Even after months after its release, Apple’s iPhone 4S is still gaining momentum and there seems to be no stopping it. It comes to no surprise that almost every month, there seems to be a new iPhone case company coming into the market. The Hong Kong-based Musubo is one of the rookie players in the burgeoning iPhone case market. There first line of cases have just hit the market and after weeks of thorough testing with them, we’re definitely impressed.

Since we’ve got a bunch of cases to go through, let’s start the review!

Musubo MatchBook Pro
Price: Php 1,200

It seems that the Mili Power Cooper has some competition in the puns department. The aptly named MatchBook Pro will surely turn the heads of Mac lovers by its name alone. Made purely of hard plastic, the MatchBook Pro is a case and an iPhone stand rolled into one. The Matchsticks at the back can be pulled out and be used as a kickstand. Aesthetically, the MatchBook Pro is definitely easy on the eyes. The color combinations is nice and the design warrants a second glance. While the hard plastic casing already offers ample protection, Musubo topped it off by lining the insides of the case with foam which not only provides an additional layer of protection, but guarantees that the back of your iPhone won’t get scratched when placed inside the case. However, take note that with the inclusion of a built-in kick stand, the MatchBook Pro is a tad thicker than typical cases and the kickstand can only be used horizontally. Still, I’m loving this case’s good design and added functionality.

Musubo Eden
Price: Php 1,200

The leaf-like pattern is probably what inspired the name Eden, but whether it was named after paradise or the woman who doomed us all to mortality, there’s no denying that the Eden looks particularly striking. The warm and welcoming color combination is truly eye catching and the combination of polycarbonate and soft silicone makes for a robust, protective iPhone 4S case.

Musubo Ripple
Price: Php 950

Probably the case with the most simplistic design in the whole Musubo line-up, the Ripple one piece insert case is made of high quality TPU. For those not in the know, TPU is a material that’s almost similar to silicone, the main difference being that TPU is more smooth and is a little more durable than silicone. The Ripple is a single color case that has strips of ripple-like patterns located at the back which makes the whole case a whole lot easier to hold. Being the simplest case in the whole line, the Ripple is also the slimmest.

Musubo Sneaker
Price: Php 1,200

Someone from the Musubo design team must really have a fetish for rubber shoes as this case looks pretty much like a shoe print indent on wet cement. As the name implies, the Sneaker case draws inspiration from casual foot ware. Trust me, it looks better than it sounds. The Sneaker is a two piece TPU case, a bumper and a back cover. Each package has two different colored back covers making the whole package a sweet deal as one can change the color of the “sole” whenever it strikes their fancy. This is definitely my favorite Musubo case. I really like the funky design of the back cover and the additional back cover is sweet icing on the cake. To top it off, both the bumper and back cover are made out of TPU, which offers more protection than silicone and slides more easily in/out of my jeans pocket.

Musubo Elvis
Price: Php 1,200

My second favorite case out of the bunch; a two piece protective solution that’s composed of soft silicone and hard polycarbonate. The Elvis (I honestly can’t think of a reason why they called this case Elvis) offers semi rugged protection presented in a cool and funky design. The iPhone is first placed inside a body of soft silicone and then a tough polycarbonate exoskeleton is then wrapped around the silicone. The two tone colors makes for nice eye candy and I love how the case remains relatively thin even though it has two layers.

Musubo RubberBand
Price: Php 950

Similar to the Ripple, the Musubo RubberBand case is a single colored protector made up of TPU. The case is filled with varying depths of strips which emulates the feel of rubber bands wrapped around an iPhone. I actually like the feel. Although to be honest, the design is also a bit too simplistic for me, and I very much prefer Musubo’s other offerings.

Musubo Double X
Price: Php 950

Now here’s a design that’s totally off the wall. The Musubo Double X is a single piece of TPU that molded for the iPhone 4S and then filled with strategically placed holes. It’s like a very lewd interpretation of a skimpy bikini only in iPhone case form! (Yes, I have a wild and porny imagination). The case itself is relatively thick, but when held, the huge holes at the back easily tricked me into thinking that it’s thinner than it actually is. While the Double X doesn’t offer much in terms of protection, it’s unique design which enhances grip is a good compromise.

All Musubo cases comes with a cleaning cloth, a front screen protector and a foldable iPhone stand (For obvious reasons, the MatchBook Pro doesn’t have a free foldable iPhone stand)

Bottomline:

Eschewing slimness for protection and design, the Musubo line of iPhone 4S cases are a feast for the eyes. With a myriad of color options and styles available, it’s relatively easy to fall in love with these cases. The generous amount of freebies included and the very attractive packaging makes for a very compelling case purchase that’s hard to resist. If you were to ask me, I say take a close look at the Elvis and Sneaker.

Availability:

All Digital Walker, Digital Hub and Beyond the Box outlets

Howard

Gadgets and video games are what Howard loves and he was fortunate enough to have dabbled in both worlds professionally. A former Editor-in-Chief of a local gaming magazine, Howard is currently busy jumping from one industry to another, analyzing and writing about all of the electronic toys he loves. His favorite noodles: Pork Leg Bihon.

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