Specifically, I've been sent a couple of Noreve's 'Tradition E' leather cases for the Huawei P30 Pro - the USP being, as usual with Noreve, that no expense is spared in terms of presentation and materials.
Leaving aside the fancy box and cloth pouch (I still don't really understand the latter - once the case is on the phone, why would you ever need the pouch again?), the bonding of the various leathers to the tough metal backplane is incredible - we're talking premium leather, premium fit, premium feel in the hand.
Which is not to say that I haven't got some complaints. But we'll start with the geek porn, the eye candy - since you can't smell the cases via the web (yet), so you'll have to take my word for the latter!
I was sent the 'Ambition' finish in 'Mimosa' colour (a pale yellow) and the "Horizon' finish in 'Abaca Nero' (black!), there's no direct link to either, so you'll have to
juggle with the interactive page on Noreve's site here.
The P30 Pro slides into the leather-clad metal grip and then it's
very solid:
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| Detailed leather imprinting even on the inside |
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| Super natural leather feel in the hand |
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| The cutout around the cameras doesn't follow the curves of the hardware perfectly, but I can only imagine how hard it is to make this case in the first place... |
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| Referred to below, the sides don't quite sit proud of the phone's front... |
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| And now in black....! |
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| Hard to photograph, but stunningly detailed in real life... |
However fantastic this feels in the hand in terms of solidity and those sumptuous leather finishes, I did mention that I have some complaints. Firstly, something I pick other case makers up on - there's not enough corner 'rise' to try to protect the phone from a screen-down drop. I realise that the priority here is to look and feel great, but I'd have liked to see a gentle extra millimetre of clad metal on all four corners. Yes, this might have compromised how well the leather could be wrapped (i.e. sides of uneven height along their length), but that's a design and manufacturing problem, it doesn't stop me wishing!
My second complaint is even more picky, but I think it's worth noting. This Noreve design obviously works by sprung (leather clad) metal 'holding on' to the phone and you'd want a firm grip so that the phone didn't keep slipping out. The only thing is... the grip is so tight that it's alarmingly hard to get the phone OUT of the case again. In my case to switch finishes here, but in real life perhaps to switch SIMs or change/upgrade a Huawei NM card. Getting the phone out involves fingertip power and, in my case, a few guitar plectrums to keep a gap open while I pried corner after corner!
Of course, if you love the case (as I suspect you might) then you won't want to take the P30 Pro out very often. I'm just warning you - the case doesn't let the phone slip away into the night easily. And this is, arguably, a good thing?!
Thumbs up overall, of course. The price is high, typically 75 Euros, but hey, you want luxury and the best leather/metal combination this side of science fiction? This is where you find it!
PS.
Noreve's main web site is here. (Note that it's available in many languages!)
PPS. See also my
general roundup of other case options for the P30 Pro.
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