Apple Could Have Made Freeform3’s iPhone 5 Bumper [Review]

iPhone cases overwhelm me. There are cases made from wood, metal, plastic, recyclable material, leather, and fabric. I’ve tried nearly every kind you can imagine, but I have yet to find one that I’m happy to wake up to every morning—many probably feel that way about their lovers.

In my quest to find a good looking, functional, minimal iPhone case, I came across an aluminum case for the iPhone 5 by Freeform3, a Craftwerk company. What started as a Kickstarter project has turned into the best iPhone bumper I’ve ever used.

The Good

CNC machined from a single block of air-craft grade aluminum, the Freeform3 iPhone 5 case looks like it could have been designed by Apple. The product is beautifully packaged, and as our own Charlie Sorrel already highlighted, Craftwerk’s boxes actually double as smart docks that can amplify the iPhone’s speakers.

Not much can be said about the design besides this: it’s gorgeous. I have yet to find a bumper that looks as good and feels as smooth in the hand. Very Apple-like. It doesn’t add any noticeable weight or heft to the iPhone 5, and it slightly raises the device off surfaces to protect from minor scratches and dents.

Assembly is rather straightforward. The case is broken into two pieces for the top and rear of the iPhone. Tempered glass screen and rear plate protectors are included in the package. To put the case on, slide the bottom half onto the iPhone and place the glass protector over the device’s back until it slides into the bottom of the bumper. Then slide the top half of the case onto the iPhone until the two pieces are aligned with one another.

“Very Apple-like.”

White and black plastic inserts are included for the power button and volume rocker. I like the look of the black against the white iPhone, but you can switch out colors by pulling the insert out of the top aluminum piece.

One of my favorite things about this case is not actually the case. The anti-smudge Gorilla glass screen protector that Freeform3 sells separately is fantastic. Apple uses Gorilla glass for the iPhone’s screen, and having this screen protector effectively doubles the durability of your display. A cheaper (but still good) screen protector is included when you purchase the case, but I highly recommend getting the Gorilla upgrade for $30. It’s amazing how good it is at resisting fingerprint smudges.

The Bad

I had some issues getting my case’s ridges to align properly at first, so be careful when putting the bumper together for the first time. Some wiggling may be required. You want to make sure the parts slide onto the iPhone 5’s frame correctly or the final result won’t look quite right. The case was also very snug once I got it on correctly, so you may have to use a little force to take it off. Freeform3 says that pushing the rear glass towards the top of the iPhone will cause the top aluminum part to easily slide off.

“Some users may experience 5-10% signal loss.”

Unlike other metallic bumpers, I didn’t notice any major cellular signal issues when using the Freeform3. I remember my AT&T iPhone 5 briefly dropping to EDGE once in an area where I usually have LTE coverage, but I can’t be sure that it was related to the case. I did some research, and it seems that many people who have purchased this case have complained about signal issues. “Some users may experience 5-10% signal loss,” according to Freeform3.

The Verdict

Freeform3 makes my favorite iPhone 5 bumper out there. It’s a little pricey at $70, but there’s quality in the attention to detail. Signal loss may be a deal breaker for some, so it may be worth emailing Freeform3 before purchasing to see if there have been complaints for your carrier and area. If the signal issues weren’t such an issue, this would be a truly excellent purchase.



[rating=good]