Disclaimer: I am still working on a more stable photo setup to prevent blurry photos.
Overview
I'm a person that can run a positive spin on most things no problem, however, it's really hard to find things I actually like about the Hex Focus case. I usually have a large number of cases for my phones, and I like to try new cases as well, just so I can find that elusive perfect case. Many cases I use have something I like about them, something that makes them worth buying. I said it just a moment ago, but I'm having a really hard time finding that with the Hex Focus case. This is all my personal opinion, of course, I take an objective look at the things I review and give a subjective opinion. It's not that the Hex Focus case can't be good, it's just all the little things add up quickly. You may be fine with them, I am not. So what is it about the case I don't like?
Design
Let's start inside the case here, the Focus has a soft lined interior like you'll find on an Apple case and is embossed with the Hex brand logo. I like that, but it is only on the back and no protection for the side of your phone. Roughly the bottom fifth of the case is leather, and it's a fairly soft leather. It feels nice, you just don't feel enough of it and it's rougher inside the case where it hits the side of your phone. The rest of the case is a polycarbonate shell that has visible lines it. Half the lines are raised and the other half are indented to create the pattern and gives you that washboard sound when you brush anything across it. Where the polycarbonate meets the leather is a very visible seam, there is stitching on both the polycarbonate and leather sides. The stitching isn't bad, but I've also seen much better on cheaper cases. The blending between the leather and polycarbonate portions isn't very neat either which is really what draws your attention to the seam.
And just above that seam on the back? A tag...yes, a tag is stitched to the back of the case. This tag has the Hex brand logo, with Hex directly beneath it, it has the lot number for the case, it says registered trademark, gives what I assume to be a model number, and says designed in the U.S.A. Incredible. More than that though, this tag is right where I hold my phone, and it's just in the way, all the time.
You know I like talking about my cutouts of course. You only have one, the camera cutout. It doesn't center the camera, in fact, it almost didn't even allow my camera at first. If you're only going to have one cutout, get it right. For everything else, the case is wide open and wraps around it. Your side button, your volume buttons, and mute switch, just like the bottom, completely open. I don't mind this on some cases, but the Hex Focus is a little too wide for this design to be comfortable and feasible.
The case is a very tight and creaky out of the box, this is why my camera almost didn't fit at first. I had to keep putting my phone in and taking it out a number of times to loosen up the case. I still put my phone in top side first so I know the camera gets aligned properly, and I still feel the need to press my phone into the case and squeeze the sides tighter. I do that because I've found the Focus case really doesn't have much of lip for the corners. The corners. That's where your lip needs to be thickest, not thinnest. I chose the black and gold color without a card slot or a folio. It's a camo type design with the gold being the pattern and the black being the base. It is very shiny, so much shinier than the pictures lead you to believe. Maybe all this would be all right if the back of the case wasn't so stiff. You can probably snap the top portion if you wanted, but the bottom has no flex at all.
The Good
The Bad
Conclusion
I really wanted to find something to like enough about the Hex Focus case to justify the cost. From the build quality, I would have expected it to be a $10 case, not a $40 one. You can buy so many other cases for $40 that offer better protection, you can buy better design and protection for less than $40...so for this case to be $40 it has to compete with those. It does not compete with those other cases. I just couldn't possibly justify telling anyone to buy one. The way all the design choices add up and clash with each other just makes it annoying to have on my phone. But I'm just one voice and one opinion, you can check out the case for yourself on Hex brand's website right here.
Overview
I'm a person that can run a positive spin on most things no problem, however, it's really hard to find things I actually like about the Hex Focus case. I usually have a large number of cases for my phones, and I like to try new cases as well, just so I can find that elusive perfect case. Many cases I use have something I like about them, something that makes them worth buying. I said it just a moment ago, but I'm having a really hard time finding that with the Hex Focus case. This is all my personal opinion, of course, I take an objective look at the things I review and give a subjective opinion. It's not that the Hex Focus case can't be good, it's just all the little things add up quickly. You may be fine with them, I am not. So what is it about the case I don't like?
Design
Let's start inside the case here, the Focus has a soft lined interior like you'll find on an Apple case and is embossed with the Hex brand logo. I like that, but it is only on the back and no protection for the side of your phone. Roughly the bottom fifth of the case is leather, and it's a fairly soft leather. It feels nice, you just don't feel enough of it and it's rougher inside the case where it hits the side of your phone. The rest of the case is a polycarbonate shell that has visible lines it. Half the lines are raised and the other half are indented to create the pattern and gives you that washboard sound when you brush anything across it. Where the polycarbonate meets the leather is a very visible seam, there is stitching on both the polycarbonate and leather sides. The stitching isn't bad, but I've also seen much better on cheaper cases. The blending between the leather and polycarbonate portions isn't very neat either which is really what draws your attention to the seam.
And just above that seam on the back? A tag...yes, a tag is stitched to the back of the case. This tag has the Hex brand logo, with Hex directly beneath it, it has the lot number for the case, it says registered trademark, gives what I assume to be a model number, and says designed in the U.S.A. Incredible. More than that though, this tag is right where I hold my phone, and it's just in the way, all the time.
You know I like talking about my cutouts of course. You only have one, the camera cutout. It doesn't center the camera, in fact, it almost didn't even allow my camera at first. If you're only going to have one cutout, get it right. For everything else, the case is wide open and wraps around it. Your side button, your volume buttons, and mute switch, just like the bottom, completely open. I don't mind this on some cases, but the Hex Focus is a little too wide for this design to be comfortable and feasible.
The case is a very tight and creaky out of the box, this is why my camera almost didn't fit at first. I had to keep putting my phone in and taking it out a number of times to loosen up the case. I still put my phone in top side first so I know the camera gets aligned properly, and I still feel the need to press my phone into the case and squeeze the sides tighter. I do that because I've found the Focus case really doesn't have much of lip for the corners. The corners. That's where your lip needs to be thickest, not thinnest. I chose the black and gold color without a card slot or a folio. It's a camo type design with the gold being the pattern and the black being the base. It is very shiny, so much shinier than the pictures lead you to believe. Maybe all this would be all right if the back of the case wasn't so stiff. You can probably snap the top portion if you wanted, but the bottom has no flex at all.
The Good
- Soft-lined inside
- Real leather
- Will fit any cable you use
The Bad
- Stiff and creaky out of the box
- Not enough leather
- Not enough corner protection
Conclusion
I really wanted to find something to like enough about the Hex Focus case to justify the cost. From the build quality, I would have expected it to be a $10 case, not a $40 one. You can buy so many other cases for $40 that offer better protection, you can buy better design and protection for less than $40...so for this case to be $40 it has to compete with those. It does not compete with those other cases. I just couldn't possibly justify telling anyone to buy one. The way all the design choices add up and clash with each other just makes it annoying to have on my phone. But I'm just one voice and one opinion, you can check out the case for yourself on Hex brand's website right here.
Last edited:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram