for my if4 and it works pretty well.

granted, i've only had my ip4 for about a month but here is my experience thus far.


bought phone, had them install front and back invisible shields on it. they said do NOT put the case on for at least a day so the shields can set, which I did.

the next day, AS SOON as I put the case on, the shields on both the front and back started bubbling up around the edges. the reason? the case is extremely tight around the phone and has a "lip" that barely goes over the front / back of the phones edge so it stays on, thus pushing up the invisible shields.


the case itself does everything i want it to, which is pretty much all the same things you want. it does not add much bulk to the phone, it keeps the front and back from touching the surface when the phone is on my desk or anywhere and it seems as if it would protect the phone from any bumps / bruises that it may encounter on my day to day activities.

I like that the case is "clear" in the middle of the sides so you can still see the industrialized sides of the phone, (can still see sim card door and the breaks in the antena)

so, case is good, just dont expect to have the use of screen protectors with the case, they do not mesh well....
 
scarboy6693 said:
Incase Snap, SGP Ultra Thin, or Incipio Feather. Those are the best Slim ones IMO
Click to expand...
For my reference I added pics.
All three, I fear, they will not protect at all the phone from small falls 🙁

Incase Snap
clear0211g.jpg


SGP Ultra Thin
Clear not available. In black:
iphone4ultrathinsmoothb.jpg


Incipio Feather
Clear not available. In black:
iph512ecopy1.jpg
 
Update 😀

No comment yet
- Griffin Reveal Black
- Case Mate Barely There Clear
- Incase Snap

Negative feedback
- Case Mate Hula Black (seems rubber will peel quite soon)
- SwitchEasy Vulcan Clear (as a friend said: "please, not the diving suit")

Eliminated (reason)
- Apple Bumper black (ugly)
- SGP Ultra Thin (hiding iPhone colour)
- Incipio Feather (hiding iPhone colour)
 
Bought this one from Acase last week:

http://www.amazon.com/Acase-Superle...4Q90/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1288641221&sr=8-2

It's a lightly frosted clear snap on type; fine so far with a rear decal (haven't tried side shields yet). The cutouts are comfortable in use, all buttons and bottom dock are accessible, though the headphone cutout is a small one--fine with plugs sized for the original iPhone, but might be a problem for others. No issues at all with the flash cutout--mine is a teardrop shape rather than the keyhole cutout pictured. No scratches or marks on the soft touch coating after a week's use, it's hard to tell there's a case on it at all it's so slim, and the case hasn't scratched the phone. It's cheap, comes in a wide range of colors (search Amazon for Acase iPhone 4 for the others), and includes screen protectors + cleaning cloth, so overall it's a good deal. I'm very happy with mine so far--this is case number 4 for me.

If you're the type to set your phone face down though, the only coverage this gives you is the included screen protector. Not the best option for people who like to do that.

As you said, none of these are going to provide a whole lot of drop protection. Everything's a compromise.
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
pick up a cheap otterbox case off ebay for when you need it.

And a snap on case when your in/around home ....
 
Look interesting and cheap. To be taken into consideration.

Acase(TM) Superleggera ice cube
418fflebyulss400.jpg
 
I recommend the SGP Neo Hybrid EX. Comes in more colors than the Apple Bumper and comes with front and back shield protectors; and still costs the same as the Apple Bumper.
 
My mom has the Clear Incase Snap case for her iPhone 4, and I don't think I'd recommend it. Last time I saw it, the back of the case had a lot of scratches that were plainly visible, and you can see smudges on the plastic very easily.

In contrast, I have the smoke Incase Snap case, and I don't see any visible scratches on it, and smudges aren't a problem for me when I use it.

I'd probably recommend for you to get another case on your list though, just because I think the Snap cases are very overpriced if you aren't getting them through Apple's Free-case program, but I'm just offering some insight.
 
Ahahahah,
I brought up this neverending discussion and at the end yesterday evening a friend of mine sent me a mail saying: "I just ordered for us two this pouch. So, stop looking for alternatives".

Proporta iPhone 4 Aluminium Lined Leather Pouch
31glhpiqjdlsl500.jpg
 
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