Case reviews are something we do a lot of around here but the SwitchEasy GLASS is a bit of a different beast. Currently on Indiegogo, the company sent one over for us to take a look at. This is our review of the SwitchEasy GLASS case for iPhone.
Note: While this case is billed for the Jet Black iPhone, it can be used with any iPhone 7/7 Plus.
What’s In The Box
- SwitchEasy GLASS case
- Dust seal
- Screen protector
Design
I hold a lot of cases every year around this time and a lot of those cases are really nice, some not so much. While the design is most certainly a subjective thing here’s my take on the SwitchEasy GLASS. Made from glass (duh) and aluminum this thing feels super premium. The buttons are all nicely raised and have excellent tactile feedback and I do mean excellent. The Lightning port has an ample cutout allowing for third-party cables and docks to be used. The feeling of this case in your hand is extraordinary and a bit scary too. This is most certainly a slippery case and you should be aware of that going in.
At the top of the case is the locking switch which keeps the two pieces of the case together really well. It’s really something feeling glass on both sides of the phone, there were a few times I mistook the backside for the screen when blindly pulling the iPhone from my pocket. The back of GLASS doesn’t actually touch the phone, SwitchEasy has left a 1mm gap between the back of the phone and GLASS to protect from scratching. Sometimes dust and things can collect in the back of a case which causes those particles to rub in further with the case on. This causes small scratches which are definitely more visible on the Jet Black iPhone. GLASS should virtually eliminate that, especially when paired with their dust seal that goes around the camera module on the back.
Finally, the aluminum design did have me worried a bit for signal loss as many aluminum cases do degrade signal performance. SwitchEasy is touting a new design that is supposed to let wireless signals pass through its frame more easily. In the time I’ve used it I haven’t noticed much difference in signal with the case on, there may be a slight tick down but it’s nothing extreme like other aluminum cases. Overall the design is slim, sleek, and really well built, the one area I’m disappointed in is the branding. While SwitchEasy does have an option to get one without the logo, I think they should consider removing it altogether. Not only should they remove the logo on the back but the tempered glass branding as well, the SwitchEasy branding on the side is good and not so bad.
Installation
Installation will take you a few minutes and you should follow instructions and take care, especially with the dust seal for the camera. The dust seal goes on the back side of the back pane of glass and closes the 1mm gap to keep dust out of the case, you’ll need to apply that carefully so as not to cover the camera. The case comes in two pieces which are locked together at the top, it’s important to take them apart by pulling the top part up and bottom portion out.
Once you have your dust cover applied properly just lay the iPhone into the aluminum frame and line up the buttons. You can then lay the back glass panel in starting with the bottom, sliding the bottom into the frame and then laying the top portion down. It kind of locks into place so there is a method and way to do this without ruining your case so take care. Once you have it laid in place you just slide the lock button over and the two pieces are joined. The installation isn’t hard but I do recommend you read instructions and take your time because this is a bit different than some other cases.
Protection
SwitchEasy says the back glass panel is rated at 7H hardness but we’re not going to get into the Mohs scale and all that. The back 7H glass panel of this case should protect your phone fairly well in basic drops, bumps, and scrapes. This is certainly not a heavy duty case made for extreme uses but it will give you better than moderate protection for everyday use. We didn’t perform drop tests but I’m confident that the combination of the aluminum bumper and back glass will do a good job of protecting your phone. There’s also a nice raised lip on the front that will protect the front screen and the aluminum bumper is well built with good corners for corner protection. Overall this case is going to be a great protective case for most people, I wouldn’t recommend for those who are very rough on their devices.
Price/Value
Currently on Indiegogo for $29.00USD to start, this is actually a really great price for what you’re getting.
Wrap Up
A really great glass case that does an excellent job of showcasing your iPhone without too much glare or watermarks. Branding should be removed without having to buy a different perk but some may enjoy the branding. One thing of note, this is designed for the Jet Black iPhone but works with all colors, though you will see a black border around the edges that matches better with Jet Black than the other colors.
[rwp-review id=”0″]*We were sent a sample of SwitchEasy GLASS for the purposes of this review.
Last Updated on January 23, 2017.
