Mobility Digest Review: Naztech Ultima 5 Horizontal Case

In my continued quest for cases large enough to handle an extended battery Tilt2, I picked up a Naztech Ultima 5  Horizontal Case and it has turned out to be an almost perfect solution. As a point of information, I stretch (train) my cases using a block of wood cut slightly larger than my phone. The blocks stay in the cases when not in use, so they are always ready when I need them. I would rather my case be slightly loose than too tight.

The Naztech Ultima is an elegant all leather case, available in; brown (pictured), black, and according to the manufacturers website, "a plethora of sizes and colors". It has a leather covered 8 position metal belt clip on the back and a large magnetic flap on the front that covers about half the phone. The top corners of the phone are exposed, so this case is not designed to be worn hiking or on the job site, but fits right in with any formal or casual attire. The case measures; 4.875" x 2.50" x 1.25" (1.75" including clip). There are finger holes at the bottom and at both corners, to assist with lifting the phone out of the case, which can be done with one hand but works better with two (damn slippery phone). The top flap is soft in the hinge area so it easily folds flat helping to facilitate phone loading & removal. The Naztech logo debossed on the front flap and the belt clip are nice added touches. After some training, my thick phone fits easily into this case, but will only work facing inward as the stiff leather corners are rounded and follow the contour of my extended back cover nicely. The stock Tilt2 actually wobbles a bit (see photo comparison below) facing both inward (worse) or outward (better), so unless you like a loose fitting case, I would not recommend this model for a standard battery Tilt2. The inside of the case is the same leather as the outside, so its not all that soft and smooth like other felt lined cases, but I think it would be fine provided a device has a screen protector.

I did start out this reviewing saying “almost” perfect. While I like most everything about this case, when you insert or remove the phone, especially when using one hand, you stand a pretty good chance of turning the phone on when the bottom of the phone sweeps against the opened top flap. Unlike what many people contend (the phone turns on because of the stylus sensor-wrong) the magnet actually activates the slide out keyboard sensor, which I assume is located somewhere near the bottom of the phone. I can confirm this because I have the Xylophone tone set to activate when I slide out my keyboard and that’s what I hear when I insert/remove the phone from this case. Additionally, the phone turns on in horizontal mode, then quickly switches to portrait. I only need to get within about 3/4" to make it activate. You will also trigger an on action if you touch the mini USB connector to the magnetic flap. Not that big a deal when removing the phone (as you probably want it on anyway), possibly even a "feature", but it could be a nuisance when inserting your phone. Since I started using S2U2 which reliably turns off my phone in 20 seconds even if you press against the screen, the impact of this problem has probably been reduced. But with the built-in lock screen, your phone could be on for hours without you knowing about it if you are moving around and retapping/pressing the screen. With a little practice you can avoid activating most of the time (insert/lift straight up without twisting), but it is still a potential hazard so I wanted to point it out.

Overall, this is the nicest, best fitting case I have found for an extended battery Tilt 2. The all leather build, magnetic flap (no Velcro rip in a quiet setting) and classic styling make this case a perfect match for the busy executive, while carrying a reasonable price tag. I still prefer vertical cases for ease (one handed) of phone removal, but this is a close second. I look forward to adding a black version (actually, just ordered one) to my collection to cover almost any wardrobe option. Available at online retailers from $14.95 to $19.95. Worth every penny if you ask me. You can take a closer look at the Ultima and other file leather Naztech cases by visiting their site: http://www.naztech.com/naz_catalog/cases/cases.html