A spill of drink or a nasty fall can mean the untimely end for your smartphone. Whether you work hard or play hard, your phone sometimes pay the price. So some of us need a little extra protection, even if it is for a budget device, like the Lumia 521.
Amzer, a well-known name in quality cases, has just the thing for those of you that need to shield your Lumia 521 from bumps and bruises. Their Hybrid kickstand case combines the shock-absorbing cushion of silicon with a rigid plastic outer shell, giving you a double layer of protection against most of what you can throw at it.
The Amzer Hybrid case is made up a rubbery silicon wrapper and a hard, plastic shell that snaps on over it. The silicon covers the entire phone, including the buttons, leaving only cutouts for the camera, speaker, audio jack, and USB port.
The shell protects the back of the phone, along with parts of the top, bottom, and sides. On the back of the case, you will find a retractable kickstand that clicks shut.
Pros
As far as its primary function goes, the Amzer Hybrid kickstand case provides excellent defense for the Lumia 521. The rubber sleeve and button covers help keep liquid and dirt out of your phone. Speaking of button covers, the ones on this case are particularly great.
While I found the ones on Amzer's Pudding case for the Lumia 520 made it more difficult to use the volume and camera controls, these covers actually make them easier to press.
The thick reinforced corners are sure to soften the impact of drops, even from fairly high up. There is a significant lip around the front bezel of the phone as well, which protects the screen in the case of a face plant.
The silicon wrap is so tough, in fact, that I am confident that it would be fine without the hard plastic shell at all. But that adds benefits of its own. For instance, the rubber provides more grip where you need it in your hand and helps you keep a firm hold on it. But the glossy plastic offsets some of that friction, making it easier to slide your Lumia 521 in and out of your pocket.
The snap-on shell also provides a housing for the kickstand mechanism. The kickstand is a pretty handy (or should I say "no-handy?") way to watch videos on your phone while charging it, sitting at your desk, etc. The kickstand works whether your Lumia 521 is upright or on its side.
In addition to its superior protection and usefulness, the Amzer Hybrid case also looks pretty cool. The black-on-black design, especially, makes your Lumia 521 look like a gadget you'd find hanging on Batman's utility belt.
Cons
The price you pay for the Amzer's superhero looks and toughness is a lot of added bulk to your Lumia 521. The additional size is substantial enough that the phone that is normally unnoticeable in your pocket becomes very apparent. In fact, I found the Amzer-clad Lumia 521 to be more intrusive while pocketed than my Lumia 1520.
This sort gets to my larger point about the Amzer Hybrid case. It is almost too much case for the Lumia 521, a device that I see as a portable, entry-level smartphone. With its tiny screen, it isn't really the type of device I see warranting a beefy suit of armor or a kickstand for viewing videos.
If this were the Amzer Hybrid kickstand case for the Lumia 1520 we were talking about, it would make more sense.
However, it all comes down to need and personal preference. If you are looking for a kickstand case for your Lumia 521 or something that can withstand some punishment, then this is certainly a great fit. It is a quality case that is tough-as-nails.
You can get one in black or white in the Windows Central Store{.nofollow} for $12.95, 35% off the retail price.
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