Believe it or not, I read and watch a lot of other people’s reviews too. I’m not a fan of video reviews, they take so long to get to the point, but I found that I can watch them at 2x speed and skip around enough to make them almost as tolerable as a written review.
One of the video reviewers I watch is MobileReviewsEh. It’s a channel by a great dog, Monty, who’s human companions test iPhone accessories. Great stuff. One of the cases that seemed quite protective and attractive that he tested was the Rhinoshield Mod/CrashGuard NX. His had a back cover, but is otherwise the same case as the one I ordered. You can swap the rim for a plastic cover, but they’re the same cases along the edges, the protective parts.
Drop after drop, and that iPhone didn’t break. The case looks great, and I wanted to get their Apple Watch version, just for exercise and sports. I figured I’d give the iPhone case a try too, and added it to my cart.
I actually like the Rhinoshield Apple Watch case, at least for what little I’ve used it so far. I’ll review it once I use it enough, I usually go case-free with my Apple Watch. However, the iPhone case? That’s a different story. This is my review of what is the best-looking iPhone 12 mini case I own. It’s also the first one to lead to damage on my iPhone 12 mini… well, the screen protector, anyway. Guess the bumper version isn’t quite as protective as the version with a back plate.
Who knew?
In This Article:
Specs
- Height: 138.1mm : Adds 6.49mm (that’s a lot)
- Width: 70.84mm : Adds 6.54mm (yup, also a lot)
- Depth: 11.4mm : Adds 2.13mm, including the camera bump
- Weight: 16g, incredibly lightweight!
Protection 2/10
Note how recessed the ports are and how high that rim is. This is a thick case in every direction.
This year, I thought, you know what? I’ll use a tempered glass screen protector. They offer the best scratch protection and best clarity. Why don’t I try one out? So I did. I got a really good one. Great hardness, clarity, a great applicator that made installing it easy and mostly dust free. I was set.
Then I dropped my iPhone in the Rhinoshield CrashGuard NX bumper. I did this a few times, it’s a slippery case. I once put it down on a table with just a little too much lateral force and it slid off! This time, after about a two-foot fall (around waist-height while seated), I picked up my iPhone and it seemed okay. But later I looked at it and noticed a hair on the screen. I got a light and looked closer when I realized I couldn’t brush it away.
My screen protector broke! A clear crack, running along the screen, and chipping by the corner. You see, when my iPhone fell, it landed right on the corner. That pushed the case off the corner, allowing the glass screen protector to make direct contact with my hard floor. Yes, another case that doesn’t stay on your device well. Great. A more rigid back or some material other than just plastic alone could have prevented this.
The case just gave up. And if you think that transference of energy is bad, let’s think about what happens to your poor device when you drop it. Aluminum and steel carry vibrations, as does this hard plastic.
The hard plastic can slide right off your phone, and that leads to damage. Customizable rim options through!
That’s all the case really is. Hard plastic, all the way through. Rhinoshield insists they’re “materials experts” and the case is as tough as they come, but it’s just some shockingly thick hard plastic. There’s a honeycomb texture on the inside. That’s it. There’s no TPU, silicone, or any other shock-absorbing materials here. Just hard plastic. It surely disperses some of the energy from a drop, but not enough.
Clearly.
The iPhone underneath was fine, and still is. That glass screen protector took the bullet. With the case jumping out of the way, my iPhone could have been shattered if not for that screen protector. This is what happens when you refuse to use any TPU or flexible materials in your case. The thing slides off far too easily. Rhinoshield has been making cases like this since 2021. How haven’t they figured out that they’re not working?
Back Glass Protector
This did come with a small film protector for the back of my iPhone. After all, without it, there’s nothing to protect the back of your phone from scratches or impacts. However, the fitment was terrible. I really do mean small film protector. It left large gaps on the side of the iPhone, and looked terrible. I actually took it off for photos because it was a little embarrassing. It looked as though I applied the film in a rush. I almost think Rhinoshield didn’t know just how much space would be on the back when they made the film. I’d love a clear matte back screen protector. A matte film or clear skin to apply to the back so the back isn’t a fingerprint magnet and to protect it from scratches. But I haven’t found the right one yet.
Looks 10/10
Rhinoshield’s cases may not work well for protection, but maybe it’s because they don’t have to work well? After all, have you seen the case? You can customize the back, add plastic, customize the plastic back panel with a print that you provide or choose one of theirs, add different colored rims, different buttons, and even add a lanyard or charm. It’s a highly customizable case with a fantastic appearance. Bright colors and customizability make for a gorgeous case. Plus, it’s a bumper, so the natural colors of your iPhone shine through.
Honestly, it’s one of my best-looking cases. I just wish it did more than look good. If appearances are all you care about when it comes to cases, and you truly care about nothing else, then it might be the perfect case for you.
Ergonomics 1/10
Previously, I had this in two separate sections, “size/weight” and “ease of use.” However, the two are very much one in the same. If a case is bulky and heavy, it’s not as easy to use. Simple, right? So, I’ve combined them. Just in time for this incredibly lightweight case that’s also not very easy to use.
Yeah, terrible timing, right? But it’s because of this discrepancy that I realized I really need to talk about these two aspects together. The case is just a bumper. It doesn’t have a back. That makes it lightweight. Still, the frame of the case itself is incredibly thick, adding bulk to your iPhone. And, yes, it is more difficult to use as a result. Did you get the iPhone 12 mini so you could hold it with one hand? Then I’ve got bad news for you! This takes that iPhone 12 mini and makes it feel oversized.
But it’s worse. Did you miss the slippery nature of the iPhone 11? Are the squared-off, easy to hold edges of the iPhone 12 getting you down? Then you’re going to love the all plastic texture of the Rhinoshield CrashGuard NX. It’s like trying to grip a bar of soap! They added texture to the sizes, apparently to improve grip, but it does little good. It’s winter, my hands are dry, and in my dry hands, this shoots out like that last little piece of a bar of soap down the bathroom sink drain.
Do you know what could have made this easier to hold and use? A little bit of TPU. Some rubber, silicone, just about anything. A small amount along the edges could have kept the case in my hand. It could also add more shock absorption than some hard plastic. So many of this case’s problems come down to the fact that Rhinoshield refused to use mixed materials in the case. That would be fine if it was done so to make the cases recyclable, but that’s not the case either.
Pun intended.
Sustainability 1/10
There’s just so much plastic here. I felt incredibly guilty as I pulled the parts for my case out of the packages.
Yes, packages.
One of the great features of this case is its customizability. Swap out the buttons, the rim, everything. Well, rather than putting any of that it a single package, or at least using sustainable materials, Rhinoshield loaded everything up in separate tiny plastic packages. None of it with recycling information. Is this a #1 plastic? #5? Can I toss it in with my recycling? Who knows?
I’m surprised they didn’t just throw in more plastic pieces for fun.
Oh, wait, they did, it actually did come with an extra plastic lock button.
The case is all plastic, the packaging is all in separate packages, all made of unmarked, though seemingly recyclable, plastic. It’s an ecological nightmare. As I poured it out onto my floor, I just felt so damn guilty and, frankly, pissed. With so many companies moving to more sustainable packaging, why the hell is this “materials company” still shipping their products in plastic cases that might not get recycled if separated from their labels? This could have easily been shipped in cardboard, with extra space to slide an additional rim or two and all the buttons you desire. Instead, I was sitting with a pile of plastic packaging for my plastic iPhone case.
Durability 9.5/10
Well… the case has survived a few drops. Honestly, it’s a high quality hard plastic. They say not to flex it or force it to bend, but, off device, it can flex more than I expected. Still, you shouldn’t do that. It’s hard plastic. Sheer or twist it enough, and it’ll snap. But other than that? It could withstand years of abuse. It’s a surprisingly durable plastic and feels exceptionally high quality. If you wanted to, you could likely keep the frame and just swap out colors for as long as you own your device.
It’s still plastic. Abrasion will scrape parts of it away. It’s not as though this is an aluminum case. But, for smartphone cases, this feels to be one of the most durable ones you can get.
Value 5/10
The CrashGuard NX isn’t an overly expensive case. You can get it without extras for $24.99. But when you consider that it’s just a lump of plastic, and realize the materials likely cost a few cents, suddenly it feels a little like a rip-off.
But it gets worse. You go to customize it. Now, what would you prefer? One design of your choosing and the ability to buy more rims and buttons later? Or one default design and then you have to add extras on at additional cost?
Likely the one that lets you just order your custom case, right?
Right.
Especially since that solution would mean fewer shipping packages. In the case of RhinoShield, who loves plastic so much, that means a lot of waste.
The case itself isn’t expensive. And, even with one set of customization, it’s still under $30. But for a case that’s just one type of plastic, isn’t grippy, and will come with extra parts you don’t need? I just can’t call that a good value. You’re paying money for things you may never use. How is that a good value?
MagSafe Compatibility
This is an interesting one. See, because of the thickness of the bumper, the iPhone sits too far away from my MagSafe charger in my MagSafe stand. I can’t use the stand with it sitting up, I have to just use it like a normal wireless charger. If I take my MagSafe charger out of the stand though, it actually can stick to the back of my device directly. Even on the iPhone 12 mini, the entire MagSafe charging puck can adhere to the back of my iPhone without the case getting in the way. That could be the best MagSafe compatibility for a phone case yet.
If companies release any battery packs or chargers that are more narrow than the iPhone 12, they could work, even with the case on. So while this won’t work for all MagSafe accessories, mainly anything that could come in contact with the bumper, it’ll work with anything that can fit between the edges of the bumper like you weren’t using a case at all.
And finally, there’s always the possibility that RhinoShield will simply release a MagSafe back plate in the future. This would work form their Mod NX phone, but, since the cases are the same otherwise, you’d be able to put the back on this case to complete it with MagSafe charging. I don’t know if RhinoShield is planning anything like that, but it would be silly if they weren’t at least thinking about it.
Overall 3/10
Of the three iPhone 12 mini cases I’ve tested this year, this was my least favorite. It doesn’t work with my MagSafe stand because it’s so thick. It lead to the breaking of my nice tempered glass screen protector (I went back to film protectors after that). It’s thicker than it should be and, to make matters worse, it’s slippery. It’s so incredibly slippery and even slides off desks. It takes my one-handed iPhone 12 mini and turns it into something I have to delicately cradle with two hands if I don’t want to drop it. I got the iPhone 12 mini specifically because I wanted to hold it! Let’s not forget it’s incredibly wasteful.
It’s a pretty case. It’s highly customizable. I just can’t recommend it.
If you still want one anyway, you can get it for $24.99 on Rhinoshield’s website.