Hailing from the mystic land of tree gnomes, sunshine, and magical phone case fairies (also known as Elkhart, Indiana), Carved is a welcomed and refreshing addition to the phone accessory scene. Established in 2011, Carved has been doing wonderful things with phone cases for both Android and Apple phones over the past few years, and it is their unique blend of creativity and product design that caught my eye.
I was happy to receive two different cases from Carved as review units (the Puzzle Inlay and the Hexagon Inlay). I think the thing that most intrigued me with their cases is the different stylings and colors of their simple, yet appealing designs. If you are familiar with my previous review of the #WoodBack case by Cover-Up, then you know that I’m a fan of wooden cases. If you haven’t read it --- here’s the link: https://forums.imore.com/community-reviews/389117-cover-up-woodback-case-review-iphone-7-plus.html - and, for the record, I like wooden cases. However, the Carved cases that I received are a bit of a departure from the previous wooden case that I owned. The Puzzle Inlay and the Hexagon Inlay are colorful, they’re sharp, and they really stand out in the crowd because of their uniqueness. Each piece of the inlay is laser-crafted with meticulous detail, and looks fantastic.
The Look: First off, there are many different looks and styles when it comes to Carved. The two that I received are the Puzzle Inlay and the Hexagon Inlay, but they have a various assortment of other designs that will appeal to just about anyone’s fancy. The box that the cases comes in is simple and reminds me of something that came out of highlights magazine (I’m dating myself a little bit here.) Each box comes with the same crafty little design with various animals and objects that show a transition from the tree tops, to bustling city life, all the way down to the roots, which I think is a little representative of the appeal and design of the cases. The cases have a modern hard rubber feel that shines, feels sturdy in your hand and provides adequate protection, but the styling is as varied and works well for dressing your phone for work, or going out to a quaint country diner for lunch. The wood work that is done with each case is also fantastic. Carved offers traditional wooden cases in different types of wood, and they also mix things up with their inlaid, colorful pieces of carved wood that create fancy patterns and designs on the back. The two styles that I received are actually the models that I chose, because I really liked the designs!
The Feel: The sides of the phone are texturized, for added grip and control over the case. The overall physique of the case is fairly slim and doesn’t hide the slender form factor of either the iPhone 7+ or the Galaxy S8+. When you are holding the phone, it feels secure, and it’s not something you have to worry about dropping. There are cut-outs on the bottom of the case that give you access to all of the important stuff, such as the charging port, speaker, and 3.5mm headphone jack (if applicable). Speaking of ports, they are easy to access and you will have no problem connecting your charging cable, but I did find that the opening for the charging port tended to dig into my finger a bit after a while. Of course, your mileage may vary based on the phone model that you are using, hand size, and the way that you hold the phone. Unfortunately for me my BlackBerry carrying habits have carried over to all of my devices and I use my pinkie finger as a bit of a cradle under the phone when I hold it, so this is prone to happen to me with many cases – it’s definitely not a deal breaker, but something to be aware of. The only other issue that I have with the phone case is the buttons for the power button, but more so for the volume rocker and dedicated Bixby button on the Galaxy S8/8+ case. Because the buttons are flat and infinitesimally textured, it is near impossible to figure out whether you’re hitting the volume down button or the Bixby button when you first get the case, and it carries over once you build up some muscle memory as well. Moving forward, I would really like to see either cut-outs for the buttons, or some form of demarcation or indentation that clearly signals which button you’re pressing. This isn’t so much of an issue on the Apple series phones, but it’s quite frustrating when using the S8/S8+.
Security: The overall protection for the device is good for everyday life. It’s not an enclosed case and it doesn’t offer any form of water protection for your device, so I would avoid taking it for a swim or casually dropping it into any body of water. The cases are not MIL-SPEC drop rated, but it’s not really a concern for this case because it’s built well, and it’s a fancy wooden case – it’s not exactly designed for being tossed around in a gym bag or for using as a coaster while out at dinner. The Carved case is a very well-constructed and eye-catching case that is worth showing off, and will protect your device well from small drops and accidentally knocking it off the coffee table. However, as is par for the course, make sure you put a glass screen protector on your phone! Really, we’re talking about $700-900 phones here (brand new price). If you’re going to go through the trouble of putting a case on it, be a caring phone owner and spend the $10 on Amazon and get a screen protector to pair with the case – you’ll thank me later. So, the moral of the story is that the case will protect your phone well for day-to-day life.
Conclusion: I love these cases. Having used one of Carved’s cases for both my iPhone 7+ and my Galaxy S8+, I am really happy with the handling and appearance of the case. Like I said, I was sold from day one as soon as I saw the cool in-laid wooden designs on the back, and I wanted to give them a whirl on my phones. As much as these cases feel like they are combining Mother Nature with modern tech, it’s not overly earthy; it’s just a clever blend of awesome. I have received many compliments on both of my cases, and I have been more than happy with both of them. So, if you are interested in trying something new and want a case that represents a little bit of your inner appeal to carefully designed wooden cases and looks stylish, I’d definitely recommend giving a Carved case a whirl.
Pros:
- The unique designs and finely crafted details
- There is a wide selection of designs to choose from
- Solid construction! Made well and built to impress – uses responsibly harvested wood!
- Provides ample protection without compromising on design
Cons:
- The price (they aren’t cheap) – cases start at $24.00 and go up
- The volume and Bixby button covers are flat and difficult to press accurately
- The cut-out on the bottom for the charging port can be uncomfortable
If you’re interested in picking up one of Carved’s cases for your phone, you can check them out over at their online store at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/carvedproducts?ref=condensed_trust_header_title_items - they offer free first-class shipping in the U.S. Carved’s cases are available for the iPhone 5S/SE/6/7/8, Plus series devices, Pixel, Pixel XL, Nexus 6P, and the Galaxy S7, S8, and the S7+/8+. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please leave them down in the comments section.
Here are the direct links for the Puzzle and the Hexagon cases:
Puzzle -https://goo.gl/sxqRYq
Hexagon - https://goo.gl/osFSbf
I was happy to receive two different cases from Carved as review units (the Puzzle Inlay and the Hexagon Inlay). I think the thing that most intrigued me with their cases is the different stylings and colors of their simple, yet appealing designs. If you are familiar with my previous review of the #WoodBack case by Cover-Up, then you know that I’m a fan of wooden cases. If you haven’t read it --- here’s the link: https://forums.imore.com/community-reviews/389117-cover-up-woodback-case-review-iphone-7-plus.html - and, for the record, I like wooden cases. However, the Carved cases that I received are a bit of a departure from the previous wooden case that I owned. The Puzzle Inlay and the Hexagon Inlay are colorful, they’re sharp, and they really stand out in the crowd because of their uniqueness. Each piece of the inlay is laser-crafted with meticulous detail, and looks fantastic.
The Look: First off, there are many different looks and styles when it comes to Carved. The two that I received are the Puzzle Inlay and the Hexagon Inlay, but they have a various assortment of other designs that will appeal to just about anyone’s fancy. The box that the cases comes in is simple and reminds me of something that came out of highlights magazine (I’m dating myself a little bit here.) Each box comes with the same crafty little design with various animals and objects that show a transition from the tree tops, to bustling city life, all the way down to the roots, which I think is a little representative of the appeal and design of the cases. The cases have a modern hard rubber feel that shines, feels sturdy in your hand and provides adequate protection, but the styling is as varied and works well for dressing your phone for work, or going out to a quaint country diner for lunch. The wood work that is done with each case is also fantastic. Carved offers traditional wooden cases in different types of wood, and they also mix things up with their inlaid, colorful pieces of carved wood that create fancy patterns and designs on the back. The two styles that I received are actually the models that I chose, because I really liked the designs!
The Feel: The sides of the phone are texturized, for added grip and control over the case. The overall physique of the case is fairly slim and doesn’t hide the slender form factor of either the iPhone 7+ or the Galaxy S8+. When you are holding the phone, it feels secure, and it’s not something you have to worry about dropping. There are cut-outs on the bottom of the case that give you access to all of the important stuff, such as the charging port, speaker, and 3.5mm headphone jack (if applicable). Speaking of ports, they are easy to access and you will have no problem connecting your charging cable, but I did find that the opening for the charging port tended to dig into my finger a bit after a while. Of course, your mileage may vary based on the phone model that you are using, hand size, and the way that you hold the phone. Unfortunately for me my BlackBerry carrying habits have carried over to all of my devices and I use my pinkie finger as a bit of a cradle under the phone when I hold it, so this is prone to happen to me with many cases – it’s definitely not a deal breaker, but something to be aware of. The only other issue that I have with the phone case is the buttons for the power button, but more so for the volume rocker and dedicated Bixby button on the Galaxy S8/8+ case. Because the buttons are flat and infinitesimally textured, it is near impossible to figure out whether you’re hitting the volume down button or the Bixby button when you first get the case, and it carries over once you build up some muscle memory as well. Moving forward, I would really like to see either cut-outs for the buttons, or some form of demarcation or indentation that clearly signals which button you’re pressing. This isn’t so much of an issue on the Apple series phones, but it’s quite frustrating when using the S8/S8+.
Security: The overall protection for the device is good for everyday life. It’s not an enclosed case and it doesn’t offer any form of water protection for your device, so I would avoid taking it for a swim or casually dropping it into any body of water. The cases are not MIL-SPEC drop rated, but it’s not really a concern for this case because it’s built well, and it’s a fancy wooden case – it’s not exactly designed for being tossed around in a gym bag or for using as a coaster while out at dinner. The Carved case is a very well-constructed and eye-catching case that is worth showing off, and will protect your device well from small drops and accidentally knocking it off the coffee table. However, as is par for the course, make sure you put a glass screen protector on your phone! Really, we’re talking about $700-900 phones here (brand new price). If you’re going to go through the trouble of putting a case on it, be a caring phone owner and spend the $10 on Amazon and get a screen protector to pair with the case – you’ll thank me later. So, the moral of the story is that the case will protect your phone well for day-to-day life.
Conclusion: I love these cases. Having used one of Carved’s cases for both my iPhone 7+ and my Galaxy S8+, I am really happy with the handling and appearance of the case. Like I said, I was sold from day one as soon as I saw the cool in-laid wooden designs on the back, and I wanted to give them a whirl on my phones. As much as these cases feel like they are combining Mother Nature with modern tech, it’s not overly earthy; it’s just a clever blend of awesome. I have received many compliments on both of my cases, and I have been more than happy with both of them. So, if you are interested in trying something new and want a case that represents a little bit of your inner appeal to carefully designed wooden cases and looks stylish, I’d definitely recommend giving a Carved case a whirl.
Pros:
- The unique designs and finely crafted details
- There is a wide selection of designs to choose from
- Solid construction! Made well and built to impress – uses responsibly harvested wood!
- Provides ample protection without compromising on design
Cons:
- The price (they aren’t cheap) – cases start at $24.00 and go up
- The volume and Bixby button covers are flat and difficult to press accurately
- The cut-out on the bottom for the charging port can be uncomfortable
If you’re interested in picking up one of Carved’s cases for your phone, you can check them out over at their online store at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/carvedproducts?ref=condensed_trust_header_title_items - they offer free first-class shipping in the U.S. Carved’s cases are available for the iPhone 5S/SE/6/7/8, Plus series devices, Pixel, Pixel XL, Nexus 6P, and the Galaxy S7, S8, and the S7+/8+. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please leave them down in the comments section.
Here are the direct links for the Puzzle and the Hexagon cases:
Puzzle -https://goo.gl/sxqRYq
Hexagon - https://goo.gl/osFSbf
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