Disclaimer: This is not a professional review and all the findings and opinions are based on my own experience only.
Preface
A tablet as big as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is definitely not as pocketable as phones and PDAs. Therefore, carrying it out naked will possess quite some trouble if no proper protection or cover is used. Usually we will always put our tablets on the table and no doubt they will always be humps and bumps that will damage the tablet's chassis or dirt that will scratch the surface of it. Besides, a casing or a cover will act as disguise to avoid unnecessary attentions when holding it or using it in the public. I did not buy a tablet to attract attention like some other people, who prefer some particular brand. I want to keep as low profile as possible, to avoid attention and for safety reasons as well.
The Selection
There are many variety of casing to choose from in the market to fit my tab, with price ranging sub RM100 to few hundred ringgit to choose from. Samsung themselves also have their own design of casing for the tab, which is very slim and offer least protection but remains the slim profile of the tab, and it is good looking too. However, the price for it is exorbitant and it does not fulfill my requirement for protection purpose hence I will skip the official ones.
I bought a Belkin slim folio casing for my tab on the first day of launch but it has several issues. The linings beside the casing were terribly glued and it started to peel off within a month of usage. The peeling starts from the folding area where it is used to fold and keep the tab standing and slowly propagates along the glued sides. Another problem with the casing is that it is very hard to clean it once contacted with dirt, especially water or oil stains. Hence, after a month of usage, the casing shows a lot of wear and tear even thou I took good care of it. After two months, I couldn't bare the low quality Belkin casing anymore and issued a RMA request and sent it for replacement. It took them around 2 weeks plus to respond and Belkin replaced my slim folio casing with another variant, which is thicker and bulkier. I immediately sold it off and start hunting for a better quality casing.
Having heard of the good reviews Melkco received for their premium hand made casings for iPhones and Galaxy S2, I decided to give it a try even thou it makes my tab looks thicker and bulkier. However, the hand made genuine leather and the build quality is what attracts me the most because leather are very durable and easy to clean compare to PU, thou some maintenance are required to keep the leather last longer. Besides, a polished leather gives a very classy feel which will not make you shy to take it out and show it to others.
The Purchase
I spent some time looking for shops online that sells this Melkco casing for Galaxy Tab and found out that not many shops carry this model because of low demand. Most of them charge a very expensive price, which is around RM270 for the casing itself. My budget allocated for the casing is just RM150. I went to survey around shopping malls and shops, those who have this model sells it at very high price and claims it is a rare product as they don't take in much stock. When I almost giving up on finding it, I came across a shop located in Subang which sells this casing in lelong at a cheaper price at RM170. I contacted the seller to inquire about the stock availability and he says its avail but one stock left.
Wasting no time, I drove all the way to Subang because I want to inspect the casing by myself, in concern of a fake product due to the cheap price. I took me some time to look for the shop in Subang because I'm not familiar with the area. The seller shows me the casing, having one black and one red left in his cabinet. Even thou the red one looks nicer, but I choose the classic black instead, due to lower profile and more classic look. The seller let me open the box to inspect for any defects and it is a genuine product no doubt, with very good hand made stitches, the genuine leather smell that you will get for any leather product. After the inspection, I happily paid the seller, who in turn, gives me a further RM5 discount when I jokingly asked for it. So, the total damage for this casing is RM165, which is just RM15 more expensive than that low quality Belkin slim folio casing. Worth much more than it too!
Real World Experience
It has been 6 months since I had this casing, and it still feel very new, except that the leather smell, which is no longer there. The stitches are still very in tact, no sign of thread coming out. The casing is very well built with excellent workmanship. It has some cushion beneath the front facing leather which makes it very nice to hold and touch. Sometimes I will use my tablet as my arm rest too because the cushion and leather is so comfortable to put on. The back is also leather but wrapped on a cardboard, which does not have the cushion feeling as the front cover.
The interior is covered with padding and carpet like texture and the padding has three grooves that can hold the tab in standing position. On the padding itself you will find it is embedded with the Melkco logo and brand name diagonally. The casing is made in China but no doubt on its quality which is superior to other leather casing you will find in the market. The leather is genuine cow hide, with my unit has some slight defects on the skin surface, but doesn't really affect the overall quality because such slight defect is expected from genuine leather.
Picture courtesy of Melkco website: Melkco Leather Case for Galaxy Tab 10.1
A bad comment for this casing is that it is a bit troublesome to change it into standing position as it requires us to detach the bottom grip of the casing in order to tilt the casing in standing mode. Troublesome for initial use, but once you get used to it, it doesn't feel so anymore. Another thing is the cover grip, the cover closes on the tab with minimal grip because it uses a curved hook to just hang on the tab's side. Aside from the hook, the connecting strip between the back and the front gives me a feeling that I will snapped it if I open it in a harsh way. However, after half a year of abuse, no issues with it really. It performs how it should, and it is very durable.
Wrap Up
A very premium casing which offers good protection, good maintenance and classic look that will make other owners drool over the leather and the quality. Wear and tear is minimum, with some damage to the side but not very obvious, thanks to the black colour. The leather requires some clean up once in a while and will get damage by sharp finger nails, which must be careful. Overall, it still feels very new and I know it will last longer than my tablet's lifespan. A very well worth product to buy.
Advantages
- Premium feel and quality
- Genuine leather for durability and cleaning
- Very strong grip of the tab
- Hand made stitches with excellent workmanship
- Comfortable cushion
- Solid build
- Offers fairly good protection for front and back
- Durable
- Classic outlook
Disadvantages
- Sides and edges are exposed
- Thicker and bulkier
- Cumbersome to change to standing position
- Offers only adequate grip on cover
- Pricey
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