snakebyte Tough:Case (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
Looking at the box the case came in, my first impressions were reasonably good. The red and white colour scheme gives it an official-looking and professional design, with the information presented clearly. What did strike me as odd from the offset was the colour of the case on the box. Far less garish than the promotional images, it comes across as less of a strawberry pink, and more a violet. This came as a pleasant surprise; I don't dislike the brighter colours used in the promotional images, but the toned down purple is a much better fit with other things I own, it actually looking like a perfect match to my Kindle Fire.
Getting it out of the box, the coloured areas are made of a sturdy plastic, with a clear window on the back to see the Switch logo. It looks reasonably nice and I didn't hesitate to see how the Switch fit in. Seating the system and Joy Cons together, the plastic grips to them nicely; this makes it a little difficult to remove the system later on, but if you're planning to primarily keep the system in the case, this will likely be a positive point for you. With the ports and fans left exposed, you're free to switch cartridges and charge the system as you see fit, safe in the knowledge the system won't be overheating as you do. I'm a little disappointed to see the power button and volume buttons covered. With plastic on top of them, you're forced to really put some weight onto the buttons to get a response. If you keep your Switch in sleep mode, this could again be a non-issue, but to me it's a significant irritant. Add to this a slight bulge in the case where the aforementioned buttons sit and it's something I find difficult to overlook.
From a protection standpoint, this case does a relatively good job of keeping the system safe. While I don't have a hammer handy to hit it with as the box advertises, I did try punching the back of the system. Though my fist aches a little, the system remains in good working order. Of course this will only be the case if you hit it from the back; the system has no such protection on the front. This is what it is really. Between the raised edges to hold the system in place, and the slightly higher Joy Con analogue sticks, the system will likely survive a fall on its front assuming it falls flat. If any kind of corner hits it though, you might be wishing you had something a little more substantial. The lack of consideration for the Joy Con analogue sticks is also a bit of a shame, but I'm not really sure what could have been done about this. If the edges are raised further, the system would become growingly more uncomfortable to hold, making the additional protection inconsequential.
I can imagine this case pairing well with a good glass screen protector, but as it is, you should still have a reasonable peace of mind if it's dropped. With the added bulk of the case, you also won't be able to dock your Switch. This is really something made with handheld gaming in mind, and for this purpose, it's fairly good. While too bulky for the dock, the system feels pleasant to hold, and as an added bonus, can also have a charm fitted to it. Considering its strengths and weaknesses, I don't think this case is for me, but I also think it has fantastic use for protecting the system against the everyday damage of children. Its rugged and sturdy feel, paired with the difficulty in removing the system, make for an ideal means of child-proofing the system. It's not to say there isn't use here for the everyday Switch owner, but I feel a more average user would be interested in docking the system, in using tabletop mode, or even wanting to put it in a bag knowing the screen is safe. The folks at snakebyte have certainly made a Tough:Case, but at the cost of the system's core versatility, you have to debate whether it's worth the sacrifice.
Verdict
- Sturdy case
- Holds the system in well
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Can attach a charm to it
- Doesn't fit into the dock
- Volume and power buttons covered by the case
- No frontal protection
- Difficult to remove the Switch
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