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| Summary: A solid case all around with a few minor flaws
85
With a variety of case choices out there for the PSP, choosing a case can be a time consuming chore in itself. A buyer has to weigh options with protection, functionality, size, style and price. If a complete balance were to be reached between all four of these fields with some sacrifices, it's going to be found in the MadCatz Stealth Case. This is my attempt to make the most comprehensive review for this case.
[header[/header]Protection[/header]
The first thing you'll notice about the case when you take it out of the box is its sturdiness. A lot of people think aluminum is as thick or should feel as thick as a metal tin box, but that's far from the case. A better example would be to compare this form of aluminum (Anodized) to a cooking pan.
It is a understatement to say that the case can withstand a lot of punishment thrown at it, but it is a error to say that the PSP is completely safe inside the case as well. You see, the cushioning inside the MadCatz stealth case is rather thin. While this protects the case from "Pressing" pressure, it doesn't necessarily protect the PSP from "Shock" damage. Cases with large soft interiors, more notably soft cases for example, have a "Bouncy" feel to them, and can protect the PSP better in an event of a hard strait drop to the floor.
The trade-off here is that the size of the case fits the PSP almost skin tight, so it's really almost an extremely hard "Layer of Skin" than an actual case that totally envelopes the PSP. If I were to rate overall the protection level given the PSP in four stages (Light-Medium-Heavy-Extreme), I would place the Madcatz Stealth Case in the Medium-Heavy range. For a comparative view, the popular Playgear Pocket Case from Logitech falls in the Heavy category, while the 3500 Series Case from S3.Inc falls in the extreme category.
[header[/header]Functionality[/header]
The Stealth Case provides the user the ability to access all the buttons, ports, and UMD slot of the PSP while it's housed in the case. This means if the user wishes to, they can keep the case inside all the time, without the need to ever take out the PSP and interact with it, and then put it back in.
The Stealth Case also has two memory stick slot holders in the inside cover, for your additional on the go memory switching needs. It should be noted that the memory stick slots are rather too good at what they do, so inserting and removing the memory sticks from the very tight slot means the user has to use their entire thumb and slide in the stick, and slide out the stick. I'm not sure if their was a rumor about the memory stick slots being loose or not, but that's far from the truth. The memory slots can be a pain for people who use their index fingers, since it's so stuck inside the slot when placed, it's near impossible to take it out without using your thumb slide method.
Along with this the back of the case that allows UMD access is a hatch door that falls out and provides support to the PSP propping it up. This works out pretty well for the PSP as a stand, and gives it a lot more rigidity than say, the Playgear Pocket's technique which relies on the weight of the PSP by itself to keep it in place using only the hinge. This only provides solid support while the PSP is sitting up straight, or falling back. Like all major cases out there, a jolt forward toward the screen side of the PSP can collapse the case. No case to this day has really addresses this particular problem much except the Core Case, which uses magnets to keep itself in proper position at all times. So it's a good effort from MadCatz to give a lot more sturdiness to the case while viewing movies or keeping it stationary to use this hatch door method.
Finally, the Stealth Case comes with a hard clear plastic screen guard that is removable. The screen guard "Clips" into place while it's being used in the Stealth Case, and provides a solid glare / screen protection barrier for your PSP. It should be noted however that like many other hard plastic/carbonate screens, it's prone to dust, fingerprints, and scratches. So from the get go, the moment you get the Stealth Case, it's in your best interest not to muck up and damage the clear faceplate. Although this accessory is "Optional" for the case to function, it is rather nice looking while it's on. It provides a minor (Like 2%) magnification of the screen when it's on, and gives the PSP some depth of field while viewing. I'll be honest, if you ever drop the PSP on it's face while the hard clear screen protector is on, it's probably going to be the last time you use it if it gets scratched up a bit. Think of it as a hard version of the popular Hori Screen Protector, where although it's good for protecting against every day wear and tear, the moment the protector gets mucked up or scratched where it's noticeable, you're going to toss it away and get a new one. I feel MadCatz added this screen guard at the last stages of its production since you can tell it's not entirely "Fleshed out" looking. But it's a welcome addition none the less.
[header[/header]Size[/header]
This case is slim. Really slim enough to say it feels like a hard layer of skin on the PSP. It just feels so natural while it’s on that you'll probably never want to take it out and leave the PSP naked ever again. With the case on, the PSP's thickness is exactly 3cm. Without the case on, the PSP's thickness is 2.5cm. So the top and bottom of the case provide 0.25cm of solid anodized aluminum, and the left and right side covers are so thin it's not even worth measuring. Big points for the size of this case, with no real glaring negatives.
[header[/header]Style[/header]
One of the glaring problems with the style of the Madcatz Stealth Case is the glaring logo in front and center of the case lid. This feels rather abrasive and gives that "Corporate Structure" feel that many people do not generally adhere well to. Like the most popular case, the Playgear Pocket from Logitech, offers a clear case that allows personal custom touches in the form of inlays that help differentiate it from another person who owns the same exact case. Logitech's logo is also faintly printed on, and can be easily removed. In the end, Madcatz glaring emblem in front and center of the case make it look rather tacky.
It's a shame to, since the rest of the case while shut or open really looks nice. The holes that are cut out for the case that allow access to the buttons of the PSP are really professionally done and look clean and smooth. While the case is open, the screen guard adds a little "nice" factor to it due to the small magnification it bonus I talked about earlier, and all around the black finish with black interior lining makes it professional. If it weren't for the glaring logo in the front of the case, Macatz would have had a real sexy no-nonsense feel in the Stealth.
[header[/header]Price[/header]
As of currently the Stealth Case is priced on the average at $19.99 US dollars. I would of liked it if Madcatz lowered their price a bit to be more competitive with the slew of cases on the market at this pricing point, especially the very popular Playgear Pocket & Core Case. Still for what you get, $19.99 is a solid price for an all around balanced and good case. You're getting a deal if you can find it lower, but I wouldn't pay more than suggested price. That opens up a can of worms with other higher priced superior choices like the Capdase Luxury and Vaja I-volution leather cases which pretty much blow anything out of the water.
[header[/header]Conclusion[/header]
Madcatz has a really product here. All around, it's a very good case with only one major glaring fallback, the logo. If style isn't your primary concern with a case, the Stealth Case is an excellent choice for its pricing point amongst others. While I feel the Core Case is probably a bit better than the Stealth Case for movie viewing purposes, the Stealth's added screen guard and ease of availability make it more desirable. You can find the Stealth Case most of the time right next to the Playgear Pocket from Logtiech in your local popular retail chain store. Throw in a 2 year warranty, and all in all, a good choice for a case.
Useful Tip
Unlike other cases which are built of materials that are inflexible/changeable whatsoever (Polycarbonate, leather), aluminum cases of any kind can be bent a bit. This isn't a bad thing, because what this means is that the "Hooks" or hinges of the case can be re-shaped back into place. For example, if the lid becomes loose over time due to excessive wear and tear of usage, you can simply take a small wrench or pliers and bend the hooks back into place, making them absolutely brand new. It just takes the right tool a bit of strength. (Anodized aluminum is quite tough) This is also the same for the hinges.
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