We actually bought this case 3 months ago and after 3 months of continuous use we are now doing an intensive review on the Spigen SGP Neo Hybrid EX Metal Series. The colour we chose is the Satin Silver which would be a perfect match for a white iPhone 5. There are other colours available which are Gunmetal, Metal Blue, Metal Pink and Metal Slate. You can refer to their official page for the colours. Since this case comes without a back plastic cover so we prefer calling it a bumper. In addition, there are also lots of other colours under the same series called the Neo Hybrid and you can also check it out from the official page link we provided above.
It is a full set of protection for your iPhone 5 and we especially appreciate that they have included the back panel protective film with both crystal and matte options. Although the band will protect the iPhone 5 from drops, the scratches at the back by some harder objects like jewellery or keychains. The boxset is overall very satisfactory.
Generally speaking, we think the the silver finish bumper has very nice design and it is slim enough to fit what we are looking for in iPhone 5. As it is a bumper you can it won't affect the thickness of the phone in the center but it is a bit thicker on the edge. The colour best match with the White iPhone 5 and it is not recommended for Black iPhone 5. If you want to use it on Black iPhone 5 it is suggested you take the other colour including metallic blue and metallic slate from the same series. It offers two colours in one bumper, one colour is on the silicon bumper and one is on the frame which need to be put on the iPhone separately. The case indeed offers very good design and it will look very good on your new iPhone 5 because on one hand it gives you additional colour with its bumper. On the other hand it preserves the beautiful back of the iPhone 5 which has Apple's logo and the iPhone's laser printing on the aluminium back. As the Apple logo becomes clearly visible from any angle, the phone becomes very stylish. Indeed, the Silicon base bumper plus the hard shell outside will provide users with a good grip so it won't slip off your hands so easily. (Of course, you are always advised to be careful when holding your phone). Also, if you feel like you want more colours, you are always welcomed to customize your own bumper by purchasing another fully compatible Case Neo Hybrid Ex.
It will become much thicker in terms of the side of the iPhone 5 if you put a naked iPhone 5 on it. You will see the difference.
Whether people like this depends. Some might not want it to cover the edge of iPhone because it might make you feel uncomfortable when you put the iPhone on your ears for phone calls. But Spigen has tried to minimise the thickness brought the all around coverage.
Yes, the logo of SPG looks nice and not too obvious from this view.
Some might like the iPhone to be fully covered and this bumper does its job. It can cover almost everything at the bottom of an iPhone and leaving some holes for the speakers and lightning cable slot.
The top of the iPhone looks really nice with the case but we would like to discuss something about the button further. Just keep reading and you will find out.
iPhone 5 with only the Silicon bumper on.
We mentioned how impressive they include the back protective film with the phone. The whole boxset can give you full protection of the iPhone 5. The Silicon itself can reduce impact when you drop the phone on the floor and the polycarbonate frame is very durable and it won't be discoloured or get dings and mints easily. It covers every corner of your iPhone so you don't need to worry dropping your iPhone on the floor or on any surface except water. It is very user-friendly and you can put this whole thing on in just a minute. But when you put the hard frame on, you need to be very careful not to use too much force because it might let air or dust enter the front or rear protective film.
Just like adding those thick stickers to a physical button, it might damage the button's sensor if you don't use it carefully. Now my iPhone's power button is not functioning very well. The SGP bumper we are reviewing here has but one problem which has annoyed me – it makes my power button not sensitive anymore. From the photos below you can see a thick plastic button on the power button, but its Silicon button is too soft. This might change the force you need to use to press the button and the unusual additional force you use on the power button will shorten the lifespan of the power button. So we hereby suggest you handle the power button with care otherwise your iPhone, after few months of use, might have an slow response power button which demands repair. To preserve the hardware key on your iPhone while you use cases, you might want to consider bringing the power button and home button to the soft keys by enabling the accessibility option in your settings.
SGP Spigen is famous for doing high-end phone accessories and I dare say this Neo Hybrid EX Metal series is one of my favourites. The colour they select is a perfect match for iPhone 5 and it fits the iPhone 5 nicely. It gives the iPhone all-round protection against scratches and drops. You can also customize and find your own favortite colour match on your phone (the price is still affordable compared to those made with real metals). Our overall impression towards this bumper is trendy, stylish, durable with nice grip. However, users are advised to use with caution especially for your buttons, how you press the button might really be an issue here.
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