The TPU material feels slightly tacky, but it’s thinner and not as sticky as rubber or silicone cases and will still help the phone survive a fumble (TPU has better hardness, abrasion resistance, and tensile strength than silicone). Most importantly the case passed the pocket removal test (though I can’t vouch for those of you in skinny jeans). Oily fingerprints show up pretty quickly but they’re easily buffed out on the front of your t-shirt. The power and volume buttons are wisely covered to keep dirt out and they retain good tactile action through the “outdent” above each. The sound on/off slider is uncovered and harder to get at but it can be toggled while inside your pocket with a little extra finger dexterity. The camera elements, flash, audio jack, top mic, speakers, and dock connector are all properly uncovered with perfectly placed openings in the case.
As far as aesthetics, the phone’s sexy stainless steel band is hidden away but the smoke-gray case is subtle and thin, and even with my spartan taste I think the concentric rings around the Apple logo are actually better than the muted-gray look it would have had without them. (Thumbs down to the new version in the product picture showing the grid of circles. Not sure which one they’re shipping now.) There is a visible seam running around the sides of the case, but it’s mostly flush and not very conspicuous.
I bought this case in order to have an interim solution while I wait for better known case manufacturers to get their act together and put their iPhone 4 products on the market. (Seriously, the mechanicals were obviously available pre-launch from Apple, as the design of this minisuit case attests. Incase? Speck? Marware? Incipio? … Hello?!) As the earlier reviewer noted, this is a more than sufficient case although I obviously won’t know for a while how durable it is. The bottom line is it surpassed my expectations of a $12 case and will definitely be in use for a while.
I’ll eventually try a different case; but it will be because I’m geeked out about my new phone, not because the minisuit case wasn’t worthy. I just need to install my Skinomi screen protector, and I’ll finally be able to actually use my phone without sweating over dropping it.
