Posted in: Hands-on, iOS, Mobile Accessories

Truffol Signature luxury case for iPhone 5s review

The Truffol Signature case for the iPhone 5s is an unusual value proposition on the market for luxury cases. Available in three different versions, the two-piece cover is made from premium materials such as aluminum, Italian leather, and different types of exotic wood.

Founded by people with luxury watch industry background, Truffol combines modern craftsmanship and traditional materials. Read on to find out if it the case is worthy of dressing up your iPhone 5s.

I got to spend quality time with two Truffol Signature models – Minimalist and Nature. The Minimalist features aluminum frame and stainless steel back, while the Nature combined the same metal frame with a wooden back plate.


Truffol Signature for iPhone 5s in the flesh

The third available Truffol Signature option is dubbed Classic. It offers a back plate finished in genuine Italian leather alongside the Signature aluminum frame.

The aluminum frame itself is available in different finishes. They include silver, gray, and black.

I found both versions of the Truffol Signature case I tried handsome in the flesh. From the nicely-looking retail box, all the way to the fine details on the case, nothing leaves doubt that it is indeed a luxury item.

Curiously, not everyone around the office shared my opinion on the looks of the Truffol Signature, particularly as far as the front of the case is concerned. A couple of colleagues were adamant that the setup looks like more luxurious box for prototype devices.

All the above considered, I reckon that the design of the case depends on one’s personal opinion. I find it to be a good-looking.

Both versions of the Truffol Signature case I tested will do a good job of keeping an iPhone 5s safe in case of a drop. All edges of the smartphone are completely covered by the case, while a bundled screen protector ensures that the display won’t suffer during an impact.

Ergonomics are undoubtedly the biggest chip in the Truffol Signature case’s armor. Possibly because it is the company’s first product, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that the cover was simply not well thought out in this department.

The biggest issue I encountered with the case is that it significantly degrades the signal reception of the iPhone 5s. In areas with normally good reception, the smartphone dropped a couple of bars with the case on.

To make matters worse, on more than one occasion, the iPhone 5s dropped its LTE connection altogether and worked only on HSPA+ network. In short, unless you live in an area with flawless coverage by your wireless carrier, living with the Truffol Signature case on a daily basis might be frustrating.

My second grievance with the ergonomics of the case has to do with the difficult access to the Lightning port and the 3.5mm audio jack of the iPhone 5s. Only the standard iPhone USB cable fits, thus making the device all but impossible to use with additional accessories.

The above issue applies to the 3.5mm audio jack as well. There is a bundled adapter which works with all 3.5mm headphones, though it is uncomfortable to carry in jeans pocket. Its quality is also not on par with the finish of the rest of the case.

Final word

The Truffol Signature case for the iPhone 5s is good-looking and well-built case, let down by incredibly poor ergonomics. If you are willing to compromise on the aforementioned, the cover is a decent value due to the high-quality materials it offers.

Pricing of the Truffol Signature case for iPhone 5s starts at $40 and tops out at $65. You can check out the entire range over here.

Comments

Rules for posting