They say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and if they are right then HT should be mighty flattered by the ROCK Double Dip case.

Not only is the outer styling strikingly similar to the official case from HTC but even the name pays homage.  That’s not to say it is an exact copy, but visually there can be no doubt where they drew their inspiration from.

[toggle title=”Price and Where To Buy” state=”open” ]£7.99 from gadgetwear[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Design and Aesthetics” state=”close” ]While the official case sports the same clip off/on top portion to insert the One Mini that the HTC One Double Dip case has, the ROCK version is an all in one affair which the phone pushes into, leaving the top and bottom ‘dips’ as purely aesthetic.  The case is constructed of a shockproof silicone rubber inner in a mesh styled pattern which supposedly helps with heat dissipation, and a hard poly carbonate outer shell.  I need to confess that right now this type of case design is my personal favorite due to how solidly they protect so for me the all in one design is a plus mark.  There is a down side to this style though, if you like to change your case often then the regular pushing and pulling out of a snug fitting inflexible case can cause problems with the phones integrity over time, but cases of this are rare.[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Port Accessibility” state=”close” ]The ROCK Double Dip fits very well around the Mini with no visible gaps or areas of stress either visible or to the touch.  The thin overlap on the screen side sits tight and snug against the glass and metal the phone is constructed from.  Around the edges buttons have raised rubberized areas making finding and using them easy.  Cut outs for connectors are give plenty of space for use and come with fold back flaps to protect the phone sockets when not in use, not a feature I am particularly fond of, but some others are.  Sadly over time these rubber flaps have taken a tendency to hang loose rather than sit tight in sockets.  The camera and flash cut out is big enough not to interfere with shots, and all other holes for sensors are clear of obstruction.[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Fitting and Removing” state=”close” ]Fitting the case is a breeze, just push the top of the phone in and then pop the bottom in by the top lip.  Removing the case is different matter, popping one end or corner out beyond the covering top lip puts pressure on the case and handset, and while I am not suggesting that you will cause immediate damage, it definitely requires a small degree of care.[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Protection” state=”close” ]The ROCK case offers a very reasonable level of protection. The dual material construction should mean that if you are unfortunate enough to drop you device and assuming it doesn’t land on the screen there should be no damage to your phone. Being an all in one unit there is little chance of the case separating from the phone during impact.[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Gallery” state=”close”]

[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Good Points” state=”open” ]

• Price
• Decent protection level
• Snug fit

[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Bad Points” state=”open” ]

• Loose fitting port covers
• Slightly bland design

[/toggle]

[toggle title=”Conclusion” state=”open”]So apart from the fact that the case is a single unit, why else would you choose the ROCK over the official HTC case? You may prefer the colour options (the case comes in orange/grey as well as the blue/grey option shown), or maybe you just want to save a penny or two. The official HTC Double Dip case will set you back around fifteen pounds if you shop about, the ROCK case come in at a sweet seven ninety nine from gadgetwear (the very nice peeps who sent us the case to review) or almost half price.

While the ROCK Shield Series Protective Double Dip Rear case (bit of a mouthful right there) isn’t the most artistic or visually stunning case around for the price you can’t go wrong. It is solidly built and feels like it will last.

Also check out cases for the LG G2 and the Nexus 5 from gadgetwear for more bargains.[/toggle]