Finally, an iPhone 6 Plus bumper case I’m impressed with! The Seidio TETRA Pro Pro is a two-part bumper, with the inner layer made of a flexible TPU plastic and the exterior made of aluminum. The TETRA Pro snaps on or off with no tools, making this case stylish and easy to use. The Seidio TETRA Pro retails for $39.95.
When I first received the TETRA Pro, I was a bit confused. I’m not used to bumpers that come with two pieces, I’m used to bumpers made of plastic that are flexible enough to wrap themselves comfortably around the phone and that’s it. However, Seidio made an intelligent design choice here; they not only wrapped my iPhone 6 Plus in a flexible, phone-hugging TPU plastic, they then wrapped that plastic with a more rugged aluminum bumper. The combination of aluminum on top of TPU plastic make an extremely damage-resistant case that provides excellent drop protection to my large iPhone 6 Plus.
The TPU plastic sheath wraps easily around the phone and not only protects the sides of the phone, but also has a back panel which protects the rear of your phone from drops, scratches, and more. The TPU back panel has a perfectly sized cutout for the camera and flash so you don’t have to worry about your case messing up your shots. The aluminum outer bumper then slips over the TPU interior, fitting easily and locking with a latch-like closure, that’s right…no tools are required! The corners of the aluminum outer shell are geometric in design and extend out from the device, which protects your phone’s corners, which are typically the most dropped-on point.
When I first put the case on my phone, I was worried that the latch would come unlocked on its own, but my fears have been allayed since after over a week of use, it hasn’t come close to unlocking itself. To unlock the aluminum exterior, you need to get a fingernail under the latch and pull up, it’s not the easiest thing to do, but that’s a good thing. I’d rather have the closure be a little difficult to open rather than it require tools to open. The aluminum outer-shell has cutouts for the speaker, lightning adapter, headphone jack, and mute switch. The outer-shell also has cutouts for the power button and volume buttons, but those are also covered by the TPU, which give the buttons protection and more of a soft feel.
I love the look of the TETRA Pro on my iPhone 6 Plus; its sleek, adds very little weight, and is easy to put in and out of my pocket. I like the fact that it protects the back of my phone while still letting me see through to the back of the phone, almost making the rear protection unnoticeable. The back panel also protects the protruding camera lens, so you don’t have to worry about putting your phone down on a table. Speaking of putting your phone down on a table, the TPU also provides a lip on the front of the phone so that you don’t have to worry about putting your phone down on a table on its front, either. Perfect!
My only dislikes with the phone have to do with the cutouts in the aluminum shell. The cutout for the mute switch is small, and while the small opening adds to the structural stability of the case, it also makes it hard for someone with short fingernails to stick their finger into the opening and flip the switch. My only other complaint is the cutout for the headphone jack. While it may fit the standard Apple headphone adapter, its not made to fit any headphone adapters much larger. I have a pair of headphones at my office that I had to really jam in there to get them to work, and even then, it wasn’t a solid connection.
Overall, however, I would recommend the Seidio TETRA Pro iPhone 6 Plus case to anyone who is looking for a sleek case that will protect the sides, rear, and corners of your iPhone 6 Plus while adding precious little weight and girth to your already large device. If you’re looking for similar protection for your iPhone 6, you should check out the Seidio TETRA for iPhone 6.
The Seidio TETRA Pro for iPhone 6 Plus can be purchased directly from the manufacturer.
Source: The Seidio TETRA Pro was provided to me as a review sample by the manufacturer.
What I Like: No tool installation & removal; Sleek and light; Nice geometric shapes; Protects sides, back, corners, and front; Great drop protection.
What Needs Improvement: The mute switch is difficult to use; The headphone jack hole should be larger.