Okay Geek Farm
SGP Neo Hybrid 2S for iPhone 4 / 4S review
Ricardo Trejo
The iPhone 4 is such a sexy beast of a phone that some are so taken in by its shiny glass design that they prefer to forego all sorts of protection and go about taking it around naked. Yeah, we’ve tried that and let’s just say it feels like driving without a seatbelt. Why would you take the risk? SGP has quite the line up when it comes to iPhone cases, so there’s no reason or excuse to leave it naked anymore. Today, CreTouch has hooked us up with a Neo Hybrid 2S bumper case for iPhone 4.
Features
- 2-piece unit (Silicone interior, Polycarbonate Exterior)
- Made available in 11 different colors
Our Impressions
Made up of two different parts; the inner frame of premium silicone with a coat of high polymer, and the exterior frame made out of a UV-coated polycarbonate material; this is pretty simplistic bumber case.
The Neo Hybrid 2S series comes in 11 different colors, though wouldn’t you know it that we got paired with two white colors, (so much for variety and the color palette). Also stowed away within the packaging of the bumper case comes SGP’s own Steinheil screen protector and microfiber cleaning cloth — a bargain at any price.
Design
SGP’s Neo Hybrid 2S has a slim fitting style that doesn’t take any points away from the iPhone’s already stellar design. This is a major plus as some cases try to add their own flare to the mix and just end up taking away the exclusive look of Apple’s handset.
The inner silicone frame has hard rubber covers for the volume up / down and power buttons, which we must admit gives a really satisfying click when pressed. You also don’t have to put too much force on them to get them to work, which is a plus over some more expensive cases, such as the Fabshell case by Speck, which gave our fingers a workout whenever we wanted to lock our phones.
Accessibility
Installation takes all but two seconds; first fitting the inner silicone frame onto the siding of your iPhone and then following that up with the polycarbonate case atop. This can be a little tricky if you don’t get it just right the first time. We also recommend doing this while the phone is turned off since if you throw on the harder case while the handset is turned on you may be hitting the power button a number of times until it gets fitted just right.
Like nearly every bumper case available on the market, the headphone jack is recessed, which people may not think is a big deal… that is until you have difficulty fitting in an ordinary headphone jack. For instance, in my car I have an audio plug that goes to a cassette player deck that I use with my iPhone to play over my radio. The style of plug — seen here — will not fit into the headphone jack while this case is on because of the shape of the plug. While Apple’s earbuds will go straight in this isn’t the case even with even some other common headphones, like the Beats by Dr. Dre Studios. So buyer beware when it comes to bumpers.
The speakers are fitted with hollowed out cuts, as are the mute switch and dock port, which are given ample space to do what you have to do with either of them.
Comfort
When we tried out the SGP Linear iPhone case we had an issue with picking up and holding the phone due to the glossy finish that made it uncomfortably slippery. The Neo Hybrid 2S suffers from the same issue, though it’s much less of a problem since this is just a bumper case so the backing of the iPhone’s glass is free for your hands to grip onto. It’s really a unique problem that I’ve noticed recently, and maybe it’s just me with my greasy hands and all but my wife also had issues picking it up.
Outside from that, however, the bumber gives enough of a bezel around the iPhone’s screen that you don’t have to worry about the precious glass getting knicked when being placed on a flat surface. The bumper comes up over the lip quite nicely and offers just the right degree of peace of mind.
Overall
There’s not much to hate on such a simple bumper case as the SGP Neo Hybrid 2S. It does the jump of keeping your phone a smidge above a flat surface, as well as looking subtle on a white iPhone or accenting a black model. Not only that, but with the 11 different colors that are available to mix and match between this 2-piece silicone interior, polycarbonate exterior, you have a number of ways to have your phone stand out amongst a crowd.
Our only issue stemmed from the slipperiness that we’ve felt before from SGP cases that have a glossy finish to them. It’s something that you may have dealt with the in the past but when compared to other cases we’ve reviewed it’s hard to ignore and give it a pass.
Pro’s
- Simple 2-piece design
- Easy installation and offers accessible ports
- Rubber button covers are satisfyingly clicky
Con’s
- Glossy finish makes it a tad slippery
- Recessed headphone jack can be problematic
Where to buy
CreTouch — MSRP: $21.99
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