Review: Catalyst DSi Cover from CM4

CM4 Catalyst Case – PAX 2010 Edition

I’ve owned almost all the versions of the Nintendo DS, excluding the XL, and I’ve never found a protection solution (cases, skins, etc.) that I’ve liked. GelaSkins, gorgeous as they were, fell apart after a few months. DS cases that protected were rarely stylish and generally bulky. If they were stylish, they were terrible at protecting. For the most part, the “girly” DS cases were garish and completely ridiculous.

I’d all but given up on finding a case that I liked.

A few minutes after slipping on CM4′s Catalyst case for the DSi, I was in love. Nevermind the fact that it matched my DSi almost exactly; its luxe materials felt like I was holding a supple leatherette handbag rather than a piece of technology. It smooths the hard edges so that gripping my DSi for long periods of time (especially during my commute to the city) no longer feels like an exercise in slow masochism.

It’s now a joy.

Along with the case itself, the box came with two “premium” screen protectors. Sadly, this was the one part of the Catalyst case that really threw me off. The screen protectors were difficult to use, peeled off awkwardly, and made it almost impossible to make heads or tails of what I was seeing on the screens. After a few days of using the protectors (somewhere between Seattle and Vancouver on the Greyhound), I’d had enough and threw them away.

I had many compliments on the case during my time at PAX Prime this year. People commented on how beautiful it looked; on how it felt for them to hold it; and definitely on how they were going to go home and purchase their very own. Even Wil Wheaton (whose signature is now graces my Catalyst case) said that the case just was damn sexy.

Once the 3DS makes its way into our household, I will anxiously await the arrival of a 3DS Catalyst case.

This product was provided by CM4 and did not affect the outcome of this review.