iSkin Solo FX Case for iPhone 4: review

December 13, 2010 by Christine Chan · 1 Comment

by Christine Chan

Ever since I graced my iPhone 3GS with an iSkin Solo FX case, iSkin became one of my favorite companies for cases for my iDevices. Since they released the Solo and revo 4 a bit late for the iPhone 4, I have tried and tested them, and they proved to be excellent. But they’ve recently released the Solo FX for the iPhone 4, and it doesn’t disappoint.

The Solo FX is different from the version for last year’s 3GS model. Instead of being the traditional shell that wraps around the back and edges of the phone, the Solo FX for iPhone 4 is a flexible shell that you slide your phone in from the top. This is because this version has all of the front protected, leaving only the screen exposed with the top microphone and camera. The home button is also covered up with a layer of the flexible Microban TPU material.

So getting the iPhone into the Solo FX is easy, though I am not too fond of the opening flaps at the top, but that’s not a big problem. The TPU material is thick enough that it provides protection at the top as well. Once the case is on, it gives your iPhone a nice grip, and the circular texture pattern on the back makes it feel amazing to hold.

My favorite thing about the Solo FX is that it’s a frosty matte, so unlike the original Solo, it won’t get gunked up with skin oils over time. So the grip is always there and never gets slippery.

Like I mentioned earlier, the top of the phone is left exposed, but protected by the thick flaps. So the headphone port and power button are easily accessible. The volume buttons are covered by a bauble-like layer of the TPU material, while the ringer toggle is given a space to be accessed from. The bottom has holes for the microphone and speaker, while having a tight fitting opening for the charging port.

There may be some slight problems with older cables since the opening is a tight fit with the new iPhone cable. I had to wiggle my car charger a bit to make it fit and stay when it would get slightly disconnected. So just a word of caution.

I did find that it can get a bit hard to press the home button down since it is covered with a layer of case. This just takes some getting used to and is not a major problem.

I found the overall experience with the Solo FX to be an enjoyable one. The case is not too thick but it is thick enough to provide great protection for your device. It also looks stylish with the circle patterned back and matte, frosty appearance. It provides complete coverage on the front of the screen so you no longer have anything to worry about. And you’ll always have a grip on your iPhone 4.

If you’re looking for a slim and stylish case that will give you great protection, look no further than the iSkin Solo FX.

rating: 4.5 stars out of five • price: $34 • iSkin.com

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Filed Under: iPod, iPhone, iPad, and iTunes, Reviews
Tagged: case, iPhone 4, iSkin, one piece, shell, Solo FX

review: iSkin Solo and Solo FX

March 12, 2010 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment

iSkin is famous for its “Duo” cases which wrap an iPhone or iPod in two layers of different-colored material in such a way that it’s as visually striking as it is protective, but here the company offers up a more straightforward design in the form of the aptly named Solo, a single-piece flexible rubber design for iPhone available in a choice of four colors.

Easy to attach and remove, the Solo plants itself in the upper crust of one-piece rubber iPhone cases by covering the iPhone’s volume and top buttons in such a way that you can still use them, rather than leaving them exposed as some of the more budget-oriented cases on the market do. But beyond the small raised “iSkin” logo on the back, there’s very little about the Solo that makes it seem like it’s an iSkin case, save for the pair of contoured cutaways that run up the bottom half of the case’s back.

The Solo FX, on the other hand, offers a stylistic flair for three dollars more by making the case translucent and including a series of circles on the back which give the case some life, but it’s still nothing to write home about stylistically.

What ultimately makes the Solo and Solo FX recommendable, then, is the fact that they’re protective (the aforementioned button coverage), easy to use (the aforementioned ease of removal), and the fact that screen film comes bundled with the product. Fans of iSkin’s usual flair for striking design will be disappointed here, but those users looking for solid protection and ease of use won’t go wrong – unless they consider its price tag too high for such a simple case, as the seemingly inflated $29/32 price did nearly cost the Solo a half star.

Learn more about the iSkin Solo and Solo FX for iPhone 3G and 3GS at iSkin.com