Incipio Edge/Edge Pro iPhone 4/4s Case
Manufacturer: Incipio
Platforms: iPhone 4, iPhone 4S
Price: $29.99 Buy the Edge Here and the Edge Pro Here
The Edge and the Edge Pro is a hard shell slider case for the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4s. The case is available in a wide variety of colour options from a plain black to an eye catching pink camouflage. The bottom fifth of the case slides off to allow compatibility with docks and the case is made from a solid plastic Incipio calls Plextonium with a soft matte finish.
The case installs by sliding the phone into the larger half of the case. The fit is a little tight, but not completely impossible. Then the smaller half slides onto the bottom of the phone and the case is ready to go. The bottom half is meant to be taken off and on whenever the phone needs to be docked. I found the bottom half of the Edge Pro slid off with a reasonable amount of force, the Edge required a lot more force to remove. On the flip side, the Edge Pro had problems with screen protectors. Putting it on cause the Edge Pro to catch on the screen protector and causing the protector to completely lift off the phone. Considering the cases seem to be exactly the same, this is most likely differences in the manufacturing tolerances. I found if I carefully installed the Edge Pro’s case, I could usually avoid lifting the screen protector. This is still annoying since screen protectors tend to be a dust magnet and this is a great way to introduce more dust underneath the screen protector.
The Edge and the Edge Pro is made from Incipio’s Plextonium material. It is Incipio’s trademarked plastic material, which is a high density polycarbonate. The inside of the case has strips of rubbery material to ensure the case has a snug grip on the phone. The rubbery material seems unnecessary on the bottom of the case as it makes it more difficult to remove that portion of the case. The whole case has a matte finish that has a slight rubbery texture to it. The rubbery texture comes from the matte finish versus the coating as it does not scratch off. The texture feels great in the hand and aids in keeping a good grip on the phone. The best part is it is not sticky enough to catch on pockets, allowing the phone to slide in and out of tight hip pockets without problems.
The case itself is pretty thin. By my measurements, it only adds a little more than a centimetre in overall thickness. The front of the phone is protected by a generous lip on the case. Resting the phone down on the screen will not cause scratches thanks to this lip that raises the phone off the surface, away from any grit or dirt that could scratch the oleophobic coating. The case has a large hole cut in the side of the case to accommodate the vibration switch and the volume buttons. The single hole means the Edge and the Edge Pro supports all versions of the iPhone 4 and 4s. The bottom of the case has a hole for the speakers and the 30 pin connector. The hole is large enough to fit most cables, but due to the thickness of the case, the Edge and Edge Pro is not compatible with most docks. The slider design allows for the case to partially disassemble so the phone can be docked. I found size of the removable piece to be perfect. It is large enough to fit most docks yet still provide excellent coverage in case the phone falls off the dock or some other accident.
The hole for the power switch is well sized, with a slight indentation on the back edge of the phone allowing for a gloved hand to press the button without problems. The lowered edge is just high enough to protect the edge of the phone from damage while providing extra room for larger or gloved fingers. I thought this was a neat design. The headphone cut out on my units of the Edge and the Edge Pro were slightly different. My Edge unit is an early model, so the newer models may mirror the newer Edge Pro. The Edge had a smaller hole that was ideal for headphone plugs that were designed with iPhone cases in mind. The Edge Pro on the other hand had an extremely generous hole. In fact, it is the only case I have reviewed so far that was large enough to accommodate the stock plug for the Shure SE215 and my AKG Q701 without any modification or tweaking. Those who use high end audiophile equipment will benefit from the Edge Pro’s generous headphone cut out.
The camera ring was supposedly upgraded from the old Edge to the Edge Pro. I cannot seem to find a difference between the two camera rings in practice. The Edge Pro has a shinier camera ring with the original Edge has a matte ring. I tried taking photos of both with flash on and could not find much difference in the cases in terms of image quality. Both camera rings are large enough to not interfere with the flash.
The Edge Pro and the Edge cases are both excellent options for those looking for a case that will take every day bumps and spills. I highly recommend the Edge Pro for those who prefer to use high end audio equipment with their phones and do not want to deal with the hassle of modifying their headphone’s plug or using an adapter. The case feels excellent in the hand and is compatible with all manners of docks due to its slider design. At $29.99, it is more expensive than the average polycarbonate case from China. But for the extra money, you get a well-designed case that will not interfere with the camera flash or large headphone plugs. The Incipio Vanity Kit is added as a free pack in, containing a cheap crystal clear screen protector as a value added bonus.
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