Toastmade Real Wood Veneer for Galaxy Z Fold 7 Review
In a world of plastic and silicone phone cases the idea of wrapping a cutting-edge device like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 in real wood is certainly appealing. Toastmade has carved out a niche for itself with these unique wood veneer covers that promise a stylish alternative to bulky cases. But does this natural approach to phone protection live up to the price?
Installation
The installation process is refreshingly straightforward. All the wood pieces are backed with a strong 3M adhesive making application a simple peel and stick affair. Aligning the main back pieces is easy and the side pieces are cleverly designed with a series of relief cuts a technique known as kerfing. These kerfs allow the otherwise rigid wood to bend and conform perfectly to the curved edges of the phone. The ends of the side pieces are cut with interlocking tabs creating a clean and secure seam where they meet.
Buttons
Since the edge pieces of this veneer obviously add height to the device, they’ve included a riser for use on the volume rocker. Without it, those buttons are essentially the same height as the new side of the device, making them very hard to press. Unfortunately, the power button/finger print scanner cannot use such a riser and the result is a very hard to use power button. While I’ve had no issues scanning my fingerprint to unlock, pressing the button is now a bit of a pain.
MagSafe Ring
Toastmade also offers an optional MagSafe ring which integrates nicely into the wood backplate. For magnetic accessories like grips or wallets the hold is decently strong. I was unable to shake my magnetic grip loose which provides some confidence for daily use, but one curveball comes from that now harder to press power button. If you’re using a MagSafe grip to hold the phone while pressing that button, be careful not to dislodge to grip and send you phone flying. It’s easier to do than I would like.
While the positioning is fine for these smaller accessories, another problem arises when using larger items like wireless charging battery banks. Like cases from brands like Pitaka and Benks, the ring's placement doesn't fully account for the camera housing. This causes battery banks to sit slightly askew, pivoting against the camera bump and weakening the magnetic connection which could impact charging stability.
It’s also worth noting that the front piece will sit on top of some screen protectors like the anti-glare one that Samsung sells. This could be an issue for some people.
Final Thoughts
There is no denying the quality and appeal of the Toastmade cover itself. The wood veneer is expertly cut and finished and it’ll leave your phone smelling strongly of real wood. It provides a unique aesthetic that truly stands out from the sea of typical phone cases. While the texture is not as grippy as something like a leather skin it does offer a bit more purchase than the phone's slick glass back.
My biggest issue is that the thickness of the side pieces means that the volume rocker requires a riser to be easily pressed. While that fixes the issue for volume, the fingerprint scanner can’t use something like that. The result is that the power button is very hard to press. Because of this, I will likely end up up removing the side pieces and just using the back piece. Considering the price, that’s a bit tough to swallow.
