October 01st, 2012

Incipio has jumped out the gate offering a bevy of cases for the newly released iPhone 5. The DualPro hardshell case with silicon core is a nice solution that offers a good level of protection and a bit of unique style to your iPhone 5. 

The DualPro comes with the usual accouterments that accompany iPhone cases: a clear screen protector, plastic applicator, and a small microfiber cloth. The package also includes a black plastic piece, which for the life of me, I could not figure out what it was for and how to use it. The instructions that came with the case did not explain what it was for. I decided to ignore it and move on to the case.

The case is a two-piece design, consisting of a soft silicon inner shell and an external soft-touch shell made of what Incipio calls Plextonium (plastic). Once the iPhone 5 is placed into the silicon and the shell is applied, the iPhone is fully covered from top to bottom. The power button and the side volume buttons are fully covered and have decent tactile feedback when pressed. The DualPro also offers lay-on-the-table protection for the screen as the sides of the case extend over the edge of the iphone. One complaint that I had with the design is the outer hard shell does not cover the front of the device around the button area so the silicon is exposed. This part of the case had some give to it, which is understandable, but became a bit annoying after some use. Also, I found some difficulty accessing the side mute switch with the tip of my thumb. I had to make a concerted effort with my index finger in order to flip the switch up or down. Your mileage may vary. The back of the case has an oval cutout for the camera and flash which is outlined by a blackout ring which assists in keeping down any light reflection that surfaces can produce. The bottom of the case has individual cutouts for the speakers and the headphone jack. I had no issues plugging in any of the headphones I had available (Apple Earpods, Klipsch s4i’s, and Bose OE2i’s),

Overall, this case with its two levels of cover protection offers a good amount of drop protection and covers enough of the phone to absolutely minimize the possibility of damaging or scratching the iPhone 5. The DualPro sits in the middle of case designs in terms of bulk and protection with the Otterbox defender (most protection) and the bevy of ultra thin shell type cases (least protection). This is a good choice for anyone looking for good protection in a relatively compact form factor. The case I received for review is a Cyan Blue with Grey. Several other colors are offered on the website, with enough combinations to satisfy even he pickiest individual.  

Pros:  

• Excellent protection offered by a dual piece design
• Full button coverage
• Soft touch feels great in the hand
• Offered in a wide variety of colors

Cons:

• Exposed silicon side by the button area has some “give” to it
• Mute switch difficult to access
• The lay-on-table-design can interfere with edge-of-screen interaction

Incipio DualPro - $29.99  Link