Expert's Rating
Pros
- Hard plastic screen protector
- Robust, full coverage protection
- Getting case on and off is difficult
Cons
- Volume controls are hard to access
Our Verdict
While IvySkin’s Quattro T-5 case provides full coverage iPad protection, including the screen, it’s hard to get on and off and some of the buttons are difficult to use.
If it’s protection you’re after, IvySkin’s $60 Quattro-T5 case for the original iPad certainly fits the bill, but it’s not without its drawbacks. A case in three parts, the Quattro-T5 has a two-part black plastic shell that slides around your iPad and a hard, clear-plastic screen protector that still lets you use the iPad’s multitouch interface.
Around the edge of the case you’ll find openings for the iPad’s headphone jack, microphone, ambient-light sensor, side switch, volume buttons, speaker, and dock-connector port. The last has a small rubber flap that can be used to cover the port and prevent dust from getting in, and both the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons have rubber covers protecting them. I found the Sleep/Wake button cover annoying, in that it was much easier to accidentally press the button while casually handling the iPad. Also, the opening for the volume buttons is very small and it was difficult for my fingers to press the buttons.
Putting the case on can also be a pain, as it requires you to correctly position the screen protector—there’s a sort of groove for it, but it doesn’t snap into place—and then line up the iPad and slide the back on. Even a slight mispositioning yielded an imperfect fit. Taking off the case is difficult, as well—I accidentally ripped off one of the rubber feet on the back of the case by trying to slide the back off. However, once the case is on, the iPad fits snugly inside and is very well protected from most common mishaps. It is a little on the bulky side, but the protection it offers may well make up for the case’s inconveniences.