19 March, 2014

iPhone 5 Card Cases

Thinking of getting a new iPhone case, to replace my 3D printed one. No, it still fits great. No cracks, distortion, warping or stretching. Very impressive, actually. Better than some "normal" cases. I just feel uneasy with the exposed edges at the bottom and near the volume control buttons. Again, I'm looking for one that can hold cards. Previously, I had considered these.

The case should:
  • Cover all exposed edges, especially those my 3D printed ones didn't
  • Hold at least 2 cards, but NOT be one of those flip cases
  • Cover power and volume buttons
  • Be as thin as possible
  • Extend above the screen
  • Ideally, not have contact between the phone and cards
  • Cards removable without removing phone
  • Allow me to use my ports cover (i.e. not separate the Lightning and audio ports):

Cases I've considered:

Incipio

Stowaway - all the cases I've seen with a "door" are very thick, and I suspect this is the same. Cannot use ports cover.

Stashback - exposed bottom surface.

Case-Mate

POP! ID - cards contact phone, but the biggest problem with CM's cases is they look very similar to those you can get on eBay for 1/10 the price. Otherwise this seems ok.

Speck

CandyShell Card - cannot use ports cover, otherwise one of my favourite cases. It's hard plastic, so it may be a little thick.

SmartFlex Card - the soft version of the CandyShell. Made of TPU. Also cannot use ports cover. Might be a little thinner than CandyShell and less prone to scratches since it's not made of glossy plastic.

CM4

Q - seems to fit all my requirements, but seems expensive/hard to find.

OtterBox


Commuter Wallet - seems rather bulky.

Update 26 Apr 14

togs

The Looker - interesting, this is a case with a mirror, something else I wouldn't mind in my case. Mirror seems to be plastic (they say it's shatterproof). Front bottom edge is covered. Back bottom edge seems to be meant to be protected by your cards.

Update 2 May 14
I've bought the POP! ID

Griffin Technology

Identity -  seems to meet all my requirements. Maybe I should differentiate top/bottom card insertion from side card insertion.

Update 12 May 14

Sinjimoru

Sinji Pouch - if you can't find a case with card storage, maybe get a stick-on pouch instead. This stretchy Sinji Pouch can hold cards, earphones, even a bottle?! Its adhesive has to tread the fine line between "strong enough" and "leaves no residue". This is a Korean product. Surprisingly, there are no Chinese versions, meaning either it's not popular enough, or it's too difficult to make. I'd be careful when using a product that relies on adhesion. Speaking of Korean products:

Tangram

Smart Case 3 - their iPhone 4 case was one of my favourite cases, but it's VERY hard to find. This iPhone 5 one is already out of stock. Why don't they make more?

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