Now that things have calmed down a bit since the introduction of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, I’ve decided to start going through the vast pile of cases that we’ve accumulated for the newest iPhones. Today’s review looks at three cases from Tech Armor — the SlimProtect (US$10.95), the FlexProtect ($12.95) and the ShockFlex ($17.95).
SlimProtect
At just $10.95, the TechArmor SlimProtect is the least expensive case I’ve seen so far for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. It’s quite minimalist; basically a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) / polycarbonate (PC) mixture that provides a see-through clear case with some shock-absorbing properties.
It’s probably the thinnest iPhone 7/7 Plus case you can find, has raised edges to protect your screen, works with screen protectors, and uses simple cutouts to make pressing the buttons on your device easy. That use of cutouts does mean that the buttons and other side-and-bottom-mounted features of the iPhone are wide open to possible damage in a drop.
The SlimProtect is essentially invisible, so if you’re looking for mid-level protection that also doesn’t hide the beauty of your iPhone, it’s worth a look. Tech Armor provides a lifetime limited warranty on the case, and at $11 it’s a bargain.
Apple World Today Rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★
FlexProtect
Next we’ll take a look at the $12.95 FlexProtect, which is still a heck of a bargain. Made of the same materials as the SlimProtect, the FlexProtect nonetheless provides a higher level of protection by being somewhat thicker and a bit more flexible. Rather than cutouts on the sides for the buttons, it has a full button cover that’s easy to push, speaker cutouts, and a cutout for the Apple logo on the back of the phone — in addition to the camera cutout.
Impact protection is more certain with the FlexProtect due to the extra coverage, and like the SlimProtect it also has a raised front edge to protect the screen from face-down drops. Like the SlimProtect, it’s clear so that regardless of the finish selected for your iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, it’s not hidden from view.
My only question mark about the FlexProtect is why Tech Armor decided to put the big opening in the back for the Apple Logo — it just opens that area up for scratches. At $12.95 and with the same lifetime limited warranty as the SlimProtect, it’s still a bargain-priced and relatively protective case.
Apple World Today Rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★
ShockFlex
The third of the Tech Armor cases we’re looking at today is the ShockFlex, which sells for $17.95 and comes in three different finishes — frosted clear, frosted black, and frosted space gray. Of the three cases reviewed here, this provides the most protection by using a thermoplastic hexagonal skeleton and ribbed corners that absorb shock and distribute the force away from the iPhone.
Once again, there is a raised front edge for those face-down drops. The hexagonal grid structure provides a lot of cushioning between the case shell and the back of the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus. Once again, though, Tech Armor decided to put a hole smack-dab in the middle of the back of the case for the Apple logo to show through. That’s admirable from the standpoint of letting users show off their phones, but it provides no protection for that logo, meaning that it could be scratched.
In my personal opinion, Tech Armor should have just put a clear plastic window in the back of the FlexProtect and ShockFlex so that the Apple logo showed, but was still protected. For $17.95, the ShockFlex is still a bargain for an iPhone 7/7 Plus case with a full warranty.
