Griffin Reveal Case for iPhone 4/S Review
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When you think iPhone Accessories, you think of companies like Belkin, Incase, and Griffin. These companies pump out cases almost instantaneously with the announcement of the next new hot Apple item. The iPhone 4/4s has been out for a while now, but today we look at one of those staple cases you might have run across at your big retailer or your local Apple Store - the Griffin Reveal. Is this case worth a second glance? Find out after the break!
The last time we talked about the Griffin Reveal case was back in 2010 when the manufacturer first started offering it up for those Apple fanatics who want to show off the beauty of their iPhones. It's now 2012 and here we revisit it for use with the iPhone 4s. The Griffin Reveal is made up of a clear plastic back with a rubber gasket "bumper" that allows the phone to be slipped in to the case easily. Very simple concept. The packaging is simple too, just showcasing the clarity of the case plastic. When I received this case, I had no clue about the bezel thickness or what the ports situation looked like. I was pleasantly surprised.
The Reveal turned out to be a very slim, low profile kind of case. There if very little thickness added to the iPhone with the case on, and the bezel was just right. The biggest problem I have with some cases out there is the bezel - too large it looks comical and toyish, too small and you risk scratching your phone screen. There is a minimal lay on the table design with this case, but it is still there. It was very easy to slip the phone into the case, and take it out as well. The rubber has the feel of a TPU case, not so much the soft silicone of some cases out there. Slipping this into and out of a pocket was not hung up by snags from sticky rubber. The rubber gasket gives the illusion of some shock absorption with drops on corners, so this case offers a nice deal of protection.
The ports are perfectly cut to reveal just what is needed. Users with larger older generation dock connector cables may need to purchase extenders due to how perfectly cut the case is. The sleep/wake and volume buttons are covered with no hindrance to button presses. With regards to the headphone jack, some case companies out there go crazy with protecting the phones that it is impossible to plug any headphones but the included Apple earbuds. The headphone jack has enough space to house some of the larger headphone plugs out there.
All in all, the case on the phone was a nice tight fit with no noticeable movement or shifting. The plastic back is ultra clear, but not entirely scratch proof. After having this case a few hours I can already see micro swirls and scratches at certain angles in the light. Not that noticeable at first glance. At certain angles you can also see 'rainbowing' for a lack of a better term. I still felt very happy with how the case looks on my phone with a transparent back, but it would have been nice to see this case as more scratch proof and ultra ultra clear. The camera is exposed in a large cut out, and Griffin lined the cut out with black to prevent the lazy haze that comes from taking pictures with flash. My pictures had just very minimal haze to it, and I'd imagine that my transparent back mod compounded the problem. Your mileage may very with normal iPhones.
While this case feels really solid, there are just a few things I wish were different. The rubber gasket feels like there are some rough spots - it is not totally smooth on all the edges. I am also slightly perplexed about how loose it is, or how loose it can possibly get. Only time will tell. This case has been on the market for a couple years now, and looking at it now, I can see why this has been a popular choice for iPhone users. The prices range from $15 to $30 so check online retailers for the best price. If you want to showcase your iPhone while offering a good deal of protection, this case may be the one for you.
