Develop Bugs

[Q]Need Help Deciding Which Case To Buy. (Case-mate Barely There or Casemate Gel?)

I'll be getting a Galaxy S2 soon and wanted to know which case is better in terms of quality,
http://www.clove.co.uk/case-mate-samsung-galaxy-s-ii-i9100-gelli-case-clear
- According to the item description, this case features Flexible thermoplastic - softer and more robust than silicone or rubber
http://www.clove.co.uk/case-mate-samsung-galaxy-ii-i91000-barely-there-black
- According to the item description, this case has a cutting-edge appearance with its rubber matte finish
- Contains, Impact resistant flexible plastic shell
I only want to buy one of the two cases mentioned above. Are both cases TPU? What is a flexible plastic shell? Is the same as TPU? I specially want a case that is matte finish. If the 1st case mentioned above is TPU, shouldn't be matte. I'm having some trouble telling the differences.
Please let me know. Thank you.

Well I have used the Barely There case for my N8 for quite some times and its quite good. I mean it protects the back and the camera from scratches and it is barely there as the name suggests. Very slim for a hard case and I guess people will be wanting to keep the slimness on the GS II pretty much as it is. In that case, I would go for the Barely There.
But with that said, if you are in need from protection, because if your phone falls down especially with the front facing downwards, the extra protection on the front in the gel case will help absorb the impact. However its unprotected on the barely there case and it will get scratched.
So far the Barely There case ahs been good for me and I went for 8 months without scratches. Last week I dropped my phone facing downwards and it got scratched. It wouldnt have happened in a gel/silicon case. And it doesnt matter even if youre very careful with your device like me. Sometimes it just happens.

Using a case-mate barely there, had one on my Galaxy S and couldn't fault it. Keeps the phone at its original form factor plus give a nice amount of grip but still slides into pockets easily without sticking.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

Arjun - case mate barely there cases are available from Croma ...though not the SGS2 cases right now...at least you can check it out and see if you like it or not...
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA Premium App

Hey all, thanks for your responses so far.
My only main concern, is that I want a case of good quality that will give me good all-around full protection around the sides of the phone.
Does any one know if the Casemate Gelli Case provides this?

yes the gelli case provides that. it provides more protection that the barely there case

Might be kinda off topic (apologies if hijacking) but does anyone know if the case-mate fits either the official dock or any of the ones off eBay?

Chrome Bezel-covering cases?

i know the TPU case with the plastic back covers it and the plastic hard snap-on cases cover it
from what i've seen these are the only cases that wrap around enough to completely cover the bezel, but maybe you guys would know of other that do, preferable tpu. i switch out batteries all the time so the snap on cases arent the best since they are tough to remove.
thanks

TPU?
You didn't really ask a question...

semantics...... im looking for a case that covers the chrome-bezel, for those who didnt understand the topic
anywho...tpu is that high grade plastic that feels rubbery, like the argyle cases daydeal sells

Otterbox commuter case does. Best case i have bought for a phone, feels great in the hand and looks very good. Wont ever go without it
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

How much bigger does the Otterbox case make the phone? The other Otterboxes I've seen (for other devices) were a significant addition to the thickness.

Otterboxes and cyclops cases make the phone feel FAT. REALLY fat....it completely kills a device that was designed to be thin. Personally, I'd recoomend you this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=772826
Covers the bezel, does not make the phone look fat. Looks great from the back also. Rubbery only on the sides. Don't get the new edition as it's a poor fit, get the old edition which doesn't have cutouts for the buttons. Then, if you have problems with the power button, put a little piece of paper on it and it will feel great to press.
Also, the case makes the phone nearly indestructable. I've dropped it 7ft on concrete. Case got a concrete scratch....phone was perfect.

Thanks for the suggestion! I was considering either that one or the one mentioned in the second post of this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1098214
I just don't want anything that's too big and fat (don't need my phone to look like me. LOL)

That one from the post is nice except it doesn't cover the bezel on the top and bottom. That's pretty major for me, otherwise it's a great case. Similar to the mesh ones. The one I linked you covers everything and is thin.

i had that one, but the glue started coming off where the plastic is attached to the rubber. i would like one thats all rubber because the plastic back is slippery, there doesn't seem to be any other option though to cover that bezel

superglue. I did it to mine and hasn't moved since.

Decent Looking Case, Minor Protection (Adreama SnugFit Galaxy Nexus Case)

Hey guys, I didn't see any Adreama case reviews for our galaxy nexus around, so I thought I’d start this thread and do a little review for you guys. Since Adreama is a Canadian based company, im not sure as to the availability of its cases outside of Canada, but I do know that their cases are available at Futureshop within Canadian Borders.
Look:
The case that I got was the Adreama Snugfit case, and to stress on this, IT IS THIN. I put it on my gn, and it felt no bulkier than running my nexus naked. There aren't any choices that I know of, so all that you’ll get is a very SLEEK and LOW PROFILE case. Measurements of the case came in at 1mm thick, which tops the chart of thinness for all the cases that I have tried out.
Fit/Feel:
The galaxy nexus measures in at 8.8mm thick, though not the thinnest in the market today (Cough RAZR Cough), it is still considered to be on the sleek side. To me personally, the slippery back added with the thinness is just too much. Considering the fact that I dropped my phone the first day I got it, my choice of cases are 100% circled around those with a good grip. Now, onto the Adreama. It fits the phone perfectly, and requires a little push to snap it into place, which I deem to be just perfect, as it suits the “Snugfit” name. Loose cases rarely provide the proper feel, but that is not the case for the Adreama. With its snap-on design and also its rubbery matte back, it is a perfect match for any that are looking for a thin case with a good grip.
Little Comparison/Surprises
I compared this case with my Diztronic Rev 3 Matte Black case for the galaxy nexus and noticed a great difference. First of all, the feel of the case is much more premium compared with the polycarbonate of the DR3. Though a hard case, the insides of it are very polished so there should be no worries of it ever scratching the phone. Thickness is also a winner for the Adreama, as it really is raze thin. The DR3 placed beside it feels much bigger. There are many places where the DR3 wins, especially in the protection area. As I’ve said, the Adreama is simply a snap on case, thus don't expect any lip protection on the front. Also, the Adreama does not go 100% around the phone, covering only 80% of the sides and the back.
One little surprise I found with this case was that it had two holes on the bottom for any girls (or guys) that enjoy hanging little decorations from their device. It is a minor detail, but nonetheless very welcome.
WARNING!!
I just had to say this once more. This case provides MINOR PROTECTION, ADDS GRIP, and RESERVES THINESS. Really, it does the good stuff, but DON'T EXPECT ANY OTTERBOX PROTECTION FROM THIS CASE!!!.
That said, it is a well rounded case for the 14 that I paid for it.
First Review, MORE COMING~

Cruzerlite VS Diztronic REVIEW

Which one to choose? which one to get? which one is better? Well i get messages all day everyday in regards of this. So I said..ima make a comparison video
Here u ll see the things I like from each case and the fitment as well
enjoy
http://youtu.be/EFGpC0KBjN4

I ordered myself the matte black tpu from Diztronic.

kch ugh
Nice quick review!
I gave both of these cases a fair go. Both of them I ran with for a week. I've decided to stick with my Diztronic TPU. Honestly. both cases are great.
Both cases are easy the slip in and out of pocket. Although slightly thicker, the Cruzerlite is still very slim. Does feel like it would offer a bit more protection in a fall. Since I have never dropped a phone my deciding factor, which might seem stupid to some people, is that the clear Cruzerlite case would get dust buildup from pocket lint and you'd visually be able to see it at the edges of the case. That can easily be fixed by purchasing a non-transparent Cruzerlite case.
The Diztronic case, my only problem with is most of the case fairly slick. What gives me a good grip on the phone is the rim of the case where you put the phone through. It's a different plastic finish from the rest of the case which is much easier to grip with your fingers. I kind of prefer it that way.
Just my opinion on these two.

DarkManX4lf said:
I ordered myself the matte black tpu from Diztronic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats my favorite diztronic color

SmokeRob said:
Nice quick review!
I gave both of these cases a fair go. Both of them I ran with for a week. I've decided to stick with my Diztronic TPU. Honestly. both cases are great.
Both cases are easy the slip in and out of pocket. Although slightly thicker, the Cruzerlite is still very slim. Does feel like it would offer a bit more protection in a fall. Since I have never dropped a phone my deciding factor, which might seem stupid to some people, is that the clear Cruzerlite case would get dust buildup from pocket lint and you'd visually be able to see it at the edges of the case. That can easily be fixed by purchasing a non-transparent Cruzerlite case.
The Diztronic case, my only problem with is most of the case fairly slick. What gives me a good grip on the phone is the rim of the case where you put the phone through. It's a different plastic finish from the rest of the case which is much easier to grip with your fingers. I kind of prefer it that way.
Just my opinion on these two.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. I think this cases are so similar but so different at the same time. Best part is that buying one of each won't hurt your pocket at all
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

I'll add my 2 cents even though I can't do an apples to apples comparison. I was never a fan of protective cases, I never used them with my Samsung Fascinate in the 2 years that it was my primary device. That was until the screen broke on my 3 month old SGS3.
While Samsung was repairing my phone, I did some research and decided on a Diztronic matte dark blue case. It's a great quality product. The TPU material is thin but pretty stiff and the fit on the phone is tight, removing the case causes the battery cover to get unsnapped 90% of the time. The cutouts are perfectly positioned (although I would actually prefer covered lock/power and volume buttons, read on). The matte finish actually makes the cover a little more slippery both in hand and when sitting on other surfaces, but I perfer the way the case looks. Also the case has a solid company behind it, when my case arrived, I noticed it the color was actually back and not dark blue. I emailed customer service at Diztronic and they let me know that their latest batch of dark blue covers were in fact darker than earlier batches. They sent me one from an earlier batch at no cost.
In the meantime, I acquired a CruzerLite gloss black case for my Fascinate. The TPU material is a little bit thicker and more flexible than the Diztronic. The case also fit looser than the Diztronic although there is no risk that the cover will fall off when being removed from a pocket like silicon cases. The lock/power and volume buttons are covered (raised and appears to be the same thickness as the rest of the case), but I had no issue using them. The cutouts are in the right places, but there is an extra cutout on the case on the side that does seem to have any reason for being there (maybe another phone shaped like the Fascinate has a use for it). The gloss finish is pretty sticky, especially when the phone is sitting on something smooth. I had no concerns leaving the phone sitting on the leather passenger seat in my car when driving. I would rate this case one step below Diztronic in terms of overall quailty, but will keep on using it as my Fascinate is now being used as a game system for my kids.
I also wound up buying a no-name TPU case (from Amazon) for a Pantech Burst I recently bought (from eBay). While the overall quality of the case leaves something to be desired compared to either the Diztronic or CruzerLite, it does have one feature I wish both the Diztronic and CruzerLite cases had. The lock/power and volume button on the case is covered, but the material in those locations is both raised and significantly thinner than the rest of the cover. IMHO this is the way to go for these buttons.
Hope this helps folks figure out which case to get.

I just got the Diztronic yesterday and I am quite pleased. Nice fit, nice feel, nice look. I even used the screen protector that came with it and it's not half bad.

Just dropping my 2 cents. The diztronic for the matte/clear model.. it gets rather dirty easily so if you happen to get your hands dirty regularly and need to use the phone. Just know the clear will start to change color.

arctic84 said:
Just dropping my 2 cents. The diztronic for the matte/clear model.. it gets rather dirty easily so if you happen to get your hands dirty regularly and need to use the phone. Just know the clear will start to change color.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree with this 100%. I used the case for 3 months then threw it away cause it got so dirty and ugly.

My V20 Case Review: Spigen, Ringke (x2), UAG, Caseology, & ZIZO

Just wanted to share my impressions of several cases I just tried for my V20.
I'm sure there are still new owners like myself coming on board as well as others who want a new case.
Some of the older reviews on the web mentioned some cases that didn't appear to be manufactured anymore but all these are still readily available as of May 2018.
I'm not going to post pics or videos as there is plenty of that out there, I'm just going to focus on some observations I had that might help someone decide. Let me start by saying I am coming from an HTC M8, and my preferred case for that was a SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle as shown here. I liked this case for a couple reasons:
It was clear an showed the beautiful finish of the M8. The V20 is similar in it has a great metal look and it is a shame to hide it.
Lightweight. While there is always a trade-off between weight and protection I am generally careful with my phone. I would say I've had the following types of drops:
From my lap in the car to the pavement when I stood up not remembering it was in my lap
From my hand to carpeted floor at home
From a foot or two above a desk onto the desk
Cover didn't block the IR port...which many M8 cases did. Luckily most, if not all of the V20 cases I have seen have cutouts for the IR port so that's a non-issue.
Even with a slim-line case like the Beetle I have never had any real damage to my phone. I did have my camera focus go bad on my M8 but I don't believe it was associated with any particular drop and the M8 was known to have that issue on some devices. Point being if you are relatively careful with your devices and like slim-line cases you will probably be more in line with my preferences....I'm definitely not an Otterbox type of guy.
Also, I haven't used clip holsters since Windows Mobile Phones were in fashion, so don't look here for advice on that .
Anyway, onto the reviewed cases...
I tried out the following cases for my wife and I:
ZIZO ION
UAG Plasma (Ash)
Spigen Rugged Armor
Ringke Onyx
Caseology Parallax Series (Coral)
Ringke Fusion (Clear/Smoke Black)
Overall I was impressed in one way or another with all the cases. I think if a particular style of case is what you are looking for then each one seems pretty solid in their category. Of course each has pros and cons, but I could easily see how someone could decide on any of them.
All the cases, with the exception of the ZIZO were very easy to put on and take off. This isn't a primary concern, but I do like the idea that I can get to the battery and microSD card without feeling like I'm going to break the case or the phone.
I'll start comments on each one in the same order:
I ordered the ZIZO as well as the UAG because I wanted to try something "tough" that was maybe MIL Spec rated but not quite as bulky as an Otterbox. The ZIZO case is actually 3 parts and comes with a separate tempered glass screen protector of your standard variety. It is an interesting case and I think out of all of them it felt it might offer the best protection. Of course it is probably the bulkiest of the bunch. Hardest to put on and take off for sure. The volume buttons also gave a lot of resistance.
The UAG is just to cool looking not to consider, despite the UAG branding splayed across the back. In all honesty it was hard for me to say no to this case because I felt it would offer good protection along with the wow factor. It also isn't exceptionally heavy although it is pretty large almost doubling the thickness of the phone. Despite that it still feels good in your hand. It is a tad slippery, but I think it has to do with the added weight pulling it down more than the material. If you don't mind a little extra bulk and like the way the UAG looks you will not be disappointed when you get it in your hands.
Spigen Rugged Armor (see Ringke Onyx below)
Ringke Onyx. I'm gong to talk about the Rugged Armor and Onyx together because the two cases are so similar to each other. Despite the fact that they hide the beautiful metal phone and only come in black they are both sharp cases. The Onyx is a bit more rigid on the back, while still having some bend. This harder plastic allows them to have that "brushed metal" look which is honestly cooler than the more rubberized look of the Spigen. However, apart from the Onyx having a cooler look, the Spigen I think has all the advantages. Likely because it is slightly less rigid, the Spigen feels a bit better in your hand. The edges aren't quite as sharp as the Onyx. The volume buttons on the Spigen also have less resistance. The Onyx buttons definitely aren't hard to use, but not as effortless as the Spigen. Apart from this the cases are so close you probably can't tell from 2 feet away (apart from the shinier plastic on the Onyx).
All this being said I couldn't in good conscience accept either of these cases because they are both so damn slippery. The Spigen here is not quite as bad as the Onyx, but they are both pretty loose in the hand. The way I test this (unscientifically) is I simply hold the phone loosely in my hand and jiggle it. I also lay it down on my open palm and slowly move my hand to a vertical position and see how vertical I can get my hand before the phone just slides out. Using these informal tests, as well as just "gut feeling" these two cases are definitely the most slippery of the lot.
The Parallax was purchased for my wife. Though it's cool geometric back pattern made me think I might want one too if I like hers. Surprisingly the pattern on the back doesn't help the grip on the phone, this phone was almost as slippery as the Ringke/Spigen discussed above. It is a two piece case, softer TPU inside with a poly-carbonate rim shell. Despite this you don't need to disconnect the pieces to either put the phone in or remove it. I like the idea of this case and apart from the slipperiness it feels good in the hand. While a different design and not tested to any MIL spec, I think this would probably offer close to the same protection as the Ringke/Spigen combo. If this case was a bit more grippy I might have considered it for my main choice (although the same could be said about the Ringlke/Spigen combo).
The Fusion is another Ringke case and it isn't just another color from the Onyx reviewed above. It is more rigid than the Onyx with a poly-carbonate backing and TPU bumpers that run the edges of the phone. Before I ordered this case I thought it might be my favorite solely because it is the closest I found to the SUPCASE I have on my M8. It doesn't quite have the same style as the SUPCASE (beveled edges, rounded back, cool camera cutouts), it is actually pretty plain/boring apart from it's clear back. The back allows the V20 to show in all its glory and if you have a titanium model like me the smoke edges are very similar to the phone. Quite simply with this case on it is also like there is no case on. This is true not just in looks but also in size - this is probably about the slimmest you can get. While it has enough extra case to raise the screen on the front and the camera on the back high enough so its not scratching on a table surface, I'm not sure how well this case would do in an extreme drop. I suspect it will perform on par with how my SUPCASE protected my M8 which was always good enough for me. Even though this case's protection is on the low side of the bunch, it has one more thing going for it: grip. Even though this case is smooth without any ridges or grabby parts it actually felt the most secure in my hand. This is probably a combination of both it being small, but also the materials it is made with. It has a slightly tacky feel despite not being sticky at all. I will say that one negative to the case is because it is clear (and maybe because of it's tacky feel) it will attract fingerprints. I've been told that these clear cases yellow over time, though reports say that this Ringke may not be too affected by that. My SUPCASE was a bit frosted and it held up fine in that regard.
In the end, with a phone as big as the V20, I felt that I had to go with a slim line case for my comfort level. I think it was really down to this and the (vastly different/larger) UAG for me out of the bunch and I opted to go with a slimmer profile over the protection of a bulky case (again compared to this one the UAG was almost twice as thick).
Well - there you have it. My opinionated and wholly unscientific review. Hope it helps someone make up their mind if they are considering for or against one of these. I'll likely have all the cases for a week or so and am happy to answer any specifics. After that I'm still happy to answer based on memory!

Wanted to add one (negative) update to the Parallax case we just noticed.
While trying to take a screen shot (hold power + volume down) it wasn't always working and instead was just turning the volume down.
When we took the phone out of the case it was easy to perform the operation.
I have a feeling that when pressing on the volume down it might also somehow be depressing the volume up slightly? And this unexpected touch in the combo isn't triggering the screen shot. I'm not exactly sure except that my wife failed to do it 4 times and I succeed 2 out of 4 until we took the case off and did it 3 times in a row (each) no issues.

Nice review, thanks for sharing. Couldn't agree more with your review on Spigen Rugged Armor and Ringke Onyx (I own both of them). Yes they are both slippery and the Ringke is bulkier than the Spigen. That's why I'm thinking about buying Ringke Fusion (in smoke black color) because it's slim and non-slippery.
Just want to share about level of protection of my Spigen Rugged Armor. Last month my phone (while protected by that case) was accidentally thrown hard to the hard floor. Turned out, my LCD and wide-angle camera didn't survive the accident (despite having the Spigen case + tempered glass on). But for regular drops, I think both Spigen and Ringke are OK (at least, I didn't see any scratch on my V20's edges).

komedol said:
Nice review, thanks for sharing. Couldn't agree more with your review on Spigen Rugged Armor and Ringke Onyx (I own both of them). Yes they are both slippery and the Ringke is bulkier than the Spigen. That's why I'm thinking about buying Ringke Fusion (in smoke black color) because it's slim and non-slippery.
Just want to share about level of protection of my Spigen Rugged Armor. Last month my phone (while protected by that case) was accidentally thrown hard to the hard floor. Turned out, my LCD and wide-angle camera didn't survive the accident (despite having the Spigen case + tempered glass on). But for regular drops, I think both Spigen and Ringke are OK (at least, I didn't see any scratch on my V20's edges).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Accidentally thrown hard to the floor."
Must have been an interesting scenario
Yeah I doubt that most cases will definitively protect anything that is thrown. The amount of force added even from a light throw is significantly higher than just a drop, even from a foot or two. I don't think much but an otterbox type case would survive that type of impact. I've never used full protection cases. I've used slim cases for the past few years and before that I used harder shell outer cases like the SEIDO (with holsters) or some cheap equivalent of those.
I have *never* in over 10 years (first smartphone was HTC TyTN II ... not counting Blackberrys) damaged a phone by dropping it (or any other means). I'm not talking a little scuff on the body if, as often happens the case itself splits in two. But I have never broken a screen, camera, etc.
Now I've broken a few cases (especially the cheap hard 2 pieces that click on) and one time my holster phone actually got pushed out of the clip while lifting luggage out of a trunk at an airport (never saw that phone again)...but never damaged a phone.
I know some people are more accident prone and honestly those people should have warranties on their phones
I'm getting a few more cases today for my wife because she doesn't like the Parallax. I'll throw up another review (and link here) once we've tested them.

TraderJack said:
Just wanted to share my impressions of several cases I just tried for my V20.
I'm sure there are still new owners like myself coming on board as well as others who want a new case.
Some of the older reviews on the web mentioned some cases that didn't appear to be manufactured anymore but all these are still readily available as of May 2018.
I'm not going to post pics or videos as there is plenty of that out there, I'm just going to focus on some observations I had that might help someone decide. Let me start by saying I am coming from an HTC M8, and my preferred case for that was a SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle as shown here. I liked this case for a couple reasons:
It was clear an showed the beautiful finish of the M8. The V20 is similar in it has a great metal look and it is a shame to hide it.
Lightweight. While there is always a trade-off between weight and protection I am generally careful with my phone. I would say I've had the following types of drops:
From my lap in the car to the pavement when I stood up not remembering it was in my lap
From my hand to carpeted floor at home
From a foot or two above a desk onto the desk
Cover didn't block the IR port...which many M8 cases did. Luckily most, if not all of the V20 cases I have seen have cutouts for the IR port so that's a non-issue.
Even with a slim-line case like the Beetle I have never had any real damage to my phone. I did have my camera focus go bad on my M8 but I don't believe it was associated with any particular drop and the M8 was known to have that issue on some devices. Point being if you are relatively careful with your devices and like slim-line cases you will probably be more in line with my preferences....I'm definitely not an Otterbox type of guy.
Also, I haven't used clip holsters since Windows Mobile Phones were in fashion, so don't look here for advice on that .
Anyway, onto the reviewed cases...
I tried out the following cases for my wife and I:
ZIZO ION
UAG Plasma (Ash)
Spigen Rugged Armor
Ringke Onyx
Caseology Parallax Series (Coral)
Ringke Fusion (Clear/Smoke Black)
Overall I was impressed in one way or another with all the cases. I think if a particular style of case is what you are looking for then each one seems pretty solid in their category. Of course each has pros and cons, but I could easily see how someone could decide on any of them.
All the cases, with the exception of the ZIZO were very easy to put on and take off. This isn't a primary concern, but I do like the idea that I can get to the battery and microSD card without feeling like I'm going to break the case or the phone.
I'll start comments on each one in the same order:
I ordered the ZIZO as well as the UAG because I wanted to try something "tough" that was maybe MIL Spec rated but not quite as bulky as an Otterbox. The ZIZO case is actually 3 parts and comes with a separate tempered glass screen protector of your standard variety. It is an interesting case and I think out of all of them it felt it might offer the best protection. Of course it is probably the bulkiest of the bunch. Hardest to put on and take off for sure. The volume buttons also gave a lot of resistance.
The UAG is just to cool looking not to consider, despite the UAG branding splayed across the back. In all honesty it was hard for me to say no to this case because I felt it would offer good protection along with the wow factor. It also isn't exceptionally heavy although it is pretty large almost doubling the thickness of the phone. Despite that it still feels good in your hand. It is a tad slippery, but I think it has to do with the added weight pulling it down more than the material. If you don't mind a little extra bulk and like the way the UAG looks you will not be disappointed when you get it in your hands.
Spigen Rugged Armor (see Ringke Onyx below)
Ringke Onyx. I'm gong to talk about the Rugged Armor and Onyx together because the two cases are so similar to each other. Despite the fact that they hide the beautiful metal phone and only come in black they are both sharp cases. The Onyx is a bit more rigid on the back, while still having some bend. This harder plastic allows them to have that "brushed metal" look which is honestly cooler than the more rubberized look of the Spigen. However, apart from the Onyx having a cooler look, the Spigen I think has all the advantages. Likely because it is slightly less rigid, the Spigen feels a bit better in your hand. The edges aren't quite as sharp as the Onyx. The volume buttons on the Spigen also have less resistance. The Onyx buttons definitely aren't hard to use, but not as effortless as the Spigen. Apart from this the cases are so close you probably can't tell from 2 feet away (apart from the shinier plastic on the Onyx).
All this being said I couldn't in good conscience accept either of these cases because they are both so damn slippery. The Spigen here is not quite as bad as the Onyx, but they are both pretty loose in the hand. The way I test this (unscientifically) is I simply hold the phone loosely in my hand and jiggle it. I also lay it down on my open palm and slowly move my hand to a vertical position and see how vertical I can get my hand before the phone just slides out. Using these informal tests, as well as just "gut feeling" these two cases are definitely the most slippery of the lot.
The Parallax was purchased for my wife. Though it's cool geometric back pattern made me think I might want one too if I like hers. Surprisingly the pattern on the back doesn't help the grip on the phone, this phone was almost as slippery as the Ringke/Spigen discussed above. It is a two piece case, softer TPU inside with a poly-carbonate rim shell. Despite this you don't need to disconnect the pieces to either put the phone in or remove it. I like the idea of this case and apart from the slipperiness it feels good in the hand. While a different design and not tested to any MIL spec, I think this would probably offer close to the same protection as the Ringke/Spigen combo. If this case was a bit more grippy I might have considered it for my main choice (although the same could be said about the Ringlke/Spigen combo).
The Fusion is another Ringke case and it isn't just another color from the Onyx reviewed above. It is more rigid than the Onyx with a poly-carbonate backing and TPU bumpers that run the edges of the phone. Before I ordered this case I thought it might be my favorite solely because it is the closest I found to the SUPCASE I have on my M8. It doesn't quite have the same style as the SUPCASE (beveled edges, rounded back, cool camera cutouts), it is actually pretty plain/boring apart from it's clear back. The back allows the V20 to show in all its glory and if you have a titanium model like me the smoke edges are very similar to the phone. Quite simply with this case on it is also like there is no case on. This is true not just in looks but also in size - this is probably about the slimmest you can get. While it has enough extra case to raise the screen on the front and the camera on the back high enough so its not scratching on a table surface, I'm not sure how well this case would do in an extreme drop. I suspect it will perform on par with how my SUPCASE protected my M8 which was always good enough for me. Even though this case's protection is on the low side of the bunch, it has one more thing going for it: grip. Even though this case is smooth without any ridges or grabby parts it actually felt the most secure in my hand. This is probably a combination of both it being small, but also the materials it is made with. It has a slightly tacky feel despite not being sticky at all. I will say that one negative to the case is because it is clear (and maybe because of it's tacky feel) it will attract fingerprints. I've been told that these clear cases yellow over time, though reports say that this Ringke may not be too affected by that. My SUPCASE was a bit frosted and it held up fine in that regard.
In the end, with a phone as big as the V20, I felt that I had to go with a slim line case for my comfort level. I think it was really down to this and the (vastly different/larger) UAG for me out of the bunch and I opted to go with a slimmer profile over the protection of a bulky case (again compared to this one the UAG was almost twice as thick).
Well - there you have it. My opinionated and wholly unscientific review. Hope it helps someone make up their mind if they are considering for or against one of these. I'll likely have all the cases for a week or so and am happy to answer any specifics. After that I'm still happy to answer based on memory!
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It's funny i've often thought the V20 reminded of the HTC ones. I have a silver one instead of the all too common titan Because i wanted to show it off. Turns out its so slippery that i would have to get a case.
Quicker & easier to get was the spigen rugged armor. This offers adequate protection from regular drops but its slippery and i didn't like it. The ringke onyx was on order and would take a few weeks to arrive. So i lived with the Spigen until then
The ringke though slippery on the back has ridges on the side which help with grip. So you could say its an improvement of sorts. I've knocked the phone off a table numerous times onto a hard tile floor and the onyx protected well.
But i've got these black cases that hide everything. So much for showing anything off.
After six months i got the RIngke fusion. For the first time i got to appreciate the design of the phone. The Fusion is drop safe up to 4 ft also. This is my favourite case. The grip as you mentioned is better than the previous two. To the point where i never get the feeling i'm going to drop the phone this to me is a minimum test a case must pass. I find interesting your idea of slowly raising your hand towards the vertical to test grip-ability
Next to arrive is an incipio NSG, again all black but hopefully better feel than the other two black cases. never tried an incipio before.
I can't tell whether the fusion will yellow at all, how well has yours held up ? i have the clear case, not sure if you got clear or smoked. The latter won't yellow. As for clear half the reviews on amazon said they had a problem and the remainder said otherwise.
There is a case by Speck called Presidio that is clear, well it isn't as clear as the Fusion, but slightly frosted and looks like its a hard case unlike the fusion.