The S280 Side Case from HTC is being offered over at the WMExperts.com Accessory Store for $19.95. The unique design makes the case stand out amongst the other side cases the Store offers.
The S280 is cut to fit a wide range of HTC devices including the Tilt2/Touch Pro 2, Imagio, Snap, Pure and any other similarly sized Windows Phones. Curious how design meets functionality, we took the S280 out for a test drive with the AT&T Tilt2.
Ease on past the break to see what type of impression this HTC Case left with us.
First Impressions
The HTC S280 is made of a suede-like material and out of the box, feels solidly constructed. The case is labeled as black in color but is more of a smokey grey. The case interior is lined with a soft, felt material which not only protects your phone from scratches but also offers a slight level of padding.
The sides of the case are relatively open with a fabric straps sewn in to keep your Windows Phone in place. To the back you'll find a wide, fabric wrapped belt clip that holds the case really well in place when on the belt.
Your Windows Phone is held securely in place by a top flap that extends half-way down the face of the case. The flap is held in place with a strap that comes from the bottom of the case and is held into place with velcro. A small cutout is at the bottom-center of the S280 to help facilitate removal of the Windows Phone.
All in all, the S280 is well constructed with solid stitching. My only concern with the construction/design is that the fabric straps used as the case's sides is on the narrow side. I found myself catching the fabric with my Tilt2 and instead of sliding into the case, the Tilt2 would try to slide out the side of the case. It might have been better if the straps were a touch higher, wider or ran the full height of the sides.
Fit and Feel
From the narrow side straps to the velcro strap, the S280 takes a little time to get used to. Until then, it feels as though the case is being worn upside down. I often found myself tugging on the flap, forgetting it was secured by the bottom strap. I also had to be careful that the Tilt2 slid in between the fabric sides of the case.
While removing and placing the Tilt2 in the S280 took some practice, once in place the Tilt2 fit really well in the case. The velcro strap held the top flap in place nicely, which in turn secured the Windows Phone nicely in place.
One plus with regards to the narrow side straps is that they accommodate headphones nicely. Even with the Tilt2, there's enough "wiggle" room to attach headphones to the mini-USB port.
The wide belt clip reduced the amount of wiggle the case had when worn on the belt. I never felt as though the S280 was going to pop-off or wiggle off my belt. Using the case was comfortable but compared to my normal case, the Ecolife Elements Side Case, it road a little higher on the hip.
Another positive about the S280 is that it uses velcro instead of magnets to keep things securely in place. If you're using a Touch Pro 2 or Tilt2, with velcro in play you won't have to worry about your screen being activated by accident or having to install a patch to deactivate that feature.
Overall Impression
While there is room for improvement, the S280 is a very good case. Well constructed, the case is comfortable to wear and holds your Windows Phone securely in place.
The unique design of the velcro strap does take some getting used to and you need to be careful with the narrow side straps.
If you're looking for a conservative looking, well built, comfortable case the S280 is well worth considering. It's running $19.95 over at the WMExperts.com Store.
