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Speck's iPhone 6/6 Plus CandyShell case gets luxury 'inked' treatment

Speck's latest iPhone case, the CandyShell Inked Luxury Edition, features an eye-catching metallic design and a matte finish.

David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.
Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials
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David Carnoy

It's hard to stand out in the iPhone case market, but Speck is trying to do just that with its new CandyShell Inked Luxury Edition, available soon for $50 (iPhone 6) and $55 (iPhone 6 Plus).

In contrast to the original CandyShell and CandyShell Inked cases, which have glossy finishes, this new model features a "shimmering" metallic design with a matte finish. A few different designs are available at launch, and they're all pretty striking.

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The shimmering new CandyShell Inked Luxury edition starts at $50. Sarah Tew/CNET

Speck not only reports that the case underwent third-party testing to make sure the metallic finish didn't interfere with your phone's signal strength, but it says the "HD-quality graphic" is both fade and scratch-resistant.

The Luxury Edition offers the same solid, dual-layer protection as other CandyShell cases, but the matte finish of the case does feel a little different in hand. It seems a touch smoother and less grippy than the glossy finish of earlier CandyShell cases. But that may change as you use the case over time and wear it in, so to speak.

Like other Speck cases, this Luxury Edition has a fairly luxurious price tag. But at least it stands out.

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