Reviews for Speck 15" SmartShell Satin Case for MacBook Pro with Retina display

I have used numerous Speck cases over the years and this is the worst one yet. The last case kept going strong for 3+ years, but there is serious quality problems with this one. Like the other reviewer, I too had the rear bottom tab (just next to the right hand USB port) snap. Speck needs to really take a step back and assess these quality problems, because other than the tab snapping right off, the case does not fit as snug as models they have made before. I will be returning this and getting a different case or waiting until someone makes a really good one.

Speck has been my go to in the past. I love the satin because it has a little staying power, unlike the slick finished cases. The only down falls are the scratches you obtain during installation, and the rear tabs break off very easily. I took the first one back within a week as the rear tabs broke. Knowing this is a problem and there is nothing else (currently) like this case out there I will purchase a protective sleeve to sheath my MBPRD. Bummer, as I originally wanted to reduce the bulk on my travels. Adapting with a frown but i could be worse!!!!

I bought this case to protect my Macbook for when i take it to school and after a few weeks one of the tabs on the corner of the bottom shell snapped of. Do not buy this case if you are going to be using your computer daily because it is flimsy and not up to being used continually.

I bought my case from September, when the apple store didn't have them yet. Its served me well up til now, where as you'd have seen in the posts below, the bottom tabs near the hinge broke. I don't think it was worth it, but maybe that was because Speck made ME pay for shipping as well.

I'll check if the warranty covers this as it is less than a year old though.

Hard cases are very important when it comes to protecting your mac... especially when you drop them from a height. So I'd say get a soft case for now, maybe add some padding with it, and wait for them to redesign this.

This tale is an unfortunate one. I bought the smart shell for the mac book pro with retina. The case its self is of okay construction. It protects your MacBook pro from scratches and minor bumps. I keep good care of my MacBook pro and was surprised to find one day when one of the tabs had broken off the cover protector. There is not much to the construction so it is easy to see why it broke. I still use it to protect my MacBook pro from scratches, but it would be good for you to know that since the MacBook pro with retina is sooooo thin that the cover does not have much for clips and can easily be broken. If you are looking for something that will last the test of time then you are barking up the wrong tree.

The speck 15 inch is very flimsy and is not "snug" and it has forced me to stop and turn off my mac book because it starts to get so warm that it feels like its going to melt. I also have a 13 inch and that one is precise, more custom and breathes just fine, but for the 15 inch, it unfortunately has a flaw in its design.

After Comparing this case to all the other leading competitors I came to the conclusion that this case is the best case for the rMBP. The reason why is because it fits perfect, sleek, and thin. Some of the other cases are little thicker the protection is still the same for dents and scratches. If you want complete protection I would recommend adding a leather sleeve to put you rMBP in with the the SmartShell case on from high drops or for throwing it around in your backpack or brief case. I use this setup for school without having to worry.
NOTE: I was worried about the black case not showing the Apple led light on the back of the monitor screen but it shows through perfectly.

Price: Price is on the high side but compared to leading brands it's at the same price.

Value: Your spending 2,000 plus dollars on your laptop so why not get a good case that is perfectly compatible with the rMBP.

Quality: The materials used are great and durable. With the warranty if anything were to happen with the case, Speck will get you a new one! One problem I have with the case was the plastic cover that covered the back of the LED screen. When I opened or closed the lid from the center it would make a crack noise because it was not tight in that area. I exchanged it for a new one and I don't have this problem anymore.