Hi,
We renewed our phones plan and got 2 Pixel3. For cases, my initial plan to order 2 Spigen rugged armor on Amazon (2 x $13). Not in a hurry, I wanted to check out the quality of cheap cases. For the same amount of money I can buy a lot of cases on eBay ans still have enough money for some screen protectors. I spent sometimes to review images of the cases on eBay, mostly to avoid the crappy ones (like hard cases) or very expensive or weird looking. Sorry I prefer to avoid giving the eBay link I bought. You can find out easily by searching for Pixel 3 cases. Here is the quick summary of my "cheap case" experiment.
I don't do any drop test. However, with common sense, I think we can feel a below or above average protection. I think the cases I tried are as good and some could even be than the Spigen RA I got on my Pixel1. In my opinion, there is not a lot of hitech in a case. After all, brand name cases are probably also manufactured in China in anyway.
More expensive doesn't mean better. In fact the best is the cheapest ($1.75)
Avoid the multiple layers case with a hard polycarbonate shell (#5 in photo below). They are heavy, bulky and slippery
Plan in advance! Fastest delivery is 3 weeks (ship from China to US), probably 5 if non-US. The colors of the cases shown in eBay photos are not always accurate.
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My criteria of a good case is modest: good protection (corners, raised lips to protect camera and screen) and hold well in hands (no bulk and not slippery). I am not very concerned about the look. Colors is the only fancy factor. The photo above shows the models sorted by most preferred to least. Here is the rational of my ranking.
Rank #1: This case is incredible. I can't believe the cheapest case could be that good. I would even say I like it better than the Spigen rugged armor on the Pixel1 I got in the past. Very well thought, minimal bulk. I like the chamfered edges and the sanded surface on both side edges to increase grip. In spite of the glossy surface of the back, this case is NOT slippery. I am not sure how to explain that, maybe this has something todo with the Van der Waals force. The 4 corners have subtle raise to lift slightly the case/phone above a flat surface. If you knock the corner of the phone on a hard surface, you will hear a slightly muffled sound. While cases 2, 3, 4 you will hear a harder sound. Those air bubbles are not just for show.
The material is a TPU slightly harder and thick enough. Not like the softer rubbery TPU I got in the past with cheap $1 "crystal" cases. This case will turn slighly smoke/yellow in time. Personally this yellowish thing is not a problem at all. The buttons are slight hard, but fortunately I don't use that much. The case don't pick up too much dust entering by the back of the case.
Rank #2: Feel harder and slightly heavier. Add 1 millimeter in width and height compare to Case #1. The raised lip above the screen is slightly shallower than case #1. There is barely enough room for a glass screen protector. The buttons are very clicky and responsive. The button "click feel" is the best among the 5 models I tested.
Rank #3: Same dimensions as case #1 without the bubbles at the corners. The look maybe nicer if you don't like transparent case. The faux leather texture "seems" to increase grip. Actually this case is more slippery than case #1 (and also #2). This case has lower ranking simply because I feel that it's protective property is inferior. In case you are interested in this case, be aware that the colors is not always accurate on eBay. I ordered a light coffee color and got a dark gray instead. The photo above shows the navy blue model.
Rank #4: Minimal protection, barely a skin. The TPU is slightly thinner than Case#1. But still not rubbery. No raised grooves (as in case #1) to lift the case above a flat surface. Overall sloppy design, money wasted.
Rank #5: In terms of protection, this case is the best. The light gray rubber layer is not only a soft rubber but has ample air space to absorb shock. I use this case a few minutes and got immediately annoyed. It adds almost 10 millimeters to both width and height. Once the case is on, it becomes very hard to operate the phone with one hand. The back looks nice, it's a hard polycarbonate shell. But it is super slippery. I am certain I will drop the phone all the time with that case. Maybe this case is designed for rock climbers, but I really don't like it. Personally, it confirms a weird trend, each time I buy a multi-layered case, I always regret it. This one is the worst in particular, very bulky, slippery and a fragile assembling mechanism.
More photos
Notice the sanded stripe on the side-edges of the crystal case
Notice the bulk of case #5
Case #3 slighly wider by 1 millimeter
Case #3, ordered gray which looks like "light cappucino" on eBay images. The real gray is really dark.
Update 2019-05-13: After 2 months of daily use, this case now becomes my favorite. Like very much the rugged rubbery. Excellent material, thicker than the average TPU case (better protection). Hard but with a rubbery feel. Snug fit with device, give a good impression of protection. Bought 2 new colors.
Related
Photos at the bottom of the post for those looking to get straight to the phone p0rn
When I got my DINC2 the VZW rep was "nice" enough to throw in a silicone case for free. I say "nice" because silicone is made for bakeware and o-rings, not phone cases. I was pulling the case off the phone as I walked out the door and it got ditched in the first trash can I saw.
I set out to find a case based on some specific requirements:
Thin and light
Grippy exterior
Excellet camera lens protection
The last one is really important and I'm surprised more folks don't highlight it in case reviews, especially for HTC phones. As anyone who owned the original DINC will tell you, HTC loves to leave their camera lenses flapping in the breeze where any hard object passing by can scratch/crack/smudge it.
My DINC wore a Seidio Surface case from day one and it was phenominal but with the DINC2 being slightly larger the Surface seemed to add more bulk than I was willing to stick in my pocket. I had read about the Incipio Feather case here on the forums and ordered one based on other's experiences. I was extremely disappointed when it arrived already broken still inside it's packaging. I returned it but the seller took six weeks to send the replacement, so in the meantime I got the Case Mate.
Once I had both of them in hand I was surprised at how different they were. It's the same basic design, a super thin case that wraps around the two sides and the four corners leaving the top and bottom exposed. What struck me was the difference in materials. The Case Mate was noticeably more rigid, fit more tightly and the "soft touch" surface was more grippy. The Incipio was certainly a quality case but the Case Mate just felt better.
Lastly, to the point of protecting the camera, the Case Mate takes the cake. The Incipio adds pretty much nothing in terms of shielding the camera but the Case Mate has a deliberate lip which gives the camera 2-3mm of setback. When you put the phone down in the Incipio case the lens still touches the table which means if you put it down on something less forgiving you're just asking for lens damage. The Case Mate's lip puts some distance between the lens and whatever you put it down on. When you take into account that your phone spends a great deal of time in your pocket, along with change/keys/etc the Incipio offers pretty much no protection to what I would call a design flaw on HTC's part.
In the end I'm glad I didn't pay for the Incipio (the seller refunded my money and let me keep the case to avoid negative feedback for the six week return delay). The Case Mate is a fantastic minimal case for the DINC2 that adds very little bulk, makes the phone easier to grip, protects the camera really well and feels much more durable than a 1mm thick piece of plastic.
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Cool review thanks. Still just waiting for my red or white battery cover so I can show it through my Griffin Reveal look alike case
Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk
I got the Innocase Surface, I really like it. Viewing from the pictures it looks like the casemate is abit thinner but not by much. I was considering the Casemate but I wasn't too sure how much I wanted a case that doesn't really protect the bottom or the top faceplate. Glad you enjoy the case though!
After spending some more time with the Case Mate I've discovered what might be it's only flaw and frankly I don't think I completely blame the case for this one.
The power button on top of the phone is already pretty minimal but with the case it's just slightly harder to actuate. The case comes up close to the button and stands off from the phone about the same distance. That means the button is pretty much flush with the case.
Now Case Mate didn't design the phone to have a slightly-too-small power button (I don't care for it even without the case) but they might have considered leaving a bit more clearance to make it a little easier to press.
Cool review. Incipio Red feather user here. I posted my review on Amazon.com, mine is the only review that's posted there. I've been very happy with my Red case as it is my favorite color and it is the thinnest out there(1mm).
I have to disagree with your comment on camera protection, the incipio feather has an ample lip which covers the camera. The only thing you can expect from these thin case is to have just a tiny lift off from surfaces and the feather gives the lift. I honestly do not see the point of thicker lip because it literally does nothing more than just a slightest lift off.
However since I've never touched the Case Mate Barely There, I have to take your words on the material. I wish they make more bright colors.
Very nice review! I went with the CaseMate as well and I really like it for easy pocket carry. I had the same concern with reduced ease of access to the power button, so I did a quick mod on mine with a Dremel wheel. I will probably go back and clean it up so it doesn't look so angry-beaver-ish but it is really nice to use with this tiny modification and with the change it truly lives up to the "Barely There" name.
If rooted I can MOD your ROM to make it so you can pull the phone out of sleep with the volume keys, that seems to be working for me.
nice review. I am catching this thread a little late I know but the aspect I dont like about this case is I dont see much protection for the screen in the event of a drop. I would never think that would be an issue but two days ago my Dinc2 feel out of my bag as I was putting it in my car and landed face down flat on its screen and shattered the screen. Had to dish out the deductible for a replacement. Now I am using a TPU case as is has just enough lip to protect the screen if it happened again.
I want a case similar to this, but it just doesn't protect the screen enough.
I will slowly but surely start posting the reviews for the cases I received last week after using them in the real world and here is the next one up. Let me know if you have any questions about it and if you want to see it installed on the Black HTC One as well since I do have it available.
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I've spent the last week and a half putting the DualPro case by Incipio through the paces and finally feel I've gathered my thoughts enough for this in-depth review. If you haven't already seen my unboxing and intial impression video check it out below.
DESIGN
If you saw our review of the Incipio Feather SHINE case consider the DualPro the absolute opposite of it. By far the DualPro is the highest level of protection offered by Incipio for the HTC One and our initial reactions were a pretty accurate depiction of what we would experience during our extended use of it. The case design and execution are beautiful. It looks fresh and futuristic, very reminiscent of Tron especially with the neon color offerings.
I highly appreciate the attention to detail regarding the power button grove as well as ample lay on the table lip to protect your screen. Installation is pretty straight forward with these dual layer cases having the silicon portion wrap around your device first then snapping it into the hard shell for optimal protection. The camera is recessed it the case a good 3mm so no matter which side it lays flat on, it won't sustain any damage.
You get access to every port and phone feature with only the volume rocker being covered by the silicon portion. With a phone as beautiful as the HTC One there comes a point where protecting it has to be balanced with still making it look good and the DualPro offers the most amount of protection while staying aesthetically pleasing. Sure it may be one level below an Otterbox case for example but you also have to remember that those are some ridiculously ugly cases and the DualPro is not.
BUILD QUALITY
The two piece case fits together sort of like a puzzle to ensure that installation is done properly. The Incipio logo on the back acts as a visual cue to whether everything is lining up or needs some adjustment. The silicon is extremely rigid and feels more like TPU in the hand. It definitely doesn't collapse as easily as the insert in the DualPro CF case we also reviewed leading me to believe the level of protection is increased substantially. I briefly made a comment in the video above that having the case on my phone made me want to chunk it at the wall out of pure confidence and I'm glad to report that it has survived a few drops since receiving it.
I have a very smart little 2 year old who knows her way around daddy's device fairly well and loves to grab it when I'm not looking only to drop it inadvertently after she's been caught. The silicon portion absorbs the shock while the hard shell plastic ensures your device doesn't receive any dents. or scratches on its surface. Overall I am extremely pleased with the DualPro case. There is more than enough grip on the sides of the device thanks to a soft touch coating that feels awesome in the hands and does its job of providing friction very well.
I did experience some very minor frustrations while texting that are worth noting and they are primarily caused by the thick lip around the screen. I found myself having to angle my thumbs a certain way in order to press the letters around the edge of the keyboard such as A or L. There is a slight learning curve but once you get the hang of it you'll be just fine.
CONCLUSION
Its certainly worth having a heavy hitter in your line up of cases as its important to protect your investment and if you require a tough case that maintains great aesthetics then the Incipio DualPro is the one for you. Its dual layer protection ensures your HTC One won't suffer damage from those inevitable drops on its side and back while the 2.79mm lip on the front will provide some of the best lay on the table protection I have ever seen.
There's a nice selection of available color options including the following:
Charcoal Grey/Neon Yellow (As seen above)
Black/Neon Pink
Grey/Charcoal Grey
Black/Black
The case is available for pre-order now at a reasonable price of $29.99 and should start shipping in about 1-2 weeks as of this writing.
Check out the images below for a closer look.
Well done. Thank you for the review
Sent from The One
Excellent review. I purchased the Black/Black variant of the Incipio DualPro case, and after a few weeks of owning it, I was about to post a review for it before I found yours. This case is most definitely sturdy and provides great protection. I have purchased an Incipio DualPro case for my previous phone, and while it felt pretty durable, it has nothing on this phone's DualPro case. Similarly to how you said in your video, I feel as though I could throw the phone against the wall and the wall lose, while the phone wouldn't have a scratch. My old phone had many confrontations with concrete after falling out of my lap after getting out of the car, and it survived without a problem, and I feel as this one will be able to do the same with even more ease.
On another note, after applying this case to my phone, I found it extremely difficult to remove. It took several minutes to pry it off, which I suppose attests to the durability of it. It shouldn't take that long to remove a case. I had no problems removing my old phone's DualPro case in less than 10 seconds, and the quick removal time of it didn't appear to affect durability, so I see no reason why this case is so hard to remove.
Did you have any difficulty removing the case from the phone? You had a small issue removing the plastic and paper from it, but those weren't the phone.
I have the DualPro Shine, wich has the same dual-layer principle, but feels quite different. It is much less bulky, the front lip is about 1mm tall, but it protects the phone really well (i've dropped it a couple times). Plus, the Shine has a nice brushed aluminium finish or a carbon fiber option. pretty happy with it
How durable is the finish on the shine?
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 just saw this case on eBay and was wondering if anyone has tried it (or heard of DZ-Tech before?)
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190966473899&var=490211744436
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More pictures: http://imgur.com/a/haWCs#0
I bought one because it's cheap enough and it has a kickstand. Really unsure about the material and fit, and it takes a couple weeks to ship to Canada. But I'll post pics/comments when I get it. Hopefully it fits perfectly.
The only thing I want from a case is that it's relatively easy to take off (without scratching or marking the phone) - and the buttons should have a little feedback when pressed with the case.
I have one of those on my Active S4. I like it a lot. Build quality is great, fit is perfect, I have no complaints. I just think it's really ugly.
firemedic1343 said:
I have one of those on my Active S4. I like it a lot. Build quality is great, fit is perfect, I have no complaints. I just think it's really ugly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know. I agree this case is one of the more bulkier around, but the rugged look reminds me of an Otterbox (in a good way).
I haven't found any pictures of that case with the N5 inside, so I guess I'll find out soon!
JLishere said:
Good to know. I agree this case is one of the more bulkier around, but the rugged look reminds me of an Otterbox (in a good way).
I haven't found any pictures of that case with the N5 inside, so I guess I'll find out soon!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The case I have for my S4 Active is just as solid as any Otterbox I've ever owned. Actually, I've had a couple of bad experiences with Otterbox cases...to clarify, I like bulky cases, I just don't like the design on the back of this one, but that's just my personal preference, I still use it daily. I care more about function.
I received the above case. Mostly favorable impressions so far. It took a whopping 14 business days to get from California to Montreal/Canada, but I'm quite happy with it. Took many pictures of it and a review on Google+.
Price: $10 + free shipping on eBay
Design: It comes in two parts, an inner skin made of soft silicone and an outer hard shell made of plastic. Both parts can be separated and assembly/disassembly is easy and quick. The inner layer is flexible, it absorbs shocks and feels a lot like the soft-touch texture of the Nexus 5. The outer layer is rigid and holds everything together. Once you slap on the hard shell, the Nexus 5 fits snugly and won't come out easily. The phone is also completely encased in the soft material, so there is no contact with a hard plastic. This means your device won't get marked from within after an impact. The screen is also completely surrounded by silicone and the bumper is raised by a generous 2mm all around - slightly more than the Cruzerlite A2 case. The bumper will also easily accommodate a screen protector (I don't use one personally).
Colors: The inner skin comes in black, white, blue, pink, purple or red. The outer shell comes in black, blue or pink. I went for a simple black/black case.
Cut-outs: There are cut-outs for the camera/flash, charging port, speakers, headset and microphone. They are perfectly centered and don't cause interference. The headset hole is also large enough to accommodate all kinds of 3.5mm audio cords (unlike some other TPU cases that can't work with larger audio plugs).
Buttons: Unlike the Cruzerlite, there are no cut-outs for the buttons. No separate built-in buttons either (like the Spigen). Instead, they are fully covered by soft silicone material. This will be a plus for some people, a negative for others. For me it's a plus. With this case, you lose the ceramic feel in favor of soft-touch (which I like). More importantly though, the buttons retain their normal feedback when pressed. This is something that the official Nexus 5 bumper is criticized for (where buttons will sometimes respond without any feedback). On this case, the fit is excellent and there's no accidental press. The volume button is also marked with individual +/- parts.
Kickstand: The built-in kickstand sits flush with the case when not in use, so it doesn't get in the way. To use it, you lift, slide and lock in place. The Nexus 5 can be positioned in both portrait and landscape modes. The angle is just right. However, the plastic hinge feels a bit fragile/flimsy; something you might easily break if you're not careful. Still, it's a nice bonus compared to some other cases.
Overall: Nicer than I expected for the price. I give it an A- or 4/5. It does add more heft than the official bumper, Cruzerlite or Spigen Neo Hybrid. But for its size, it's relatively light, dual-layer and actually doesn't look too bulky from the front like an Otterbox. It takes a few extra seconds to slap on compared to a bumper, but significantly easier to take out than a Spigen Neo Hybrid. I absolutely like the soft touch buttons. They are fitted perfectly and preserve 100% feedback when pressed with no accidental push (crucial for me). I'm surprised that some cases cost 3x as much, yet don't pay attention to this detail. All four corners are protected by silicone. The kickstand is a nice bonus. The hard shell on the back doesn't attrack fingerprints as badly as I thought. I just wish it had a more premium/textured finish to closely match the Nexus 5. Though for $10 + free shipping on eBay, it's hard to complain. If you're looking for an all around / good value case, I would really consider it. It makes for a nice 'Christmas stocking' gift.
Link: http://goo.gl/Kgg8Vm
Incipio NGP case for the Moto G
Cost: $19.95 ($16.95 with a coupon for me) free shipping from the Incipio website.
Description: Incipio's version of TPU, it's a case that covers the sides & back of the Moto G along with a small lip on the front of the phone to elevate the screen if faced downward. A nice feature of this particular TPU case is that the buttons (power & volume keys) are also covered with minimal interference from the TPU material.
My thoughts: For a $20 case, which is approaching the price of the likes of more robust hybrid (polycarbonate/silicone or PC/TPU) cases like the Otterbox, as well as equaling the cost of Moto's own Grip Shell accessory, I was expecting a lot out of this case.
I got the black color TPU case for two reasons: I prefer neutral colors for my cases, and secondly, TPU has a notorious reputation for yellowing as it ages. I'm hoping that this case, which is still slightly translucent, will conceal the yellowing process more since it's a dark neutral color. We'll see how it holds up -- normally when I have a TPU case, I don't mind replacing it every 5-6 months or so since they're usually so cheap ($5-10) but this one is at a higher price point than other TPU cases so I want it to hold up longer.
In terms of fit, there's nothing to complain about. The TPU is very flexible (a little less stiff than I'd like to see, but doesn't have the "rubbery" feel of cheaper TPU or silicone cases) and everything aligns perfectly with no gaps. The "NGP" material itself which Incipio claims is better than your average TPU has a very nice texture and premium feel. It's a very subtle "grainy" feel when you run your fingers over the surface --- smooth and hard but not slippery as you'd think of a TPU case because of the subtle grain. I don't know if the sparkly mica-like particles in the NGP material are what gives it that texture, but it definitely gives the case a more solid grip than what I'm used to in other TPU cases.
Neither the headphone port nor the microUSB port are covered --- the cutaways in the case do not interfere with cables. There is a decent distance in case thickness for the back camera/speaker/flash to be protected from any table debris, and similarly the lip of the front of the case gives the screen clearance. The case lip fits snugly around the front of the case without any gapping.
Now, normally with a cheap TPU case I would not complain about manufacturing quality beyond any fit issues. However, for a premium TPU case, I'm disappointed to find very obvious seam lines all around the case. You will notice them in the closeup photos below of the ports (lines in the center part of the case as well as some flash (leftover seams/bits from manufacturing process)) around the ports. That's a bit sloppy for a case that is marketed as a step up from your normal ebay TPU case from overseas. It's more of an aesthetic issue than anything else, but like I said my expectation of this case is higher due to its bigger price.
The thickness of the TPU seems adequate for decent protection, i.e. dropping short distances on softer surfaces like carpet, etc. If you want maximum drop protection for your case, you would probably want to look at a Trident or Otterbox especially since they really aren't that much more expensive.
Conclusion:
I would say that it's a OK purchase but I'm not super thrilled about it --- I think the Fosmon Hybo Snap was a better deal at less than half the cost and you'd probably be just as happy with a Cruzerlite TPU case ($10-12) as this one, unless you dislike the smoother feel of those cases. Unless, of course, you must have button covers in which case this is one of the few TPU cases where the covered buttons are actually the same or slightly less sensitive than without the cover --- it's my favorite feature of the case.
I do like the feel of the NGP material and so far it seems to collect less dust than most TPU or silicone cases, I'm just not sure it's worth the extra cost.
If you want a case with minimal bulk but still protect the corners of the case, this will do for you. However, you may want to consider other similar TPU cases that are half or less of the cost of this one.
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^ That's not dust, that's the sparkly bits in the NGP material. It looks pretty nice in the light, sort of like the mica/metallic paint jobs some cars have.
^ Note the presence of very obvious seam lines (that you can also feel when touching it) :|
How's the Fosmon one? Does it come with a built in Screen protector and is it TPU on the bottom? Thinking of getting it.
angomy said:
If you want a case with minimal bulk but still protect the corners of the case, this will do for you. However, you may want to consider other similar TPU cases that are half or less of the cost of this one.
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I agree. I'd rather get one of the Cruzerlite cases for less money. But then again, I'm a fan of 2 piece cases that offer more protection. Btw, great review.
thebestiam said:
How's the Fosmon one? Does it come with a built in Screen protector and is it TPU on the bottom? Thinking of getting it.
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I like the Fosmon case especially at the price point (under $10). It's the case I use most frequently when I go out. It does come with a built-in protector that was OK --- I already have a screen protector on my phone which I didn't want to remove since I swap out cases so often, so some of the edge sensitivity issues I was seeing may not be an issue for you. I felt that the built-in protector was a bit cheap.. it's thick but I could see faint scratches in it from being cleaned (when tilted in the light, not obvious whilst using the phone). I'm used to the more responsive wet-apply / static-apply on-screen protectors, but if you prefer built-in protectors you may be satisfied with this one's responsiveness.
It's an inner ring of TPU (sort of like the Moto Grip Shell "rubber ring", except thicker & imho more protection) that snaps onto a polycarbonate back similar to the original Moto back. The corners (so top, sides, bottom of phone) are half thick TPU and half thinner TPU covered by the polycarbonate back. The back of the phone case is only polycarbonate.
The Incipio I'm using mostly at home since I still want drop protection / be able to have it sitting on surfaces without getting the camera or screen scratched --- since I use wired headphones for calls at home it's the more convenient case for this situation over the Fosmon since I don't have to flip back a headphone cover to use it.
I did a review on the Fosmon case here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2643755
angomy said:
I like the Fosmon case especially at the price point (under $10). It's the case I use most frequently when I go out. It does come with a built-in protector that was OK --- I already have a screen protector on my phone which I didn't want to remove since I swap out cases so often, so some of the edge sensitivity issues I was seeing may not be an issue for you. I felt that the built-in protector was a bit cheap.. it's thick but I could see faint scratches in it from being cleaned (when tilted in the light, not obvious whilst using the phone). I'm used to the more responsive wet-apply / static-apply on-screen protectors, but if you prefer built-in protectors you may be satisfied with this one's responsiveness.
It's an inner ring of TPU (sort of like the Moto Grip Shell "rubber ring", except thicker & imho more protection) that snaps onto a polycarbonate back similar to the original Moto back. The corners (so top, sides, bottom of phone) are half thick TPU and half thinner TPU covered by the polycarbonate back. The back of the phone case is only polycarbonate.
The Incipio I'm using mostly at home since I still want drop protection / be able to have it sitting on surfaces without getting the camera or screen scratched --- since I use wired headphones for calls at home it's the more convenient case for this situation over the Fosmon since I don't have to flip back a headphone cover to use it.
I did a review on the Fosmon case here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2643755
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Eh, it looks pretty good, but i went ahead with the Fosmon DURA-FROST Series Flexible TPU. Would have been better if the back was TPU instead of the back. btw Nice review