We have been sent several iPhone 7 cases to review, and thought that it would be better to group some of them together, and the Caseology Envoy Series Carbon Fibre Black and Olixar X-Duo Carbon Fibre Gold cases are ideal to look at side-by-side. The reason for this is due to the fact that both have a large amount of black on the rear, with gold edging to give your new iPhone a different look.
We did try to see if these cases fitted the iPhone 6 and 6s, but they do not. The Olixar has cutouts for the camera and flash, and so no way on earth of them lining up. The Caseology Envoy Series has a more open cutout, although the lens and flash just sit a bit higher and more to the right, and so covers them a little bit at the top. This is a bit of shame, as they could have just done a slightly larger opening – although this is how these case makers earn their money.
Caseology Envoy Series iPhone 7 Case in Carbon Fibre Black review – So let’s look at this case first, and what we like about this is just how flexible it is to hold, which feels a bit strange at first seeing as though the gold part of this case it made from plastic. You, can actually remove the two from each other and it is because of this that the case has that certain amount of flex in. Clipping the two together again is very simple, as is placing the iPhone 7 into the case itself.
It’s surprising how much bulk is added to the phone, seeing as though this case is not that thick or heavy come to that. However, there are some great design features that we already like. The inner part of the case is made from TPU, and so has a good amount of strength, flexibility and so protects your phone against shocks. The inner pattern is also said to help protect against shocks as well, along with heat dissipation.
However, one of the best features has to be the outer edge, because the PTU sits a little bit proud of the screen, and so adds an extra layer of protection, such as placing it down on surfaces, meaning it will not hit the screen. This is also good if you were to accidentally drop your phone, and reduces the risk of damage to the screen.
We have reviewed some cases where the buttons do not work correctly, although this was not an issue for this case, as they all worked perfectly. However, what did concern us was just how smooth the edges are, meaning you do not have much grip, and so you need to be careful if you get your hands get went and use the phone in this case.
- Main features of this phone are:
- Tough dual-layered hardshell body with sleek metallic bumper
- Tough, rugged protection
- Stylish carbon fibre grip design
- Extremely thin and lightweight
- Tactile buttons
- Easily access all ports, controls & connectors
The price of the Caseology Envoy Series iPhone 7 Case – Carbon Fibre Black is £29.99 and can be purchased from Mobile Fun.
Now onto the Olixar X-Duo iPhone 7 Case – Carbon Fibre Gold review – This case feels slightly thinner than the Envoy Series that we looked at above, although it is also made up of two parts and so adds a bit of flexibility. You will notice an Oxilar sticker inside, and you are asked to not remove it.
We did find this case a bit tighter to put on, and so not certain if we were meant to separate them first, and then place the phone inside? However, now that it’s on the phone does not feel as bulky as the case above, and so feels just a little more comfortable in the pocket. However, this case is the same as the other in regards to it not offering much grip when held in your hand. Having said that, you also get a lip around the edge to help protect the phones screen.
What we did like that bit more about this case are those cutouts to the rear for the camera and flash, as it makes it look a bit more bespoke rather than generic. It really does give it a more premium look, and so do the tactile buttons that are chrome in colour, which goes with the gold and black.
However, what we did prefer more with the Envoy Series case is its softer back, as the rear of the X-Duo case is much harder, and so does slide around a little easier when placed on surfaces.
- Main features:
- Hybrid dual-layered flexible body with sleek metallic bumper
- Tough, rugged protection
- Premium carbon fibre non-slip design
- Extremely thin and lightweight
- Tactile buttons
- Easily access all ports, controls & connectors
The Olixar X-Duo iPhone 7 Case – Carbon Fibre Gold price is a £19.99 on Mobile Fun, and so £10 cheaper than the case above. However, if we had to choose between the two, then this does not come down to price alone, as they both have their advantages and disadvantages.
We like the Caseology Envoy because of the its thicker protection to the rear, although it did add a bit more bulk. However, the X-Duo is sleeker and those camera cutouts do look rather cool, although while those tactile buttons do look nice, they do rattle a little bit, which can become annoying at times.
It’s for this reason why we really cannot choose because they both have their good and bad points – although some of you still might be persuading on the price.
