Hi everyone,
I was asked by Blake from RearthUSA.com to evaluate their new rubber case for the Sprint EVO 4G. I have the white EVO really wanted to get a good case for my favorite little everything device.
There are things that I was looking for. From my past experiences with other types of case I had some requirements.
1. I hated the hard cases, because they were very difficult to get off. So hard that eventually the face plate of the hard case will break. You have to pry them off and that cause scratches and nicks and scars on the edges of the seams of the case.
2. The silicon cases fit and give great grip, but everything sticks to the surface. The material grabs the lint and crap in your pockets and out of the air. It is very hard to pull out of your pocket. This make it more annoying when the phone is ringing and you are trying to get it out in time. You have to force it out and grab tighter, this causes you to accidently push buttons on the screen or the hard buttons on the phone.
3. I did not want the case to add to much thickness to the phone. I love how thin it is. Can’t understand why people want a thin sexy phone, but then add on these thick cases that give huge protection.
4. I don’t want it to look cheap. Most generic rubber cases look so plain, cheap, and non-sexy. They are like a potato bad on a sexy runway model.
5. I am also very concerned about the back camera lens. I am still trying to figure out what was on the designers mind when they thought it was a good idea to push the lens farther than the body. To be exposed to damage.. being on the back.. which will always hit all surfaces when you put it down.
Now for the Ringke cases that Blake wanted me to evaluate. They sent me 2 case to evaluate.
Rearth USA | Judge us by the cover!
I asked for the Red Wine and the Aqua Black.
Colors:
The colors are a little miss leading.
In normal indoor lights the color is lighter than you would think the name suggests. In the sun, it is looks more like cherry red. It is fine for me.
The Agua Black is completely miss-leading (unless I got the wrong color). Based on the only 2 dark colors available: Slate Gray or Aqua Black, what I have can not be Slate Gray because it is darker on the website. I wanted a “black/dark” cover. From what others that have gotten the Slate Gray, they said it it was too gray. The Aqua Black is partially transparent and the color is Gray! On the back side, you can see the my white EVO cover; and can read the “Sprint 4G” logo right above the kick stand.
Fit:
The 2 cases are different . The Red fits perfectly. All ports and buttons are aligned. All the edges hug the phone just enough. The phone is snug. Red case “fit” is perfect.
The Gray is slightly too small. On the front screen, the sides; the tight fit causes the lip to LIFT off the glass screen and pulled outwards to the sides. This causes the sides to not have clean straight lines. Around the kickstand the opening does not hinder it function, but lines do not match up right. I even used the Aqua for a week so that it might have time to “work itself in”, but it never changed it’s fit or shape. This also means that the Red case will keep it’s great fit; and not loose it over time.
Finish:
All the sexy lines of the EVO are not lost by this case. It highlights all the sexy curves. The detail is very good. I like the extra line that follows the battery cover. The add opening for the “htc” logo is a good touch and give it a quality design image. The added texture of the skin is nice too and give a plush feel while providing better grip.
To my 5 requirements listed above:
1. Check: it is a rubber case and is easy to get on and off. Simple.
2. Check: it has a great feel. Not sticky or grabby. Goes in the pocket and slides out clean.
3. Check: it adds a minimum of extra thickness, but still provides a good add rubber protection.
4. Check: the design and attention to extra detail keeps my EVO sexy and slim.
5. Check: they added a little extra padding around the back lens for protection.
Price:
The price is $16.99 with free shipping. This may seem a little high.
We all know we can buy generic rubber or silicon cases for $5 plus $3 shipping all day online. But at that low price, I still say they are not even worth the $8. For a good quality case that you will want to use daily, $17 is a good deal.
Conclusion:
The quality is great. (don’t order the Aqua Black unless they remake the mold)
The price is good, because you can spend more in retail stores.
Ringke case is a must buy for anyone that has the same concerns and requirements as I do.
Suggestion for RearthUSA.com:
They should have a 2 pack deal for $19.99 with free shipping.
With each color selection, it will include a solid jet black case.
Thanks and I hope this review is able to help others.
Special thanks to Blake at RearthUSA for his help to get these awesome cases to me for review.
Sincerely
Dan330