Speck is known for some of the best phone and tablet cases in the business. Their quality craftsmanship extends to their curious Pocket-VR product, a VR viewer akin to Google Cardboard that can fold into a durable, pocketable construct about the size and shape of a phone. Revealed at CES, the portable VR setup caused a bit of a stir with its compact and stylish frame promising to allow users to take the VR experience with them wherever they went, folding and unfolding it at a moment’s notice to punctuate life’s little downtimes with immersive VR content. The innovative viewer is now available in a combo pack with Speck’s CandyShell Grip case.
Speck’s CandyShell Grip series consists of thick, military-spec cases that are meant to balance optimal protection with style. Unlike other thick cases that prioritize protection at the cost of compromising the phone’s style and even altering the curves in some specimens, the original design language of the device under the case comes through in spades, but is filtered through the case itself, giving it a tougher, more rugged and sporty appeal. While the cases are thicker than the average cheap TPU joint and certainly much thicker than a skin, they don’t quite match up to stalwart numbers like Otterbox. All the same, they offer great protection with a dash of the device’s original style and, of course, unique Speck styling, complete with patterns, a balance of materials and intricate color shifts.
The Pocket-VR is being offered in a bundle with the CandyShell Grip case for the Galaxy S7, but not the Edge model, and the iPhone 6 and 6S. The price for the bundle is set at $69.95 regardless of which device you go for. Speck’s announcement did not mention plans to bring Pocket-VR to other phones’ case lineups or sell a phone-agnostic model, but the probability of the device remaining an iPhone and Galaxy S exclusive forever is quite low. The CandyShell Grip case itself normally commands $34.95 on its own, putting the value of the Pocket-VR at about $35 on its own. While this makes it a bit pricier than similar competitors, its unique portability factor gives it an edge that’s hard to deny.