Okay Geek Farm
Incipio Hive Gaming Case Review (for iPod Touch 4G)
Jason Tsay
Since the iPod Touch was declared a gaming console by Steve Jobs, accessory manufacturers have wasted no time in producing gaming specific cases for it. Incipio is no exception with their new Hive gaming case. As you can probably tell from the name and picture above, it is actually modeled after a bee hive. But do the funky styling and shape actually work in everyday use?
Features
- ergonomic design
- shock absorbing
- anti static coating
- includes 2 screen protectors (matte + clear), cleaning cloth, and applicator card
- available in black, charcoal, red, yellow, and blue
Our Impressions
First up, let’s talk about the design of the case. This funky bit of molded silicone easily slips onto your iPod and provides quite a bit of coverage. Have a protective film on your device? The Hive case has you covered - it will still fit properly. The buttons are fairly easy to press although the volume buttons are a bit mushy and you have to find the right angle to press them at. The silicone area in that region wiggles around when you try to press it because it actually doesn’t wrap around the buttons. Instead, there is one rectangular area of silicone over both buttons. The sleep/wake button is much easier to press in comparison. The case features a clever design where the area around the home button is raised so as to avoid accidentally pressing it during an intense gaming session. On the note of gaming, an interior honeycomb design lets your iPod breathe when it starts to heat up from processing 3D graphics. The exterior also sports a snazzy looking honeycomb design with intents, adding to the grip of the case. Our unit came in a bright yellow (slightly orange color) which really emphasizes the whole “Hive” theme.
A very high grade silicone with a “matte” finish is used with the Hive case. Unlike the sticky silicone on the Microtexture case, this material attracts much less lint and dust. This case also suffers much less from the problem we had with the Microtexture case regarding certain areas being flimsy. Perhaps it has to do with the silicone on this case being more rigid. As for protection, there is an adequate raised silicone border which protects the device when laid flat on its face but not too much to impede upon using the screen. The silicone is extended near the dock connector area, which protects both the dock connector and headphone jack somewhat. The camera is very well protected as it is right in the area of the ginormous hump. The molded back does indeed help you grip the device better and more ergonomically. Those who often drop their devices will be heartened by the fact that your iPod will simply bounce a couple of times when dropped inside of this case.
Of course, the intended use of the case is gaming, so we fired up a couple of our favorites and went to town. For “research,” we played a variety of games - mostly those that require the device to be held horizontally - and found that it was much easier to control the games with the case on and it also felt much better to hold. Racing games in particular were largely aided by the Hive. So does it work for gaming? Check.
Along with the case, you get 2 screen protectors - 1 matte/anti-glare and 1 glossy/”crystal” Both are extremely easy to apply and are of the same high quality we praised in our review of the Incipio Silicrylic X for iPhone 3G/3GS. Throw a cleaning cloth and applicator card on top and we’re all set.
Overall
Chances are, if you buy the Hive case, you are an avid iOS gamer and do little else with your iPod Touch. If this is the case, the Hive is perfect for you. If not, you may find the case a bit too bulky for your liking. One thing is for sure – this case is very well made whether you want a case especially for gaming or just a nice silicone shock-absorbing case.
Pro’s
- interesting design
- excellent shock absorption
- works for gaming
Con’s
- pretty bulky
