Draco Design Draco Evo Aluminum Bumper for iPhone 4/S Review
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The very first bumper case accompanied the release of the iPhone 4. Adored for its simple and minimal style, iPhone users stormed Apple Stores to get their hands on one. Alright, maybe it was also because Apple offered them for free after the whole "Antennagate" fiasco. Nonetheless, we have to admit that a bumper does the job,and does it well. Look at Draco Design, a company proudly known for their phenomenal iPhone bumpers that are high quality as well as stylish. Check out the Draco Evo, a bumper that combines both aluminum and polycarbonate to deliver a strong and functional bumper that not only protects your device, but gets rid of the notorious signal loss commonly found in metal material cases. Skip on down to see if the latest Draco creation fits in with its Draco IV predecessors.
The Draco Evo comes elegantly packaged with a number of extras inside the box. Along with the the bumper itself, there is a cleaning cloth, an anti-glare screen protector and rear shield, an Allen wrench, two extra screws, and an extra power button.
As for today's main attraction, the Draco Evo bumper excels in design and quality. Removing it out of the box, you can feel that it is a solid piece of orange aluminum and a sturdy and protective piece of black polycarbonate. The separate materials were chosen due to the scientific fact that metal blocks cellular signals. The aluminum stays true to previous generations of Draco's products, and the polycarbonate lets Draco Design add the Evo at the end, along with other reasons which we'll get to later.
What catches my attention and draws me to this bumper is its curvy design and structure. It isn't just a rectangle shaped accessory that caters to the iPhone's original shape, but instead, it adds appealing curves that makes this bumper much more attracting to admire… but then again, it's basic biology that draws us to curvy things, right guys?
Personally, when I'm talking about gadgets, I prefer functionality and comfort. Despite all the dips and bends that attract the eyes, it detracts from the other important sensory input known as touch. After holding and using the bumper, it just doesn't feel natural. The curves don't rest comfortably in your hands, and it creates too much width that makes holding the device in one hand rather cumbersome.
As most of you should have guessed by now, this Draco bumper, just like most of the other bumpers on the market, require miniature screws to install. Using a single screw on the top left corner and another on the bottom right corner, you'll have a solid bumper that won't fall apart from any drops.
Time and time again, no matter how amazing I find a case to be, the screws just "screws" it over. Why not utilize a latch system instead? It would get rid of the hassle of installing and uninstalling the tiny screws that always seem to get lost. I guess it's a good thing they gave us two extras.
Once you've got it installed, there is a very slight lip on the front and back for you to be able to place your iPhone on the table without having to worry about pesky dirt and dust scratching away at your device. For added security, you can use the included anti-glare protectors that gives a nice smooth overall feel to your phone too.
The cutouts for both the 30 pin connector and the headphone jack are extremely deep but will fit most cables without a problem. Although, the silent switch will require a little bit of digging to access. The tactile feedback from the volume and mute buttons are superb and have a satisfying click to them. However, keep in mind that placing your iPhone on any docks with the bumper on would be out of the question.
Within this gorgeous creation, there are small shock absorbing polyurethane that just increases the layers of protection this bumper provides. Not only does it absorb all of the damage, it creates a thin separation between the case itself and your iPhone's metal band to prevent any unwanted scratches.
As for what everyone has been wanting to know, how is the cellular reception? Let's just say the Draco Evo deserves its name. It has certainly evolved past its older sibling, the Draco IV, and improved its design. Thanks to its polycarbonate half, the Draco Evo has the same reception as my iPhone in the nude. Even despite the huge contrast between materials, you won't be able to notice any significant difference since they are both painted with similar coatings. You will notice very slight movement with the polycarbonate half if you were to wiggle it back and forth.
The unique design and functionality the Draco Evo embodies not only fully protects your device from any kind of damages, but it does it while looking absolutely amazing. Everything about this product improved or remained perfect from its previous generation. The overall quality is amazing and cellular reception is fantastic, plus the color palette with the Evo is a lot more colorful. Best of all, it costs $20 bones less at $80 directly from Draco Design's website. With nothing but good things and improvements, the Draco Evo deserves our Editors' Choice award and would be recommended to anybody who hates encasing their iPhone in bulky and ugly cases and enjoys high quality products… so yes, I meant everybody.
