Review: Incase Slider Case for iPhone 5

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

iPhone case manufacturers make a killing by having their products available when a new model comes out. Specially one like the iPhone 5 which features an all new size and thinner design. We tried the Incase Slider Case for the iPhone 5 to see it was a good fit.

Incase has been one of the bigger producers of cases for the iPhone. The Slider Case for iPhone 5 ($34.00) offers basic yet all around protection plus the added benefit of a removable bottom portion so the iPhone 5 can be slipped into a dock.

I considered this case for my iPhone 5 because I wanted complete edge and corner protection and don't really like the rubberized cases for smartphones (this was also one of the few available on launch day).

Made from a two piece hardshell design, the case provides complete coverage for all critical corners and edges, while still allowing clear access to all buttons and ports. An internal guardrail adds shock absorption as well as a secure fit.

Here's the thing, I get the impression thta the Incase Slider Case was designed around an approximation of what the iPhone 5's dimensions would be before the device was made available.

Certain things, like the large size of the hole for the camera and LED flash (way too big) as well as how uncomfortably snug the fit(one alarming realizations was how the inner rubber stripe marked the back of the iPhone 5 when the case is removed) turned me off this case.

The rubber stripe is designed as a buffer to protect the rear of the iPhone 5 from the interior of the case and offset the clearance to avoid dust. But the rubber leaves no clearance so any bit of dust or dirt that gets trapped there could scratch the back of the iPhone 5.

The top section and bottom section also seemed to fit well together but when I placed the iPhone 5 in the case, the fit was far from perfect as there was a gap between the two sections. 

The issue here isn't that the Incase solution is poorly put together, but that the level of build and precision of the iPhone 5 is on a different level altogether. I am sure this issue isn't particular to Incase and is likely something that affects various case makers. I expect this to change as these manufacturers adjust their cases for a more exact fit of the iPhone 5.

That said, the Incase Slider Case for the iPhone 5 wasn't a good option for me and isn't a case I can recommend until the fit issues are addressed.

Rating: 2 out of 5