Belkin Acrylic Case for iPhone Review

Jan 2 2008, 12:00am CST | by Shane McGlaun

There are probably lots of gadget lovers out there who found an iPhone under the tree this holiday season. It seldom takes long when we get new gadgets to realize that we also need some accessories to go along with them. Such is the case with the iPhone. Today we are looking at the Belkin Acrylic Case for iPhone. Read the full review for all the details.

Gallery

9 images

Benchmarks

Features & Specifications
As soon as I opened my iPhone I called AT&T to insure the phone in case I dropped it. It seems so many iPhone users break the rather fragile screen by dropping the phone (a family member is on his third iPhone for this very reason) that AT&T won’t even insure the phone for damage. Thankfully my wife gave me a Belkin Acrylic Case for iPhone.

At first glance the case looks very nice with its clear hard shell that wraps around the iPhone and allows access to the controls while inside the case. The case does leave the iPhone screen unprotected though. The case also features a removable belt clip that also acts as a stand so you can prop the phone up while enjoying YouTube videos or surfing the web. The case also includes an adhesive thingy (that is the technical term) for apparently securing the phone to a vertical surface via the hole on the rear of the belt clip. I assume that it would be used for sticking the phone to the side of your desk or the dash of your car.

The belt clip is removable if you simply want protection and prefer to carry the phone in your pocket. Unlike the photos on the Belkin site, my Acrylic Case had a clear belt clip. One thing that caught my eye when I was opening the Belkin case was the warnings that said to clean dirt and debris out of the case or you risk marring the finish on your phone.

In Use
As it turns out that this little caveat is a very serious problem with the Belkin Acrylic Case for iPhone. I have had the iPhone all of a week and I clean the case each time I sync the phone. This is mostly due to the fact that the case adds to much bulk to sync the iPhone with the included cradle, but it will sync with the cable alone.

I noticed that my iPhone already has a number of scratches on the shiny chrome bezel from the Belkin case. Turns out that the case I expected to protect my phone actually damaged the finish, and I removed the phone from the case and cleaned it daily. From what I can tell the case allows the iPhone to slide around a bit when carried in the pocket or on your belt causing abrasion to the chrome bezel.

The abrasion isn’t that bad and from a distance you can’t really tell it’s there. However, I have a big problem with a case meant to protect causing any visual blemishes to the bezel of my brand new iPhone, and I think any iPhone owner would. In short, stay away from this iPhone case.

Verdict

Conclusion

Pros

Attractive case
Doesn’t add bulk

Cons

Case cause damage to the bezel of my iPhone

Verdict
This is one product I simply can’t recommend for anyone expecting protection for their expensive iPhone. Any item that causes marring of the device it is meant to protect has a serious design flaw. My recommendation is that any iPhone user shop elsewhere for protection for their phone.

3.0

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Shane McGlaun
Leading our review center, Shane knows technology inside out. His extensive experience in testing computer hardware and consumer electronics enable him to effectively qualify new products and trends. If you want us review your product, please contact Shane.
Shane can be contacted directly at shane@i4u.com.