Hi guys. It's been a while since I have been a member of XDA developers, and I have learnt a lot of great stuff here. I acquired my S3 about 10 months ago, and as many of you, I had to buy some accessories for it as well. I scouted the internet and all of its review websites/forums to find recommendtaions for good products to match my phone, and while some of these were great, others were pure lies and just marketing bullsh*t.
Therefore I decided to review some of the stuff I bought for my phone. First let me start off properly, I have the international version of the Samsung Galaxy SIII I9300, Sapphire Black edition. This one was on a limited release at the time I bought it, and there were few to none accessories to match the colour of the phone, so I bought that I could find. Sorry in advance for the picture quality, I'm using my S3 as well as a Canon Powershot ELPH 300HS for these.
Here is a picture of things I have purchased over the last few months:
I have two genuine, but different Samsung flip cases, one SGP Spigen Modello case and one pack of SGP Spigen Ultra Nano Optics screen protectors. I I bought these, following reviews here on XDA as well as on Amazon. I will review these right now, I might review other products in the future.
1. SGP Spigen Ultra Nano Optics.
Let's start off with the screen protectors. You get two of them in a pack, as well as some tools to easily apply them. Simple stuff.
On reviews, they said these were great. What I say, these are the worse screen protectors I have ever used.
They do fit really well, but they are so thin, I could scratch them with my nails while cleaning the screen. The screen visibility is lowered due to the 'glare reduction' coat, but that does not work as well as advertised. Even the sensitivity is reduced. However, the WORST part is, whenever you swipe your finger on those, it makes an annoying noise, each time! That noise does not fade off with time, I have used those for 5 weeks, the noise was here everytime my finger touched that material. People could even hear the noise when they were close enough to me. For the price I paid for those (these are damn expensive!), I expected much better quality.
I couldn't bare that thing anymore, I bought 6 generic screen protectors from eBay for £2, works great (these are what is appearing in the top picture). I will never buy branded screen protectors again.
Rating: 0 out of 5.
2. Genuine Samsung Flip Case.
I have two of those, first the white one (Model EFC-1G6FWECSTD), which I bought last december, and a sapphire black one (Model EFC-1G6FSECSTD), which I acquired a couple of weeks ago. Why two? I'll tell you.
First, let's start off, while those are advertised as the same, they are not. The white one that I have comes in a smaller box, with a different packaging.
i. White - Model EFC-1G6FWECSTD.
Here is what the white one has in the box:
I had the white one first (the black one was not out yet at that time), and while it made my phone have a very slim profile, the material used was pretty poor. The corners peeled off, the white surface of the flip part turned yellowish with time, and worst of all, the clips to hold the case on the phone broke one day while I was trying to remove it with normal force exerted.
The Samsung Logo at the back also started peeling off while I was regularly cleaning the back surface with just a piece of cloth.
The good point about that case though was that the back plate was much more solid that the one you get with the phone. The original one is too flexible (photo proof):
Rating: 2 out of 5.
ii. Black - Model EFC-1G6FSECSTD.
The black one, on the other hand, has a bigger packaging:
t looks like a revised version of the white one.The materials used this time are better, The back plate is sturdier, and the phone fits perfectly as usual and this time, the colour matches!
There are a few differences between those two colours in the flip, the black one has kind of an additional layer, with space carved for the front speaker and the home button.
The edges are without the small coating that the white had (which peeled off after a few weeks). This design looks to be more durable.
Compared to the white case, the phone looks bigger in this one, but I would accept this trade-off for the better materials and design.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
3. SGP Spigen Modello Case (Black).
I bought that case after I stopped using the white case. Here is what is in the package.
I was very impressed with it. The material feels smooth and well crafted, the holes are perfectly aligned for all the ports, and the case fits tightly. It's very thin, and protects the phone fine.
What I really liked about this one, is that after months of using this on my phone and rubbing it everywhere, even falling on the ground a couple of times, the case still looks brand new, no scratches at all. The quality is top notch.
Rating: 5 out of 5.
If you guys want to know anything more on what I have bought, please let me know!
Are you sure the White flip is not fake ?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
htcsnap93 said:
Are you sure the White flip is not fake ?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think so, on the box of the white one it's written:
v7.0, 110902, manufactured 2012.05.17.
The black one has this on it:
v7.3, 120901, manufactured 2012.12.11
I'm pretty sure the black model is a revision of the white model I have.
Thank you for the review! I might give the modello case a try! Where did you buy that one? Link?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
tsukot said:
Thank you for the review! I might give the modello case a try! Where did you buy that one? Link?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I got it from Amazon, it was around £12.
EDIT: the link says unavailable now. :/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/SPIGEN-SGP-Samsung-Galaxy-Modello/dp/B008L44ZOE
Vip_blast said:
The good point about that case though was that the back plate was much more solid that the one you get with the phone. The original one is too flexible (photo proof)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry... but how exactly is flexibility a sign of being "more solid?" If by "More likely to break if you bend it", i'd agree.... but to say that what probably amounts to nothing more than putting ACTUAL cheap plastic on the back of the phone as opposed to higher quality polycarbonate plastic, i'd have to disagree.
elementaldragon said:
I'm sorry... but how exactly is flexibility a sign of being "more solid?" If by "More likely to break if you bend it", i'd agree.... but to say that what probably amounts to nothing more than putting ACTUAL cheap plastic on the back of the phone as opposed to higher quality polycarbonate plastic, i'd have to disagree.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the same polycarbonate material for both the original back plate and the flip case one. For me, the flexibilty of that back plate makes the phone feel not well built, the phone feels weak in my hand. The same phone feels much more sturdy with the one coming with the flip though, I dropped my phone with the case on, it didn't take any damage whereas my original back plate took some serious scratches. Speaking of scratches, that 'high quality polycarbonate plastic' as you said scratches really fast, (atleast for the original sapphire black one) whereas the the one with the flip case is very resistant to those. I can take close ups of that to show you.
Following your logic, if you think the flip case is made of cheap plastic, then what's the use of having 'high quality polycarbonate plastic' if normal plastic fits the phone the same way, is sturdier, and less prone to scratches, while having the exact same look?
I bought the black flip case with the main idea in mind that even if I don't like the flip part in the future, I'll cut it off and keep the back plate as it's much better than the original one.
anymore pics of the modello on the phone? back ports line up? thanks
There's the Modello in Ebay, but not in black. It's a shame, I really wanted one.
Can't see why all other colors are available but not black.
Related
Hi Guys,
Got my hands on the SGP Ultra Thin Air case, a thin snap-on style case that won't add much bulk/weight to your phone and is for those users that like to keep their devices slim. You can watch the full review below:
Capsule series is much better. No top and bottom part is big failure.
Ploone said:
Hi Guys,
Got my hands on the SGP Ultra Thin Air case, a thin snap-on style case that won't add much bulk/weight to your phone and is for those users that like to keep their devices slim. You can watch the full review below:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Looks similar to the $3 case from ebay, is sgp just repackaging these cases?
Look poor with finger prints.
All snap on style cases will look similar, cutouts are a little different and the Ultra Thin features a soft touch back.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
I have the Thin Air case as well, along with the Glas, both are excellent products, thought a bit overpriced.
The Thin Air is a quality case, I am currently in Hong Kong, so I've tried on all the generic cases at the electronic malls as well. The cheap generic ones doesn't fit the best, there is always a creak or slight warp on the sides of the case that compresses as you squeeze the sides, which to me is annoying. The "better" branded ones are on par with the SGP, but the price is also similar to SGP, I rather buy from a well known brand.
I've had two cheap generic ones before I bought the case mate barely there and the SGP Thin Air, both cheap cases broke a few days after when I took the case on and off.
The Thin Air does leave finger prints, but I don't care too much since it is only the back, and it can be wiped away. The most important part for me is a super thin case with minimal protection that doesn't break easily. So far (fingers crossed), SGP has done it.
chiefroastbeef said:
I have the Thin Air case as well, along with the Glas, both are excellent products, thought a bit overpriced.
The Thin Air is a quality case, I am currently in Hong Kong, so I've tried on all the generic cases at the electronic malls as well. The cheap generic ones doesn't fit the best, there is always a creak or slight warp on the sides of the case that compresses as you squeeze the sides, which to me is annoying. The "better" branded ones are on par with the SGP, but the price is also similar to SGP, I rather buy from a well known brand.
I've had two cheap generic ones before I bought the case mate barely there and the SGP Thin Air, both cheap cases broke a few days after when I took the case on and off.
The Thin Air does leave finger prints, but I don't care too much since it is only the back, and it can be wiped away. The most important part for me is a super thin case with minimal protection that doesn't break easily. So far (fingers crossed), SGP has done it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for sharing, I agree with most of what you have to say, however I feel the case itself just isn't for me. SGP however has been releasing some quality products for the GS2 (as expected) - and I'm excited for what they are bringing next.
Ploone said:
Thanks for sharing, I agree with most of what you have to say, however I feel the case itself just isn't for me. SGP however has been releasing some quality products for the GS2 (as expected) - and I'm excited for what they are bringing next.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, this case isn't for most people, since the normal person that wants a case would want more protection than what the Thin Air has to offer, plus like your video mentioned, there is no top and bottom coverage. But out of the cases I have, I like this the most, the black color blends in with the phone.
Thank you for the review videos, you are doing a great job, very clear voice, smooth presentation, no "umms" or "uhhs," or any tongue smacking. Keep it up! It is because of you that I bought the Glas, which I love!
chiefroastbeef said:
I agree, this case isn't for most people, since the normal person that wants a case would want more protection than what the Thin Air has to offer, plus like your video mentioned, there is no top and bottom coverage. But out of the cases I have, I like this the most, the black color blends in with the phone.
Thank you for the review videos, you are doing a great job, very clear voice, smooth presentation, no "umms" or "uhhs," or any tongue smacking. Keep it up! It is because of you that I bought the Glas, which I love!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks so much I enjoy doing it and I have a lot more content coming up!
Try to get your hands on one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SAMSUNG-G...897177?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item3f0bae1319 !
I'm awaiting mine, but surely people would be interested.
Sent from my GT-I9100
I was really excited for this case due to it's look and how minimal it is, but after just 3 days I need to stop using it.
The stickers you place along the sides are constantly moving. They slide up and out of the case somehow, so you need to slide them back down, which leaves a trail of sticky residue.
Also, there is one spot on the back my phone just above the battery
cover that is now damaged due to the case rubbing against it. There are scratches and an area where the color has rubbed off.
My phone is in worse condition after a few days in this case than from a week without any case.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
tietherope said:
I was really excited for this case due to it's look and how minimal it is, but after just 3 days I need to stop using it.
The stickers you place along the sides are constantly moving. They slide up and out of the case somehow, so you need to slide them back down, which leaves a trail of sticky residue.
Also, there is one spot on the back my phone just above the battery
cover that is now damaged due to the case rubbing against it. There are scratches and an area where the color has rubbed off.
My phone is in worse condition after a few days in this case than from a week without any case.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? That doesn't bode well at all. Did you check authenticity of the case with the serial number at their site?
Sent from my GT-I9100
m0rtiis said:
Really? That doesn't bode well at all. Did you check authenticity of the case with the serial number at their site?
Sent from my GT-I9100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did not, but it was bought directly through their site, not a 3rd party.
Don't get me wrong, the case is beautiful and the damaged area is a lot smaller than the damaged area would be if you were to drop it on concrete without this case. I just want to let others know that this happens as others could be even more OCD about their phone condition than I am. SGP knows the inside of this case scratches your phone, that's why they include the stickers. Unfortunately this one spot was missed, either due to oversight, or it is too small of a location to place a sticker.
I had the Captivate before this phone using a Body Glove case. While it is the best case I have ever used on a phone, it also scratched up the top and bottom of my phone pretty bad. It's a pretty common thing with the harder cases.
tietherope said:
I did not, but it was bought directly through their site, not a 3rd party.
Don't get me wrong, the case is beautiful and the damaged area is a lot smaller than the damaged area would be if you were to drop it on concrete without this case. I just want to let others know that this happens as others could be even more OCD about their phone condition than I am. SGP knows the inside of this case scratches your phone, that's why they include the stickers. Unfortunately this one spot was missed, either due to oversight, or it is too small of a location to place a sticker.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. I'm awaiting one of these as we type, do you have pictures of the scratches so I can avoid them with stickers?
Sent from my GT-I9100
m0rtiis said:
I see. I'm awaiting one of these as we type, do you have pictures of the scratches so I can avoid them with stickers?
Sent from my GT-I9100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, definitely. Just give me a little while and I will get you a picture of either the scratches or at least the part of the case causing it. Whichever will show up on camera first.
tietherope said:
Yeah, definitely. Just give me a little while and I will get you a picture of either the scratches or at least the part of the case causing it. Whichever will show up on camera first.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trouble with the camera?
Sent from my GT-I9100
m0rtiis said:
Trouble with the camera?
Sent from my GT-I9100
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, just personal emergencies that required me to be out of town for a week. I'll get some pics after work tonight.
I received my Ultra Thin Air Infinity White today and I have to say I'm quite disappointed.
The case doesn't fit that well. If I lay the phone on a table and press down on the left or right side the phone sinks deeper into the case. Without pressure the edges of the case are almost even with the screen's surface, it's only if I press down on the phone that the edges rise above the screen.
Is this a flawed specimen or are all the Ultra Thin Air cases like this?
m0rtiis said:
I received my Ultra Thin Air Infinity White today and I have to say I'm quite disappointed.
The case doesn't fit that well. If I lay the phone on a table and press down on the left or right side the phone sinks deeper into the case. Without pressure the edges of the case are almost even with the screen's surface, it's only if I press down on the phone that the edges rise above the screen.
Is this a flawed specimen or are all the Ultra Thin Air cases like this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I stated in the video, it's not as tight as I'd like it to be. It won't fall off but I feel a gap between. Seems like it's all cases.
Ploone said:
As I stated in the video, it's not as tight as I'd like it to be. It won't fall off but I feel a gap between. Seems like it's all cases.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No reflection on your review, I ordered the case before you published it.
It's a shame though, it looks good but I'm not sure I'll use it much.
For a while now, it has seemed like i am the only nudist when it comes to devices. Specifically since the iPhone 3G came out, practically no one *DOESN'T* have some huge ugly bulky plastic monstrosity on their device.
I have had several smartphones (see sig), and have never used a case or screen protector with them. I have also never dropped one; i know what i paid for it, i know what will happen if i drop/smack it, and i know what a pain in the rear setting up a new one would be. I take care of my equipment (i also work in HD productions and have lots of photo/video/audio gear, equipment, and rigs). I hate the otterbox or similar ones (remind me of coffins) and i've seen people crack screens or damage their devices with them on, or simply fall apart in a year. i also hate the feel of screen protectors, and how they affect what should be a fantastic tactile UI experience.
I am not above using one, specifically with this device, as it is very slippery like the iPhone 3G was, but i can't find anything remotely close to what i'm after, which is basically a tight white condom, so i am a nudist. I did have a silicone case on the iPhone for all of 2 days, mostly because my then-GF had bought me the device and case, before i removed it. With the Atrix, the AT&T salesman literally freaked when i said 'i don't use cases'; he told me i would break it in a month. It just started having digitizer dead spots. My GF and i travel extensively for work and fun; we are both device nudists; she's still rockin' her Atrix, and hers had fallen from her purse a few times with no harm done thus far. My Atrix has been to and used on five (counting Turkey as *technically* Asia, and middle east as Africa) continents, the iPhone came with me when i lived in France in 2009, and even the HTC Tilt/8925 made it to Europe and back a few times, back when WinMo6.1 was still kickin' it (Cube .cab!) Point is, crazy high/low temperatures, crazy humidity or totally dry, low pressure, high pressure, whatever.
Basically just wondering what the point of buying a device so light, so thin, and with gorilla glass, if you are going to immediately throw on a thick fat heavy case and a screen protector that is both prone to scuffing and dampens the UI experience. Since the iPhone in '09, i haven't had a laptop and now with Android certainly don't need one; usually all i carry is my mobile, wallet (hope to ditch that soon too), smokes/lighter, and keys. Shoot, half the time i carry only smokes/lighter, mobile, and single car/house/hotel/etc key; and leave everything else.
Of everyone i know, only a surgeon friend of mine became a 'nudist' (he prefers the term 'purist') since we had met; he still has his iPhone 3G.
Any other 'purists'/'nudists' out there?
Cool story bro, but when you dont like accessoires, why bother to post in that particular forum?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
htcsnap93 said:
Cool story bro, but when you dont like accessoires, why bother to post in that particular forum?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
because i would love to find a very thin, silicone based flexible case to use mostly so the phone isnt so slippery. literally condom thin. i just dont like accessories that turn the phone into some sort of isometric brick. if a superthin skin existed i would have bought and used it on every device. instead its all hard plastic/rubber/thick silicone. and all my searches have turned up nil.
haha same as you man . with my s1 I used a case for abt a year then took it off as the phone became less valuable (and was a bit roughed up anyway). same with the screen protector. since then I've dropped it a hundred times without cracking the screen (almost all the silver bezel is chipped off lol). the only mod I did was replace the back cover for a colorful fake yelliw one (better grip, less greasy/smudgy).
I've had my s3 for abt 2 weeks and its been sweet. seeing as its already significantly bigger than the s1, I couldnt bear to put a big case on. however, I was interested in the slim flip cover that replaces the battery door - it seems like a good way to protect the screen a little. I have ordered a fake one for abt 5 bucks on eBay, yet to arrive, but maybe you should check it out? the reason I'm going fake first is that the real one is pricey, and I dont know how practical it will actually be yet.
Slade8525 said:
because i would love to find a very thin, silicone based flexible case to use mostly so the phone isnt so slippery. literally condom thin. i just dont like accessories that turn the phone into some sort of isometric brick. if a superthin skin existed i would have bought and used it on every device. instead its all hard plastic/rubber/thick silicone. and all my searches have turned up nil.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DBA thin grip?
I have an otterbox because I engineer factories. So 50 percent Im on site calling. Also since Im still an Intern I cant afford to break something. So i guess that is why people buy bulk.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
me to, like phone without case.. but sometime texting in crowded place need more safety..
so i buy GUM for iphone and handlinker for safety, so my phone didnt slip from my hand
I used to use an n8 and that phone was a unbreakable machine, dropped that phone so many times and not one crack on my screen and only small scruff marks on the corners of the back original case (never used protection for it)
The original cover was a thick and sturdy case that protected the device from falling and did its job well.
When I got my s3 after seeing how thin the back was and how easily it would come off if it fell and doubted it would protect the glass the first thing I did was buy a case.
Cause I'm a bit clumsy sometimes
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
edit
the bumper obviously protects the screen, however some designer went through a lot of trouble to make sure this phone fits my hand perfectly. why mess with it?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app /miui/kt747
I'm not using one right now, but I have 2 cases in the mail. Kids in my town think it's fun to snatch phones (I don't live in a bad neighborhood just some bad kids pass through here) and the extra grip that my Galaxy S2 Skyrocket case provided foiled a would be thief's snatch and run. Not to mention that I have sweaty hands so not having a case for a long time will be my own demise.
Stock ICS on my S3
Why not actually use a condom, one of the non-lubed ones.
If the condom is transparent enough and doesn't interfere with the touch screen, then it's the way to go, isn't it?
At least, now that Android viruses (virii?) are starting to appear, you'll be protected!
Simonetti2011 said:
Why not actually use a condom, one of the non-lubed ones.
If the condom is transparent enough and doesn't interfere with the touch screen, then it's the way to go, isn't it?
At least, now that Android viruses (virii?) are starting to appear, you'll be protected!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had this case: http://www.amazon.com/Acase-Superle...689520&sr=8-3&keywords=Acase+Superleggera+Pro but it made the phone so much thicker and heavier, I stopped using it. I'm taking my chances using it naked for now.
Has anyone checked out IZag it's a thin clear protective skin I had it on the screen of my old att tilt for over two years and never scratched or scuffed it I think they make it for the whole phone now my one friend said best buy puts it on for you and gives you a warranty on the protection if it peels off he had a I phone though but I'm sure they would make it for our phone to. Myself I have a ballistic case for when I'm not at home but as soon as I get home I strip down.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda premium
Ion CarbonGrip Case:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1N7XMPT1EK1PXCEVCHM8
I'm the same way with my phone. I like it the way it comes - slim and beauitful - and just wanted a minimalist case with good impact protection. Couldnt be happier with this case. It fully protects from any angle, and is rigid yet cushioned. It has thick clothlike material glued on both sides of a hard plastic core giving it a gauze bandage type of feeling. Imagine several bandages stacked together on a piece of hard plastic, this is the way it feels. Very shock absorbant. Yet the whole thing is like 1-2 millimeters thick, and you can see how minimalist it is.
I posted some pics and comments about it in a separate thread but not too many people were interested. It's too bad because this is an excellent case and people are really missing out. It doesnt look like much, but man its beautiful and oh so effective.
Dont buy the white one. It has white rubber adhesive along the edges that gets a little dirty. The black one though... Really loving it. It looks better in real life than in the picture. I have a black carbongrip with a white sprint SGS3, never plan to look at another case again.
all i am going to recommend is Wrapsol. IMO, best skin. texture is way better than Zagg IS or any other skin i've dealt with. It is on all of my products (iphone, macbook pro, ipad, galaxy s2) because i dont like cases. no orange peel. good grip for the back. very thin. gives it a matte look. they have replaced my lifted skin for free.
however the one they sell is for the s3 is the international version. theres a cutout in the middle for the Samsung brand. you can always buy an OEM internationally battery cover for cheap and apply it to that and use it on your carrier version.
www.wrapsol.com
I recommend you look at DBA cases. I have the Ultra and I think it's THIN! I have a white S3 and went all white (TPU & PCU). It looks like I don't even have a case on. If you want thinner, I don't own it but from the picture that was posted on here, the DBA Thin is thinner than the Ultra. I originally had a UAG case which I thought was thin. I went with the Ultra instead of the Thin due to the drop protection. The Ultra supposedly has the same drop protection as the UAG. Holding the Ultra in hand, it really is hard to believe it could protect from a drop, but it does.
I like the feel of the phone sans case, but there is always a part of me that worries about that one drop. So I opted for a case that added minimal bulk to the phone whilst giving me the benefit of a kickstand (I travel for work. Need to watch some movies.)
Body Glove Elite case
YUP...I never liked the thought of a case on such nice looking devices. But now I have a thin one.
Why I bought a thin case?
- so I don't have to continually wipe finger prints
- when I lay my S3 on it's back, it doesn't wobble nor touch the camera lens housing
- grip...extremely important (mine has cross hatching on the back)
- the beveling on the edges on a stock S3 when squeezed by your hand, tends to force the phone to spit OUTWARDS out of your hand! On the Htc HD2 I own, it is the opposite angle, the harder you gripped, the more it will snuggle into your hand.
- never really liked the high gloss pebble blue that much, so my case (no pun intended) I now have a dark charcoal matte finish.
- Oh and how about protection? Even the worst case adds some layer of protection. Even just laying the S3 down on a surface day in and day out can eventually lead to scuffs....obviously.
I searched again today for an hour and still cannot find something that is basically just a very thin silicone jacketing; just enough to enhance grip, protect the screen and finish, and yet keep it thin, light, and elegant.
A nudist i shall continue to be, i guess.
I Love my Galaxy s3 nude! so smooth .. so soft. I tried a few cases and screen protectors but had to go back in the nude
Well here’s another leather case from Spigen. It is available in black or white and retails for $37.99. While the Galaxy S4 has both the Argos and illuzion Leather series available, the HTC One is only provided with the illuzion. There doesn’t appear to be big differences in the two series though. Watch the video for more information and general commentary.
NOTE: Since the case we have is white, it will probably get dirty. I saw someone complain how no one mentioned this. Furthermore if you have a white case in general... It will probably show any dirt more than black for example :cyclops:.
chrisngrod said:
Well here’s another leather case from Spigen. It is available in black or white and retails for $37.99. While the Galaxy S4 has both the Argos and illuzion Leather series available, the HTC One is only provided with the illuzion. There doesn’t appear to be big differences in the two series though. Watch the video for more information and general commentary.
NOTE: Since the case we have is white, it will probably get dirty. I saw someone complain how no one mentioned this. Furthermore if you have a white case in general... It will probably show any dirt more than black for example :cyclops:.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the black version of the case. It fits nicely onto the phone and protects it from whatever needs protection. It's a good case, but it have some minor negative "features".
After a while the hinge on top of the case gets more loose. It still holds on to the phone and protects the screen, but it leaves you with an uneasy feeling. There's also no room for the charger while the case is closed. You have to open the case to charge the phone - It's a shame really because it leaves the phone vulnerable. Also when you've been using it for a while and get fingerprints all over the screen, if you don't wipe them off before closing the case, the text on the inside of the lid will be "printed" on the screen fingerprints.
Despite this the case is brilliant. It's good looking and feels like it's of good quality. I've had it for over a month now and haven't regretted it. Expensive, but worth it - IMO.
I forgot to mention that the "Tablet of Hermes" gets imprinted on the screen. I did say that on the Argos for the Galaxy S4. Kind of funny.
Anyways the longest I used one of the cases was the Argos for the S3. It did get a little loser, and I did bend it back more to encourage it to be tighter. I guess you could do that and apply something that would stiffen it back up.
Overall not a bad product for under $40. Thanks for adding to this post.
Had a black version of this case, been using it for a while, I've to say it's the best looking flip case for one, it's durable. Except the inside part of the lid is getting dirty and the text, which I don't like. Wondering if the sgp glast screen protector will work along with this case! Any one tried that?
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Do you have sgp glass protector on your phone?
xmegapixelx said:
Do you have sgp glass protector on your phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't have one on this phone in this video. For the Argos and the Galaxy S4 it works fine. That did have a Spigen Glas screen protector.
There have been a few threads linking to the Shenit TPU Bumper Case that have kinda died out because, well, it's no longer available on Amazon despite having been available long ago with a very future ship date. I ordered mine when the listing first went up on Amazon and it just arrived today! Here are my observations and judgments:
The Details
The case is made from two materials: TPU and a hard plastic. You can see the two materials in the photos on Amazon. It's done in a way that is still incredibly low-profile. The TPU covers all buttons, corners/edges, and ports (not the camera lens nor camera light, though). The hard plastic covers the back, the back corners, and some of the sides. The hard plastic is a *perfect fit* over the camera lens ring - from the back of the phone it is 100% impossible to tell the color of my phone.
Something that can be very clearly seen in the photos, and is the same with the official bumper, are the angles at which the sides have. This causes the feeling that the back edges of the phone "stick out". This seems to be a love-it or hate-it thing for most people. I'm torn about whether I like it or not - it definitely seems different than what I'm used to. That said, this was by no means a surprise for me and I expected it to be just like this. So in my Pro/Con list, this is what I'm talking about with the "back corners sticking out".
Oh, and it came with a piece of red velcro for some reason!
The Good
Overall, it's a very nice and snug fit on the phone yet it's not terribly difficult (also not terribly easy, in a good way) to get it off of the phone. With this case on the phone, I'm certainly not concerned with the phone slipping out whether pulling the phone out of a purse with something tugging on the case nor with skinny jean pockets or anything else. The feel of it is a mix of a TPU feel and a "soft" feel for hard plastic (think the feel of the back of the black version of the Nexus 5 to mean what I mean "soft" for hard plastic, not Quicksand case "soft"). Nobody will have problems with this slipping in and out of their pockets nor is it incredibly slippery either.
For protection, this provides the protection you would hope from a TPU case and not much more. As you can see in the photos, every corner and edge is covered by TPU including the four corners on both the front and back as well as the edges along both the front and back of the phone. The back of the phone, however is only covered with the hard plastic. Take a look at the photos and you can tell where the TPU ends on the insides of the case and where the hard plastic begins on the outsides of the case. This case might protect your phone from a drop and it might not - just like with all TPU cases. If you buy this and you play first-person shooter games where you can change your armor out, this case could be thought of as light armor or perhaps medium armor but no where near heavy armor.
It is definitely an attractive (and Nexus branded!) case that doesn't look like what many of the other $14 cases out there look like. As you can see from the photos, the case is molded perfectly to fit with the camera ring cutout. Speaking of the camera ring, the case is just a tad thicker on the back side than your camera ring so if you lay it down on the back, your camera ring is no longer a protrusion. This may have some implications for those of you with magnetic accessories for the camera ring but I can't really comment much on that. Ultimately, unless you look at the port cutouts or see my white speaker on the front, this case makes it impossible to tell the color of my phone - that's how perfect the molding is for the fit. The ONLY flaw I could find with the case's fit was for the microphone on the top of the phone. The microphone isn't perfectly centered in the hole but it's also not covered either.
The Bad
There are three primary problems I have with the case.
First of all, a quick browsing at the time I wrote this turned up quite unfruitful in actually identifying where you can even buy this case today! It is now listed as unavailable on all of the Amazon postings and even all of the eBay cases that look just like the OEM bumper case have seemed to vanish. I'm curious if you can even buy this case anymore as I couldn't find it anywhere now!
So here's the first knock on the case: The buttons have a mushy feel with terrible feedback on the power/volume buttons. We all know that cases tend to be Good, Meh, or Bad here and this case definitely qualifies as bad. Sorry!
And the last thing:The USB Port cutout, while appearing quite large, is unfortunately too small for a variety of USB cables. The first 3 USB cables I randomly grabbed didn't fit comfortable in the space provided although the fourth one did. So you'll have to find a cable that will fit in there if you ever need one and don't use Qi for all of your charging needs.
Pros:
Nexus Branded!
Plenty of color options and cheap (it was $14 shipped from Amazon)
Great snug fit with perfect molding to the phone
Feels like you hope it would feel from the photos
Very low profile - better than your typical TPU case (except for the back corners sticking out)
Plenty of room around the 3.5mm audio port.
Won't affect NFC, Qi, or radios
Cons:
Hard to buy (no longer on Amazon and the eBay lookalikes are no longer listed either)
Took a month to ship
Bad button tactile feedback
Many USB cables won't fit in the cutout for the USB port
I hope you enjoy!!
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
I just got mine today too. I got the blue one. Does it feel like pyramid shaped to you? Mine does. The back is thicker than the front. Buttons are not that bad. Better than some of the cheap tpus. I can still see some white bordering the camera in the back. Not too bad a case. But the shape is weird. Does the original case have that pyramid shape? If you hold it by the sides you cab definitely feel that the back is wider than the front (lip).
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Just added the more thorough review and several photos. Hope you guys enjoy! Feel free to ask any questions you might have!
guapinoy said:
Does it feel like pyramid shaped to you? Mine does. The back is thicker than the front. <<snip>> But the shape is weird. Does the original case have that pyramid shape? If you hold it by the sides you cab definitely feel that the back is wider than the front (lip).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, I commented on this in my more thorough review. It's different than I'm used to but exactly what I expected from the photos on Amazon (and Google's OEM listings/reviews as well). I still don't know if I like it or not. Like you said, it's weird.
guapinoy said:
Buttons are not that bad. Better than some of the cheap tpus. I can still see some white bordering the camera in the back. Not too bad a case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I compared this to the worst TPU case I've ever had (and I've had some bad ones) that was rated as a 1 from 1-10, then I'd give this case a 2. You're right, there is worse. But not much worse - it's pretty bad. Maybe your blue one has slightly different buttons than mine but mine is pretty bad.
For the white around my camera on the back, I can't see any white whatsoever. At least I don't think I can even as I'm trying to look for it although I guess it's possible that the white + shadow makes it blend in with my light gray case. I don't see it, though.
Even no longer available but there are some cases like this in eBay if anyone would like to give it a try: http://www.ebay.com/itm/GOOGLE-PREM...Cell_Phone_PDA_Cases&var=&hash=item3cdc425b73. But don't expect too much as this is chinese stuff. And Play Store now available for $26~ after 25% off (still got shipping fee+ tax).
Onismurai said:
Even no longer available but there are some cases like this in eBay if anyone would like to give it a try: http://www.ebay.com/itm/GOOGLE-PREM...Cell_Phone_PDA_Cases&var=&hash=item3cdc425b73. But don't expect too much as this is chinese stuff. And Play Store now available for $26~ after 25% off (still got shipping fee+ tax).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That looks like the same case but is definitely different packaging than what I received. Thanks for the link though, I was unable to find those on eBay when I tried yesterday.
Onismurai said:
Even no longer available but there are some cases like this in eBay if anyone would like to give it a try: http://www.ebay.com/itm/GOOGLE-PREM...Cell_Phone_PDA_Cases&var=&hash=item3cdc425b73. But don't expect too much as this is chinese stuff. And Play Store now available for $26~ after 25% off (still got shipping fee+ tax).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uhh have you seen what most people have been saying about the official bumper? It's a low quality POS for the most part. Not worth full price, and even at $26 it isn't worth it with the peeling, staining, etc. Doesn't matter if it's from the play store. The unofficial ones might even hold up better, who knows, but the standard Google set with the official bumper case isn't exactly high. Besides, there's extra colors with the unofficial ones that some people might enjoy.
Anyway, if anyone still wants these ones I did find a link for super cheap. Of course it will probably take 3 weeks to a month to get to you, which is the case for most things shipping from overseas. But $12.99 shipped should make up for it. The Nexus logo is printed in a different color than the case on some of the color choices (just scroll down on the page to see).
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/For-LG-Google-Nexus-5-bumper-case-FREE-SHIPPING-front-screen-protectors/1612944308.html
God, it can't be any worse than the official bumper. I wish we had a better selection of actual bumper cases.
I'm using the Gray bumper clone for couple days. No staining (yet) , nice soft touch. Back panel is a bit bigger than front (as mentioned in 1st post).
I also have glass protector from Nillkin on, the case doesn't seem to push the glass.
Update: Now it has some blue from my jeans. sigh..
I may certainly be wrong but I'm beginning to think these unofficial cases are the same as the official ones, same manufacturing line and everything.
Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk
When I bought my nexus 5 I wanted a pouch, but really didn't find any to my liking . Last week I decided re-search and found a couple real good pouches, but really none what I had in mind. Then I came across a MediaDevil Artisan pouch, didn't really know what to think, like if it was going to be a cheap knock off or bad quality. As I looked into it I found out that this company makes very high quality pouches that I was never aware of. I decided to give it a shot based on amazing reviews. It came in a nice black gift like box and very professionally packaged . Has full grain leather with red stitching ( believe it comes in different colors), the phone fits perfectly in the pouch nice and snug. Not to tight and not to loose. It has micro fiber feel inside of it so when you slip you're phone it cleans the smudges and fingerprints. I would recommend this pouch to anyone who wants a nice look to there phone.
This is my first review so it might not detailed or organized in any way.
dia_naji said:
When I bought my nexus 5 I wanted a pouch, but really didn't find any to my liking . Last week I decided re-search and found a couple real good pouches, but really none what I had in mind. Then I came across a MediaDevil Artisan pouch, didn't really know what to think, like if it was going to be a cheap knock off or bad quality. As I looked into it I found out that this company makes very high quality pouches that I was never aware of. I decided to give it a shot based on amazing reviews. It came in a nice black gift like box and very professionally packaged . Has full grain leather with red stitching ( believe it comes in different colors), the phone fits perfectly in the pouch nice and snug. Not to tight and not to loose. It has micro fiber feel inside of it so when you slip you're phone it cleans the smudges and fingerprints. I would recommend this pouch to anyone who wants a nice look to there phone.
This is my first review so it might not detailed or organized in any way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cannot seem to find the link on amazon. Would you be able to post a link
vinnyfraser said:
I cannot seem to find the link on amazon. Would you be able to post a link
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.amazon.com/MediaDevil-Google-Nexus-leather-stitching/dp/B00GXJHRG2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1392307452&sr=8-3&keywords=mediadevil+nexus+5
I have the same pouch, i fell in love with!
More pics
Well worth the money
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
I am not a pouch person, but that does look nice! Love the logo!
cool review... the black-red looks awesome. i have one with the teal color.
dia_naji said:
Well worth the money
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
does it use a magnet on that button on the back of the case ? thanks
fkloznica said:
does it use a magnet on that button on the back of the case ? thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does. Circular shaped magnet can be seen at the photos embossing under the leather and one of the online reviews confirms it
Review: pull out tab that works brilliantly and is held in place by a small magnetic clasp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dia_naji said:
I would recommend this pouch to anyone who wants a nice look to there phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for this review dia_naji!
On your pictures I see you have the black with red stitching case, and inside you have a black phone?
On Media Devil's webpage it says that the black phone is different size to the white or red, therefore they sell cases for black and cases for white/red. And for the black phone there's only one option, grey with pink stitches, not my cup of tea. The case you show on your pictures is meant to be for the white/red phone only. When I first saw this I was sceptical at them, because both phones are the same size, only thing different is the plastic texture.
Can you or anyone else on this thread confirm that you're using a black case with a black phone? Despite the big red warning on Media Devil's website: http://mediadevil.com/us/artisanpouch-leather-pouch-case-google-nexus-5-by-lg.html
Thanks!
the difference, as I've been told by their employee, is the the material used inside, because of the texture difference and the material of the pull-out ribbon, as well as the size of the pull-out knob.
-V-O-Y-A-G-E-R- said:
the difference, as I've been told by their employee, is the the material used inside, because of the texture difference and the material of the pull-out ribbon, as well as the size of the pull-out knob.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought it would be something like that....
My question remains, is anyone using the black case with a black phone? If so, any downfalls?
I asked Mediadevil about the difference between black and white/red nexus 5
Hi Marius,
I hope you are well and thanks for getting in touch.
The black and white Nexus 5 have a slightly different curvature, and as our cases are designed to fit very snugly to the device itself, this means that a black Nexus 5 will not fit into a case designed for a white Nexus 5. In addition, the black Nexus 5 has a soft-touch back as opposed to the harder plastic back of the white Nexus 5, which adds friction when it is being inserted and removed from the case, and we have also had to take this into consideration when designing a case for the black Nexus 5.
At the moment we are completely sold out of all colour combinations for the black Nexus 5 except for the slate/pink option, however we do have new cases in production, which should be available by the middle of March. I'm afraid I don't have a definite release date at the moment, however please feel free to get back in touch in a week or so, as we should be able to give you an update then!
Sarah
MediaDevil
it's almost a copy paste answer they give
Cowboy_Henk said:
I asked Mediadevil about the difference between black and white/red nexus 5
Hi Marius,
I hope you are well and thanks for getting in touch.
The black and white Nexus 5 have a slightly different curvature, and as our cases are designed to fit very snugly to the device itself, this means that a black Nexus 5 will not fit into a case designed for a white Nexus 5. In addition, the black Nexus 5 has a soft-touch back as opposed to the harder plastic back of the white Nexus 5, which adds friction when it is being inserted and removed from the case, and we have also had to take this into consideration when designing a case for the black Nexus 5.
At the moment we are completely sold out of all colour combinations for the black Nexus 5 except for the slate/pink option, however we do have new cases in production, which should be available by the middle of March. I'm afraid I don't have a definite release date at the moment, however please feel free to get back in touch in a week or so, as we should be able to give you an update then!
Sarah
MediaDevil
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks very much for sharing this! Now that makes more sense. I think I'd rather wait for 2 or 3 weeks. I'll buy a cheap neoprene pouch case in the meanwhile.
dia_naji said:
When I bought my nexus 5 I wanted a pouch, but really didn't find any to my liking . Last week I decided re-search and found a couple real good pouches, but really none what I had in mind. Then I came across a MediaDevil Artisan pouch, didn't really know what to think, like if it was going to be a cheap knock off or bad quality. As I looked into it I found out that this company makes very high quality pouches that I was never aware of. I decided to give it a shot based on amazing reviews. It came in a nice black gift like box and very professionally packaged . Has full grain leather with red stitching ( believe it comes in different colors), the phone fits perfectly in the pouch nice and snug. Not to tight and not to loose. It has micro fiber feel inside of it so when you slip you're phone it cleans the smudges and fingerprints. I would recommend this pouch to anyone who wants a nice look to there phone.
This is my first review so it might not detailed or organized in any way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm very interested in this leather pouch. But is this compatible with a tempered glass screen protector (0,30mm) AND with the toastMade (real wood) skin
I hope the pouch is not too tight for this? Or will it stretch over time? And what must I choose? Black or white/red version of the pouch, because Mediadevil said there is difference in size and material they use, but this is wood material so....???
Sorry to bump an old thread. I'm looking at this case for a Black Nexus 5.
Does this pouch cause the soft touch back to wear out from constant friction from inserting and removing the phone from the pouch? Especially near the bottom where the pull tab makes contact.
I had a similar type pouch for the Galaxy Nexus, and that worked fine for the plastic material on the phone. But seeing the Nexus 5 has a soft touch back I can see the friction causing wear. My Lenovo ThinkPad had a similar annoying issue as I found the rubberish soft finish was coming off from the sleeve I had it in.
Bump! Still would love to hear feedback from owners of this case. Just got my Nexus 5 and I'm looking for a nice pouch!
da_hool said:
Sorry to bump an old thread. I'm looking at this case for a Black Nexus 5.
Does this pouch cause the soft touch back to wear out from constant friction from inserting and removing the phone from the pouch? Especially near the bottom where the pull tab makes contact.
I had a similar type pouch for the Galaxy Nexus, and that worked fine for the plastic material on the phone. But seeing the Nexus 5 has a soft touch back I can see the friction causing wear. My Lenovo ThinkPad had a similar annoying issue as I found the rubberish soft finish was coming off from the sleeve I had it in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I have had mine for almost 3 weeks after reading this thread. I LOVE it. I got the gray/blue color and it looks great with my white n5. I use it hard and it has shown next to no wear in the 3 weeks I've had it. It is still as tight as the day I got it and wouldn't be able to be pulled out on it's own without the pull strap. Time will tell. Definitely no extra room for a TPU or similar case.
Side note: As pictured below, you can see one of the stitches wasn't tied off correctly and came undone just two days after using it. I think I curbed the unraveling by melting the end of the thread with a lighter. It hasn't moved since. I emailed Mediadevil through Amazon.com (where I made the purchase) and they had a new one out to me next day. Excellent customer service.
5 out of 5 stars would recommend to anyone.
Not a pouch person but this looks tempting
Sent from my Nexus 5