Treo Metal Case - Pacific Rim Swivel Case Review

I have never been a particularly big fan of Treo metal cases but I have to admit that the new Pacific Rim Swivel Case (pictured below) has greatly helped to improve my perception for this type of case.

The first thing to like about this Treo metal case is the fact that it just looks both very modern and elegant.  With a molded protective plastic face that extends to the top of the device (detail below), a matt blue/grey gunmetal finish that feels great in your hands, a protective neoprene interior lining and a body that contours perfectly around your smartphone (fits Treo 750, 755p and Treo 680) there is no doubt that the Pacific Rim Swivel Case stands apart from previous models.

As the case’s name implies, Pacific Rim have also patented a unique “swivel” system which completely folds the front cover of the case backwards (image below) to allow you to use the touchscreen one-handed and without interference – a much welcome improvement over traditional Treo metal cases whose covers are hinged on the side and make it nearly impossible to hold when open.

The added benefit of the swivel system nonetheless means that you lose access to your Treo silent slider at the top (now covered by the hinge) and the other thing is that the bottom of the cover (image below) frustratingly also interferes with the HotSync connector as well as the headset jack.

Additionally, while the openings on the right side for the SD card slot are in place you can nonetheless also not access it on a Treo 680 without sliding the front cover of the case open as the cutouts have not been properly sized.

The cutout on the left of the case (image below) does provide you with easy access to your Treo side buttons and the side profile of the case around the keyboard also means that you can type quickly without any interference.

The Pacific Rim Swivel Case comes with a removable belt clip and although I don’t normally like to have my Treo screen facing outwards (image below) the thick protection provided by the front cover ensures that there won’t be any damage if you accidentally bump your smartphone against a table or door.  Additionally, while the belt clip does not rotate you can manually unscrew the hook at the back and fit it in any one of 20 positions vertically, horizontally or at an angle.

As I pointed out at the beginning, overall I really like the Pacific Rim Swivel Case – it’s modern, compact, well built, extremely robust and now offers the most convenient metal case solution to access your touchscreen thanks to its swivel cover mechanism.  Having said this however, given the clear attention to design detail that went into producing this case I am disappointed by the lack of quick access to both the SD card slot and charging/headset connectors – a mistake that could/should have easily been corrected.

If a Treo metal case is not your preferred choice then I can highly recommend these as alternatives:
– SPE P6 Pouch Case
– Helix Holster II
– SPE PocketPouch

Treonauts are always solving a case…