So you’ve just got yourself a brand new iPhone 5S, naturally you want to protect it, but it’s hard to come to terms with covering up that stylish aluminium exterior, particularly if you’ve gone for the fancy pants champagne gold option.
One solution is to go for a case which actually looks as good as, or nicer than, Apple’s exterior design, or one which accentuates it in some way while offering a bit more protection.
There are a number of case makers around which are determined to offer iPhone owners something as stylish as the handset it surrounds. Here’s our pick of six of the best.
Pantone Universe - £28.43
Pantone has gone down a very artsy route with its line of “Pantone Universe” cases. The shell fits tightly to the handset’s contours so you’re left with a very obviously iPhone shape while presenting a range of striking, modern design inspired colours. There are 16 colours to choose from ranging from plain old black (known as “Caviar”), through to pinks, purples, aquatic greens and blues, fiery reds and oranges, and a range of metallics with silver, gold, “sage” and “lavender”.
The truly dedicated fashionista can pay a bit extra for a presentation case, called a “Fashion Box” to hold your phone when not in use. These come in a separate range of four colours but also include unique designs from fashion designers such as Alexis Mabille and House of Holland.
Gear4 Guardian - £19.99
Gear4 produce a range of interesting cases. Sadly, some of the nicer ones appear to have been discontinued, but one stand-out model in the current range is dubbed the Gear4 Guardian, which aims to mimic the iPhone’s stylish aluminium design in order to compliment it best.
The Gear4 Guardian comes in either white or black, though in our view the black version is sharper thanks to some extra silver trim on the back panel.
Cygnett Urbanshield - £19.95
Cygnett’s range of cases has a boatload of cool looking models but we had to pick one as a favourite.
The Urbanshield is probably the most prominent member of the range with a number of different variants in either black or silver for aluminium, or white and black options for carbon fibre.
They all look good, although the aluminium ones are our favourites in terms of visual flair.
Other honourable mentions go to the Cygnett Workmate Utility (black, grey/orange, two-tone grey), Cygnett SecondSkin (black, maroon) and Cygnett Apollo (blue, black or white). The Cyngett Aerogrip comes in a range of colours and finishes, and it fits nice and snug to the iPhone’s shell. The Polygon (Clear or Blue) and Crystal cases both show your iPhone underneath, while the Cygnett “Alternate” range includes three colour variants with “pop-off” end caps to expose a flash of contrasting colour underneath. Lastly the ICON range includes a selection of fun printed designs similar to Pantone’s “designer” models.
Incipio Feather - £20.51
Incipio is another case-maker with plenty of intriguing options. We went for the Incipio Feather as our favourite because it’s an ultra-thin, form-hugging variant made from “high density Plextonium”. It comes in a choice of 14 colours.
Other models well worth a look within the range include the DualPro, which features a Silicone core for extra durability and comes in a range of 11 colour options, the Faxion, which is a slim yet flexible case in 11 colour options, and the NGP, which is made from a flexible soft-touch material. The DualPro and Feather are also available in “CF” (Carbon Fibre) and “SHINE” (aluminium) finish variants.
Lifeproof FRĒ - £69.95
The Lifeproof FRĒ is a rugged case which is waterproof, dirt proof and drop proof, according to the company’s product page. It’s a fairly heavy duty case but still manages to maintain quite a svelte figure and some stylish design with a range of two-tone finishes. It also allows full operation of the Touch ID Home key fingerprint scanner despite its layers of protection.
“Along with the completely operational Touch ID and touchscreen, every iPhone 5s feature works seamlessly with frē — camera, flash, buttons, microphones and speakers," says Lifeproof, "The slim profile barely adds to your iPhone’s sleek silhouette and precision lines. And, the clear back window highlights the Apple logo.”
Also of note, although it isn’t actually out yet, Lifeproof is preparing to launch the Lifeproof nüüd, which is a similar design but made from a transparent material to show-off the iPhone’s design underneath.
Barbour flip-cover - £39.95
You don’t have to be a shotgun-toting landowner to appreciate the refined casual elegance of Barbour products and why not extend the countryside chic to your smartphone too?
The Barbour flip-cover features that familiar rural quilted design on the outside, together with a plaid and leather interior – perfect for slinging into the glove box of a Landover.
Data source: knowyourmobile (By Paul Briden)
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