Marware is a company I hadn’t known much about prior to using their products. Case companies tend to sneak up on me like that. I’m so accustomed to hearing things about the giants like Speck and Otterbox that companies like Marware slip through the cracks. At CES, Marware showed off one of their new cases for the iPhone 5, the Revolution. I got my hands on a couple of them. Hit the jump to find out how they fared.
The Revolution case has a unique three-piece design. To install it, put on the top and bottom pieces. After that, simply line up the holes and attached the middle plate, button side first. The result is an extremely secure fit that can, admittedly, be a little hard to remove.
Looking at the bottom of the case, you’ll notice three distinct cutouts: one for the Lightning connector, speaker, and microphone/3.5 mm headphone jack. I didn’t have any issue with the cutout being too small for the couple pairs of headphones that I used.
The side of the case features a cutout for the vibrate on/off switch that’s easily accessible. One of my favorite things about the Marware Revolution, however, are the covered volume buttons. Upon pressing them, you’re greeted with fantastic feed back. I actually prefer to press these over the iPhone 5′s uncovered volume buttons.
The top of the case features a covered sleep/wake button, and yes, it provides the same fantastic feedback as the covered volume buttons. Far too often, case manufacturers get covered buttons wrong. Usually way wrong. However, Marware has absolutely nailed their iteration.
The back of the case is where the action happens. There are several versions of the Revolution. The two I obtained have unique designs. The white version features a raised back that creates a bit of an optical illusion while looking at it. It isn’t exactly the most comfortable thing to hold in your hand, but it looks nice. The grey version has a brushed metal plate embedded in the back of the case. While this looks nice, it makes the case really, really heavy. Like, almost uncomfortably heavy. In my testing, I preferred the white version simply because of the weight difference. I do suppose, however, that the grey version offers better drop protection.
The Marware Revolution cases surprised me. While the back plates are interchangeable, some of them aren’t as functional as they could be. The covered buttons, however, are executed brilliantly and make for a satisfying experience. If you’d like to check out the Revolution be sure to visit Marware’s website, where you can pick them up for $34.99.
MSRP: $34.99
Pros: Covered buttons are fantastic, secure fit
Cons: Back plates are aesthetically pleasing, but can be uncomfortable to use
