Database Info

[Q] otterbox or case-mate

after an otterbox defender or commuter or case-mate tough but not sure which case i should go for, advice please

I'm using otterbox and I'm happy with it. No problems with receiving any GPS signal...
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

I'm using otterbox commuter only problem with it is part of the top part has broken off which seems to be a common problem. I believe they have lifetime warranty though. On another note it's now actually alot easier getting out of the case when I need to.

Otterbox
I love Otterbox and no problems with blocking signals

Using the CaseMate Tough for the last 6 months or so. Can't fault it. Extremely robust, no cracks etc.
No issues with GPS signal (that is limited to the mirror-silver version of CaseMate's "Barely There" product)

Otter Box
Definitely Otter box. I have had my Commuter for about a month now and no issues.

i love my otterbox commuter series but it gathers dust very quickly..
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA App

Case mate tough is working great

case mate
case mate is the best.

sr20detx said:
after an otterbox defender or commuter or case-mate tough but not sure which case i should go for, advice please
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I switched from my casemate tough to an otterbox commuter because otterbox cases are supposed to be some of the best. I quite enjoy both cases BUT the CM tough is holding up better. The top part of my commuter has broken loose. Also, the commuter is very slick. The tough has a texture to it. My commuter took several slides off the car seat or out of my lap. Nothing major but kind of annoying.
Sent from my HTC Inspire 4G using xda premium

My otterbox broke after a few months, quite poor quality to be honest, no drops or heavy bangs, just parts of the plastic section developed cracks. Using a casemate now.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA Premium App

Case-mate Tough rules!

I just got my case mate tough case and it's working great for me. It feels solid and looks nice on the phone.

I have all three cases, and mostly use the Defender since it has a belt holster, and it offers the most protection. I also like the material of the Defender case as well.
I prefer the Tough Case over the Commuter because of the grip it has, the Commuter is too slick IMO.

I've had the CaseMate Tough for about 6 months.
I can't fault it. It looks the same as it did on day 1. No damage at all to corners etc.
I must say I don't take the phone out a lot, but when I do, it comes out and goes back in perfectly. The silicone inner skin has not stretched at all since I got it either.
So it has passed the test of time

I use an Otter Box Defender and you could drive a tank over it, my phone is 11 months old and looks perfect out of the box.

Otterbox kicks a**...end of story.
Otterbox rules.
Matt

Bought a Otterbox -> send back
Bought a case mate -> send back
now im using a bugatti leather case

Been using Otterbox defender for 3 months now, no problem dropped it a few times sometimes it just flew out of my hand as I was turning around the phone with my finger. BUT NO WORRIESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS LOL friends ask why did I buy this case which is so bulky. I just threw it up the sky and watch as it hit the cemented floor while my friends in shocked. NOTHING HAPPEN LOL didn't need to talk so much as the demonstration always works
Since I always rush around due to my job, all my previous phone dropped (well no cracked screen but case only most of them) w805i, k700i, x1, and.. er.. i remember having a bulky nokia phone... I can't seem to remember the name thought... looks like one of those mini laptop type. Anyway all of it experience drop while being used by me. But the conclusion is, I am really happy with this case as it serve its purpose

Im using the thin aluminium one from OBO store. For the price it is pretty good.
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

Hard core case

I'm looking for a hard core case since I work on the railroad and cracked my screen twice in the past month... The two I seen was the otterbox defender series and the trident kraken series... I did see the ballistic case but I think that fell more in the line of the otterbox commuter series, and I need more protection than that... What hard-core case do u guys think offers really good protection but also has a good design?
Sent from my HTC One XL using xda app-developers app

Been using the rhino case (found it on amazon) and its only a dollar but is dual layered with a sweet design and a clip on case. May not be heavy duty enough though
-Sugardaddy

Otterbox Commuter case vs UAG case?

I currently have an otterbox Commuter case and I think it's on the bulky side. Would getting something like the UAG case be better and offer the same protection from drops? I'd assume that the thicker the case is the more protected?
The UAG case -
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CJY8ZSO/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda premium

after reading about fake UAG cases I'm reluctant to buy one from Amazon unless it is ship and sold by Amazon. last year I unknowingly bought a fake Speck Candyshell case for my wife's S3 that was only fulfilled by Amazon. Their current prices seem too good to be true for a case that was released 2 months ago.

HKSpeed said:
after reading about fake UAG cases I'm reluctant to buy one from Amazon unless it is ship and sold by Amazon. last year I unknowingly bought a fake Speck Candyshell case for my wife's S3 that was only fulfilled by Amazon. Their current prices seem too good to be true for a case that was released 2 months ago.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I always buy directly from Amazon for this reason. It's worth the few extra dollars. What is your opinion on the cases I mentioned?
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda premium

I don't like the UAG, which I think is overrated. I had one on a previous phone and I didn't like it all. The plastic feels cheap. The top and bottom edges of the case are not hard plastic, only the sides are. Adds bulk.
I always like Speck Candyshells, which I had on previous devices. I immediately got a Candyshell for my S4.
Pros:
-hard plastic on all 4 edges
-slim
Cons:
-scratches show easily on dark color models
-slippery, but there's a grip model
Protection is good. I had it on my Galaxy Note 2 (which is 41% heavier than the S4) and dropped it a few times without any resulting damage.
The Otterbox is too bulky. I would only get that if I worked in construction or similar.

Read this thread. I have both but overall I feel the uag is the better case. I know rock the element eclipse case.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2334795
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

For as boring as Otterbox cases are they are in my opinion still the most well built cases out there. I have a commuter case right now and one of the samsung cases as well, I havent seen another case that will protect as well as the commuter that is as well built. On a side note the commuter case with the Spigen Glas.t nano is amazing.

I had the commuter with my GS2 and I have the UAG case on my GS4, but I have seen the commuter for the GS4 in person.
From what I read, the biggest risk to the phone is the screen breaking, and apparently, the greatest chance of this happening is when the phone is dropped and it lands on a corner. The UAG case has extra protection on the corners more so than for the commuter.
Personally I like the UAG case because it is lighter and not as bulky and offers just as good if not better corner impact protection. The lip around the screen is not at high as the commuter, but it is enough that if you put the phone screen side down, it is elevated off a flat surface.

Otter box is bad lol. Ruins the phone. Worsens signal to. Took mine back and got the neo hybrid
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda premium

Thanks you guys. Very helpful. I ordered the UAG case.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda premium

Rofl what, does not affect the signal at all. The commuter is rubber in the corners and hard plastic everywhere else. No different than the UAG. The UAG is one piece vs commuter two piece, so count that as a pro or con with your preference. I believe the screen is better protected on the front ie a larger lip on the front face. Just dont go saying silly things like it affects the signal.

Let's talk Otterbox.

I have a pink/grey commuter case from otterbox. I have loved otterbox since my first case years ago. I may be off here but it seems to me they're getting a little shotty quality wise. My rubber seems to turn brown and attract every piece of dirt within a mile of it and now, I have just found, the pink has bled into the white on my phone and stained it. Is this the phone or the case being substandard here? I do love otterbox but I'm thinking its time to move on. What case can I look to for the same protection and reliability? What's the best/worst phone case in your opinion?
Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

I'm a big fan of the Spigen Slim Armor and Spigen Neo Hybrid cases for this phone. High quality, fits like a GLOVE, not bulky at all, look great, and don't have the big lips like the otterbox that make dragging down the notification panel a hassle. Check out their site but buy from amazon, I think you can get the slim armor on amazon for less than 15 bucks at the moment.

I use an otterbox commuter for my s4 and it doesnt interfere with notifications panel at all.(that happens in the s2 commuter case)
Dunno about other colors but my black is holding up pretty good to daily abuse.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk 2

Using Spiegen Slim Armor and View.
He gives better design but I'm thinking the Otterbox have better protection if you drop it unfortunately.
Well it's dépend if you take care about your phone or not.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

Siwandroid said:
Using Spiegen Slim Armor and View.
He gives better design but I'm thinking the Otterbox have better protection if you drop it unfortunately.
Well it's dépend if you take care about your phone or not.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I baby my s4 but accidents can happen thats why I use my commuter for most of the time(daily use) and my blue spigen slim armor when I go to parties etc. Lol
Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk 2

sohail99 said:
I baby my s4 but accidents can happen thats why I use my commuter for most of the time(daily use) and my blue spigen slim armor when I go to parties etc. Lol
Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it's not bad. It's a good idea though
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

These cases are built for war to thick for me. I tried it for a week and ordered me a smaller case. These cases are perfect for people who drop there phone alot there well built but I rather have an extended battery and a case if I'm gonna make my phone this bulky.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda app-developers app

Otterbox makes my phone feel like a brick so I went with spigen neo hybrid. Complete coverage and a little lip.
Sent from my Beastly powered S4 using Tapatalk 4

Just got a gift from a friend, Otterbox Commuter for S4, everything looks fine but the cutout for charging below the case seems not so accurate.

After the disaster which is the S3 Otterbox Defender, I have refused to recommend any Otterbox product to anyone. (the silicon would just keep stretching out of shape)
My GF's S3 Commuter fared slightly better with none of the silicone issues but the plastic shell cracked the first time she dropped the phone...
Fast forward to today... we're both using S4s and couldn't be happier with our Ballistic SG Maxxes. Truly a marvelous case which takes impacts and drops like a champ! The design of the S4 version is a little skimpy up top though but so far so [email protected]

I work in construction so I have a Defender on my s4. Holding up great so far. Thinking about picking up another smaller case for weekends.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 4

Spigen Slim Armor
I have been using the Otterbox Commuter cases over the last year and have been really happy with them. However I recently got the Blue Spigen Slim Armor and it is really impressive how it fits, quality of construction, buttons are easy to push, fits perfect and looks are better than anything I have seen thus far. Plus it matches my Grabber Blue Mustang GT. hahaha Really impressed with it.:good: So far it is the best case I have had on any phone in the last 10 years.

I really like my green commuter. It fits well and looks pretty cool. The construction of the case seems very tight; on some past otterboxes, it's seemed a bit "stretchy" and not as formfitting right out of the box, but this one is very nicely done. My only gripe was the charger cutout was too small, but a kitchen knife and some diligence solved that problem rather quickly.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app

I had a similar problem with the charging port on my marine/dark blue commuter case. I didn't want to carve up the case, so I just ground the plug down a little with my dremel tool. I figured if I screwed it up I could always get another OEM charger. So far it works fine. I ground down to metal, but a quick check with Galaxy Charging Current shows that my charge values are unaffected. Is this a common problem with the Otterbox Commuter?
My first thought was that I got a fake one, but the box had the hologram sticker on top, website on back, sku sticker on bottom. The silicone lining seems firm and tight with no sagging. Most of the fake vs real videos on youtube stressed the cheap and floppy silicone lining in the fake Otterboxes. Mine seems fairly stiff and fits well.

I was originally eyeing off the commuter cases but after reading the whole screen cracking thread, I went with the defender. This is possibly the best case I've ever had on a smartphone. The plastic inside shell is fairly sturdy which I love because I carry my phone in my pocket all the time and I was worried about having torsion dmg.
P.S: I'm also looking at getting the neon blue spigen slim armor but I'm still not convinced on the sturdiness yet. I so do not want to have to go through samsung warranty for anything. ~_~

Slim case?

I need a very slim case. One that doesn't add much bulk, I already have tempered glass installed on it. Not too worried about protection. Slimmer/thinner than the spigen, Diztronic. Thank you in advance..
Sent from my SM-G900T using XDA Free mobile app

I just ordered a few cases so I will let you know when they come in. I am/was looking for the same.
JC

I ordered 2 of those 0.3mm Chineese cases at 1 dollar. If you do not want those look at Incipio/Spigen/Ringke Slim or Case Mate barely there

Bump
Sent from my SM-G900T using XDA Free mobile app

Here is what I use. I don't think you can get any slimmer than this.
[]Rinkge Slim Case S5

I also got the Rinkge slim case linked above. So far, so good. It adds very little bulk. I almost bought the Diztronic slim TPU case similar to what I used for 2 years on my S3, but decided against it because of how it looked. The Diztronic protected my old phone from many a fall and withstood the wear and tear of daily use. Heck, I'm selling my S3 with the Diztronic as an added feature. Before making my final decision I was torn between the Rinkge and the Spigen Slim Utra Fit case. I never tested the Spigen, but a friend had the Rinkge case and I liked what I saw. Nothing to say about protection and durability yet as I only have the case for two weeks. Would like to hear from folks that bought the Spigen Slim Ultra Fit case to compare notes.

I just got in a slim armor and a neo hybrid.
Both are great cases, neither overly bulky.
I honestly prefer the slim armor. The neo is just a thin plastic frame, outside edge coverage only, around a thin tpu skin direct to the phone.
The slim armor is marginally more bulky, yet it seems much more durable and protective.
The bonus of both cases is they are a super perfect fit and EASY to get in and out of the pocket of even tightish jeans. The buttons and charging port are easy access (better on the slim armor) and the case wont try to come off when you take it out of your pocket.
These things are a laser tight fit. I was going to go trident for my case as I did with my epic 4g touch....... but I don't think I need to yet.
Sent from my SM-G900P using XDA Free mobile app

I have the Ringke, it's ok but it has 0 sex appeal(our phone needs it, because ew). I can't deal with the Spigen, I can't believe they put 'Auto Focus' below the lense. It bothers me greatly. It's not a lauded feature so I don't need some cheese wording below my camera.
This case on Amazon has fair reviews, about to order it myself.
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-Case-GreatShield-Packaging/dp/B00KFQAZRW#customerReviews

Anybody have the ringke slim dot view case that can speak on if it retains the blue dye from Blue jeans? Thinking about getting the white one but worried about it turning another color.
If anyone has pics that would be great.

I bought the Spigen Ultra Fit Black and I using tempered glass the phone looks great. I am happy with it. See the photos :thumbup:
Sent from my SM-G900F using XDA Free mobile app