We recently reviewed the Seidio Surface case for the Nexus 6P, a case which was a no brainer for our recently launched Top Picks program. Seidio has another relatively new smartphone case for the Nexus 6P, and our Seidio Convert case review takes a look at what is basically an add-on shell for the Surface case for those who want even more protection for their devices.
Design
As we’ve already reviewed the Seidio Surface case and holster, this review will be a lot shorter as this is an add-on shell. The Convert case is a rugged TPU skin that adds an extra layer of drop protection. The inside of the case features the same Hexguard technology as the inner case on the Surface, and there are cutouts for the camera, fingerprint scanner, and kickstand that’s on the Surface case. While the Surface case had a nice grippy finish to it, the Convert skin is a bit smoother and more slippery. One of the things I mentioned in the Surface case review was that the power and volume buttons are a bit recessed, which is something I got used to pretty quick. With the Convert skin, the opposite is true and the power and volume buttons protrude from the side of the case which is a much better design.
In addition, there are port covers for the headphone and USB-C ports on your phone. The nice thing about these port covers is that they actually fit into your ports so once they’re closed they stay closed. I did find that they were a bit stiff to bend back due to the thickness of the TPU skin, and when charging the port cover was pressing against the USB-C cable plug. After my phone was charged, it took a bit for the port cover to settle back into place, again due to the thickness of the skin. It’s not a bad thing that it is stiff, but I’d be inclined to remove the Convert case when charging in the future.
A couple things to note about the holster with the Convert case. First, it’s more of an X shape instead of full coverage like the holster for the Surface case on the Nexus 5X. Second, the inside of the holster doesn’t have any extra felt like the other holster but given the distance your screen will be from the holster with the Convert skin on, there’s no real need. The holster also has a lock switch at the top which further helps to secure your phone when inside it, something the holster on the Nexus 5X doesn’t have. Make no doubt about it, the Convert skin adds both weight, thickness, and heft to your smartphone and is definitely a rugged case.
While the Seidio Surface case comes in black, red, or blue, the Convert case is only available in black.
Installation
Installation is easy, simply slide it over your Seidio Surface case when you want added protection, and remove it when you don’t.
Protection
The Seidio Convert case definitely adds extra protection for your smartphone, and Seidio states that it includes drop-protection from up to 12 feet. As I don’t have a front screen protector for my Nexus 6P, I wasn’t about to test that out but just the thickness, Hexguard technology, and size of this case is enough to convince me that it will have no problems protecting your device. I did however drop my phone quite by accident a couple times with the Convert case on from about 3 to 4 feet and it survived without a scratch both times, landing once screen up and the other time screen down.
Price/Value
Priced at $49.95USD, you’re adding a holster and a rugged TPU skin for $20 extra over the Seidio Surface case, which isn’t a bad deal at all, especially if you consider the price of the holster alone is $29.95. If you hurry, at the time of this review Seidio is offering 30% off their entire product line through their store — simply enter the code SPRING16 when you check out.
Wrap-up
If you’re looking for a smartphone case that allows you to go slim when you want and add extra rugged protection when you need it, the Seidio Convert case is definitely the way to go.
[rwp-review id=”0″]*We were sent a review sample of the SEIDIO Convert Case for the purposes of this review.
Last Updated on May 13, 2016.
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