E13ctron S4 Aluminum Case for iPhone 4 Review
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E13ctron are a brand new company that makes CNC'd aluminum cases for the iPhone 4. Their name is interestingly unique and comes from the word 'Electron' which is a subatomic particle, and the '13' is the 13th element that is aluminum. The E13ctron S4 case for the iPhone 4 is an absolutely stunning aluminum case. As you may already know, there are plenty of aluminum cases out there but the S4 stands out to be the most original by far. Combining two parts, a front and back which come together to form a case surrounding the iPhone 4. E13ctron lets you choose and customize the colors of both sides of the S4 to your liking from an amazing slew of colors. Catch the full review after the break!
For this review we have the S4 in a color variation of orange front with a light gray back and on the other S4 we have a blue front with a silver (original aluminum color) back. Both of these cases look just amazing. And because of how E13ctron designed their S4 case to be able to customize the colors yourself, it makes you want to have them all. There are tons of ways to customize your S4 case and I love that.
The S4 aluminum case is constructed of two pieces that both encase the iPhone 4 using a total of six stainless steel screws. Putting the S4 onto the iPhone 4 isn't quick job but it's also a fairly easy task and will require a few minutes to get the job done. E13ctron have made these two pieces of plastic liners that eliminate any contact being made with the front and back edges of the metal band of your iPhone 4. I'm not sure why E13ctron decided to go with plastic liners instead of rubber or silicone liners to help absorb some shock. This also brings me into another point, and that is the S4 isn't a shock protective case at all, but more of a scratch and bump protective case for the iPhone 4.
The S4's build quality could not be any better. The two parts of the case come together flawlessly and without any gaps all around. E13ctron have really did a fantastic job designing the S4 case, however there is a minor flaw with the cutouts for the volume buttons as well as the silent switch. It's hard to get to the volume buttons because of the small cutout, it should be bigger so everyone can easily reach and press them. I myself, don't have big fingers so I should warn anyone with chubby thumbs that you're going to have a hard time with this. I really hope E13ctron fixes this issue soon as it's the only flaw in the S4. Also, the bottom dock connector cutout is perfectly cut to only fit Apple's sync cable that come with your iPhone 4, so that means no chunky 3rd party sync cables.
On top of the S4, the sleep/wake button is actually easy to press because the cutout is wide enough. The headphones port is nicely cut but again, it will only fit slim 3.5mm audio jacks similar to Apple's in-ears. I never had any issues since all my headphones and earphones have a slim 3.5mm audio jack.
The S4 case has nice and smooth edges so it's really comfortable to hold however you are not going to get any added grip since it's all sleek aluminum. The S4 is very lightweight and doesn't add much bulk to the iPhone 4, it's just slightly wider than the Apple Bumper case. Unlike other aluminum cases made for the iPhone 4, the S4 is designed in a way that there is not actual contact with the problematic antenna area at all. I have not noticed any issues with my signal or WiFi connection. I did notice a signal reduction of one bar at certain areas though.
You can use any skin and screen protector on the back and front to your desire with the S4 since there is no contact being made with the front and back glass. Looks are the first reason why you should get yourself an S4 aluminum case, protection would be the last choice. I must say that I've been getting many stares lately using the S4 on my iPhone 4. It's not a case that you would expect someone you know to have that's for sure. E13ctron have designed a stunning aluminum case that works very well minus the volume cutout. It's a pleasure owning such a unique looking case. Price $84.99.
