The latest case from NutKase is the company’s first for the iPhone 5. PopLock’s ($23) main selling point is the snap-out kickstand on the back. We’ve seen this feature in cases from other manufacturers before, but this one is considerably more affordable than comparable models. Included with each grey or black case is a piece of screen film, adding to the otherwise considerable protection.
With PopLock, NutKase combined a hard plastic back panel with more pliable rubber edges, a design that is impressively slim for a full-fledged case.
The rubber includes protection for the volume and Sleep/Wake buttons, and we noted that it took a bit of extra pressure to trigger the latter button, which may throw some users off until they get used to it. PopLock’s bottom holes present a similar issue: we appreciate the protection that they provide, but Lightning cables with atypically large plugs will have a problem.
The stand on the back of PopLock is a single vertically-centered oval that’s nearly three inches long. Pressing on the bottom as instructed by molded-in text causes the stand to curl up, using technology similar to a slap bracelet.
Once it curls, the stand can be positioned at a deep portrait angle, or, more commonly, a very good video viewing position.
It’s quite useful to have a stand integrated into a case. While PopLock doesn’t offer the same variety of angles as cases from ZeroChroma, NutKase’s offering is a lot less expensive, and well executed in its own right. We’d like to see some small tweaks, such as a slightly larger opening for the Lightning port and a more tactile Sleep/Wake button protector, but otherwise, there’s a lot to like with this case.
