Kickass Startups is back for week number two, our new column showcasing great new mobile products that deserve a boost in coverage. Last time, we covered the new 1 Second Everyday app funded by Kickstarter. Today, we have the Metal Slate line of excellently designed iPhone 5 cases by Spigen SGP. The company is known for having some of the best screen protectors on the market, but their high quality phone cases also deserve quite a bit of praise.
What makes the Metal Slate line so special is its inspiration: Spigen designed these to complement the design of the iPhone 5. You’ll find a lot of two-tone dark cases here like the one above. Others just have the familiar slate color from the black iPhone 5 and some cases are offered in a lighter gray or white color to pair with the white iPhone 5. What you won’t see is any super-heavy duty cases comparable to the Otterbox lines. Instead, the Metal Slate line focuses on elegant design that doesn’t sacrifice on protection.
I happen to own two of the cases found in this line because I love them so much. The Slim Armor TPU/polycarbonate case, one of which I own, comes with two pieces and looks almost exactly like my black iPhone 5. I grabbed it for only $17.99. The other one I have is the bumper style Neo Hybrid Slim Ex, again coming with two pieces (silicone and polycarbonate) for great shock protection especially around the edges. This one also comes with a screen protector and will run you $31.99.
Aside from those, the other four in the series are the Ultra Thin Air, Linear, Crystal Series Linear, and Linear Slim Ex. All of them do an outstanding job preserving the look and feel of Apple’s latest iPhone.
If you’re like me and you are the type of person who loves the iPhone for its remarkable hardware design but feels that most cases often degrade the quality of the design, look no further than Spigen SGP’s Metal Slate line.