Review: XtremeMac iPhone 4 Case. #xtrememac

You know, since I picked up an iPhone 4 back in early September, I’ve amassed quite the collection of iPhone 4 cases. And yet I still jump for joy like a giddy school girl when I get a new one in the mail. And that’s precisely what happened last week. Except it was one but four cases that I received. Today we’re going to look at one of those cases, the XtremeMac MicroShield Accent. It’s a pretty nice case if I do say so myself. But I’m sure you want to know a little more. Jump on in for the full rundown…

Physical Appearance & Looks

The first thing that crept into my mind when I pulled the XtremeMac Micro Shield Accent from it’s protective box was “That’s an Apple Bumper Case on Steroids”. And in the basic design sense, it is. It’s a simple rubberized strip that runs around the antenna. But XtremeMac goes one stop further. While it looks like the back of the phone is bare, it’s actually a plastic cover that covers the glass to prevent scratches — a very handy and functional design choice.

It’s worth noting that the rubberized outer strip is actually quite different than the rubber material on the standard Apple iPhone 4 bumper case. Where as the bumper case is relatively soft and squishy, the XtremeMac Micro Shield is quite hard. Don’t get me wrong, it will absorb impacts like a champ and protect the delicate glass underneath. But it’s far from pillow soft. The plastic cover isn’t anything special — it’s basic clear plastic. However, it is nice to see the plastic and rubberized pieces come as two separate pieces as opposed to one conjoined capsule. It makes getting the phone in and out a lot easier.

This case is one of the few cases to incorporate such a closed, tightly secured case and still leave the back more or less “open”. While Apple’s own Bumper Case feature a similar design, it lacks the hard-backed plastic cover that snaps onto the back of the phone and at least gives the glass some protection.

Function

Ok, so it looks pretty decent and is built out of quality, sturdy materials. But how does it actually function? After a couple days of using the XtremeMac Micro Shield as my daily driver, I can honestly say that it is definitely one of the better cases on the market. It’s not too thick yet to make pockability an issue. However, it’s also thick enough to call this “heavy duty”. The biggest and most imporant aspect that seals the deal for me however, is the almost flush bezels on the sides of the case and screen. Most cases of this caliber and beyond have fairly thick, restrictive bezels that get in the way of onscreen navigation. Not so with the XtremeMac Micro Shield.

Another small aspect of the case that really stands out are the volume buttons. I know it may seem weird highlighting a normally insignificant area of a case. But I was wooed. What makes the volume buttons so incredibly awesome is the fact that they are pretty heavily raised. They won’t get in the way in your pocket or bag, but when you’re fumbling around in the dark or simply not looking at your phone, let’s just say it’ll be hard to miss the volume buttons.

Conclusion

Can I recommend the XtremeMac Micro Shield? In short: Yes. It’s a fantastic case that honestly gets everything right in my opinion. It looks nice, it is thick and protective, and thin enough to still retain the ideology of portability and small footprint the iPhone is known for. Couple that with the fact that the case is only $24.95 and you’ve got an official Gadgetsteria “Buy” rating. There are many other cases that use much lesser materials and aren’t nearly as protective yet cost $5, $10, or more.

Trust me, you won’t be disappointed with the XtremeMac Micro Shield. Basically, it’s the “Bumper Case Xtreme”.

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