9to5Mac Reviews

Speck was awesome enough to send along one of their flashy new PixelSkin cases for review, and in short, it’s one of the best iPhone 4 cases I ever used. The Speck PixelSkin is not one of those simple cases you used for a few days then take it off, it’s something very different. It’s durable, stylish, compact and extremely protective.

View our full written and video review here.

The case is made out of durable silicon and covers the entire body of the phone. Surrounding every element of the iPhone 4 is a good amount of room between the top of the phone and the top of the case. For example the bottom/dock of the phone will never touch another item, or the the camera will never touch the table it is laying on. The same goes for the front of the iPhone/case. If the iPhone 4 is dropped facedown, the glass should not crack as there is room in between the case and the screen. You will see this in more detail in the video review below.

You have easy access to the silent/ringer switch on the side, as well as the headphone jack, dock connector, volume rocker, power button, and home button. In addition, the speaker system and front facing camera is not obstructed by the case. This means there is no case covering them, but the aforementioned gap between the case and face of the phone makes up for that.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxd4kX-Of8&w=640&h=385]

While wearing the case, the phone obviously gets a little thicker. In our non-scientific measurements, we’ve determined the PixelSkin adds a thickness of 30-40% of the iPhone 4 itself. So imagine the iPhone 4 + 30-40% of an iPhone 4 stacked. To be honest, in numbers that may seem like a lot but in everyday use you will not notice it. It still fits in my jeans and short pockets just fine, and I do not need to alter how I carry my iPhone with me at all.

Overall the Speck PixelSkin is a fantastic case, and we highly recommend it due to its protection features, material, portability, excellent build quality, and price. The case comes in three colors: black, purple, and pink and retails for about $25.

You can get the Black Speck PixelSkin here on Amazon, or choose from the other colors here.

Incipio was kind enough to send us along three of their iPhone 4 cases. When Apple releases new products, case manufactures scramble to make the best protection devices, and Incipio is a company we consider to be a “pro” at this. Their cases range from mild protection, to medium protection, to almost Tank/OtterBox Defender like protection.

In this article we review the Incipio Feather, Incio NGP, and Incipio Silicrylic cases.

Click here to read our entire review coupled with video.

Incipio Feather – $24.99:

The Incipio feather is a great case for those who really do not require or want much protection. It’s sleek, thin, and it’s a case you really won’t feel you are sporting. It’s tough design protects against scratches and minor/medium drops on the back, and that’s about it. You don’t really get any protection on the side and back, but hey… if you’re buying the feather you should have realized that already. Also, the name, feather. They aren’t joking, this thing is the lightest case we’ve tested.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SmZOpuTLmE&w=640&h=385]

Incipio Silicrylic – $29.99:

The Silicrylic can be compared to a lighter version of the Otterbox Defender. It’s tough with two layers of protection. You get an inner soft layer, and an outer tough layer. The outer layer is the first line of protection defending drops on the back, sides, and a bit on the front. The second layer, protects the phone from major drops, and is essentially a backup to the first layer. You cannot wear the thin inner layer by itself as that won’t look good and you wont get much protection.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AiiHBDc6m0&w=640&h=385]

Incipio NGP – $24.99

The Incipio NGP is a tough case. It has one silicon layer that offers a great deal of protection. It can be compared to the tougher layer of the dual-layer case above. It’s tough against back and side drops. The case is also thin and stylish enough to fit in your pockets. For the average user, this is Incipio’s best iPhone 4 case.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYDimTnjSp4&w=640&h=385]

Vanity Kit: All Incipio cases come with a free vanity kit. This kit comes with two screen shields, a squeegee, and a cloth. The kit is great to take around with you, and really completes the iPhone protection package.

Conclusion:

All of Incipio’s cases iPhone 4 cases are great in their own respects. The feather is a case for those who don’t like cases. It adds a touch of style, a matte finish, and some protection for the phone’s glass back. The dual-layer case offers great protection for those who work dirty jobs. It’s something construction workers should use, or people in similar industries.

The NGP case is a combination of the two. It offers a slick and light design, with some protection for the entire phone. Let us know in the comments which case you think is the best and which one you’re going to get!

Grab one at Amazon.