Review: MicroShell for iPhone

review by Bill Palmer

Vendors wouldn’t keep offering more and more iPhone shields if they weren’t so popular with users, and now that the industry’s biggest names are joining the fray, shields are seemingly here to stay. And with good reason, as they’re generally easier to attach and remove than a full-blown case, and don’t interfere with the iPhone’s touch screen functionality. I’ve tested iPhone shields ranging in price from $9 to $60, and so Marware’s $29 MicroShell falls somewhere in the middle.



And wow is it ever pretty. The metallic red model in particular is shiny all around and manages to catch any light in the room. A single piece of plastic, the MicroShell gets its biggest functional props for including a left-side cutout that’s large enough for the iPhone’s silencer switch to be easily accessed, which can’t be said for far too many other iPhone shields I’ve tested. On the other hand, like most other shields, the MicroShell stops just a millimeter or two short of covering all of the left and right sides of the iPhone’s chrome bezel, something I’d love to see someone finally get right.



The essential question with the MicroShell is whether this single piece of plastic is really worth its $29 price tag. It’s thicker, a lot sturdier, and much better-looking than the generic $9 competitors out there, so as is often the case with products of this type, it’ll largely come down to your budget. The MicroShell does come with bundled screen film, which helps in the justification of its price tag.

Learn more about the MicroShell at Marware.com.