Gumdrop Cases’ Drop Tech Case for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus ($40) is a rugged case at a low price point. The design of the three-piece case has been reworked a bit since the last time we saw the case for iPhone 5 — Gumdrop claims switching the outer skin from silicon to TPU has made the case more durable and easier to pull out of a pocket, while the internal frame was also reportedly made stronger. The case comes with a holster belt clip which can also act as a stand.
Drop Tech Case consists of a two-piece polycarbonate frame which is then surrounded by the outer TPU skin. Buttons are fully covered, as is the screen, with a built-in protector.
Ports are also sealed to protect from dust and dirt. Keep in mind that despite the extra protection (and Drop Tech’s appearance), this is not a waterproof case — both cameras are exposed, as is the phone’s Touch ID.
Covered buttons offer nice tactility, and the case feels very solid. The only problem we have with Drop Tech is its built-in screen protector. Numerous attempts to reinstall the iPhone in the case left us feeling a bit of a gap between the protector and the screen — touching the screen gave us that “floaty” feeling.
It was noticeable in both versions of the case; moreso in the iPhone 6 Plus version. This may not bother some users at all, but we think it’s an issue.
There’s a lot to like about Gumdrop’s Drop Tech, as it’s a strong case that should offer top-notch protection at a relatively low price. However, we were bothered by the imprecise implementation of the case’s built-in screen protector. We’ve tested numerous other cases for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with built-in screen protectors, and none of them have given us quite the same feeling.
