LGND Premium Folio Case for iPhone 4/4s
Manufacturer: Incipio
Price: $34.49 USD Get it Here
Incipio is one of the major case manufacturers that has been in the business for an extended period of time. The company boasts a large line up of cases ranging from the super thin to the super protective. The LGND line of cases are folio type cases. The iPhone version of the LGND features a hard plastic back shell called Plextonium, a vegan leather face, and an interior microsuede lining. The case is available in Henry Ford colours. The case can be purchased in any colour you wish, as long as it is in black.
To install the LGND, I simply needed to slide my iPhone 4 into the plastic shell. The fit is extremely tight, so the phone will not fall out under any normal circumstance. In fact, to remove the phone from the case, I needed to press hard with my thumbs to force the phone to slide out of the case. Unfortunately, due to the tight fit and the sizing of the shell, most screen protectors are not compatible with the LGND folio. I found the side lip on the case was rather large, causing larger screen protectors to either get stuck, causing the phone to fit incorrectly, or the screen protector would bubble severely. I found only extremely thin screen protectors worked, and even then I had some bubbling.
Unlike many of Incipio’s iPhone offerings, the LGND does not come with the Incipio Vanity Kit that contains two screen protectors, a cleaning cloth, and a squeegee. This decision was probably made due to the face when closed the screen is protected by the flap. I personally would have personally put a screen protector in the kit purely because grit can easily get caught in between the cover and the iPhone and scratch the oleophobic coating. For those who insist that the iPhone’s glass is too wonderful feeling to cover with a screen protector, the LGND is an excellent option that balances protection for the screen from sharp pocket objects while leaving the screen naked.
The plastic shell on the case is a matte finish that almost feels like cloth. The material is extremely stiff and takes blows very well. The hole cut out for the camera does not interfere with the camera flash. The bottom has holes cut out for the speakers and the 30pin dock connector. I was able to fit the stock iPhone cable into the case with no problem, but the large size of the plastic shell prevents using most docks. I was able to fit it in my heavily modified dock with more trouble than usual. Most cases I am able to just barely make a connection with the dock, but with the LGND I had to really push in the phone and be very careful not to move it in the slightest, lest it lost connection with the dock. Because the phone is very difficult to take out, the LGND is not dock friendly at all.
The headphone jack is larger than most iPhone cases on the market and will fit most earphones on the market. I was able to fit almost all my headphone cables except the stock Shure se215 cables. Unfortunately, extremely large high end plugs found on more expensive IEMs and reference headphones will need an adapter to fit the LGND case. The volume buttons and vibration switch side of the case is left completely bare and is protected by the cover’s hinge when the case is closed. The hinge is located off centre to allow for access to the volume and vibration functions while the case is closed. Due to the design, the LGND is compatible with all iPhone 4 and 4s models.
The cover of the case is attached to the far end of the case allowing for the hinge to move freely. This provides several options for propping the case up for a comfortable viewing angle. I managed to figure out a few viewing angles on my own alongside the suggested set up. I found the suggested setup instruction on the box to be extremely vague, only providing a very small icon on the lower left hand corner on the back of the box. A larger image or a sheet of paper showing the possible viewing angles would be an appreciated addition for those purchasing the case in stores versus ordering from Incipio’s own webpage.
The leather used for the case is vegan leather, pleather, or fake leather, depending on how you wish to spin it. Although some feel that vegan leather is not as durable as real animal hide, I found the vegan leather to be very durable. It resisted scratches well. I did notice it the feel of the vegan leather is slightly more plastic feeling than real leather, but that will be the trade-off for the blood and guilt free leather.
The overall weight and bulk of the case is extremely low. I am impressed that the case seems so sturdy yet manages to maintain an extremely light weight. It feels very nice in the hand, though I personally found the cover to get into the way when holding the case one handed. Quickly flipping open the cover and using the phone required me to hold the case very lightly because if I gripped the phone, I noticed myself naturally closing the cover on the case. The only way I could really get a strong grip on the phone was to completely flip the cover over and hold the phone normally. I found this was a small minor annoyance to ensure I had a firm grip on my phone. I noticed this was a bigger problem when holding the phone with my right hand versus the left, so lefties might want to keep this in mind.
Overall, the LGND case is an excellent product. It has a few hiccups due to the incompatibility with phone docks and certain screen protectors, its lack of added screen protector compared to other Incipio cases, and the slight hassle to get a proper grip on the phone. However, the case is extremely light, strong, and very stylish. It is fairly priced at $34.99 and is an excellent option for those who are looking for a professional looking case for their phone or want a little extra protection for their naked iPhone screens.
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