Review: DracoDesign DRACO IV for iPhone 4S
The DracoDesign DRACO IV is an absolutely stunning aluminum bumper for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. I tested a limited edition Jewel Beatle on both the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 for a couple weeks and came away impressed.
It does take a little bit of work to get the DRACO IV installed. It comes in two solid pieces. You need to properly place all the button caps into the proper cutouts and angle the larger of the two pieces so they don't fall out while you slide your iPhone into place. (Yes, it took me a couple of tries!) You can then slide on the other piece and secure it into place with two screws. Of course, that also means if you want to take it off you need to remove the screws, so it's not as convenient as a slide on case if that's important to you. But oh, the look!
The Jewel Beatle has an opalescent finish that alternates from blue to green to purple. It looks terrific. It also has nicely designed curves and angles that make it easier to grip and hold onto.
All the ports are accessible and widely cut, and fit Apple and most 3rd party dock and 3.5mm cables well. I did have a problem with a few extra thick cables, including a car charger and the POP phone receiver. So while you shouldn't have any trouble, do check your accessories if they tend towards the large size.
With aluminum bumpers there are always questions about what, if any, effect they may have on reception. In two weeks of use on two devices, iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, I did notice a drop of about 1 bar on average, on a few occasions, 2 bars. That's compared to other iPhones on the same network at the same time and place. It never caused any dropped calls or loss of data, but if you live or spend time in an area of really poor reception, it's something to keep in mind.
Overall, the DracoDesign DRACO IV is one of the most gorgeous cases I've used on my iPhone. It has a beautiful, sculpted look and the finish of the Jewel Beatle in particular is just fantastic.
Source: DracoDesign USA
Senior Editor at iMore, psychotherapist, 2x Canadian Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion, co-host of iPhone & iPad Live and ZEN and TECH.
| Tweet |
|
|
Next up →
Week in iPad for November 27, 2011Leave a Reply
Note: Comments must be civil, respectful, and on-topic. If a comment does not add to the conversation, if it contains spam advertising, or inappropriate language or content, it will be removed. Insulting the topic, author, staff, site, network, or other commenters will result in the comment being marked as spam and potential prevent future comments from appearing on the site. Do not post as a business or your comment will likely be confused with spam. Comments containing links may be held for moderation. Relax, enjoy, and share in the discussion.
That is sick!!
I have the Zen Limited edition version of this case had it for 3 weeks and returned it. It definitely affects Bars, GPS and WiFi I loved the case aesthetics really wanted to keep it but with that much signal loss it really wasn't worth it. Especially at this price point.
I do want to try out the e13ctron and element cases to see how they compare. (Both Aluminum)
Just a few suggestions when making a review video. Use a bit more lighting, video is too dark to appreciate the color of the case. Try posting the topic description on the corner or bottom rather than the center of the video in huge fonts, too distracting. And work on the focusing on your camera, every few seconds it kept focusing on your fingers/nails and not on the case or phone. Other than that, good job.
We're definitely working on all those things!
It'd look shit on a white phone :/
We had it on my white iPhone 4S for a week and it looked great.
We had it on my white iPhone 4S for a week and it looked great.
Def like the edges and look of case. Prices not so much if I'm gonna pay over 79.00 I will stick with my mophie
Def like the edges and look of case. Prices not so much if I'm gonna pay over 79.00 I will stick with my mophie
Does anyone know if you can put this in a Apple dock with the case on?
it wont fit on the apple dock
I now have a new gift that I want for Christmas, and I don't care who buys it for me. This case is beautiful, I love aluminum bumpers. I presently have a Element Vapor 4 Extreme Metals edition, the Frost and Anodized Red side plate. I love it, but I have a VERY difficult time with plugs, both the 3.5 and sync cable. But the color, form factor, and larger ports that this case has, WOW, I have to have it!!!! ~in the background~ "...Hey sweetie....."
Does she ever not curl her hair?
Does she ever not curl her hair?
Very slick design. If you're concerned with preventing accidentally dropping your phone, you should have a look at our new invention. We call it a HandAble. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/handable/hold-the-phone-with-handable
Very slick design. If you're concerned with preventing accidentally dropping your phone, you should have a look at our new invention. We call it a HandAble. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/handable/hold-the-phone-with-handable
I usually prefer the epitome in minimalistic cases(I have a Pinlo Slice 3), but I like the form of this case - if only it was symmetrical(bottom to top). I'd love to see how it'd look on a white iPhone though!
Makes the 4 look like a 3G/3GS. The 4 is art.