Time to play the waiting game 
I ordered to notebook style with a sky blue linen and I'll take pics once it arrives
I ordered to notebook style with a sky blue linen and I'll take pics once it arrives
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Portenzo Case Review
- Thread starter bthompson
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Gotta say, I am not digging the weight of these cases. I often spend time in bed reading on my 'pad and its literally about twice as heavy. I might sell my Alano for cost at this point.
well my case is 5 hours and 3 minutes away in st louis! i hope it wont take fed ex more then 2 days to deliver it. i guess what im saying is i hope i have it b4 monday cause im so excited!!!
hey guys, you might remember me from earlier in this thread. I have the original Portenzo about 2 months old. (black binding with the red inside of it) while it looked amazing, and held the iPad really well i just i preferred my other cases. Gimme a price, and i'll give you a case lmao (well if i think its reasonable!)
Last edited:
Although I love using my iPad without a case, I want to try Alano if you can give me a reasonable price. I sent you a private message with my email address. Thanks!
That's interesting, and it's contrary to my experience. I don't love the weight of the iPad itself, but I don't find the Alano adds anything significant to it. I've been using my iPad naked up until this point, and there are ways I would like to hold it that are uncomfortable due to the weight. If Apple shaved off a moderate percentage of its weight, I would find the device a good deal more versatile. One of my concerns was that adding a substantial case like the Alano to the equation would impact the weight problem even more, exactly as you describe. But while the Alano certainly adds a bit of weight to the iPad, I don't find that it impacts my use or comfort in a practical way at all. Quite the opposite: the extra grip provided by the leather makes it much easier to use in a wider variety of positions and contexts.
I'm sorry you're finding the case cumbersome though. Just figured I'd post an alternate viewpoint.
With regard to the recent price hike...I'm sorry to say that as much as I love the case (and I really do), I personally think that $125 is far too much. Even as an extremely satisfied Alano owner I don't feel the case is worth that asking price. I think $89 is about right. It wouldn't feel like a steal, but it's certainly not bad - quite fair for the case. I paid $99, more because I wasn't about to change my mind over $10 than because it felt like a reasonable price. I'm satisfied with the case for $99, but it feels steep. I know Portenzo are a small business, and I can't speak to the cost of materials or the difficulty of precision case-making, but $125 does feel extreme, and I wouldn't recommend the case to anyone who was even remotely value conscious at that price.
Thanks for commenting on the current price. The price is just too much.
It sure was 89, then 99 by the time I ordered last time, and the order was quickly canceled because there were not many reviews on Alano at that time (I was just skeptical about the case). 125 is too much of an upgrade from what I just got today, a regular portenzo case someone has generously passed it on to me at a good price (thanks).
I still do prefer using iPad naked because I hate any additional bulk however, at the same time, I wanted some case like portenzo that would disguise it in public. For now, the regular one is perfect for me for public use. The iPad is tightly held by the pads and it is going nowhere (I tried shaking it vigorously upside down but it is not coming out unlike problematic DODOcase.). Just as Darin has assured, taking it in and out of the case won't cause the pads to lose their function. The bamboo finish is smooth to the touch and looks simply cool. I definitely would recommend Portenzo regular, or composition case.
Last edited:
Indeed. I was torn between the Portenzo and the Oberon, and I decided that I really wanted a leather case. As both have excellent reviews and cost about the same (the Oberon is $130), it came down to aesthetics. Don't get me wrong- the Alano is beautiful, but is too nondescript for $125 IMO. All 15 Oberon designs, however, are incredibly gorgeous and well worth the price. Also, based upon the reviews I read, the Oberon case provides a little more drop protection than the Portenzo cases and a better typing angle. I'll probably buy a Portenzo as well at some point, but none of the current designs are begging me to buy them (except for the ostrich wingtip, but they sold out by the time I had the money to buy one). Btw, here's the case I decided on if you're curious.
The Oberon covers are exquisite, and I considered their products myself before settling on a Portenzo. However they use the classic elastic corner strap system to hold the iPad in place. Functionally and aesthetically I much prefer the bamboo frame. Leaving the bezel completely unobstructed is extremely important to me, and Portenzo's only rival in this regard - Dodo - leaves the edges needlessly exposed and can't get the corner grips right. For me, the Portenzo frame design is perfect, and that was what sold me on their products. What sold me on the Alano was the promise of flexible protection that the thick leather cover provides. I haven't wanted or needed to remove the iPad from the case since the day it arrived. I was buying purely for function, though. The leather of the Alano is extremely attractive, but it's a rugged attractiveness rather than an arresting beauty. It's a very unassuming aesthetic, very different to other high end leather cases on the market. If you're looking for something that will catch the eye when it's closed up and sitting on a table, the probably Alano isn't for you.
I think Portenzo's 'exotics' range is more comparable to Oberon's product - the ostrich, reptile, wild boar and stingray cases.
Actually I was considering Oberon before Portenzo. It is a bit pricey but I think it's worth it. Oberon is like thick Alano leather with embossed design minus bamboo and, it doesn't seem to add much additional bulk to iPad. Oberon does make Alano too bland looking. Only thing that I don't like about Oberon is bands that hold the iPad. I just don't like anything covering the front (not even the edge) but this is just me.
That was the real point of debate for me. I wanted the holding method of the Portenzo with the outer aesthetics of the Oberon. The Oberon ended up winning out, mostly because I'm a history major bibliophile with a soft spot for old-looking pretty books, but if Portenzo released a case with it's (page-like!) frame system paired with a beautifully tooled leather exterior (and preferably a more elegant closing method than the Moleskine-style elastic strap), I would buy it in a heartbeat. Is it too much to ask to have a case that makes my gadget look incredibly similar to an old book? Portenzo has the page-mimicking anchoring system down pat, yet the exterior leaves much to be desired. BookBook and Oberon have the exterior right, but not the anchoring system. Team up, people!
Well the status of my case has been "departed from fedex location in independence Kentucky" for 7 hours now. I live only 2 hours and 45 minutes away from there so I hope my package wasn't lost. I'll give it till Monday to change and till Tuesday for it's delivery. Anyone with the sky blue linen mind posting pics? I know I will once it, hopefully, arrives.
got my Portenzo case on Friday and I am loving it! Had to take my iPad to the Apple Store yesterday and everybody wanted to know where I got such a stylish case
Best investment Ive made for the iPad
Best investment Ive made for the iPad
as i said earlier my case should be delivered today. when it does arrive ill take pics and write a short review/first impressions. really excited!!!
What is Portenzo??
I have never heard of Portenzo. I went on the site but the cases are not really what I was looking for.
I think I would prefer one of these cases.
fortte.com
bellagiodesigns.com/
noreve.com
I have never heard of Portenzo. I went on the site but the cases are not really what I was looking for.
I think I would prefer one of these cases.
fortte.com
bellagiodesigns.com/
noreve.com
Well, I've had the case for about an hour now and first impressions are that it looks nice, smells good, the fit is perfect, it is beautiful, feels like a leather book, and that it has some weight. The case and iPad together weigh about 2 pounds but to me the weight makes the iPad feel good in my hands. I was thinking about getting a second but it seems like this case will do. All ports are accessible and the little groves for the speakers do improve the sound. The bamboo is actually very smooth and not rough. Over all this is my favorite case. I got the blue linen. One other thing that I love is the little card that says who made it; it makes the experience that much more personel.
The bamboo is very light and smooth so I don't think it will cause any discomfort but I haven't tried it out yet. Hope that helps
The bamboo is much smoother and rounded than the iPad itself so the bamboo will not be a problem.
My Portenzo is set to be delivered today, I can hardly wait.
Does the case work with the Apple iPad dock?
Does the case work with the Apple iPad dock?
Last edited:
