The ThinEdge bumper from MyBanana promises to be the world’s slimmest “frame case” for iPhone 5, delivering minimalist protection that doesn’t spoil your handset’s sleek and sexy form factor. It adds just 1mm of thickness to the sides of your device, which is just enough to protect its aluminum edges from dings and scratches.
Category: Bumpers
Works With: iPhone 5
Price: $35
The ThinEdge extends slightly around the front and back edges of your devices to ensure they never come into contact with flat surfaces when placed down, and that means you can show off your handset’s design without having to worry about picking up scratches.
The ThinEdge provides a soft touch matte finish that increases grip, and it comes in a range of colors, including black, orange, pink, silver, and white.
Is it worth its £23 ($35) price tag?
The Good
Jony Ive put a great deal of effort into making your iPhone 5 as thin and as pretty as possible, and it seems a shame to spoil that design with a bulky case. But the ThinEdge bumper allows you to see almost all of the front and back of your device in all their glory.
The ThinEdge does cover up your iPhone’s sides, and it protrudes ever so slightly around its front and back edges. But in doing so it provides impact protection against drops, scuffs, and scratches.
If you drop your device on a flat surface — from a reasonable height — then the ThinEdge should protect it from any damage. You can also slide it along your desk without having to worry about scuffing up the glass on the front or the aluminum on the back.
The ThinEdge looks terrific, and its soft, rubbery finish provides a comfortable feel that increases grip. It also has all the necessary openings for your sleep/wake button, headphone jack, volume buttons, and mute switch. It evens provides covers for your iPhone’s speakers, which will prevent them from collecting dust and other detritus.
A small removable clip — which comes in multiple colors, with two included in every pack — opens up the ThinEdge and allows you to remove it. It’s easy to apply and fairly secure, but there’s more on this below.
The Bad
The more you remove and replace that clip, the looser it becomes. I’ve had mine for just a couple of weeks, but I’m sure I remove and replace my cases more often than most to test other cases and accessories. Although it still holds the ThinEdge together pretty well, it does pop off every so often.
I must stress that this doesn’t happen all by itself; usually it’s triggered by pulling my iPhone out of my pocket or catching it on something like the clutter I have on my desk. But it’s something to bear in mind — once you’ve fitted the ThinEdge, don’t remove it unless you have to.
The other niggle I had with the ThinEdge is that it’s a little rouugh around the edges. The back edges in particular have a rather sharp edge, and sometimes this digs into your fingers when you’re using your iPhone. It’s not a major issue, but if you’re using your device for extended periods of time, you do start to notice it more.
The only other downside to the ThinEdge is that the opening around the Lightning connector is a little smaller than I’d like. It’s big enough for Lightning cable that you get with your iPhone, but if you use a larger third-party one or the Lightning to micro USB connector that Apple supplies, it won’t fit.
The Verdict
I’ve bought several bumper cases for my iPhone 5 in an effort to protect it while still showing off its design, many of which are copies of Apple’s own bumpers for the iPhone 4/4S. But the ThinEdge is by far the nicest bumper I’ve owned, in fact, it’s one of the nicest iPhone 5 cases I’ve tested.
The ThinEdge isn’t as protective as a proper case, but it’s not designed to be. It’s designed to provide you with minimalist protection that’ll offer some peace of mind for those who hate to cover up their iPhone.
 Product Name: ThinEdgeThe Good: Simple protection that shows off your iPhone’s design; looks great; nicely priced. The Bad: A little sharp around the edges; incompatible with any connector aside from the one that comes with your iPhone. The Verdict: If you want a bumper case for iPhone, get this one — you’ll love it. Buy from: MyBanana |
[rating=excellent]
