I don't recommend a leather case.

The SoftBank Leather case for the HTC Desire HD (SoftBank 001HT) fits the phone well and offers fairly good protection.
The phone slides in snuggly and is secured by a strap at the top end of the case.
The leather on the front and rear sides of the case overlaps the dimensions of the phone offering a little extra protection if the phone is dropped. However, if you force the phone in too far, it will stick out further than the bottom corners and wouldn't be protected well by the thinner leather surrounding the middle edging of the case.

This leather case offers more front and rear protection than a typical TPU case, going by the thickness plus softness of the leather.
The Camera doesn't protrude through the lens cutout and sits down inside by a few millimeters.

Having said that, the thickness of the leather around the screen means the screen is recessed by about 5 or 6 millimeters. This flushless style is emphasized even more when scrolling left and right and your fingers come into contact with the leather.

The leather around the screen is well proportionally cut but covers more of the screen than the TPU cases, but only the dark unused perimeter. No screen real estate is lost, although you would assume so without turning on the device.

Turning on the device's power button is a finicky affair because the power button is not covered by anything and sits down inside the cutout. The Volume rocker is easier because it's more flush and available.

You might have noticed a small slot in the leather on the back of the case which is designed for a business card or credit card (or Driving License). It's quite a tight fit so the card should be quite secure. If your phone isn't equipped with Near Field Communication, you might have or use a card which is. (For example a card you swipe at railway station ticket gates.) This slot would be ideal for such a card if you always have the phone with you on such occasions.

If not, you could stick something in the slot to act as a kickstand for your phone.

The feel of the case in hand is quite nice if you have gotten over the fact that it is a leather case and not the more streamlined TPU case. It's easy to hold and swipe one handed but you might want to practice one handed power button operation before venturing out in public. In fact you might want to practice two handed power button operation as well..

The top of the case has a small loop for a hand strap or the included metal ring.

I'm not a leather aficionado, but I did do the obligatory leather smell test and indeed it did smell like a pair of shoes, so that should reassure some.

As I've tested this case, it has actually grown on me. As I move it around on the desk or put it in my bag, I can do so with a little less care because it is enshrouded a little more and the leather is mostly softer and more flexible when coming into contact with other surfaces.

I understand that leather isn't for everyone. I personally miss the smooth TPU lines which show off the phone and it's nice big flush screen. In fact the identity of the phone is completely lost once it's inside this case. That's not a fault of the case though, just the nature of it.

You might want to forgive others if they naturally think you are probably using an iPhone. Heaven forbid!.

I can understand some who might consider the professional image given off by having a matching leather accessory, and these people will probably be very happy with this case. Although they might also consider two handed power button training or a Time Management course to get up to par.

As leather cases go - this is a good case. It's not a flip case so the main screen is still mostly exposed. More so with a TPU case, which I'll be sticking with for now.

If you don't mind a recessed screen, a finicky power button and the smell of shoes, this could be the case for you.

The price for this SoftBank Leather Case was
¥ 2980. ($35. / £22. / €25.)

I must be honest and say that I would now never consider a leather case after seeing these videos.













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