Capdase Luxury Hard Case PSP Review - PlayStation Portable

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Oct 31 2005 Capdase Luxury Hard Case Review
PSP Hardware Review | PSP Case

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Summary: Great minimalist case

Reviewed by bkim

The Capdase Luxury Hard Case takes the pros of the Brando Metal Case and makes it even better.

Exterior

It's very sleek looking. From the outside it looks very similar to the Brando Metal Case (black). The top is anodized aluminum of the same thickness as the Brando case. The bottom is plastic with a rubberized coating. I'm not sure what the intent of this coating is, perhaps to provide some friction, but it feels really nice in your hands.

There are cutouts for all of the PSP ports and switches but the cutouts are smaller and more precise than the Brando case. The only thing that isn't accessible with the cover closed is the USB port. One of the problems I had with the Brando case is that the bottom left corner of the PSP is completely exposed. The Capdase case doesn't solve this issue. If you were to drop the PSP and it landed on this corner, you could easily damage your PSP. This case definitely isn't for people who worry about dropping their PSP from a significant height or on concrete.

Interior

The inside of the lid has a foam layer with cutouts for two Memory Stick Pro Duo (MSPD) cards. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any secure way for the cards to stay in the case. I managed to get my 32MB card to "stick" in the slot but I wouldn't feel comfortable carrying MSPD cards in there permanently. Also, the MSPD cards are thicker than the foam. I'm not certain if this means that the cards are in contact with the PSP screen when the lid is closed. As with any case, I highly advise using screen protectors with this case.

Wrist Strap

The case also comes with a black leather wrist strap. It's a bit shorter than the stock wrist strap and a lot thicker. I think its a nice plus for those looking for a replacement wrist strap.

Usability

I have mixed feelings about the covered USB port. I liked the fact that with the Brando case I could keep the USB plugged in and the cover closed to prevent dust from settling on the PSP, but then again I always needed to open the cover anyways to put the PSP into USB mode. Ultimately, I don't think it will be an issue. One of the best features of the Capdase case is that the PSP is securely held inside the case. I shook the case upside down and the PSP stayed in place.

The other feature that makes this case great is that the UMD slot is fully accessible without having to remove the PSP from the case. The UMD access panel also serves as a stand for watching movies. One thing I'm concerned with but I haven't determined if its an issue is that the L and are trigger buttons are partially covered. Depending on how you hold your PSP and press the buttons, it may be an issue.

Pros
• Sleek design
• Lightweight
• Easy access to UMD
• Holds the PSP securely in place
• Comes with a wrist strap

Cons
• Exposed bottom left corner
• Probably wont protect from hard impacts
• L and are triggers partially covered
• No access to USB port when the lid is closed.
• MSPD slots does not hold cards securely.

Overall, I feel the cons are minor and dont take away from the major pros of case.

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