Initial Reaction
My Brando case came in about a week. A lot faster than I expected. My first reaction when I opened the packaging was how light the case was. The PSP is heavy as it is. I was very pleased to know that the case wouldn't add a lot more weight.
Material
The aluminum and the neoprene interior are each 1mm thick. It doesn't sound like much but I think its a good compromise between functionality and usability. The finish is very clean and professional. The edges of the aluminum are not sharp. It's a very plain looking case so if you're looking for something to scream "I OWN A PSP," this may not be the case you want. I also had an air bubble underneath the neoprene but I took care of it with a thumb tack.
Protection
The case is very sturdy. The PSP sits snuggly inside and there is no movement whatsoever. All the standard ports are exposed so you can use it with the lid closed. I don't understand why they exposed the UMD eject button though since you can't change UMD's with the PSP inside the case. I'm also slightly concerned with the memory slot/headphone corner. It's more exposed than I'm comfortable with but then again, I dont see any way of protecting that corner more without covering up the ports.
Functionality
The lid is hinged at the bottom. There is an aluminum tab that's part of the top of the case. It's held down by a plastic tab that's part of the bottom of the case. It's secure but easy to open and close. I worry about the plastic tab wearing down over time and not securely closing anymore.
When you open the lid, you can fold it back completely or fold it back partially to put the PSP into viewing mode. Either way, the tab comes in contact with the resting surface. It's not wobbly but it just seems weird to me. When playing games, you can fold it back all the way which gives you a better grip on the unit or just let it hang down below the PSP. Either way, its comfortable. The headphone remote plug that comes with the value pack intereferes with the opening and closing of the case. You have to bend the cord to get the lid to open and close. This isn't a problem if you have headphones with a plug that's L-shaped.
With the way that the case is hinged, if you don't close it carefully, the tab that keeps the case closed will come in contact with the top of the PSP. Fortunately, the tab surface is smooth and I dont think there's a chance that it will scratch the PSP.
Overall
Pros: Very lightweight, strong material, secure fit, good finish
Cons: Some minor usability issues, bland looking to some people
I think this is an excellent case and worth the money.
depends on your hands I guess. For me, I like the lid there because I have big hands. But you could open the lid and just let it hang there instead of folding it all the way back.
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