iPhone 3G/S hard shell case showdown

Last month, we took a look at iPhone 3G/S slim cases, as some people just don’t want to add much bulk to their iPhone. But the problem with slim cases is that, by design, they sacrifice protection and functionality. For those who who’d rather keep their iPhone safe than slim, here’s our latest roundup of hard shell cases built specifically for your peace of mind.

Argyle Love

The first case on the list is a late entry, as the developer told us he wasn’t pleased with the production of the first release. It was a wise decision to wait, as Caze’s Argyle Love ($32.90) is an attractive, well-designed cased that’s certainly one of the most unique of the bunch. The case is almost thin enough to have been included in our slim case roundup, but its sturdy, plastic construction lands here.

The most striking element of the case is its reflective titanium design (silver or silver/black) with the argyle pattern. The Argyle Love is actually semi-transparent, which looks really cool when sitting on its own, but which loses its punch when actually applied to a phone. The red tint of the pattern shows up much better on the white iPhone than black, where all you’re really left with is the silver reflection. The drawback of this finish is that it attracts smudges and scuffs, so you’ll be cleaning the case just as often as you’ll be cleaning the iPhone screen. A screen protector and cleaning cloth are included,

The fit is fantastic; very easy to snap on and off. The back, sides and corners are all protected, with the obvious cutouts where they need to be (all buttons and ports are easily accessible). There’s also a wide, circular cutout on the back to let the Apple logo show through, but I think this actually hurts the design a bit. There’s also no attachment method of which to speak, so you’ll have to place the case in your purse or pocket, leading to more scuffs and scratches.

The Argyle Love is certainly a unique looking case that offers decent, basic protection, but your money will be going to design more so than anything else.

Flick

Contour Design’s Flick ($34.95) is about the same width as the Argyle Love, but doesn’t attempt to sell itself on looks. This is a very basic design, available in flat black, blue, red, violet or white plastic (which is quite easily scratched). It’s nicely curved, and the ports are all wide open for easy access, but what I really liked here was the covering over the power button. Most cases make this button harder to access, but the Flick actually makes it easier to use than when you have no case at all.

So, with a pedestrian design, no method of attachment and only basic protection, how does the Flick sell itself? The name gives it away; the bottom of the Flick easily flips up. This serves two purposes. First, it makes for somewhat simpler removal, as you can push the phone out (sliding it, the volume buttons tend to get caught on the side of the case). However, you won’t need to remove it as much because you now just flip up the bottom tab and insert the phone in a dock without having to remove the case. That’s quite handy, although limited in functionality. It certainly works with the Apple dock, but if you have a third-party dock or speaker system that has any sort of brace behind the docking port, the flipped back tab will get in the way.

The Flick is a decent idea, but is only practical for those using the Apple dock. Beyond that, the lackluster design, minimal protection and lack of a screen protector and cleaning cloth make this a case you’ll likely want to pass up.

SeeThru

I’m somewhat amused, I think, that the selling point of Speck’s SeeThru case ($29.95) is apparently that you can see through it. You can, so Speck was certainly successful in that regard, but they’re successful in a couple other ways, as well. First, The fit is good, although you’ll be more comfortable putting your iPhone in than you will be taking it out; it’s an awkward combination of bending, flexing and pushing that always makes me worry about scratches. It just seems weird that you’d need to include illustrated instructions on how to remove a phone from its case.

When on, though, the case has a tinted look in aqua, black, clear, pink, and red. The colors show up better over white than black, but is fine either way. I especially enjoyed the blue sheen of the aqua model over my black iPhone, giving it a “Tron” vibe. What I really like, though, are the rubber grips over the volume and power buttons. These provide easy access to your controls, and a raised rubberized trim makes for a comfortable grip all around (although the edge of the SeeThru does rise a bit too high above the front of the iPhone).

As with all plastic cases, the polycarbonate shell protects the phone from scuffs and scratches, but won’t protect itself. If you keep your iPhone loose in a purse or book bag, expect this case to start showing wear pretty quickly. Also, don’t expect protection from drops, or any way to prevent drops. It appears that lanyard and belt clips are becoming a thing of the past. Speck does include a screen protector with the SeeThru, but no polishing cloth.

Conclusion

Hard shell cases are an odd stop gap between the protection offered by silicone cases and the slimness of the thin cases. The inherent problem is that they scuff easily, and few seem to include belt clip or lanyard attachments anymore. But they do protect your phone, and can look quite good doing it. Of the three here, my favorite is the redesigned Speck SeeThru, but that’s based entirely on looks. If you prefer the styling of the Argyle Love, which is actually a bit easier to use, you have my support.

• Caze Argyle Love – 4/5
• Contour Design Flick – 2/5
• Speck SeeThru – 4/5

See other iPhone 3G/S hard shell case reviews:

• iPhone 3G case shootout: Dermis, Speck, Moshi and Contour Design
• Appletell review – iPhone 3G case round-up