Incase's Metallic Snap Case offers decent protection in an ultra-light body

The $35 Metallic Snap Case by Incase is a metal hard shell case that’s both thin and lightweight. It provides protection and coverage comparable to what’s usually found in more substantial, heavier cases.

Before judging the Metallic Snap Case, get to know it for a few days—it took me some time to fully appreciate what it has to offer. I say this because my first impression of the case was not all that great, starting with the hefty price tag of $35—a little steep, in my opinion, for a thin metal shell case that is so light that the extra weight it adds to your iPhone is unnoticeable. Arguably, this might be a great selling point, but it took some time for me to warm up to the design. Currently there are only two choices in color: Steel or Raspberry.

The top and bottom edges of the case are completely open, save for the corners, which wrap around the iPhone. With this configuration, there is easy access to the head phone jack and noise-canceling microphone, as well as the Sleep/Wake button on the top of the case. The same can be said for the bottom of the case, as the design permits you to charge your iPhone on a charging dock while the case is installed. The Snap Case has a standard sized oval opening on the back to accommodate the iPhone’s camera lens and LED flash.

The left side of the case has two slot openings: one large opening for the volume buttons, and another for the Ring/Silent switch. One note of concern—even though Incase advertises the Metallic Snap Case as compatible with both the iPhone 4 and 4S, I found that the Ring/Silent switch didn’t quite line-up perfectly with my 4S. I was still able to use it, but the switch rested right against the edge of the case.

As with most shell cases, the Snap Case’s feature list is short—it covers your iPhone, nothing more, and nothing less. I never dropped my iPhone while the Metallic Snap case was installed, and even though I felt fairly confident it would survive most short-distance drops, I was not persuaded enough to attempt this.

The Metallic Snap Case ships with a small reversible stand that reclines your iPhone in a comfortable viewing position for watching videos, slideshows, and more. Unfortunately, though, I didn’t use it very often, because it’s not attached to the case, thus I didn’t want to carry it around and not misplace it.

[Rob Renk is a displaced Chicago Bears fan currently living near Orlando. When not obsessing about everything Apple, he can usually be found out on a boat monitoring Florida’s natural resources. Follow him on Twitter @Renkman]