XtremeMac hailing out of Florida has been creating cases ever since the first iPod. Now almost 10 years later I have a Microshield Accent Tatu with a bright pink border hugging my iPhone 4. The Microshield Accent is available in two different versions: a standard version with a clear back, and a Tatu version with print on the inside of the back. There is also a completely different Microshield that lacks the soft border.
The Microshield Accent is a two piece design made from a thin clear plastic covering the back, and sides of the phone. The second piece is a border that goes around the sides, and over the front and back edges of the phone. It holds the case together as well. To insert the phone you have to pry, and exert quite a lot of force to get it in. As the plastic creaks I really feel like the case will break. Getting the phone out of the case is also a hassle, and takes a lot of power.
For protection the Microshield Accent is really good offering excellent scratch protection, and good impact protection. The soft border around the sides is thick, and somewhat bouncy. If the phone falls on an edge it will probably survive. I doubt that the case will survive more than one major impact though, but that is not uncommon. Only the maximum protection cases, and thick silicone cases can protect the phone, and live to protect another day.
I really like the cool techno flower pattern printed inside of the case for the pink Tatu version. As the print is on the inside it will last in the long run. The pattern does become tangled with the text printed on the back of the iPhone 4. This makes the back feel slightly sloppy.
The border of the case is rubberized, and provides excellent grip when using the phone. All functions are available in the case. The camera cut-out has black paint around the edges to avoid the flash from being disturbed by reflections in the plastic. Despite a great attention to such details the case feels cheap, and plastic. It doesn’t match the iPhone 4 in that regards at all.
I am divided when it comes to the Microshield Accent. On the one hand it provides good grip, and excellent protection. On the other hand it looks cheap, is hard to insert into and extract from. If you are looking for a case that lets you showcase the back, and have a good grip I can give it a limited recommendation. There are a lot of better choices out there.
Final Rating
Microshield Accent at XtremeMac.com $24.99
