Anyone who knows me personally knows I’m a huge fan of Speck’s cases because they keep a slim form factor, and yet they pack a lot of drop protection and a superior anti-slip feel in your hand into that compact package.
Starting with the iPhone 7 & 7 Plus, Speck has re-worked their case lineup into what’s being dubbed the Presidio series, which features an all new drop protection technology they’re calling Impactium.
Looking at the new Presidio Grip, I was immediately curious about the updated design of the case, which now features a ribbed interior that acts like an array of bumpers to better protect your iPhone against falls from up to 10 feet in the air.
Impactium is more effective at protection against shock than the previous generation Speck cases, which as we showed in a previous review, had a completely smooth interior.
For the most part, the Presidio series Grip case still looks a lot like the signature design many have come to know and love from Speck over the years, but the updated design translates to a matte finish on the back instead of gloss, which helps resist scratches and fingerprints and keeps the case looking better over time.
One of the changes you’ll see are that the grips on the back now lead from the center to the edges in a diagonal fashion instead of horizontally, which gives the design pattern a more modern look and feel.
In terms of accessibility, the case leaves a huge hole down at the bottom of the Lightning port, which gives you plenty of access for all of your favorite Apple-branded and third-party Lightning cables. It’s even big enough to use many of the adapters that are now available to make using your headphones and charging your device at the same time possible.
Both grilles at the bottom are well vented so you don’t experience any sound muffling through the speaker or microphone.
The volume buttons and power button are all protected with rubber boots and they’re just as responsive as any Speck case in the past, which is an important point for me. I love how a good tactile button feels, especially when using a case.
The whole front face of the iPhone is exposed, and there’s certainly enough room to use a screen protector of some sort, of course the bezel around the case also offers a protective lip for those who lay their iPhone face down on tables, so you have some peace of mind on that front as well.
Overall, I feel Speck has once again nailed it with the Presidio Grip cases for the iPhone 7 & 7 Plus, which are available in a wide variety of dual tone color choices. I’ve personally bought and owned a Speck case for every iPhone I’ve ever had, and I have yet to really be disappointed with one. That goes a long way with me.
Here’s a list of pros and cons I’ve put together for the Speck Presidio Grip for the ‘TL;DR’ people out there:
Pros:
- Very good drop protection
- Slim form factor
- Wide range of color choices
- Great Lightning port accessibility
- Responsive buttons
Cons:
- Pricey
If you’re interested in picking one up, the iPhone 7 version of the case retails for $40 on Amazon, while the iPhone 7 Plus version retails for $45.