Speck have been manufacturing cases for iOS devices for many years and have earned themselves a reputation as somewhat of a veteran in the market. Not a company to rest on its laurels they are constantly refining old designs whilst simultaneously releasing new ones. Read on for my review of 2 variants of their Candyshell Line, The Flip and the Satin.
Let’s start with the Satin. Mine is black with grey accents and the first thing I noticed is how nice it feels in the hand. The exterior is coated in a soft touch material, whereas the standard Candyshell is hard, glossy plastic. The satin feels really comfortable to hold and gives confidence in the grip you have on the iPhone.
The inside of both cases are lined with a honeycomb patterned silicon which ensures your iPhone is fully protected but without unnecessary weight. The silicon pulls double duty here by not only protecting the phone but also providing the material for the volume and sleep/wake buttons, which are easy to press and give excellent tactile feedback. The mute switch is the large enough for an index finger and both the 4 and 4s will work fine.
Once the iPhone is inserted there is a decent amount of “lay on the table” design, so if you need to place your phone face down or clumsily drop it screen first, your device will have a better chance of survival. Around the back is the largest camera cutout I’ve yet seen on a case. A common problem on iPhone cases is that the LED flash reflects on the edges of the cutout and bleeds back into the photo. This large cutout completely solves that problem.
I also have the Flip case, which is very similar in design to the Satin as well as the rest of the Candyshell range for that matter. The main differences are that the outer portion of the case is hard glossy plastic and the bottom third of the case is on a hinge.
This hinge is what makes the Candyshell Flip unique. An issue I come across frequently when using cases is that they invariably prevent me from using certain accessories such as chargers, docks, FM Transmitters etc. I don’t have this problem with the Flip as it easily peels back allowing full access to the 30 pin dock connector. Its easy to pull intentionally but its just stiff enough that it won’t flap about unintentionally. In over a week of using the case it has never opened by itself. The hinge feels very secure and I have confidence that it won’t weaken too much over time.
Overall both of these cases offer great protection whilst still looking great. They add a little bulk to the iPhone but not too much weight and are perfect for those who need decent drop protection but don’t want something that looks like a tank.
Both cases come in a wide range of colours, the ones shown here are the Satin in Black and Dark Grey for the Satin and Bubblegum and Peacock for the Flip. Both cases are available from a range of retailers including Amazon, Apple, Cancom, PC World etc for around £30 each.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask in the comments or on our forums.
Links – Speck Products
is the pink and blue true to color i see it sometimes as light pink and sometimes as dark which is it?