Review – Incipio Feather case for the Lumia 1520

By Daniel Rubino
last updated

Although the Lumia 1520 is a huge device, it’s still easy to drop or bang it on accident. The polycarbonate plastic is solid, but not indestructible, so sometimes tossing on thin case is a good idea. Plus, if the color is right, you can spice things up a bit.

Incipio is a well-known brand when it comes to phone cases and shells. The Feather, described as an ‘ultra-thin snap on case’, costs a jaw-dropping $30. I took a look at it this afternoon and although the price is outrageous, between the build quality and the cyan color, I can at least recommend it.

Check out some of the photos and video tour after the break.

A lot of you have probably already turned away seeing that $29.99 price tag. I don’t blame you, but even AT&T sells phone cases and shells for that price, so it’s not exactly unheard of these days. Putting price aside, I really like the Incipio Feather.

The case is hard plastic, unlike Amzer’s soft TPU case that I showed you yesterday. Incipio calls is Plextonium, which is a marketing name for their rigid plastic. It protects the corners of the device and it does raise off of the display a smidgen, offering some protection when face down. There is no lip around the camera housing though, so don’t look for any added protection there. It only adds 1 mm to the size of the back of the device, which is ideal.

Soft to the touch, the shell feels great to hold, and there are ample cutouts for the buttons on the side and the various ports. The Feather comes in two colors: Cyan or Black. I went for the Cyan, and it’s almost like having a Cyan Lumia phone again—so keep that in mind, if you like that color as it adds some nice pop to the Lumia 1520.

Conclusion? Forgetting the price, the Feather is a really nice case. It feels great in the hand with the matte, soft touch feel. Protection is moderate for most mild drops and the Cyan color goes well with the many colors of the Lumia 1520 (and black is available if you do want a high contrast device). Of course for $29.99 you can probably find a cheap knock off somewhere, but if you want a case with a Life Time warranty and quality, the Incipio Feather is not a bad investment.

Head to Incipio’s website for more information or check out my other Lumia 1520 case reviews.

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been here covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics and ran the projectors at movie theaters, which has done absolutely nothing for his career.

35 Comments
  • For that price, the case MUST be a really good case.
  • Or just anothe high margin accessory... Accessories make more money than the devices they are made for, lol.
  • It's true.
  • I never understood the use of these cases.  They are expensive and just a fashion statement.  At best, they just protect from scratches.  If you going to place a case on your phone, then get one that could protect it from a drop onto concrete.  Something rubberized and with shock absorption.
  • "They are expensive and just a fashion statement"
    That's patently false.  I've used these shell cases plenty of times and they have taken some nice falls too. While they are not bullet proof, you bet they are better than nothing. What's more, they add grip to the phone, which often in and of itself helps prevent the phone from slipping from your hand.
  • I have the Incipio Feather case for my HTC 8X and I love it.  I bought it primarily because I was afraid that the blue body would get dirty (and it does).  The case is thin and light and adds just enough protection.  Worth the money to get a high end case that doesn't add a whole lot of weight.
  • Still think I'm going to need a Murse for this thing. Really loving it though.
  • Sweet
  • Is it just the angle of the picture or is the camera cutout off center?
  • I have the feather for an LG G2 and it's as thin and light as they get.  Fortunately, Verizon only charged $18.99 for this phone and at that price it's a good deal.  It may become cheaper when other carriers have the phone (I think that's still a big problem for Windows Phone - giving so many exclusives to ATT - they are losing sales by customers buying a phone when their upgrade is available - I think only the iPhone can get away with customers waiting until the next one).
  • Haha. Ridiculous. I could get this for 0.99 in china.
  • Free lead and mercury too! lol
  • A bargin at twice the price!
  • Looks like China is busy making old Nokia phones covers.. When I bought 620, the sales rep was pushing "changeable cover" hard.. But I never got the replacement cover for my 620!!   Anyway, thanks Nokia for finally bringing MicroSD in high-end device!! That's the only reason I bought 620 at that time..   Will 32GB 1520 be available with wireless charging anywhere in the world?
  • Picked up one of these in black from the Microsoft store for $25. It's a decent case that I hope will hold me over until they release a Qi adapter case.
  • I bought one of these for my 920 when I first got it in cyan color. In two months the thing was nasty. I tried every thing to get the black and dirt off, warm water, light detergent, you name it. It was still nasty. If its that same material I don't think you guys would be backing it..
  • It's the same material. Did you use it where it was dirty or just general use?
  • Regular use. I wasn't too happy about it.
  • I agree 110% with this. Same exact thing happened to mine. Looked gorgeous at first, but after a few weeks it got so nasty that it made my 920 look like garbage so I ended up taking it off.
  • So if that is 30 dollars what is the wireless charging case going to set us back, 75- 100
  • $49.99
  • That's a good price, only 20 dollars more for a charging case
  • The price was three clicks away...since I know how, I did it for you http://www.incipio.com/cases/smartphone-cases/nokia-smartphones/nokia-lu...
  • Thanks
  • Looks nice but why do these case manufacturers insist on keeping their logo's the cases ? It makes the phone look like some cheap knock-off.
  • It looks nice and I like the cyan, particularly with white, but I think I will wait for a charging case.
  • For that price, wouldn't it be better to grab the flip cover? It protects the glass and that's what I care about. Wear and tear don't matter on matte.
  • Depends. I have both and there are pros/cons to each. Not every one wants a flip cover on their phone, it makes taking photos more cumbersome and it's one more thing to do to use the phone.
  • Very nice. I have the Incipio feather case in that same color for my 920 and even used it on my phone when I went to a concert on Saturday. It has that good grippy feel that didn't make me feel nervous about not swapping it out for my Incipio Dual Pro case... In fact, I just ordered the Incipio feather case in pink a few minutes ago. Incipio makes quality case, also got one for my iPhone back in 2011.
  • Looks beautiful
  • Quite happy with the Belkin folio cover... Not cheap but adds a nice professional look and protection is great
  • Looks really good
  • I used the Feather on two Trophy's, and on my current 928. Decent enough protection, about as thin as can be. One of them died saving my suicidal Trophy, I would rather replace a $20-25 case than a phone for a few hundred.
  • I am waiting for a flip cover.
    But I bought a hybrid case to tide me over.
    The Thousand Eight soft case with plastic shell for $1.00. Has extra corner padding and adds a nice grip to the thin edges of the device too.
    The power cord cut out is kinda sharp, but can be easily shaved with an razor blade.
  • the extra column titles is so sexy, hope they make like this phone but with 5 inch!!!