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Case Mate Barely There iPhone Case Review – The oh-so-wonderful ‘minimalist’s’ case

When talking about ‘minimalist’ cases, one of the first to come to mind would most definitely be Case Mate’s ‘Barely There’ iPhone case.  These cases are sleek, slim, and attractive.  Appropriate for men and women, and available in a variety of colors; there is an option for just about anyone.  

Manufacturer: Case Mate
Model: Barely There iPhone 4/4S Case
Pros: Super slim, durable, simple, sleek & attractive
Cons: Not much shock absorption
The Lowest Trusted Price We Could Find: Only $15.54 (get 38% off!) with FREE SHIPPING through this link
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Construction
The Case Mate Barely There iPhone case is made of a highly durable polycarbonate plastic. The case is made entirely of this material, and there is no cushion or lining on the inside. Being a minimalist style case, the ‘Barely There’ offers basic coverage of your Phone’s back and sides. The font of the case does rise slightly above the screen of your Phone to offer some protection there as well. As with most other Case Mate cases we’ve reviewed, the Barely There fits the iPhone with extreme precision. Taking the case on and off can be a bit difficult. That being said, this case is so slim that removal is rarely necessary, and it fits in most docks with ease.

The openings in this case allow for effortless access to the physical controls of your phone. The ‘Barely There’ case that we reviewed was a first generation model. The current generation has a larger camera port opening, and the circular cutout to reveal the apple logo is no longer present. In our opinion these are both improvements, as there is no problem with camera flash glare nor any vulnerable spot where the back of the iPhone could become scratched.

A Myriad of Colors
One attractive attribute of the Case Mate Barely There case is the fact that it is available in a myriad of colors. Our particular case was finished in matte green, and we couldn’t be happier with the way that it looked. This case takes on a completely different personality depending on the color, and with all the choices available, there is plenty of room for expression here.

In addition to different colors, Case Mate offers the ‘Barely There’ case in different materials as well. See our review of the brushed aluminum version (See Our Review Here).

Things To Consider
With a case as thin as the ‘Barely There’, there will be inevitable trade-offs.  One of the notable consideration is the fact that this case will not give you much shock absorption in the event of a drop or hard impact.  If you are really rough with your gadgets, you may want to look elsewhere.  We performed a few drop tests with this case, and we’re confident that this case would be fine for the typical user, but don’t expect to be able to abuse your phone with no consequences.  As with any painted/anodized case, the ‘Barely There’ does start to show scratches over an extended period of time.  That said, it resists them surprisingly well and in our opinion, this shouldn’t be a deterring factor.

Our Review in Summary
The Case Mate ‘Barely There’ is our top choice for a minimalist case. It blends seamlessly with the natural lines of your phone, and adds virtually no bulk or awkwardness to your device. It slides easily in and out of your pocket, and the matte finish really feels nice in your hand. With all the available color options, this is a classy unisex case that should suit the majority of people’s needs. For the person seeking a case that gives them protection without sacrificing the iPhone’s slim profile, The Case Mate ‘Barely There’ should be at the top of their list.

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Tags: Barely, Case, iPhone, Mate, Review, there