Review: Trexta CC-3002 hard cover for Nokia N8
Score:
79%
Accessory week here on AAS rolls on.... (at least for me!), with the Trexta-made and Nokia branded CC-3002 'Hard cover', available in grey, red or blue. Could this be the perfect low profile N8 in-situ case or will this too fall at the last hurdle?
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In recent days I've looked at the OtterBox Commuter for N8, the Case-Mate for Nokia N8 and the FlexiShield Skin for Nokia N8 so I now have quite a bit of experience in this accessory genre. In any case, this is Nokia's official baby, even if it is very obviously made by (and branded by) Trexta in the packaging and on the inside of the N8 case.
The CC-3002 is basically a hard plastic shell that the N8 sits in. What sets this shell apart is the styling - Trexta talk about their IMLA technology (In Mould Leather Application) - essentially a way of including leather details in a plastic skin. The grey main body can also be ordered in red or blue, but the black leather stripe remains the same.
A small lip around the camera island aperture makes sure that the latter is held proud of any surface you might put the N8 down on. Also of note is the 'vent' - it would be nice to say that this performs some acoustic function, but it's just a cosmetic detail (with the letters 'Tr' from the company name).
Eagle eyed readers will note a) the scars from my self-publicised N8 fall from last week - nothing to do with any of the cases reviewed in this batch! And b) that there doesn't seem to be an allowance for the N8's microphone (at the lower left edge of the camera island) - just how tightly does the case fit, how thick is it and how much clearance has been left for the mike?
Good questions. It's a very tight fit - you almost have to lever the plastic on - but then this is good as it means that the case isn't going to fall off at any point (and in fact you don't need to take it off ever, because all ports and functions remain accessible). The case is also quite thick, with plastic and leather on the outside and a substantial amount of what seems to be neoprene on the inside. Around the camera island there's microscopic clearance only - a fraction of a millimetre - but there is a gap and I tested video capture and couldn't spot a degradation in audio quality. A little reassuring cutout would have been nice, though Trexta - DIY fans might like to make a tiny notch at the right point with a craft knife?
As the photos show, the tops of each wrap around corner clip have little rounded protrusions - these keep the N8's screen from surface contact should you place the cased phone face down on something damaging. Yes, the N8's got Gorilla Glass, but every little protection helps.
The minimalist approach means that all original buttons are easily accessible, which is good:
Aside from the worry over camera microphone clearance, there's really nothing to complain about with the CC-3002 - apart from the price.
Yes, the fusion of plastic and leather is all very clever, and yes, this is something of a premium hard case, but I still can't help feel that £22 is a little steep. Interestingly, the red version is £2 cheaper, so I'd suggest going for that and pocketing the difference to pay for your next pint!
Steve Litchfield, All About Symbian, 12 April 2011
Reviewed by Steve Litchfield at