The same company that made my lowest rated case also made my favorite.
Some time ago, I gave the Utomic Edge corner protection for the iPhone X an abysmal review. While I appreciated the minimalism, I was not a fan of the adhesive. Perhaps it was the polished stainless steel, my tight jeans getting caught on the corners, their shape, or weak adhesive, but I could not get them to stay on for more than a few weeks. Eventually, most fell off, and I didn’t have replacements. Utomic would ship me a new set of 4, as they were covered under warranty, but a helpful Utomic customer service representative reached out to me and offered something else: try one of their other cases. Maybe the Edge protectors weren’t for me, maybe a more traditional case was more my speed. I took him up on his offer, taking a replacement Utomic Metal Bumper case. I’m glad I did.
In This Article:
The Utomic Metal Bumper for the iPhone X
A smartphone with steel edges that acted as antenna was a revolutionary and gorgeous design. Truly, the iPhone 4 was the most classically beautiful gadget of its era, and the aesthetic is still chased after today. However, it didn’t come without flaws. Your skin could contact the lower left antenna break, which could cause attenuation; the signal would drop considerably. It was Apple’s most notable “-gate,” antennagate. Apple “solved” this with their first case, and later with an antenna redesign. Apple gave the case away for free to iPhone 4 owners. Between antennagate, the fragility of glass, and increasing smartphone size, smartphones and cases were married forever.
The bumpers weren’t high-end. The plastic prevented reception issues, though it cheapened the device. Utomic didn’t go that route. Instead, they added a rubber liner, and ensured antenna breaks prevent attenuation. The end result is a high-end bumper that doesn’t cause a drop in reception. Plus, it costs the same as the original Apple bumper, $30.
Protection 4 / 5
Looks 5 / 5
Weight 5 / 5
Utomic isn’t specific about what kind of metal they use for this case. It feels extremely light, yet firm. My guess is aluminum. Regardless, it’s incredibly lightweight. In fact, it feels like it’s not even there. Despite how stiff and rigid this case is, it’s surprisingly light.
Ease of Use 3 / 5
Many cases, including the last case I reviewed, the Moshi Vitros, mess up here. The Utomic bumper is not one of those cases. The buttons are clicky, with the moving parts are separated from the rest of the case. Utomic did mess up one thing here though: forgetting that many people don’t have long fingernails. The mute switch can be hard to get to if you have short fingernails. I understand that case manufacturers make this area sturdy because, if they make it thinner, it could make that portion of the case fragile. Making it more shallow could have the same effect. Still, I think every millimeter matters here, and as long as a case manufacturer tries to widen this space up a little bit, it can make the experience much better. Utomic traded in ease of use here for cost effectiveness and potentially durability. It’s a problem, but it’s not as much of a problem as an overly expensive case or one that breaks easily would be.
Grip 1 / 5
Durability 5 / 5
Value 5 / 5
Overall 4.5 / 5
It’s kind of funny, my favorite case actually came from the same company that also made one of my least favorite “cases.” Yes, the Utomic Bumper case is currently my favorite case for the iPhone X. It’s lightweight, protective, and keeps my iPhone looking great. What more could I ask for? Perhaps a little grip or an easy to reach mute switch, but, hey, no one’s perfect and neither is this case. It’s pretty close though.
Summary
- Protection 4 / 5
- Looks 5 / 5
- Weight 5/ 5
- Ease of Use 3 / 5
- Grip 1 / 5
- Durability 5 / 5
- Value 5 / 5