I’ve been using the Speck CandyShell Grip for my HTC One for more than a week now. Out of all the cases I’ve tested so far, this case has been the one I’ve used the most. The particular case that I’ve been using is the white/black one, but there are three additional color schemes if the white/black is not to your liking.
Price: MSRP $34.95, but you may be able to spot theSpeck CandyShell Grip Case for the HTC One for a bit lower on Amazon.
Design
As I mentioned previously, the case comes in four different color schemes: black/slate, white/black, pool/deep sea blue, and raspberry/nimbus gray. The case has a hard outer shell with the Speck logo on the center. The outer shell also has numerous rubber stripes on it and the corners are reinforced. On the inside of the case, the material is soft and rubbery. There are cutouts for the power button, headphone jack, micro-USB port, microphone, flash, and camera. There is no cutout for the volume rocker. Instead, a rubberized cover protects your volume buttons.
Protection
Putting your phone in the case is very easy. You just have to slide the back of the phone in and make sure that your phone is flushed with the case. It is a very tight fit so your phone will not move around on the inside of the case. Since the interior of the case is made out of a soft, rubbery material, you do not have to worry about scratching the back of your phone. The one drawback of this fit is that when you want to remove your phone, I found that it took some work.
This case does not have a front cover so you will want to pair it up with some kind of screen protector for maximum protection. However, it does have raised edges on the front which helps protect your phone screen. If you set your phone face down on a flat surface, you do do not have to worry about your screen getting scratched since the raised edges will be the one touching the surface. It is also made out of rubber so your phone will also not slide around if you set it down.
The back of your phone is what will benefit the most from this case. The case is made out of a hard shell so it will be able to protect your phone from impact. Also, since it has rubber ridges it will be able to absorb shocks from normal bumps and drops. Like the rubberized raised edges, the ridges will prevent your phone from sliding around if you set it down on its backside. Not only will this protect your phone, but it will also help limit your case from getting scratched.
Use
Speck has specifically marketed this phone for users who love texting. The main draw of this case is the rubber ridges which helps prevent grip slips. It is for this very reason that the case is called CandyShell Grip. In my experience, it works effectively well. Whether texting or making phone calls, the rubber ridges helps a great deal when gripping your phone. It also works well if you are gaming, taking pictures, or shooting videos. The one bad thing about having the rubber ridges is that it can sometimes get caught in your pant’s pocket, especially if you are wearing jeans and your pockets aren’t very big. Although not a deal breaker by any means, this can become an issue if you want to whip out your phone to take a quick picture.
The case does add bulk and weight to your phone. If you are talking on the phone for a long time while gripping your phone, you will start to notice the added bulk and weight. You will notice it more if you are gaming. Often, after playing Candy Crush for a while, my left hand would start to cramp up. You can really tell the difference when you take the phone off the case.
One design that I would have preferred differently is the cover for the volume rocker. Although the volume rocker is protected, I found the cover to be very stiff. Whenever I wanted to adjust the volume, I had to use a lot of pressure to get it accomplished. Rather than the cover, I think I would’ve like a cutout instead.
Final Verdict
The Speck CandyShell Grip is a good, solid case. It offers great protection for your phone and the “no slip” grip is a very nice touch. If you have issues with dropping your phone, then you should definitely check this case out. There are really only two things that I don’t like about this case: the added bulk/weight and the stiff cover for the volume rocker. Despite that, I still like this case and heartily recommend it.
