Review: XtremeMac iPhone 5 Cases

XtremeMac isn’t the biggest name in iPhone cases. But just because they’re not front and center in the spotlight doesn’t mean they don’t have some noteworthy cases to check out. The guys and gals over at XtremeMac were kind enough to send us over a slew (literally) of their new iPhone 5 compatible cases.

Microshield Cork

The Microshield Cork case is one of our favorites. XtremeMac literally took a thin layer of cork and stuck it on top of a thin plastic shell. The end result is a case that is lightweight and unique. The only downside with the Cork (and several others by XtremeMac) is that the bottom of the iPhone’s front face is left open. And because physics is a cruel joke player, your iPhone would land on that open spot instantly chipping/cracking some things. Sad times all-around.

More: XtremeMac.com – Microshield Cork ($27.95)

Accent & TuffWrap

The “Accent” and “Tuffwrap” cases are pretty similar in construction in design. The latter is ever so slightly thicker, non-transparent and covers all four corners of your iPhone as well as the sleep/power and volume up/down buttons. The silent/volume switch is accessible via a small cutout.

The Accent case is a tiny bit thinner than its close sibling, the Tuffwrap case, but also features a see-thru back plastic back panel. Think of the Accent case as a normal bumper style case with a plastic back panel to protect that pretty but delicate aluminum on the iPhone 5′s backside. Also like its close sibling, the sleep/power and volume up/down buttons are covered with the silent/volume switch running free in the open air.

More: Accent ($27.95) | TuffWrap ($22.95)

“Stand” Case

Media junkies love them a kickstand. And a kickstand XtremeMac provides. The Stand case is physically speaking very similar to the Cork case above in that it is a hard plastic shell type case. Like the Cork case, too, the bottom front of the phone is exposed, though, so is the top as well. Around back you’ll find the Stand’s special feature: it’s kickstand.

As far as kickstands go, it’s actually quite strong. Being the nail biters that we are, we had to resort to a credit card to get the kickstand popped out. Don’t worry. I’t’s not going to accidentally pop out on you.

Once out, you can place your phone in either landscape or portrait orientations.

It’s also worth noting that the plastic on the Stand case is substantially thicker than the cork case. It hardly flexes at all and almost feels like a thin metal (if it weren’t for the light weight giving it away).

More: Stand Case ($27.95)

Fade Case

The Fade case is the final case we have for you today. Fans of simplistic, ultra-thin cases will find this is the case for them. The super thin plastic shell flexes a decent amount and features very basic coverage; the bottom and top of the phone are exposed as are all ports and buttons. To be clear, this isn’t a case for people looking for any type of drop or shock protection outside of basic scratch protection.

XtremeMac has made several different versions of the Fade case, all featuring their own subtle gradient in various hues.

More: Fade ($22.95)

Wrap-up

XtremeMac has a ton of new and awesome iPhone 5 cases, some more intriguing than others. Our particular favorite, the Microshield Cork case, has a cool look and feel in hand where as the Viewing Stand case is functionally sound for media junkies. Which case you choose, however, depends on what your particular needs are. Our only reservation with several of the cases, however, revolves around price. Despite some of their unique traits, the amount of material present as well as what the cases protect (or for some, don’t protect) makes the $22-$27.95 price tag seem a bit high. But as with many things in life, if it’s something you want or value, the price doesn’t even factor in. The big thing to take away here is that XtremeMac has plenty of options in an effort to cater to just about every iPhone 5 customer. And that’s a big plus in our book.

Thank you to Xtreme Mac for the review cases

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