I had a few eBay bucks to spend, so I decided to pick up the STM Dux case for my iPad Air 2. Here's my review. I hope this helps folks looking for a more protective case for their Air 2.
To begin the review, the packaging is excellent. It comes in an easy open box, that closes with a magnetic clasp. That's a very nice touch. The case's clear plastic back is covered with protective plastic inside and out.
Install was very simple. Remove the protective plastic sheeting, insert the volume button side first and gently push each corner down until your Air 2 is seated into the case.
The Dux has a nice protective raised edge that surrounds the perimeter of the screen, but it won't cover up the color of your Air 2. I really liked this, as my previous case didn't have edge protection on the left hand side of the case.
When your Air 2 is in this case, you can lay it face down on a flat surface and your screen will still be protected. More importantly, a face first fall has extra protection.
I will note, the raised edge around the home button area does have some play. I wish this were more reinforced, but I'm not sure how they could do this with the rubberized TPU material? It's not a deal breaker to me, but I have to mention it.
In regards to drop protection, STM states on their website that the case is, "Tested to meet or exceed US Dept. of Defense Standard 810F/G protocols and can survive an extreme drop at 6.6 feet or 200 cm."
On the box it says, "26 DROPS FROM 4 FEET" and STM has a video demonstrating this test. Here's the link: http://youtu.be/CHHkjMeRLLs
The case weighs about 11 ounces. It does add a little more bulk and about 3 ounces more weight compared to my KHOMO Dual Super Slim. The trade off is, the Dux will safely protect my Air 2 against significant drops.
I will say this, for a very protective case it's relatively slim and light.
All cutouts are accurate and all buttons are covered. The volume buttons are very responsive.
This is not the case for the sleep/wake button. It needs to be pressed quite hard to function consistently. I think this is due to it being located by the thicker protective bumper. It's not a deal breaker to me, but something I have to mention.
The case has a sleep/wake function and it works perfectly.
There's a magnetic clasp that holds the cover securely in place, so it won't move and accidentally wake up your iPad. The cover and clasp combo is well done.
The interior of the cover is a nice soft micro fiber type finish, to protect your screen. The exterior of the cover is a nicely textured rubberized typed finish. It looks great and seems to repel fingerprints well.
The clear back is real nice and shows off the Apple branding.
There are ridges on the back of the case, to protect the plastic from scratching when laying it on a flat service. I'm sure the back will eventually scratch, but that's not an issue for me.
Please note the magnetic clasp.
The landscape stand works fine. It's not the best setup I've seen, but it does work as well as my KHOMO case when standing it on my bed and it is more stable in this environment. In this respect, it works great for me.
Having said that, the stand system could be more intuitive.
Typing mode is quite stable.
In portrait mode, I seem to prefer holding it when the flap setup is in typing mode. You can flip the cover back in portrait mode, but I found that wasn't as comfortable for me.
Minus the minor dings during my review, I really like this case. I don't have to worry as much, if my Air 2 accidentally falls off a counter or from my hands.
If your utmost concern is drop protection for your Air 2 against potential serious drops, I can recommend this case. If you're more interested in a more intuitive stand functionality and aren't really concerned about drop protection, there are other cases that might be a better fit.
For more information about the Dux case, check out their website:
http://www.stmbags.com/catalog/iPad-Air-2-Cases/dux-for-iPad-Air-2-case/
Pros
Military tested to survive extreme drops of 6.6 feet
Protective raised edges protect the entire perimeter
Excellent sleep/wake function
Magnetic clasp keeps cover securely in place
Relatively slim for a drop protective case
Cons
Stand function could be more intuitive
Raised edge by home button has play
Sleep/wake button requires hard press
To begin the review, the packaging is excellent. It comes in an easy open box, that closes with a magnetic clasp. That's a very nice touch. The case's clear plastic back is covered with protective plastic inside and out.
Install was very simple. Remove the protective plastic sheeting, insert the volume button side first and gently push each corner down until your Air 2 is seated into the case.
The Dux has a nice protective raised edge that surrounds the perimeter of the screen, but it won't cover up the color of your Air 2. I really liked this, as my previous case didn't have edge protection on the left hand side of the case.
When your Air 2 is in this case, you can lay it face down on a flat surface and your screen will still be protected. More importantly, a face first fall has extra protection.
I will note, the raised edge around the home button area does have some play. I wish this were more reinforced, but I'm not sure how they could do this with the rubberized TPU material? It's not a deal breaker to me, but I have to mention it.
In regards to drop protection, STM states on their website that the case is, "Tested to meet or exceed US Dept. of Defense Standard 810F/G protocols and can survive an extreme drop at 6.6 feet or 200 cm."
On the box it says, "26 DROPS FROM 4 FEET" and STM has a video demonstrating this test. Here's the link: http://youtu.be/CHHkjMeRLLs
The case weighs about 11 ounces. It does add a little more bulk and about 3 ounces more weight compared to my KHOMO Dual Super Slim. The trade off is, the Dux will safely protect my Air 2 against significant drops.
I will say this, for a very protective case it's relatively slim and light.
All cutouts are accurate and all buttons are covered. The volume buttons are very responsive.
This is not the case for the sleep/wake button. It needs to be pressed quite hard to function consistently. I think this is due to it being located by the thicker protective bumper. It's not a deal breaker to me, but something I have to mention.
The case has a sleep/wake function and it works perfectly.
There's a magnetic clasp that holds the cover securely in place, so it won't move and accidentally wake up your iPad. The cover and clasp combo is well done.
The interior of the cover is a nice soft micro fiber type finish, to protect your screen. The exterior of the cover is a nicely textured rubberized typed finish. It looks great and seems to repel fingerprints well.
The clear back is real nice and shows off the Apple branding.
There are ridges on the back of the case, to protect the plastic from scratching when laying it on a flat service. I'm sure the back will eventually scratch, but that's not an issue for me.
Please note the magnetic clasp.
The landscape stand works fine. It's not the best setup I've seen, but it does work as well as my KHOMO case when standing it on my bed and it is more stable in this environment. In this respect, it works great for me.
Having said that, the stand system could be more intuitive.
Typing mode is quite stable.
In portrait mode, I seem to prefer holding it when the flap setup is in typing mode. You can flip the cover back in portrait mode, but I found that wasn't as comfortable for me.
Minus the minor dings during my review, I really like this case. I don't have to worry as much, if my Air 2 accidentally falls off a counter or from my hands.
If your utmost concern is drop protection for your Air 2 against potential serious drops, I can recommend this case. If you're more interested in a more intuitive stand functionality and aren't really concerned about drop protection, there are other cases that might be a better fit.
For more information about the Dux case, check out their website:
http://www.stmbags.com/catalog/iPad-Air-2-Cases/dux-for-iPad-Air-2-case/
Pros
Military tested to survive extreme drops of 6.6 feet
Protective raised edges protect the entire perimeter
Excellent sleep/wake function
Magnetic clasp keeps cover securely in place
Relatively slim for a drop protective case
Cons
Stand function could be more intuitive
Raised edge by home button has play
Sleep/wake button requires hard press
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