Vapor Dock charge/sync stand for iPhone 4/4S review

Vapor Dock charge/sync stand for iPhone 4/4S review

Provides: Docking/charing for various iPhone/iPod devices
Developer: Element Case
Minimum Requirements: Apple iPhone or iPod with a dock connector
Price: $119.99
Availability: Now
A little over a year ago, we reviewed Element Case’s Vapor Pro Limited Edition iPhone 4 case. The review began thusly:

Yes, this iPhone case costs $150. Even crazier, it’s more of a bumper than a case. It protects neither the screen nor the back of your iPhone 4. It has some other issues, too, in that it prevents docking with nearly all third-party devices you may have, and you actually needs a special “speed wrench” to get it off your phone. And yet, after using the Vapor Pro Limited Edition for a while, I think it’s worth the money for those willing to spend it.

I still stand by that, but today we’re going to focus on the bit about it not docking with third-party devices. Because of the need to unscrew the Vapor Pro in order to remove it from your iPhone, the simple process of docking it was anything but simple. You used a basic docking cable, you used a 30 pin extender or you used nothing.

There’s a lot to like about the Vapor Dock. First, the solid body is weighty and isn’t going anywhere. Unlike some docks and stands, bumping the Vapor Dock won’t send it scuttling across the desk. Wide pads on the button help further to keep the dock in place, while its low center of gravity won’t allow it to tip over.
Second, it comes with an Apple-style 30 pin cable built right in. The hollowed out center of the dock stores the excess cable, keeping your desk free from clutter.

Third, whether you’re using the Vapor Dock with a Vapor Case (it’s compatible with Element’s Vapor Pro, Vapor Comp and Composite cases) or with a bare iPhone(via an insertable plate the provides tighter support), machined holes in the front will amplify your iPhone’s audio. This is okay for listening to music, but makes more sense for speakerphone calls or hearing your phone ring when you’re in another room.

The Vapor Dock comes in silver and black models, either of which will look great with your iPhone, and should sit well with whatever Element case you’re using. Still, I’d like to see a white model.
But all this can’t skirt one perfectly valid question…is it worth it if you aren’t, in fact, using an Element Vapor Pro, Vapor Comp or Composite case? We’re talking $120 here, after all. And what happens when you trade in your iPhone 4 for the eventual iPhone 5. Will the Vapor Dock still fit? I’d say that’s a possibility, considering its current compatibility with so many iPhone and iPod models, and I can’t imagine Element Case would render the Vapor Dock obsolete with the next line of Vapor and Composite cases. But, you never know.
Ultimately, the Vapor Dock really makes sense for two groups of people; those who love their Vapor Pro, Comp or Composite case but hate having to remove it to dock/charge, and those who were considering an Element Case model but put off the purchase for that precise reason. I can’t knock the Vapor Dock craftsmanship, and it does exactly what it claims to do. Whether that’s worth $120 will likely be irrelevant to those who paid up to $160 for their Vapor Pro to begin with.

 

 

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