Looking for a case made by a well-known manufacturer with a track record for excellence, and superior quality protection for your device? If this sounds like an item on your phone case wish list, then let me introduce you to my new friend, the Speck Presidio Case for my S8. In my pursuit to find balance between protection, aesthetics and form factor, the Speck Presidio was next on my list to try out on my Samsung Galaxy S8.
Anyone who has been carrying around a smartphone for a while has undoubtedly seen some of Speck’s other case offerings, either online, at your local Best Buy, or spotting them out in the wild on other people’s phones. Honestly, this is the first case that I have ever owned by Speck, so when I got the opportunity to do a review on it I was happy to try out some new gear for my prized tech.
The Look: Fresh out of the box, the first thing you’re going to figure out about this case is that it’s solid. I’m not talking typical plastic shell solid, or faux-construction; it’s like an artificial turtle shell, minus the possibility of losing a finger. The appearance isn’t flashy, but the construction of the device, along with the feel, let you know that your phone is going to be safe inside this case. Once you pull the case out of the packaging and flip it over, you’ll notice one of the unique design characteristics that Speck has included with the Presidio model. In the days of old, many protective cases relied on a 2-piece approach, which included a soft, gel-like case, with a clip-on plastic cover to add strength and integrity to the case system. However, Speck has found a way to combine these different characteristics into a fancy one-piece system, which they refer to as “Impactium.” Impactium is an evolution of the protective gel-skin concept which has been machined into the interior of the case, which makes the phone fit snugly, and provides a dense, rubbery cushion on the inside of the case which dampens and absorbs impact that your phone might experience if you drop it. All in all, the case design is sharp, and there are several combinations of colors to choose from. The one that I have is two-toned, graphite grey/charcoal grey, but it comes in six other color options: black/black, marine blue/twilight blue, aloe green/periwinkle blue, watermelon pink/island pink, demure pink/quartz pink, and bellflower purple/ash grey.
The Feel: Like I said previously, the quality of the Speck Presidio is solid. From head to toe, the entire case has been built with two things in mind: security, and protection. Many protective style cases are bulky, clumsy, and require assembly when you initially put the phone on in the case, but not the Presidio. The unibody design is sleek and simple, but gives you the quality of protection that is synonymous with the other case designs in its class. According to Speck, the Presidio case, with its Impactium Barrier technology, will protect your phone from drops up to 10ft, which is impressive for a phone case with such a slim profile. On a side note, the drop protection is definitely important because the case is quite slick. I recently switched over from a traditional TPU style case, which is naturally a little grippier, and the Presidio case took some getting used to. I had to adjust the way that I hold and use the phone because it kept slipping out of my fingers. The slippery texture of the phone definitely won’t get stuck in your pocket though, so it makes it ideal for personal or professional settings where your phone is kept in a nearby pocket for quick access. The button covers are unremarkable and do not require much extra effort to use, and they are easy to palpate on the edges of the case.
Protection: Protection is where the Presidio really shines. Not so much because of the style of the case, but because of the work that went into designing it. The case itself is not cheap (MSRP on their website is $39.95), which may be a turnoff for some. But, in contrast to other cases of this caliber and protection quality, the market price is competitive. From the get-go, you’ll be able to tell from looking at it and holding it that the device is made with superior quality materials – polycarbonate to be exact! In addition to the protective shell, it also wraps around and provides a slight bezel of protection for superior screen protection, especially when you want to lay your phone face down on normal surfaces. The website does advertise that the design is "scratch resistant", but I haven't found this to be very accurate. Mine incurred quite a few surface scratches in just a short time of usage, and I take very good care of my phones/cases, and carry it around in a pocket without anything else in it. Other than the surface scratches though, the phone case is incredibly solid.
Conclusion: All in all, the Speck Presidio is an excellent case, which provides great protection. However, I can’t buy into it completely because of its slick nature. Even though the phone is well protected, there has been more than a time or two where the phone has nearly slipped out of my hand, especially when I was laying down trying to use the phone one-handed. I was able to adapt to carrying the case as time went on, but initially it was very off-putting. I do actually like a lot of the features though, especially the Impactium barrier inside the case, as well as the protective lip to add an extra buffer between surface contact and your screen. However, the slick exterior and ease of which the surface scratches is a bit of a turn off for me. For the price, it’s competitive with other manufacturers of similar design and quality, and the impact protection is top-notch, which should get you through any minor harrowing event that your phone may encounter. All in all, Speck did a lot of things really well with the Presidio case, but the nuances are a little more than I’m willing to accept for a daily driver. Of course, your mileage may vary, and your personal interests may be different than mine. If you like it, go for it! If you’re looking for something else in a phone case, there are lots of alternatives to choose from. The power is yours!
Pros:
- Sturdy, protective case – 10ft of drop protection!
- Impactium barrier inside of the case adds a protective cushion for your phone
- Competitive with other protective cases
- It’s a very durable case that will keep your phone safe.
- Lifetime warranty!
- Lots of two-tone color offerings
Cons:
- Slippery
- Price; it’s not the most expensive, but it’s not a budget case
- The surface picks up scratches easily
- Covers up the gorgeous aesthetics of the S8/8+
You can check out Speck’s complete line of cases, to include the Presidio, at: https://www.speckproducts.com. Currently, the Presidio is on sale for $39.95, and right now they are offering free two-day shipping (normally $5).
Anyone who has been carrying around a smartphone for a while has undoubtedly seen some of Speck’s other case offerings, either online, at your local Best Buy, or spotting them out in the wild on other people’s phones. Honestly, this is the first case that I have ever owned by Speck, so when I got the opportunity to do a review on it I was happy to try out some new gear for my prized tech.
The Look: Fresh out of the box, the first thing you’re going to figure out about this case is that it’s solid. I’m not talking typical plastic shell solid, or faux-construction; it’s like an artificial turtle shell, minus the possibility of losing a finger. The appearance isn’t flashy, but the construction of the device, along with the feel, let you know that your phone is going to be safe inside this case. Once you pull the case out of the packaging and flip it over, you’ll notice one of the unique design characteristics that Speck has included with the Presidio model. In the days of old, many protective cases relied on a 2-piece approach, which included a soft, gel-like case, with a clip-on plastic cover to add strength and integrity to the case system. However, Speck has found a way to combine these different characteristics into a fancy one-piece system, which they refer to as “Impactium.” Impactium is an evolution of the protective gel-skin concept which has been machined into the interior of the case, which makes the phone fit snugly, and provides a dense, rubbery cushion on the inside of the case which dampens and absorbs impact that your phone might experience if you drop it. All in all, the case design is sharp, and there are several combinations of colors to choose from. The one that I have is two-toned, graphite grey/charcoal grey, but it comes in six other color options: black/black, marine blue/twilight blue, aloe green/periwinkle blue, watermelon pink/island pink, demure pink/quartz pink, and bellflower purple/ash grey.
The Feel: Like I said previously, the quality of the Speck Presidio is solid. From head to toe, the entire case has been built with two things in mind: security, and protection. Many protective style cases are bulky, clumsy, and require assembly when you initially put the phone on in the case, but not the Presidio. The unibody design is sleek and simple, but gives you the quality of protection that is synonymous with the other case designs in its class. According to Speck, the Presidio case, with its Impactium Barrier technology, will protect your phone from drops up to 10ft, which is impressive for a phone case with such a slim profile. On a side note, the drop protection is definitely important because the case is quite slick. I recently switched over from a traditional TPU style case, which is naturally a little grippier, and the Presidio case took some getting used to. I had to adjust the way that I hold and use the phone because it kept slipping out of my fingers. The slippery texture of the phone definitely won’t get stuck in your pocket though, so it makes it ideal for personal or professional settings where your phone is kept in a nearby pocket for quick access. The button covers are unremarkable and do not require much extra effort to use, and they are easy to palpate on the edges of the case.
Protection: Protection is where the Presidio really shines. Not so much because of the style of the case, but because of the work that went into designing it. The case itself is not cheap (MSRP on their website is $39.95), which may be a turnoff for some. But, in contrast to other cases of this caliber and protection quality, the market price is competitive. From the get-go, you’ll be able to tell from looking at it and holding it that the device is made with superior quality materials – polycarbonate to be exact! In addition to the protective shell, it also wraps around and provides a slight bezel of protection for superior screen protection, especially when you want to lay your phone face down on normal surfaces. The website does advertise that the design is "scratch resistant", but I haven't found this to be very accurate. Mine incurred quite a few surface scratches in just a short time of usage, and I take very good care of my phones/cases, and carry it around in a pocket without anything else in it. Other than the surface scratches though, the phone case is incredibly solid.
Conclusion: All in all, the Speck Presidio is an excellent case, which provides great protection. However, I can’t buy into it completely because of its slick nature. Even though the phone is well protected, there has been more than a time or two where the phone has nearly slipped out of my hand, especially when I was laying down trying to use the phone one-handed. I was able to adapt to carrying the case as time went on, but initially it was very off-putting. I do actually like a lot of the features though, especially the Impactium barrier inside the case, as well as the protective lip to add an extra buffer between surface contact and your screen. However, the slick exterior and ease of which the surface scratches is a bit of a turn off for me. For the price, it’s competitive with other manufacturers of similar design and quality, and the impact protection is top-notch, which should get you through any minor harrowing event that your phone may encounter. All in all, Speck did a lot of things really well with the Presidio case, but the nuances are a little more than I’m willing to accept for a daily driver. Of course, your mileage may vary, and your personal interests may be different than mine. If you like it, go for it! If you’re looking for something else in a phone case, there are lots of alternatives to choose from. The power is yours!
Pros:
- Sturdy, protective case – 10ft of drop protection!
- Impactium barrier inside of the case adds a protective cushion for your phone
- Competitive with other protective cases
- It’s a very durable case that will keep your phone safe.
- Lifetime warranty!
- Lots of two-tone color offerings
Cons:
- Slippery
- Price; it’s not the most expensive, but it’s not a budget case
- The surface picks up scratches easily
- Covers up the gorgeous aesthetics of the S8/8+
You can check out Speck’s complete line of cases, to include the Presidio, at: https://www.speckproducts.com. Currently, the Presidio is on sale for $39.95, and right now they are offering free two-day shipping (normally $5).
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