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Sleek Crystal, PDO

MRSP: $24.99

What’s in the box:

Sleek Crystal Case
screen protector

PDO’s Sleek Crystal is a clear, rigid polycarbonate case. It’s clear so you still get to behold the beauty of your iPhone uninhibited. The case comes in two halves, a front and back, that snap together to form the whole. There are cut-outs for the iPhone’s Home button, ear speaker, the bottom speaker, the Silence button, camera lens and the microphone. Other buttons and all ports are protected by PVC covers.

The case is a good design and although made by PDO looks exactly like the Contour iSee case that I bought for my 1st. generation iPhone. The PVC covers for the Power and Volume buttons work great and address the one gripe I had about Griffin Technology’s Clarifi: adjusting the volume is hard because of the thickness of the case. It takes a time or two to get a feel for the PVC volume buttons but once you do adjusting volume even when you have the phone to your ear, is a snap.

The PVC covers for the headphone and docking port are a nice touch and keep various types of junk from getting into the port. You know what I’m talking about: pocket lint, debris that floats around the bottom of purses and brief cases, etc. The only problem with the port covers is that the headphone cover isn’t always easy to insert into the port. Both covers include a hinge that allows you to access the ports while at the same time keep the covers attached to the case.

There are two problems with the case but neither is a deal breaker. The first is that it’s not always easy to put together. Each button and port PVC cover is a separate piece and getting them all to stay put in the back cover while trying to snap the front cover in place can be tricky. You do have to occasionally take it apart to clean dust and other debris out from between the case and your phone so you can’t avoid having to put it back together. It really isn’t all that big a deal especially since you don’t have to do it all that often.

The second problem is that compared to other cases, the Sleek Crystal seems to add quite a bit more bulk. The difference is certainly noticeable especially when compared to the Clarifi. I keep my phone in my left front shirt pocket and getting it out and putting it back in is a bit more difficult while encased in the Sleek Crystal. Perhaps the extra bulk will give you a bit more protection in the event of a drop. I don’t know and as I said in the Clarifi review, I’m not going to find out.

As I said neither of these problems are a big deal but you may want to at least consider them when making a purchasing decision. If you don’t want to bulk up your iPhone the Sleek Crystal probably isn’t for you. Having said that PDO’s Sleek Crystal is a nice case and the PVC button and port covers are strong features that should also be taken into account.

AYAAW Recommends the Sleek Crystal.