BoxWave FlexiSkin for PSP Review

One thing has become rather apparent over the last few weeks: no matter how many people may (or may not) be purchasing silicone cases for the PSP, there sure are a lot of companies interested in producing them. Silicone cases offer quite a bit of protection, and when combined with a good screen protector can be a great way to keep your PSP looking nice without adding excess bulk. We have already reviewed one silicone PSP sleeve, the Power Support Jacket Set for PSP. While still a silicone sleeve, there are differences between it and the FlexiSkin, both cosmetically and functionally.

To get the PSP in the FlexiSkin, you stretch the sleeve and insert the PSP through the screen opening. This differs from the Power Support design, which has a slit at the top of the sleeve through which the PSP goes. We found the FlexiSkin’s design to provide a slightly better fit for the PSP. This more secure fit comes at the cost of covering the accessory holes, IR ports (which may or may not work through the sleeve - we really didn’t have any practical way of finding out), and trigger buttons. Openings allow access to the analog nub, headphone and remote ports, power ports, power and Wi-Fi switches, USB port, Memory Stick door, UMD door, and the open button. We found that the opening for the UMD door was cut almost perfectly, allowing the door to open just enough for the UMD to be changed while maximizing fit and protection, and the same was true for the Memory Stick opening.

We were worried at first that the trigger buttons would become less responsive because of this, but after playing awhile with the sleeve on, we found that it really wasn’t an issue. We were still able to acheive full power boost during a session of Tiger Woods PGA Tour, which is quite possibly the most extreme test of a trigger button’s responsiveness. All the rest of the buttons felt similar to how they felt in the Power Support Jacket — that is to say, they feel a little different, but, like the trigger buttons, the feel grows on you. We did find that the FlexiSkin’s individual raisings for the d-pad helped the feel of those buttons.

Cosmetically, the FlexiSkin is very nice looking. It changes the color of the PSP ever so slightly, but is translucent enough to read even the small buttons at the bottom of screen, something we had trouble doing through the Power Support Jacket. The bulk added by the FlexiSkin is minimal, and the silicone provided excellent grip — in fact, we found that “hand sweat” was somewhat cut down by the material as well. Like the Power Support Jacket, the surface does seem to pick up dust and dirt quite easily. This is a very minor issue that is easily remedied by a quick wiping down of the FlexiSkin. An included wrist strap finishes the look nicely.

Sometimes you have a product category that, while having many excellent options, doesn’t really have a clear-cut leader. After the first two reviews of silicone jackets, we think this may be the case in this market. The BoxWave FlexiSkin for PSP is an excellent option for anyone looking for a way to protect their PSP without adding extra bulk. The differences between the Power Support Jacket and the FlexiSkin make us want to recommend the FlexiSkin because of the slightly better fit, more clear silicone, and lower price. This all changes if you need a screen protector, however, since the Power Support offering includes one with it’s higher price.