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Case-Mate Tough Review

I picked up the Case-Mate Tough and wanted to put in a short review.
The case is great. It is built really well and is definetly an upgrade or equal to other available cases. FYI, I own the Seidio Innocase II and Rugged models.
Innocase II was great for 2 weeks and then stretched out and became unusable
Rugged was an upgrade but too bulky
The Case-Mate fits 95% perfectly. I'm OCD and rarely notice seams between the shell and the skin - if there were any noticeable fit problems I would toss the case. I give it a 95% because the volume buttons are hard to press. The power button has actually become easier to press with the rubber button.
The only downside I can think on this case is it adds more bulk than a one-piece case and the shell is a little too tacky and makes the phone hard to get out of my pocket sometimes.
I realize this is the most poorly written review ever, but I wanted to get it out there in case anyone is looking at the Case-mate. I have probably had this case longer than anyone that doesn't work at Case-Mate and it definitely looks like a reliable and well built keeper.

#threadisuselesswithoutpics
lol

lol
#gototheirwebsiteandlookatpics

I have to agree, this thread is useless without pics

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If those images don't show up, then go here: http://www.case-mate.com/HTC-EVO-4G-Cases/Case-Mate-HTC-EVO-4G-Tough-Cases.asp
Lazy people

Indeed we can see the website pictures, but people like to see the realistic pictures of how it arrived when you reviewed it. kind of like how McDonald's shows pictures of perfect hamburgers on their menu but when you get it, it looks like a turd between two over-cooked pieces of bread.

evozx3 said:
If those images don't show up, then go here: http://www.case-mate.com/HTC-EVO-4G-Cases/Case-Mate-HTC-EVO-4G-Tough-Cases.asp
Lazy people
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL, I have a question, is the back a soft gel type or like a TPU?

I got one of these Tough Cases for my wife's iPhone 4 and she loves it. While this case is different then the iPhone 4 case its the best one I've seen to date (we have about 60 Evo's here and just about every case is being used by someone).
Yes it does add a bit of bulk but it's nothing you don't get used to right away. It's nice b/c it makes the camera lens recessed so no issues laying it flat on its back. It's a two piece deal where you put on the soft jelly like cover on first then the hard (it's not a metal type of hard so keep that in mind) cover goes on in the back. The hard cover does not offer complete protection of the top and bottom (just the corners).
The case feels very solid and it is not slippery you feel like you have a good grip without it being "clingy" to other materials. It's very easy to get on an off and the only thing you need to be mindful of is the volume up/down button. If you don't take some care it can get pinched into the slot in the hard case part.
One complaint I have about most cases is that they still allow way too much dust and crap to get into the case at the point of contact areas. This case does still allow some to get in but I'm very impressed b/c of all the cases I've compared this to it keeps the most dust/grime out (a GREAT way to see this is to put phones with different cases in a womens purse for a month! this should be a standard test).
Anyway I've very happy with the case and I'm seeing a slow but steady attrition from users of other cases going out and buying these.

Still a great case
Reason I pointed to the case-mate site for pics is because they really do have good pics/video of the case.
Unlike McDonalds, you are getting exactly what you see in the pics. The case design is well thought out and the fit is perfect. Other than a little bit of difficulty in pressing the volume buttons there are no problems in design. Access to ports is good, stand is easy to get to and balances well, and the power button is much easier to press. To be honest, the only time I have difficulty with the volume buttons is when I am in recovery mode and need to click around a lot.
PS- Its nice that they include a screen protector, but I don't think that it should effect your purchase. In my experience you need to have a couple of static protectors available if you want a good chance at a successful install. It is just too easy to mess up the install with a dust particle or something and only including one in the package is kinda asking for disgruntled customers.

Nnyan said:
I got one of these Tough Cases for my wife's iPhone 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good trade!

Do I really need a flip style case or an I too paranoid?

I'm having some real trouble deciding on a case. I've never used a clip on hard case or any body glove thing for any previous phone cause some people said they damage the phone if it gets dust. I also feel a lot more safe with something covering the screen like with a flip top or a decent leather pouch.
I'm an IT tech and do mostly call out or field work so I'm not always in a hazard free office environment. Something can knock against my pocket or I'll be under a dirty desk etc.
I can fairly easily get hold of a casemate or an otterbox. is this and a screen guard enough or should I be thinking of a leather case? I can get a PDair flip style but not sure I like it from the pics I've seen. I really like the look of the zenus style ones I've seen in a few other threads. Only thing is something like that I need to order from oversea or eBay and will take a while to get to me (I'm in south Africa)
Am I just paranoid because of the screen being left bare ?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

I had the barely there case on my previous Galaxy s and bought another for my s2. I only had it a day or two and thought it did not do enough to satisfy me that my phone would be protected. The corners are pretty exposed and the screen completely so.
I bought a flip over case from ebay, unable to do a link to it but if you search for
BLACK REAL LEATHER CASE FOR SAMSUNG GALAXY S 2 II i9100 on ebay it will hopefully show you the one i am talking about.
It is extremely low profile, does not add much bulk at all to your phone but i feel totally confident now with my phone when out and about. Feel as if it could survive a drop from a decent height easily. I preferred this case to others as it only has a small magnetic catch at the top holding it shut (effectively) rather than a big catch overlapping and catching when i put it in my pocket. I am sure there must be something similar, closer to home for you. Good luck.

I got a PDair flip-it leather case and i'm pretty cool with it. I also put a screen protector and ta da my phone seems pretty much safe. Since the phone is really thin, i'm more confident when holding the phone with this case and it feels like i'm holding my ex phone HTC Touch HD, acceptable thickness for me. I'll upload some pic as soon as i charge my Touch HD, don't have any other camera around right now

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If you're planning on using a case that effectively doubles the size of your handset while making a call you might as well just get a DynaTAC.

Get a flip style case with express shipping.
Zenus has diary series too. Highly recommended.

i got the official samsung leather flip and its very good IMO it doesnt add to much bulk aswell

I thought a Flip Top Case will be a perfect one to protect the device and purchased one, pricey one I should say, but now, after a week, I am bored, this thing is a PITA. Receiving the Case Mate Tough on Monday, won't use the current one anymore, damn protection

Sp1tfire said:
I got a PDair flip-it leather case and i'm pretty cool with it. I also put a screen protector and ta da my phone seems pretty much safe. Since the phone is really thin, i'm more confident when holding the phone with this case and it feels like i'm holding my ex phone HTC Touch HD, acceptable thickness for me. I'll upload some pic as soon as i charge my Touch HD, don't have any other camera around right now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I decided to give this a try after reading your post. The company here does not have the otterbox cases in stock yet. The Pdair one is almost half the price anyways. If I really dont like it or feel I need something else then i'll get the otterbox also.
I also ordered an SGP oleo screen protector from the SGP store. Will post some pics when I recieve the case. Should take about 10 days.
Thanks for the advice guys!

Very nice Tridea case

I've searched high and low for a case that suited me and my Note and eventually found a very nice case from Tridea on eBay. I received a couple of days ago and think that it looks and performs great. You can find it by searching on Tridea.Essentially it's a hard bumper in a nice sort of faux suede flip case. I went for the gray version.
It's a bit pricey at £25 and it took a couple of weeks to arrive from South Korea but I've yet to see a case that looks anywhere near as good for the money.

I just bought one too! It should arrive within a week, I got the same color as you did. I'm glad you like it, because it makes me more excited to get mine

I wanted this case more than most others but my number one issue with them all is that very few have a cut out for the ear piece!! not even a notch, i want my face oils off the screen and not have to hold the flap back on a call, simple design i would think, sigh.

I love this case, I bought the grey one as well. I do wish it had a hole for the speaker though.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

Hmm, the front flap does fold round the back when using it to make calls and even gives a bit more of a better grip on the phone so I'm not that bothered about it not having a notch for the earpiece.
lamou1nr: As far as a hole for the speaker goes, it's got one but I guess you meant the same as Mrglass86.
I like the case because 1) it looks good 2) it's very light 3) it offers good bumper protection with the addition of a cover for the front that also keeps the screen clean. 4) it feels really nice and solid without adding a load of bulk to the phone.
I don't see the fascination with the aluminium bumpers. They don't look as though they'd offer any protection in a drop.
I like some of the Zenus cases (it was either the Tridea or the Zenus Capsule case) but they're expensive and the diary types just seem like a bit of a gimmick - would you really keep your cash and cards in the same case as your Note? Not me!
Until otterbox or a similar maker comes up with a really tough aluminium case I'm happy to stick with the Tridea.

If you fold it too often it will eventually get loose or have lines along the edge. Another issue with all such book-like case is that we cannot use our thumb to operate the phone anymore.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA App

Just ordered it. I hope it'll arrive sooner than expected.

Anybody bought this kind of Tridea case? Available on eBay for $22.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tridea-Rubb...733?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e6b5965b5
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Wow I dont normally like flip cases but this one looks very nice. Not sure if i'll fork out for one as i've already got cases for it but can you guys post pictures when you get it, i'll get a better idea than from the ebay pics

Just thought I'd follow up on my OP. I've been using this case for almost a couple of months. The phone gets a lot of use by me and is constantly being taken in/out of my pockets. I'm happy to say that the case is holding up well. I think that the 'spine' of the cover would be the first part to go since it's the part that gets the most stress.
After two months the fabric along the spine has been smoothed but doesn't look bad, kind of what you'd expect really, it 'weathered'. There is some very thin rubber edging that runs along the edge of the whole case and this has initially split on the spine hinge area but it has only come off in one tiny section. It's hardly noticeable.
The main thing is that it's protected my Note very well. I don't expect a huge lifespan from it (at least the cover) but the bumper around the note will last. I may utilise a bit of gaffer tape to strengthen the spine and you could do this without spoiling the aesthetic if you do it properly. I may also use some rubber spray that I bought from Amazon which is really useful stuff (it coats whatever you spray in a matt rubber coating). One last thing to mention is that some people were bothered that you couldn't get to the volume controls while the case was shut, well you can press the rocker through the spine without any problem so you can use the volume control even with the Note in your pocket. I'll update this if I notice anything further degradation but all-in-all I like this cover a lot still.

My case has also held up reasonably well. It provides great protection. I too had the rubber on the edge ware off but only on the "hinge" of the cover. The only other part that is showing signs of age is the metallic plastic piece that is on the back, it has a few scuffs and a chip. For a flip case this is one of the best.

My Review of the Otterbox Commuter Case

So I just received my Otterbox Commuter Case. There are a couple things I don't like about it from the start. But we will go over that in a bit. I used my phone for these pictures, so sorry they aren't superbly awesome.
A couple pictures
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As far as height goes, I used my Performance MX Mouse for reference:
The feel of the case
Overall the case is sturdy, and doesn't feel flimsy. This is what Otterbox is known for however. It is a bit stiffer to get off the phone compared to the Ballistics case that Sprint tries to push out when they sell the phone.
The Silicone cover
The included silicone case is incredibly stiff. Does not feel like the TPU Case, or the Skeleton Fishbone casing at all. This also feels less likely to take an impact then the ballistics case, however, it doesn't let the phone slide around when you place it on a surface. The headphone cover and usb port cover are a nice included package, but rather useless if you don't use the harder plastic cover as well.
One of the biggest shortcomings for me, and this may change with usage, is that the volume rocker and power buttons, feel almost impossible to press. If there wasn't an optical display letting me know if the screen display was on or off, or if the volume was being raised or lowered I would be hard pressed to know if the buttons were actually working. When pressing the volume rocker, it feels like it isn't lined up with the physical buttons at all, almost as if it is slipping.
Polycarbonate Cover
It is definitely sturdy and firm. I only have a couple problems with this and they are relatively minor. If I put the case down with the polycarbonate cover towards the surface, the phone slides around quite easily. Some softer material, in addition to the hard case, would have been nice on the back just to keep it from moving.
The other small thing, is that they put a bit of "bumper space" on the speaker phone hole. Which offsets the balance of the case. I can lightly push on the left side of the phone and make it off balance. If they had put these bumper spaces in a straight even line, then this would resolve that issue.
My past cases
It would take some more time to give it an adequate review, but that is just my first glance review. I work in a manufacturing and chemical plant, so it will be interesting to see how the case holds up to the environment.

Just got mine today and I definetly agree with you for the most part. The most annoying thing is that the buttons are a little hard to press. Coming from the Trident Aegis I definetly feel the difference. Its a good case but I expected more.
Send from my Galaxy SII Epic Touch

I was about to buy this but I decided to buy the Trident Aegis instead. Saved me $10 and I'm liking the Aegis a lot, asides from the fact that my phone is pretty bulky now. Oh well.

Agreed about the buttons. I got the top tier case, and the poly carbon case has huge rivets to clip to the belt clip I don't use so they're a pain too. Most secondarily wish they could've made it more water resistant. It doubles the size of the phone, so there's some frustration there too but I kind of enjoy adding some weight to it. I stuck a fly grip on it too so I'm starting to feel little Trans-humanist
Over all though my arguments are range trivial. I'm pretty happy knowing my baby can take the kind of abuse my electronics fear me for.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA

Well, after a while of using it... GOD DAMN is it slippery. I feel like it is incredibly awkward to hold.

GH0 said:
Well, after a while of using it... GOD DAMN is it slippery. I feel like it is incredibly awkward to hold.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. Went back to my Trident.

Get the Otterbox Defender Case. Works fine for me. Especially working in a kitchen.

I've disliked the Commuter since the days of having it on my HTC Inspire 4G. Very slippery and build quality does not compare to the Case-Mate Tough. It picks up a lot of lint/dust, the volume rockers are difficult to use, and the outer shell started cracking after a few months.
I'm very happy with my Tough but getting bored with the black on black so I just ordered a blue Trident Aegis to add some color to my case selection.
Transmission sent from a Galaxy S II, CODENAME style.

Yeah, I put a RMA/Return request to the seller to ask for my money back. Funny thing he is out till the 15th. Very close to the day that my return time period ends. I copied all the stuff though, so if he refuses it, paypal complaint will be incoming

Review - Otterbox Commuter Series for HTC One

The price of Otterbox brand cases was always a huge turnoff as was the size. I didn't want my slim One having additional bulk---at least any more than was necessary. Enter Commuter series.
The case is comprised if two pieces; soft rubber interior case and hard plastic exterior that protects the back, sides, and the bottom/top of the phone. The inner case has soft plastic nubs that cover both the charging port and headphone jack. IR blaster is exposed as are the bottom Mic, rear Mic and camera. Volume manipulation is easier with this case as the soft plastic raises the button height. Feels decidedly sturdy and premium. Fits well but does take some time to get the outer case to snug up to the inner case. Comes with screen protector though I haven't and will not install it.
In hand the case feels sturdy without the additional bulk associated with Otter Box cases. Grip is much improved over going caseless, and as stated earlier it's much easier to manipulate the volume.
Protection wise it seems to offer what you would think an Otterbox would offer. Corner impacts are absorbed by the soft plastic interior case, and the screen won't touch the surface you lay it on because the screen is recessed a few milimeters due to the case design. It's also nice that both ports have covers installed to keep debris from entering them. Only gripe on that point is one handed operation to plug in the usb cord and headphone jack is tricky but doable.
The good thing about this case aside form the protection is the fairly slim profile and the ease of going in and out of your pocket. Both pieces of the case are hard and slick enough to not snag up going in and out of your jean pockets.
The only real complaint that I have is how hot the phone seems to get during gaming. Though it's a phone issue and admittadly the plastic never feels as hot as the phone felt caseless.
If you are looking for a case that offers great protection while still maintaining a slim profile; this case is ideal. A little pricey, though (35 USD @ Sprint Store)
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I've had this case since the second week of having my one. I initially had bought the incipio dualpro shine, but it made my signal go in the toilet, even though the package said it wouldn't affect it... Signal issues aside, the commuter is a much better case. The port covers and shape of the IR blaster cutout are the winning features.

5 Stars Case!
I had this case after 3 weeks Using my one..Its been almost 8months now and my One fell down so many times. And still working great..Protection is great and the look is great.I have nothing to complain about this case..

Love the commuter case on any phone that I had it on but when I got my One I thought it made the phone feel a little wider than usual so I ended up going with another case but my fiance got it cause she has the case of the drops and it has taken a beating and keeps on ticking.
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk