Okay Geek Farm
Apex Armor Gen.3 aluminum bumper for iPhone 4 / 4S review
Jason Tsay
Apple first brought about the idea of a “bumper case” when they introduced the iPhone 4. The concept was to have protection around the sides of the iPhone but to keep the front and back of the phone exposed for a cleaner look. Since then, aluminum bumpers have sprouted up from a variety of companies, promising a more durable and stylish alternative. We had the chance to take a look at the third generation Apex Armor bumper; is it worth the $80 price tag? — Our full review after the break!
Features
- Compatible with Verizon and AT&T iPhones
- 100% CNC milled
- 6061 T651 precision aluminum plate
- Weight - 22 grams (with screws and neoprene)
- Dimensions - 4.695” x 2.580” x .430”
Our Impressions
The Apex Armor bumper case comes in a simple plastic blister pack containing the bumper cushioned by foam and a hex key in a tiny plastic bag. It’s not exactly the type of packaging we’d expect from an $80 iPhone accessory but we couldn’t have cared less once we started testing the bumper. For review purposes, Apex Armor sent us a black + silver and red + silver Gen.3 bumper. 
Hardware and Setup
Although the Apex Armor, like most other aluminum bumpers, requires some assembly, it’s stupidly simple and isn’t much more tasking than putting on a standard case. A screw in the top right corner and the bottom left secure together two L shaped pieces of aluminum. The aluminum is perfectly machined and the brushed surface looks quite nice. You’ll find a tiny Apex Armor shield logo etched at the bottom of the left side; it’s pretty discreet unlike previous generations of the Apex Armor, which is always nice. On the inside of the case are eight pieces of foam padding - one small piece in each corner and two long strips on each of the sides. This padding ensures that your iPhone’s metal band doesn’t actually touch the aluminum, making for a much tighter fit and adding a tiny amount of shock absorption.
The Apex Armor adds a substantial amount of width to the iPhone. It’s not enormous or uncomfortable in any way but definitely noticeable. If you’ve ever found the iPhone 4 to be too narrow for your tastes then this case will definitely help out a bit. On the flip side, if your hands are on the small side and you find the iPhone 4 to be comfortable to hold, this might change that. In addition to width, the case also adds on 22 grams, which may or may not be a huge difference (the iPhone 4S weighs 140 grams). We tested the aluminum bumper with a Verizon iPhone 4S as well as an AT&T iPhone 4; just as Apex Armor claims, it is fully compatible with both designs.
Of course, signal attenuation is something that keeps many buyers at bay from aluminum bumpers. Will the Apex Armor affect your iPhone’s reception? Throughout our testing, we saw an average of one to two bars dropped while the bumper case was on. If you live in a low coverage area, this might be an issue for you but it didn’t really affect our realistic usage at all. 
Cutouts
For the most part, the cutouts on the Apex Armor are pretty nice. The power button is very easily accessible and we were able to press it without any difficulty. The volume down button proved to be a tad bit more challenging to depress although if you use the edge of your thumb, you should be fine. For most users, the SIM tray cutout is a useless and undesired feature. However, given that you need a hex key to remove the case, it’s a thoughtful design on Apex Armor’s part. You’re much more likely to be carrying a paperclip than a hex key when you need to swap SIM cards. The headphone cutout extends to the noise cancelling mic as one cutout. It didn’t seem too big at first but we were able to fit the gigantic plug on our AIAIAI TMA-1 headphones. We realized that this is because of a slightly slanted design on the edge of the cutout, as with the others on the case. The slant allows you to plug in slightly wider headphones as well as reach your finger in to reach buttons. The 30 pin connector cutout features a pretty smart design. It’s rounded and is shaped like a huge elongated oval. This means that even older pinch-style Apple cables will fit just fine while the speaker and microphone are allowed to function. The only downside to this design is that there isn’t as much bottom protection, although we’d take being able to use our accessories over that any day. In fact, the packaging claims “our slim design is compatible with virtually any dock.”
Quality
You might be wondering why such a simple aluminum bumper costs so much and that will have to do with where it’s made, how it’s made, and what it’s made with. This case is made with 6061 T651 precision aluminum plate, a US domestic material, from a shop that has been a top supplier to the US aerospace defense industry for over 30 years. The case is made in the US, with materials from the US. The CNC milled case is deburred and finished by hand, which is what allows for the smooth final finish. This really is a premium product manufactured in a premium way. Rather than being a cheap mass produced “Made in China” case, this is a true American product (heck, their packaging even has the flag on it).
Overall
The Apex Armor Gen.3 is one of the more expensive iPhone cases we’ve reviewed but after using it for a period of time, we’d have to say we’re quite impressed with the overall fit and finish of the product. The high build quality matches the price and precise cutouts make it very easy to use. The clean design also makes the iPhone slightly more comfortable to hold in the hand. Although it will in fact drop one or two bars of reception, but in real life testing the difference is negligible. If you’re looking for something minimal, this is one of the finest aluminum bumpers your money can buy.
Pro’s
- looks great, clean design
- high build quality
- precise cutouts
Con’s
- drops about 1-2 bars of reception
Where to buy
Apex Armor — MSRP: $79.99
This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the Gen.3 bumper by Apex Armor.
