MobileTechTalk Having seen Tech21 cases being shown across many YouTube channels due to their durability and high durability and protective functionality compared to competitors intrigued me and I personally wanted to try it out to see whether these are really worth their value with protection being key on my brand new 8 Plus.
Thanks to Tech21 for sending the Evo Wallet for us to test however this has not impacted my review whatsoever.
The shape of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus haven’t changed much at all from the last generation 7 and 7 Plus. This means almost all cases will be compatible with the newest iPhones (bar the iPhone X). The EVO Wallet is something which provides a utilitarian case for the 7 and 8 Plus.
The packaging was quite nice with a front flap with a circular cut-out which informs users about the patented FlexShock impact protection which has been developed in partnership with the National Physical Laboratory and this probably won’t mean much to most people but the essence of this is that the case can protect your phone from drops from 3 metre drops which is going to be more rare than drops from your head level or pocket level. This should mean there is a much higher chance of your phone remaining unscathed and the case will also live to another day as its not much use having a one-time drop case.
There is a further slide out tray which encloses the case. There is a pack of silica gels inside the case which is probably the first time I have seen it included inside a case. The case does seem a bit large when you first encounter it and it seems much larger than the actual phone but once you line it up alongside the phone it seems much more compact. The phone is quite easy to slip in although you will see some resistance which is due to the rigidity of the FlexShock technology.
The front of the case has a cutout for the earpiece which is handy especially since this doesn’t use a magnet, rather it uses a clip design which in the long term is less likely to get ruined or broken. This does mean the clip design is a bit harder to open initially until you wear it slightly and get used to the position and force required. The front also has an abstract pattern which is created using a material that has different shades of grey/black depending on the angle you look at it from.
The front material does extend to about 1/5th of the back with the rest being a opaque black with no pattern on this section. There is a small gap towards the bottom which is fully transparent with the Tech21 logo, this is quite subdued so you probably wont realise this when looking at the case from afar.
There are incredibly large cutouts for the speaker, microphone, and lightning port and these are wrapped around towards the back which I find will be an issue if you have a lot of fluff or dirt in your pocket as it will likely get underneath this section and rub against the back of your phone which may leave you with scratches.
The buttons do seem a bit on the firm side but I have seen that on previous cases I have seen these do wear after a couple weeks so it is much easier to press. The volume rocker and the opening for the mute switch are hidden if the flap is closed. However, the fabric on the side is slightly thinner which allows for easier pressing of the buttons and personally I found these to be easier to press than just the buttons because there is a larger contact point.
The camera cut-out is plenty on the back with a 4mm gap between the LED flash and the edge of the case and it is about half the width of the back. I personally would have liked a smaller cut-out because it means there are less impact points for any debris or dirt to make contect with the glass. The case definitely has a bit of grip on the bottom which means on a smooth table this wont slide around.
The cutouts for the cards are well fitting with only a small bit of wiggle room so you will see that in a rush you may struggle to fit your cards. Also I found that when both cards were inserted into the 2 slots, the front had a bit of a gap of about 2mm which does mean that it doesn’t seem flush. The middle section is held down to the front flap with a magnet which is good as it means that it wont just be flapping around when the front flap is held around the back. The case doesn’t have the ability to be used as a stand which is a shame since I feel like this could have been implemented easily with a few adjustments.
I did drop my iPhone 8 Plus wihin the Evo Wallet case a couple times and I am yet to see any scuffs to the case or to my phone which is a good indication of how it will perform in the long term. I am quite careful with my phone and the cases I have used get ruined due to general wear and tear rather than damage from being dropped.
Overall, this case definitely has its target audience with somebody who would rather carry a single phone case with their bank cards than a wallet and your phone but personally I would rather choose the Evo Check.
You can purchase the Tech21 Evo Wallet here
Tech21 Evo Wallet
39.95
Tech 21 Evo Wallet iphone7/8 rubbish design on plastc clip to keep it closed, broke after 8 weeks.
Same here – Tech 21 Evo Wallet iphone X – plastic clasp disintegrated within 3 months.
Problem still present – best to avoid. Filed warranty claim – still awaiting response after 3 weeks.
If you get no reply try their social media as they are normally responsive.
Tech 21 Evo Wallet case for Samsung disintegrated after a couple of months (judicious use of super glue kept it going a bit longer…) Submitted warranty claim, claim approved after a week – 8 weeks later still no replacement and no response. Tried to leave negative feedback on their site and they refused to publish it!!! They are charlatans.
Never buy Tech 21 products, many customers were neglected by replacements, giving common answers like ‘dont have stock’. Im waiting more than two months for my screen protector. DO NOT Buy…!!!
Hi Sisira,
I haven’t had that experience the few times I’ve used them. However it was a while ago now.