Although it’s a simple silicone rubber case, Incipio was somewhat creative with Microtexture for the fifth-generation iPod touch ($20): it took the usually generic flat rubber concept and added flair with a cool rear pattern, updating a design we first saw back in 2010. Although our review sample didn’t arrive in full retail packaging with all the frills, Microtexture is supposed to come with a screen protector film, cleaning cloth, and bubble-removing squeegee.
The case’s structure is quite similar to that of SwitchEasy’s Colors. Coming in black, blue, purple, green, and red, the soft case easily wraps around the body of the device, offering not only back and side protection but some for the bezel as well—it leaves the Home Button exposed, though.
The covered buttons remain just as tactile and clicky as normal. All the proper openings are present, including one for the loop button, and the port holes are large enough to accommodate oversized accessories.
Arguably the coolest thing here is the raised pattern on the back: there are subtle color differences between the bumps, creating a unique visual effect.
For example, on our red review unit, most of the bumps match the case, but some are a lighter red; it’s a neat effect. We like the way the texture feels, too: it adds a little bit of grip without any real bulk.
Microtexture isn’t the most exciting case around, but it’s nice to see Incipio take the normally plain style and add some subtle flair.