The Galaxy S III is a beautiful, expensive, fragile phone. I can understand how people would pay $30+ for a case. For me, I can't help but look for a deal so I wanted a setup that maximized each dollar I spent. I wanted a case that offered decent impact protection, a lip for the screen, and a slim profile. I'm very picky about screen protectors so clarity, smoothness, and most importantly, full screen protection was key.
Total cost: A hair under $5
Case: http://www.ebay.com/itm/280900471671?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
Screen protector: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008FONF4Q/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00
Review:
I've been a big fan of TPU cases. Silicone is too flimsy while hard plastic cases may mar the phone more than the environmental dangers it is supposed to protect against. TPU is rigid yet fairly soft and extremely light. However, it suffers from discoloration.
For $3 this hybrid offers a gray TPU frame and frosted clear plastic backing. The gray TPU and hard plastic resists discoloration from the hands and jeans and goes very well with the marble white version of the Galaxy. Cutouts are accurate and happily, the power and volume buttons are not difficult to press despite being covered by the TPU. The lip prevents the screen from touching the surface and the case in general is extremely rigid. The tight fit makes it difficult to take the phone out but offers more rugged protection. As an added benefit, the side of the case has grip which feels good in the hand.
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The screen protector is made by Chromo and its cutout is exactly how screen protectors should be cut. Many other brands take shortcuts, often times leaving the upper right corner of the screen (where the FFC is located) and lower portion of the home button vulnerable. Chromo leaves little exposed. It develops scratches fairly easy but it feels great, almost like glass. Chromo offers almost full screen protection but since it is not curved, it slowly lifts up around the edges. The trick I use is to tape the left and right sides of the screen protector down before installing it into the case. As shown in the picture, it's almost unnoticeable.
No only does this prevent the screen protector from lifting, it also protects the trim of the phone from gathering microscratches from the TPU material (which happened to my Galaxy S II). The benefit from this case and screen protector combination is that the tight fit holds parts of the film down.
Now I talked about how hard plastic might end up scratching the finish of the phone. This is where clear scotch tape comes into play. Using wide, clear tape, I simply applied it to the battery cover. Just like the wet full body films like Zagg, using a little bit of soapy water helps with the application process. The tape also helped protect the LED light and camera lens; a cutout is needed for the speaker though.
You can also apply a small piece of tape to the home button for added protection. As you can see, I'm a big fan of tape.
Sure this setup probably won't protect as much as an Otterbox. Ideally I would also like a fancy curved screen protector from Spigen. However, compared to the almost $40+ I would spend just on those 2 products, I have a satisfactory setup that keeps my phone protected and handsome.
the tape on the home button is just plain hideous
King Shady said:
the tape on the home button is just plain hideous
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I just stuck it on to get an idea. A few minutes would produce a better shaped product.
Looks like it works good in a pinch, but I dunno how I'd feel about putting scotch tape all over my brand-new phone. Honestly, I find my setup of a diztronic piano black tpu case and the SGP Ultra Nano to be a great combo, and well worth the $25 total it runs. You honestly can't tell there's a screen protector at all if you apply it correctly, unless you closely examine the borders, and the feel is indeed better than naked. You get a 3-pack, and if you have any issues with it they'll generally send you a new one for free. Honestly, I feel like anyone who can afford somewhere between $200 and $600 for the phone should be able to justify $25 or so for a nice case and screen protector.
+1 about silicon flimsy. I rocked a silicon case for a little while because that was all they had where I am. It would slide right off the phone when I put it in my pocket.
Related
I ordered this case yesterday with priority shipping (which was only $12.99 from CA to my town) and recieved it today around noon CST.
It comes in a pretty heavy duty plastic shell for shipping so even if you order it from a vendor who has less than optimal packing procedures, you should be covered.
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Inside the beefy plastic shipping case you have the actual droptech case which has the typical padding and fake Galaxy Tab cardboard screen. There are three pieces to this case: The heavy duty rubber outer part, the front plastic frame and the replaceable plastic insert with integrated screen protector.
Getting the rubber outer part off the plastic frame was a bit of a pain and I did it pretty slowly for fear of ripping the rubber but honestly I think it would take a great deal of effort to rip it, even at the rubber plugs for the headphone jack and bottom charger.
Once apart and with the Galaxy Tab inserted, it snaps very tightly into place. I will note that I have a full cover Invisible Shield on my tab which may have contributed to the more than estimated tight fit.
After snapping it into place, I put the outer rubber piece back on but I want to make it pretty clear that getting it snug and fit around the edges of the plastic frame was rather difficult and required alot of massaging it into the grooves of the plastic frame.
Along the lines of it fitting tight inside the case, I did notice a not so cool side effect of the front&back invisibleshield still on the tab. If you can see from the picture below, it creates an almost worse than Otterbox famous oil slick effect on the intregrated screen protector.
So, if you already have an invisibleshield screen protector on your tab I want to make it clear that its entirely possible you might experience this same look as well.
I will say that I do plan to try and remove the integrated screen protector this week in an attempt to address this issue and will update this review if I do.
In regards to the weight it adds, I would say that it feels a bit lighter than a Xoom but definitely not super light like a no case tab.
The overall dimension increase it adds isnt as substational as I originally estimated however. Below is a picture of the case next to my SwissGear slip I carry the tab in for reference.
In regards to port covers and buttons, the overall connector rubber for the component ports are very heavy duty and dont look as though it will eventually tear like my Otterbox Captivate plugs for the defender case. If anything, they may require some work to loosen up so that no additional stress is put on the charging port during charging.
In addition, although completely pointless now, I can still put the Tab inside the SwissGear slip with minimal effort although its a pretty tight squeeze once inside.
So I would indeed recommend this case to anyone that requires "alot" of protection for their galaxy tab on a daily basis or is more confortable with a full protection case. If you have an invisible shield already on your tab then you will have to make a decision to either remove it or the integrated screen protector because it does add a negative oil slick effect to the screen otherwise
Thanks man. I like it but I dont.. I dont like the screen protectors. I know what they do/ what they are for, but Id rather just push them out and have a normal one on the tab.
That looks like an amazing case and I'm really thinking of picking it up.
And yeah, I have the same question/issue as the above poster. I've got the Invisible Shield on my GT10.1 already, but I don't want to take it off, either.
I had an issue like this with my Trident Kraken and my Invisible Shield on my Evo 4G, and I started to think punching the built-in screen protector to keep using the Invisible Shield was probably not the best idea, since sometimes taking the case apart will pull the Invisible Shield up slightly on the sides.
ANOTHER THING: I'm kind of interested in the details behind your current ROM and home screen.
Thanks for the great review; but I'm not sure I understand the interest in this case. It's thick, heavy, and ugly as sin. It basically takes the best-styled, thinnest, and lightest tablet on the market and turns it into a spare tire. If you wanted a ruggedized android tablet, they have those (and they're warrantied). Well, thanks again for the great review.
How is the texture on the screen protector? I've heard the invisible shield can feel very sticky/unpleasant, which is why I've avoided it. I'm hoping the protector integrated into this case is a little smoother.
The texture on the screen protector is very smooth and nothing like the Invisibleshield. Another oddity is that even though there are effectively 2 layers of screen protectors on my tab (InvisibleShield + GumDrop Integrated) the overall screen sensitivity to touch has not gone down dramatically.
In regards to the question about the desktop and setup of the tab homescreen:
- Factory non-root Touch Wiz
- Minimalist Text
- Circle Launcher
- Icons for circle launcher - "The Icons of Rassilon 1 by Girl on the Moon" (From DeviantArt)
Backgrounds used:
-------------------------
Homescreen:
-----------------
I dont think there would be an issue with pushing out the integrated screen protector that is on the case.
mroneeyedboh said:
I dont think there would be an issue with pushing out the integrated screen protector that is on the case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree and because the actual screen protector part is actually designed to be replace, if it all goes bad you can just order another protector.
Honestly my only concern is removing it, using the InvisibleShield and particle buildup around the frame (which always leads to scratching the device).
Its possible that the invisibleshield is thick enough to reduce the gap between the screen and the framr after the integrated one is removed and it may not be a problem at all....
> If you wanted a ruggedized android tablet, they have those (and they're warrantied).
Really? With Honeycomb? Where? (looks around, hears crickets...)
I'm trying to find a better case for my Note but it needs to be one available in the UK. I just can't seem to find one that fits the bill and quite a lot are only available in the US.
My requirements are:
- Thin - I want to add the minimum of bulk to the phone (which is big enough already!)
- Must protect the back and, more importantly, the edges. Many of the thinner cases cover some of the edges but not all of them or leave long sections unprotected.
- Decent quality - I have a cheap plastic one at the moment and it looks awful!
- Must look smart - as befitting such an expensive phone
- I am not bothered about having a flap over the front (I would prefer not to have one as they all add bulk).
Any ideas - I have searched long and hard.
Thanks
I have just ordered a Casemate Emerge Smooth case from Amazon, i'll let you know if its any good, should be here by the end of the week.
They also have the Casemate "Barely There" case which is thinner, but it doesnt have raised edges on the front, so whilst the back and sides are protected, if you drop it on its face, it will land on the screen.
The emerge smooth does have slightly raised edges over the front i believe.
I have the Capdase Soft Jacket and really like it. I don't normally use covers on my phones, but having no border protection for the glass was worrying me.
It covers all of the side, apart from holes for the connectors, and is raised at the front.
The volume and power buttons are covered and slightly raised, but I found that power button too easy to accidentally trigger (as it was without a case anyway), so I cut a hole for it.
Here is a photo of the hole I cut for the power button. It should give you an idea of the thickness of the case and also how much the case raises the screen off the surface if you put it face down on a table.
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HTH,
Rich
THFourteen said:
I have just ordered a Casemate Emerge Smooth case from Amazon, i'll let you know if its any good, should be here by the end of the week.
They also have the Casemate "Barely There" case which is thinner, but it doesnt have raised edges on the front, so whilst the back and sides are protected, if you drop it on its face, it will land on the screen.
The emerge smooth does have slightly raised edges over the front i believe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks - please let me know what the Emerge Smooth is like when you get it.
I like more mercury cover.
richlum said:
I have the Capdase Soft Jacket and really like it. I don't normally use covers on my phones, but having no border protection for the glass was worrying me.
It covers all of the side, apart from holes for the connectors, and is raised at the front.
The volume and power buttons are covered and slightly raised, but I found that power button too easy to accidentally trigger (as it was without a case anyway), so I cut a hole for it.
Here is a photo of the hole I cut for the power button. It should give you an idea of the thickness of the case and also how much the case raises the screen off the surface if you put it face down on a table.
HTH,
Rich
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks - that's really helpful. That one just looks a bit thick for my liking.
for me Flip cover from Samsung has been the best, I hv tried 6-7 diff types of covers
Tried one but it's pretty weak (it fails after a while), and offers almost no protection in a drop.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
i bought this one, been using it since december
http://www.ebay.it/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190664122288#ht_6996wt_1185
its not as thin as the 0.3mm cases , but it is thinner than everything else ive used , got the raised edges and offers great protection..
the only thing that's stopped me from buying those 0.3mm cases is the absence of the raised cover on the edges near the glass , which is absolutely zero protection in cse the phone falls...
This is a review of Spigen Slim Armor Case for Samsung Galaxy S4: http://www.spigen.com/cell-phone/samsung/galaxy-s4-cases/galaxy-s4-case-slim-armor.html
When it comes to slim and light weight cases, Spigen never disappoints with their unique and rich styles. But in the past they weren't exactly known for their rugged touch. With their Slim Armor case it looks like they decide to turn the table around. So let's see if they were able to add extra "armor" protection while still maintaining their typical slim design.
Slim Armor is actually consists of two layers. Inner TPU layer surrounds the phone with extra cushion to absorb shock impact and adds extra thickness at the top/bottom bumper beyond the boundaries of Outer PC layer which bounds the sides and the back of the case with hard plastic material. Still, even with two separate layer, case feels very thin. The fitment of both layers is seamless and almost feels like one piece. Every port opening is precisely cutout and perfectly aligned between inner/outer layers and with a phone. What I found especially amazing is that case is actually easier to fit in with a phone while two layers are together. This was a pleasant surprise since I know that a lot of people like to take their cases on and off and when you are dealing with two layers it becomes a hassle to constant align two together. For the purpose of pictures, I demonstrated how the phone looks with inner layer without outer shell, but in everyday use I would recommend keeping both of them together when taking phone out.
One of the details that keeps both interlocked perfectly together are the power and volume buttons. Those are part of TPU inner layer, but made to feel and to perform like hardware buttons. A separate cutout around sides of these buttons makes them very easy to push with a nice tactile feedback, and while aligned with outer PC shell cutout it keeps both layers together. There is not too much to complain about Slim Armor except for the lip around the display. Typically those are designed to keep your phone off the surface when faced down. To my personal taste I found this lip to be very shallow. Actually, it's more shallow around the side edges while a bit more thicker around top/bottom part of the case's bumper cushion. So in theory it will protect your phone screen down from touching a surface, but you will not get as much clearance thus I highly recommend having a decent screen protector when you use this case. For those familiar with Spigen, you know that quality screen protectors is one of their signature products. Another thing to mention, which was actually a pleasant surprise, is a bonus of 3 home button stickers labeled as "jelly bean" buttons. Those come in assortment of 3 colors and will help you personalize your phone even further. The case itself comes in a selection of 5 different colors for the hard outer shell. The one I got was in black, and somewhat a fingerprint magnet. For those who are bothered by this, probably a good idea to go with a lighter color PC shell
Overall, this is a very impressive and high quality case (made in Korea, which I find lately to be of a higher quality than HK built cases). You will still get a slim and light weight design while maintaining a piece of mind in case if you drop your phone. Even so I wish the lip would be thicker to offer a better "armor", bundled with a good screen protector you should be OK.
Here are the pictures of black Slim Armor case I tested with my S4 display model of the phone (thus a slight misalignment of mic port next to micro-usb connector):
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How's the case as far as drop protection go, is the lip high enough that dropping it face first won't crack the screen?
koraun said:
How's the case as far as drop protection go, is the lip high enough that dropping it face first won't crack the screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Judging from the last pic posted, screen would be hit first.. ._.
SilentRazor said:
Judging from the last pic posted, screen would be hit first.. ._.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did feel friction when case is placed down which suggests there is some minimum clearance. Also, in theory if you drop your phone and it lands flat face down, a bigger lip will only help you on a perfectly flat surface. Any uneven surface will come in contact even with a rugged case. I'm always paranoid about this stuff and have tempered glass on my phone (N2). I would definitely suggest that a screen protector is a must for this case. For example if you place it face down and you have some crumbs or whatever on a table and slide it across - you need extra screen protection to keep display from being scratched. I can also imagine that with tempered glass you will not have any margin at all.
I do want to mention again, I have a display model of S4, not the real phone. But its 1:1 scale and I also read other online reviews suggesting lip is on a shallow side. I would appreciate if more people who have this case will chime in to offer their feedback about Slim Armor. There are a few threads about this case so we gotta have more users with a real S4 and this case. Keep in mind, Spigen is reading these reviews and any feedback will be valuable for them as well.
How about sound? Does the case muffle the speakers at all?
Does it get scratched? I want to get the white one but afraid it would get scratches and black marks/lines easily. Can you post pictures of its current status? Scratched or not and how many days used?
It looks like it might.
This is the best case I've ever had. So perfect
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
I initially looked at the flip case, but having had a go with a friends, I didn`t like the `flip` when making a call.
I started looking round for alternatives and spotter the Amzer Pudding TPU case.
I wanted something with protection all the way round the phone. I`ve seen several where the corners are exposed. Dropping it on a corner is something I had with an old phone and it immediately cracked the glass, so a fully enclosed cover was top of the list.
This has a `rubberised` texture and in use, it certainly feels grippy. The edges are sticky enough so you won`t drop it easily, but not so bad that you can`t get it in and out of your pocket without it `grabbing` the material. :good:
For £6.50 delivered, I really can`t complain. :good:
Amzer logo embossed onto the rear of the case
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Full edge coverage
Closeup of the corners
Neat cutout for the headphone
Camera & Speaker cutouts
Power and Volume controls are covered, but they are easy to use and I haven`t struggled to press the buttons at all.
By how much does the thickness increase..
i know its too much to ask but if u ever remove the case can u post pictures of case and bare mobile side by side
btw i have never used a tpu case..its is rubbery flexible or plasticky...i have heard that its a combination of both
Wh00sher said:
Dropping it on a corner is something I had with an old phone and it immediately cracked the glass, so a fully enclosed cover was top of the list.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But a drop of more than 2-3 feet would probably still break the phone. To get better protection, one should have a case with thick rubber bumpers on the corners like the Trident or Ballistic case. But of course, it wouldn't be as pocket friendly.
I have this case and dislike it. It adds too much thickness for me, but about what you can expect from a TPU case. I buy cases for scratch protection rather than drop protection. I hate the glossy bezel and just wish they had that same back finish for the entire case. The finish of the back is nice since it doesn't pick up fingerprints. The last thing I can't stand is how small the usb connector cutout is. This can probably be fixed with a knife, but it still shouldn't come like that.
is it sturdy material or flexible that it can be like silicon cover in the ease of putting/removing the phone from it?
It is not terribly difficult to put this case on or remove it. One of the best features of this case for me is the matte back section which greatly improves grip and the button molds in the side.
Sent from my XT1034 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
wolfen69 said:
But a drop of more than 2-3 feet would probably still break the phone. To get better protection, one should have a case with thick rubber bumpers on the corners like the Trident or Ballistic case. But of course, it wouldn't be as pocket friendly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Every time I use a heavy-duty case though I end up removing it after a few months and using a less-protective one because of the bulk, tpu cases seem like an "OK" compromise (or at least I hope).
I've been eyeing the Cruzerlite bugroid ones since watching this IRL drop test (nexus 5) video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY9Svj9fYVg but the Amzer one reviewed here looks very nice :good:
isit a good alternative for the gripshell?
I need a bumper what do you suggest?
It does provide good protection but makes the device look dull. I guess I'll have to buy something else for my wife.
Sent from my Nexus 7
Its very cool, but its expensive. I'm from Spain and this price is elevate for me.
Enviado desde mi XT1032
This was the only tpu case available when the phone first launched online. It is a durable case with good protection, not too bulky. Offers good grip. Overall 7.5/10.
After much ado I finally decided on this case, bought it, received it, liked it at first. Then I had it in my pocket for a day at work.
Took my phone out of my pocket and the screen was covered in little waves of dust. And it had gathered up around the edges. Even had a small piece of plaster or something sticking to the screen.
I work in a dusty environment but this is ridiculous. I didn't have problems with my 3GS or Lumia, and though the bareback Moto G's screen seemed to attract a little more dust than those... This case is a DUST MAGNET.
I wish someone would have mentioned that in any of the dozens and dozens of reviews I'd gone over.
This is a Review of Trident Aegis and Cyclops cases for Galaxy Note 4. http://www.tridentcase.com/shop-products/samsung-galaxy-note-4/
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In the past I have reviewed a lot of different Trident cases for smartphones and tablets, and was always pleased with their design, build quality, and very reasonable pricing (make sure to check both their www.tridentcase.com website for special offers as well as Amazon where you can always find a great deal). That's why I was excited to get an opportunity to review their cases for the new Galaxy Note 4. Separated into different series, these offer various levels of protection depending on your needs. Here, I'm going to look at their latest Aegis Series (everyday protection) and Cyclops Series (tough protection) cases for Note 4.
Designed for everyday protection, those familiar with previous Aegis cases for other phones won't find too many surprises in here. It consists of two layers, inner shock-absorbing silicone layer and outer hardened PC plastic shell. In addition, it also comes with a screen protector. According to a description of the features on the back of the packaging box, this case actually meets or exceeds Military standards (MIL-STD-810F for vibration and drop), and it sure feels like it. Inner silicone layer has nice textured thicker back padding and also a thicker all around bumper with enhanced corner protection. The screen bumper is raised so there shouldn't be any issues placing the phone face down without touching the screen. It also has attached port covers for micro-usb and headphone ports. I do have to mention because this is silicone material there is a little bit of pull around the edges. But even while being a silicone I haven't noticed it turning into lint magnet, also it worked great with my tempered glass screen protector, and it felt very pocket friendly being easy in'n'out of the pocket. Outer PC shell wraps around the back with extra layer of protection and with side grips to keep inner shell from sliding off. Also, it has a dust cover for the speaker port. Both shells interconnect and wrap around Note 4 to give it a solid feel. In addition to covering headphone, micro-usb, and speaker ports, power/volume buttons are covered as well and have a very nice tactile feedback response. The camera/flash is one common opening, and with border lining of inner silicone layer it makes sure your don't get flash reflection which often a problem with light color cases where pictures get overexposed.
When you think about Tough Protection cases, lightweight and slim doesn't jump into your mind. Lightweight and slim doesn't go together with a case which has been build to meet or exceed MIL-STD810F standard by independent testing, including a requirement to survive 26 drops onto concrete from 4ft height. Well, I hope your phone/case will never have to experience this kind of a torture because guys at Trident already verified it for you. So let's take a closer look at how this Cyclops monster looks!
Once you take it out of the box, you can't help but notice how lightweight it feels. With a very slim profile it will not add too much bulk to your Note 4, while offering a protection on a level of "defender". But don't let the lightweight and slim design fool you. The case is made out of two fused layers of TPE and PC material to provide a serious shock-absorbing impact protection with extra inner corner padding. The power and volume buttons are fully covered while still having a nice tactile response. The same with headphone and micro-usb ports, covered by a flexible flap of TPE layer extension. Every other port opening has a precise cutout and perfect alignment with Note 4. You can also find a skid pad around the whole back perimeter to prevent case from sliding off any surface. But the best feature of the case is integrated screen protector. It's permanently attached to the outer frame piece that goes on top and interlocks with a case. Once locked, it creates a solid seal with virtually no movement of the phone inside of the case. The screen protector has a cutout for home button, top speaker, and front camera. It worked great even with my tempered glass screen protector and I didn't notice any issues with screen touch sensitivity, though this screen protector had a bit of a flex. Obviously, it's not a waterproof case, but you will be able to use your phone in some mild rain and wind with a help of this extra seal protection. There is also a loop opening in the lower corner to attach a lanyard for extra security while using your phone outdoors.