I've been using the CM Tough for a while now. While it's a great case for protection (very reassuring), its very bulky, and the silicone inner traps all sorts of dust and hair from the inside of my pockets.
For the past month or so, I've been walking around with my phone in my hand, fearing the attack of the lint, and wiping the lint and dust off the silicone whenever I could.
I've decided that if my friends can have sexy, slim cases for the iPhone, allowing it to come easily in and out of the pocket, there's no reason I shouldn't do the same.
Protection, for me, isn't that much of a problem. The easiest way to protect your phone is to basically not drop it, and in the half year I've had my phone, I've never dropped it once.
SO, I've been looking at...
The Momax iCase Pro: TPU sides and plastic back, slim.
SGP Slider: Hard case with cutouts for the volume/power. Looks rather slim.
Not a big fan of cases that don't cover the bezel. I honestly don't get the point, no scratch protection for bezel, and I can't put my phone face-down.
Are there any more cases I should be aware of? Are there people who can give a mini-review for the cases I mentioned above?
Thanks!
Have a look at this, just picked one up yesterday
http://www.case-mate.com/Samsung-Ga...axy-S-T-Mobile-Vibrant-Barely-There-Cases.asp
Fits perfectly on my European GT I9000, feels much nicer than bare phone or hard silicon case I previously used, and it's as easy to get out of your pocket as the bare phone. The only issue you might have is with the bezel, as it doesn't really cover it, rather it leaves the psuedo chrome visible, and only adds at most 0.5mm clearance if you place the phone face down.
Personally, I'm very happy with it. The phone is grippier, the volume and power buttons are much easier to use, and it looks good.
Headphone jack access is better too.
Read the reviews on the link.
Here's another I had a look at recently, seems to give great protection, but it's fiddly to get on and off if you need to do a battery pull, and I didn't like the squidgy button covers, but it might be more in the line of what you're after.
http://www.otterbox.com/Samsung-Galaxy-S-Commuter-Series-Case/SAM4-GALXS-20-E4OTR_A,default,pd.html
I also use the Case Mate Barely There and it is the best I have tried so far.
It doesn't collect dust and the phone slides into the pockets.
I prefer the Momax. My workmate has the barely there, which is slightly slimmer but at the expense of losing some protection. The momax is the best option if you want slim but can still feel comfortable that your phone is safe imo.
I also had the toughcase and became frustrated with it for the same reasons as you. I'm very happy with the momax. Only issue is the power button is a bit harder to push now but a small price to pay.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Using the SGP Ultra slider, totally in love with it as i prefer to have direct access to hardware buttons
I have the Momax case and I have to say, it's pretty good.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=790318 - PhoenixFX has provided a review here.
Things i like:
It has a hybrid design, the back is not fully rigid but feels solid, soft sides.
Sides are flexible enough so that it goes on easy but stays in, also like how TPU doesn't become stretchy like silicone .
Lip that protects the screen, didn't notice too much dust getting in.
It's easy to keep a good grip on it.
Dislikes:
As the one posters above me said, the power button is harder to press. the same kind of applies for the volume keys but nor as much. It might be annoying in the long run.
Other than that the case is perfectly fine although I don't really know if it can be classified as slim by my standards , the back plate part is around 1.5mm thick. The back is a matte finish that doesn't offer too much grip but the sides are very grippy.
Hope this helps (I haven't tried any of the other cases so I can't really compare).
i think, case mate barely there is really good for slim profile somehow. and also capdase soft jacket xpose 2 also looks okay.
Check out carrymobiles, melko cases as well
I use the same Case-Mate Barely There case as DMD9, and I don't see myself changing it anytime soon. Very sleek, provides a little bit of a rubbery feel but not enough to make it difficult to slide out of pockets
After protecting my SGS like a baby for the last 11 or so months, it has suffered some damage here and there (home button doesn't work very well, scratches etc).
Thus I decided to ditch the case and go totally slimline with a replacement battery cover (the stock one is a fingerprint magnet, and I have kinda sweaty hands!). Ordered a silver one from focal price (the ones with the samsung logo, but clearly fake) and its a pretty good fit.
I totally recommend going caseless, it fits so well in the pocket when you go out!
I also support caseless usage,
I had a invisibleshield protector on the phone for a few months and that one worked well but it came off.
Now i still use the phone as if there was a protector on it and....not a scratch added.
the screen can really handle some abuse
-Title of product: "Diztronic High Gloss Translucent Smoke Flexible TPU Case & Screen Protector for Motorola Atrix 2 (AT&T) [TPU-Cases Retail Packaging]"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005Y2O82U/ref=oh_o03_s01_i00_details
-Price: $8.90 + $2.85 shipping
-Pictures (sorry if flash makes it too bright, and I forgot to clean my screen) : http://imgur.com/a/AELLH
These pics should show angles from all six sides, and from top and side while detached to show the added thickness.
-Functionality: Really incredible. As you can see in my photos, all of the I/O jacks have plenty of room for any connecting cables or devices, unless you have some with a 90-degree angle with little clearance, but no cases would work in that instance. The camera/flash, speaker, reset button? (I think that's it...), microphone, and power/lock buttons are fully exposed, while the volume rocker is covered by the case. The volume rocker is fairly hard to press, but I think it comes in a benefit if you press it accidentally too much like me. It's more difficult to remove than some of the soft cases, but this doesn't really fit the "soft" category like the silicone cases. It does fit very tight with little wiggle-room, though, which is a good thing. See below about that.
Overall rating: 4/5
-Aesthetics and feel: glossy and slick, but doesn't slip very much. I find much benefit for getting this because I tend to drop things. The thickness increase wasn't too bad, and was smaller in this respect than other flexible cases I have used in the past with other phones. I like a bigger phone in my pocket, because sometimes the naked phone makes me feel like I lost it because it is so small in my pocket. The weight increase is noticeable, as per the specs of both the phone and case, it adds about 15% to the weight (5.2 oz, 0.8 oz, 6 oz. with both). I tend to not mind heavier phones, but if this is a problem to you, I would be wary of this, because it does feel like a slightly bigger, and quite a bit heavier phone. I love the color and gloss of the product I bought, but if you don't like it, there are other color options. The well-cut holes in the case for the screen and ports/camera/speaker/etc. are really nicely done, and they deserve some praise. Also, I like that the case is semi-translucent. The glossy nature of this case makes it susceptible to grease and fingerprint collection, but I haven't seen many if any cases that never get smudges. Due to the last observation, it does lose a little bit of its slip-resistance, but it still is better than just the plain phone, in my opinion. Sometimes, if there is enough smudges/finger oil on there, you can make it squeak with your fingers. It is hard to the touch, which a tap with the fingernail to the case, while on the phone, feels almost like tapping the glass screen.
Overall rating: 4/5.
-Protection: Not much here. I would say while it might help protect if it was dropped flat on its back, the hardness of the case while attached to the phone does not offer any cushion for an impact. I am sure that a drop on a corner could damage the phone. As mentioned above, the glossiness allows for the collection of oil on it, which can also help slips, although I think it still is less slippery than the actual phone alone, unless your hands were wet, then this case would probably slip right out. Also, there is not much that protects the ports or camera, even though I am not sure if there is a case that does this for this phone.
Overall Rating: 2/5
-Arbitrary rating: based from 0-5 on nothing rather than my own opinion for how much I like it: 3/5
-Total overall rating: 13/20
-Conclusions: if you like a functional case that looks and feels nice, look no farther. If you want a case that offers more protection or weighs and slips less, I would look elsewhere. Overall, it's a nice case with some fundamental weaknesses.
-I have not owned this phone or case for long, and I am planning on getting a secondary case soon, so I will update this with comments when I have more to say about it.
EDIT: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=21268042#post21268042
Please feel free to post comments or questions, and I will respond as soon as I can!
I have the same one. I'd give it a 4/5. Works well but I never use it. Doesn't make the phone too bulky either but I would like to see when CaseMate or another company comes with a slim designed case.
tech2332 said:
I have the same one. I'd give it a 4/5. Works well but I never use it. Doesn't make the phone too bulky either but I would like to see when CaseMate or another company comes with a slim designed case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am interested to see if there are any soft silicone or silicone-like cases for it. I didn't do a search yet, but I kinda want another case just for rotation. I'm about to do another review of my otterbox case, as soon as I get pics.
looks like the best case in the market for this price.
Works with the Car Dock
FWIW, I have this case, and on the phone it fits perfectly in Motorola's Car Dock for the Atrix 2 (the dock has an insert that can be removed if you're using a case). Any case thicker than this won't fit the dock. Very satisfied with the case, considering the price.
I have it and love it been using it on my captivate for almost 2 years and I now have it on the atrix
Sent from my speedy Motorola atrix 2
I said I would update this with a comment, so here is my new review:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=21268042#post21268042
I got the gloss black for my wife, and matte black with the old TC logo (they were formally TPU Cases) for myself. Fits perfect on the A2, good product - located in Madison, WI!
I know everyone is looking for the ideal case for their new Nexus 6P so I am here to help make that decision easier! I am a case addict and always end up with a plethora of them by the time I am ready to get a new phone. I usually start with whatever I can get my hands on and is a known good brand, then I go from there. I am going to add more cases to this OP as time goes on and they arrive. I will also add in measurements including thickness of each case in due time.
Adopted (Google Case):
I was hoping the first party Google cases would be better than this one turned out. The case looks nice and has a frosted appearance so its not 100% clear. There is a ton of overlap around the screen which ruins/heavily dampens the ability to swipe from the edge of your display
I'm going to repeat some things here becasue there is only so much you can say about certain things
Ports:The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. The headphone cutout is small but it could certainly be worse. It should fit most headphones and MAYBE some slightly larger ones.
Finger print cutout: The cutout sits around the size of the Spigen one which is great in my opinion and it has a nice beveled edge that's big enough to easily find.
Volume/Power buttons: The buttons on this case are tied for the worst overall as of right now. It's nearly impossible to take a screenshot without taking a bug report (Power and Vol +) due to the poor design of the case. They also don't have a nice click to them so its hard to tell what you are hitting.
Tempered Glass fit: Good luck trying to get the case to not lift the TGSP up (it ruined 2 for me...)
UPDATE: the case does work with the new intelliarmor TGSP but the buttons are still terrible on this case.
Note: Some users do not have the button issue, but all 3 of the Adopted cases I have tried do. Your experience may vary and that being the case I would be on the cautious side considering its price.
Overall: 7/10 The buttons are terrible and add that to the TGSP issues (sometimes you can put the case on and it won't make it pop up right away in the corners but if you touch it the wrong way it will instantly ruin your TGSP) I would stay away from these cases
Adopted:
CaseMate Tough Clear Case:
CaseMate is generally know for making 'expensive' nice quality cases. This is my second CaseMate case (the first one being the Project Fi case), and it's much better than I expected. The Project Fi case for my Nexus 6 wasn't anything particularly special leaving me unimpressed. This case is a 2-piece design just like the Project Fi one was. It has an inner TPU 'bumper' that you put on your phone first, then install the outer PC shell. The end result is a rock solid fitting case, that has an excellent feel. The branding on the case is minimal with only a tiny logo at the bottom, and 'CaseMate' imprinted on the lower side of the case (opposite side of the buttons). The one small downside I can find after using it most of today is how slippery the case is. This case is my new favorite clear case overtaking the Spigen Ultra Hybrid. I got used to the slick design of the PC back relatively fast (up side is that it can easily slide in/out of your pockets). The doesn't have any 'feet' to keep it from getting scratched when placing it on a table, so I hope the coating on the PC will keep it from getting scratched. Unlike the Spigen Ultra Hybrid the camera cutout is more like the Ringke Fusions. I prefer this style of cutout because it offers more protection without sacrificing the look since the case is clear. This case is not intended to be durable despite its name. The case by design is slim, and will provide moderate protection if dropped. I would not count on it protecting your phone from a large drop like a heavy duty or TPU case would.
Car Mount Compatibility: @DeathmonkeyGTX has mentioned that this case will not work with the Proclip large universal T1 mount. If you have this car mount, then you might want to use another case while mounting the phone in the car.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. I've tested the following USB-C cables on it so far: ChoeTech, Google, i-Orange, Cable Matters and the TechMatte adapter. Next, the headphone cutout is large enough for most people, but not as big as the Spigen ones. This should allow it to work with most cables, and some auxiliary ones depending on their size.
Finger print cutout: The CaseMate cutout is nearly identical in size to the Speck Candyshell. Personally, I'm not a fan of the abnormally large fingerprint sensor cutouts as I've mentioned earlier. The cutout does has a very nice bevel (unlike the Ringke) allowing for a smooth transition from the back of the case to the sensor. The smooth PC back makes this feel very natural; although, it still takes a second to get to the sensor when you first start using the case as opposed to the Spigen. (Update: [12/19] I noticed that the fingerprint sensor cutout also suffers from the same 'mark/crack' that the Spigen Ultra Hybrid has. I don't know the cause of it, but I reached out to CaseMate for comment, and a possible replacement of the case. Once they respond, I will let everyone know what they say.)
Update[12/27] CaseMate replaced the defective case after calling/emailing them several times; however, the new case still suffers from the same 'scratch/mark/crack' around the finger print sensor cutout. I'm convinced this defect occurs in the factory due to some tooling/handling process, but they need to address it. I am going to email/call CaseMate yet again to see what they have to say this time.
Volume/Power buttons: The buttons on the case are 'metallic' and click perfectly every time. I could not ask for better feeling buttons in a case of this style. Usually hybrid cases tend to have mediocre buttons (Spigen Ultra Hybrid, and SupCase Beetle) both of which had harder to click buttons that weren't nearly as good as the CaseMate's, but they were still 'good'.
Update [2/15] The buttons started to not click as well because of the way they sit inside the TPU frame. The stick now instead of moving freely when depressed, so I lowered it's score based on that.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the intelliglass I have now. There is not 'lip' when placing the phone face down due to the tempered glass, but it makes the phone feel really nice to use. I can't see this case having any issues with an edge to edge tempered glass screen protector either given its design.
Overall: 9.6/10 8.5/10 This case is great overall, the only true downside being the case's slick back. The fingerprint cutout is a nominal issue (my personal preference), but they make up for it with a nice beveled edge. This case will be my new daily driver unless I find something better. Despite it's high cost of $35, the case is worth the money if you want a nice clear case to show off your phone.
CaseMate Tough Clear Case:
DGLTE:
This is your typical cheap TPU case and that being the case it feels as cheap as you would expect. The case is glossy and attracts fingerprints easily
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting cables from these (and likely many more) companies: Tronsmart, Huawei, Google, i-Orange, Cable Matters etc... The headphone cutout is small but it could certainly be worse. It should fit most headphones and MAYBE some slightly larger ones.
Finger print cutout: The cutout sits in the middle of the pack and it lacks a nice beveled edge making it uncomfortable to find the sensor sometimes.
Volume/Power buttons: The buttons on this case are tied for the worst overall as of right now. The buttons don't click, in fact they are so stiff its hard to press them at all without really hitting them hard.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the iVoler I have now, the glass sits nearly flush with the screen so if you put your phone face down this could be an issue
Overall: 6/10 The buttons are terrible and the case is cheap feeling so don't expect much from it
DGLTE:
Diztronic:
Diztronic is known to make nice cases and this one is no exception for the most part. The case is more flimsy compared to the other 2 TPU cases which is disappointing to me because its around the same thickness. The feel is very similar to the Spigen but seems to attract scratches easier so keep that in mind.
Update [2/15]: I received a replacement case from Diztronic, and the fit is much better than my original one. The sides are no longer loose like they were on my first one, and the fit is very tight as it should be. Everything else from the case remains the same including its great feel and buttons.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting cables from these (and likely many more) companies: Tronsmart, Huawei, Google, i-Orange, CableMatters etc... The headphone cutout is big but smaller than the TUDIA while still keeping the square cutout. It should fit all of your headphones just fine.
Finger print cutout: This cutout is the big but still smaller than the one on the TUDIA. The overall feel of the cutout is nice and it maintains the beveled edge that the other cases have. I have another case (Verus) that has a terrible cutout so I'm glad this one is on part with the TUDIA and Supcase.
Volume/Power buttons: This case by far has the best buttons! They click exceptionally well so despite the cases other shortcomings this is a major win in its favor. There is some material left out to make the resistance lower for the button click which can be a two-way street of good/bad. It’s good for the 'clickiness' of the buttons but bad because it allows dirt in and may affect the longevity of the case.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the intelliglass I have now, has a small 'lip' to protect the screen without covering it
Overall:8.75/10/B] Great TPU case that tends to be a little on the slippery side, but don't let that stop you from getting it.
Diztronic:
Diztronic Voyeur:
I was rather skeptical of this case after some of the issues with the original Diztronic TPU case. The Voyeur series retains the exact same TPU as their normal case, but it also features a clear poly carbonate back to show off your Nexus 6P. The feel of the case is almost identical to the original TPU one with a slightly more slippery feel to it from the clear section. Diztronic revised their case to now include a scratch resistant coating which is a huge improvement, and it really helps in the long run. They also included small TPU feet on the bottom side to keep the back raised off a surface which will further help prolong the life of the clear back alongside the coating.
The next few sections will be identical to the TPU model with a note or two added where applicable.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting cables from these (and likely many more) companies: Tronsmart, Huawei, Google, i-Orange, CableMatters etc... The headphone cutout is big but smaller than the TUDIA while still keeping the square cutout. It should fit all of your headphones just fine. (Identical to the cutouts on the TPU model)
Finger print cutout: This cutout is the big but still smaller than the one on the TUDIA. The overall feel of the cutout is nice and it maintains the beveled edge that the other cases have. I have another case (Verus) that has a terrible cutout so I'm glad this one is on part with the TUDIA and Supcase. There is a slightly larger cutout on the revised model that I have in order to avoid that scratch/crack looking mark seen on other cases including the Spigen. I am happy with the way it turned out, and appreciate the explanation Diztronic provided when they were revising the case.
Volume/Power buttons: This case by far has the some of the best buttons! They click exceptionally well so despite the cases other shortcomings this is a major win in its favor. There is some material left out to make the resistance lower for a more tactile feeling click that many other manufacturers have now started to do.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the intelliglass case model I have now, has a small 'lip' to protect the screen without covering it
Overall: 9/10 Diztronic went out of their way to address the early on issues with this case. It has gone on to be one of my favorites because it offers a unique blend of the best TPU 'bumper' along with a nice crystal clear (and not scratch resistant) back panel.
Diztronic Voyeur:
Old case on the left, new revision on the right
Evolutive Rhino Shield Bumper:
Note: I’m trying to be as honest as I can as I am with all of my reviews (even though my experience with Evolutive has been less than stellar as with some other companies that I won’t name here). I will go into more detail for this review because of the demand for this bumper.
I’m not a huge fan of the way the design of this bumper turned out because it’s not the most attractive design. The way Motorola designed their Moto X bumper was more elegant along with looking more natural than the Rhino Shield.
The bumper itself is interesting to say the least; the edges are sharp, its not very “grippy” and it seems to like fingers prints. (see the pictures below) With the number of delays the bumper faced I really expected a lot more from Evolutive. This was a highly anticipated ‘case’ that seems to have fallen short leaving behind an unrefined product that’s more reminiscent of a botched Kickstarter campaign. Every time I pick up my phone in the bumper it just feels wrong, and more like a backless case than a true bumper. I had the Nilkin bumper for my Nexus 6 last year which was much the same way, but at least that felt better to hold. The bumper isn’t small either (see the dimensions via the “slim cases” table below). A bumper should be slim, which this one is not, the physical bumper is as wide as my Incipio Dual Pro (meaning its 1[mm] wider than the Speck CandyShell), so this is by no means a small or “thin” case despite my putting it in that table since it’s a bumper. As far as the raised top/bottom go their dimensions are consistent according to my caliper making it feel much bigger than it is. I would have like it a lot more if Evolutive rounded the corners, and only raised the camera section.
Now, let’s talk about another interesting observation. The sides of the bumper are “loose” meaning they can easily be pulled away if you swipe too hard to one side much like my original Diztronic TPU case. With that being said the top and bottom are secure, so at least there’s that. The phone is held in via 4 “nubs” or extended areas (1 at each interior corner of the bumper and the phone should be inserted from the ‘front’ just like a normal case. Evolutive’s design seems questionable due to the bumper feeling like they just made a full case, and cut the back off without considering how that would affect the feel of it. I can go on for days about how much I dislike the bumper even though I was really hoping it would be great after reading countless reviews of their other products.
To sum up my initial comments: The whole feel of the bumper seems rushed, and unrefined.
Ports: The Type-C cutout is big enough for all of my cables which include: Tronsmart, Google, Huawei, Anker, Aukey, Cable Matters, Cable Creation, and i-Orange so that’s something good. As far as headphones go, the cutout is in the middle of the pack and I’m fine with that. I suspect that some of you with large AUX audiophile monster cables will have an issue without the use of an extender of sort. I use Bose QC20’s (2015 model) along with Bose Freestyles, and OE headphones without any issues for perspective.
Finger print cutout: GIGTANTIC… J/K it’s a bumper
Volume/Power buttons: Just when I thought there might be something to save this disaster of a ‘case’ I was let down yet again by the buttons. The power button is awful, and more pushing a brick wall. There’s absolutely zero feedback from the button. I don’t know why companies fail at making great buttons at this point. There are many companies that perfected this, yet Evolutive has let us down again. The volume buttons are a infinitesimally bit better, but I cannot stress enough how tiny of a difference there is between those and the power button’s feel.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the intelliglass case fit I have now. I suspect the E2E intelliglass might work, but I’ll have to install one to verify that unless someone else already has. This bumper of course has a lip to keep the screen off the surface otherwise the bumper would just fall off.
Overall: 5 /10 After using this bumper I’m left feeling disappointed, confused by their design choices, and questioning how anyone can recommend their bumper. The buttons are horrible, footprint is large, and the unrefined sharp edged are hard on your hands. I really hope Evolutive fixes these issues so I can use the bumper, and recommend it to other people. I didn’t want to add in any remarks about my experience with their service, so I ignored that when writing this for those of you that might question my critical remarks of the bumper. I truly wanted to like this bumper, but no matter what I looked at the bumper disappointed me at every step.
Evolutive Rhino Shield Bumper:
Incipio Dual Pro:
Incipio had a unique approach to cases using a dual layer design with weird material names that are just fancy words for common materials (in my opinion). This doesn't mean their cases aren't nice because they are one of the better case companies out there. As I'm typing this I have a Incipio case on my Surface Pro 4, and my wife has one for her Surface Pro 3. Their cases hold up well to abuse as I've learned with my Surface being used daily for classes in tablet mode. This is one of a few cases featuring a full visor cutout. Incipio did a great job with the cutout, and raised lip that surrounds it to prevent accidental damage. The downside is how slipper the case feels; their soft touch like back makes the phone literally slide out of my hand almost causing me to drop it multiples times during the past day's usage.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting cables from these (and likely many more) companies: Tronsmart, Huawei, Google, i-Orange, CableMatters etc... The headphone cutout is more generous than most other cases except for the Spigen and Diztronic cases.
Finger print cutout: The Dual Pro features a large cutout for the fingerprint reader which some people might prefer. It has a nice beveled edge with plenty of room to access the scanner; the size is similar to the Speck case which is also in the same class hybrid cases. My one big complaint about the cutout is how it's off centered (sensor is closer to the bottom of the cutout)
Volume/Power buttons: This case has great buttons, yet it's still out shined by the Speck and Diztronic. All buttons are very responsive and will provide a nice tactile feel when pressed. There is one huge advantage this case offers over all others to date: the power button has a texture to it, and the volume buttons are smooth. This allows you to easily distinguish the buttons on the go and should be a standard for cases by now.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the intelliglass case model I have now, has a small 'lip' to protect the screen without covering the screen.
Overall: 9/10 Excellent case with the visor exposed, textured power button and a nice hybrid design. It falls short with the mis-aligned fingerprint cutout and slippery feel, but these issues can be overlooked depending on the users needs.
Incipio Dual Pro:
Disclaimer: I received this case in exchange for a fair/unbiased review
Intelliarmor Sentry Series:
I was contacted by intelliarmor recently about reviewing their new venture into cases. For those of you that might not know about intelliarmor, they make my favorite TGSP (tempered glass screen protector) for the Nexus 6P. I’ve used, tested, and supported their TGSP’s for a long time given how great they are dating back to my Nvidia Shield Tablet.
The first thing you notice when picking up the case is the nice texture that feels great without being overly aggressive; it helps mask/prevent oily fingerprints from ruining the otherwise nice look of the case. Although the texture feels nice, I’ve found that it doesn’t necessarily provide any more grip for me, but your experience may vary. Since this is a hybrid case it has an inner ‘core’ made from a TPU wrapped with a harder plastic (most likely poly-carbonate) shell that is textured. There are no issues using the case with any of their TGSP’s that I’ve found especially given how I am using their intelliglass max coverage one currently on my Nexus.
Ports:
The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. The headphone cutout is the smallest of the batch and won't fit any big cables without modification.
Finger print cutout:
This cutout is on the larger side of the spectrum which I know some of you appreciate. I personally prefer ones that are smaller, but that has nothing to do with its function here. I had no issues using my fingerprint scanner with this case like I did with some other cases.
Volume/Power buttons:
Both the volume +/- buttons function flawlessly, and provide a nice tactile response; on the other hand, I cannot say the say holds true for the power button. I’ve had mine stick, or feel like pressing into pudding on more occasions than not which might not be indicative of every case shipped out.
Overall: 8.5 /10 There are many things to appreciate about this case ranging from the nice texture, to the balanced feel, but no case is without issues. I was not overly impressed with my power button (might just be this particular case), and the texture is more for show than grip. I still like this case despite its small drawbacks, and for that reason I would still get another one (hoping the small issues get addressed) in the future.
Intelliarmor Sentry Series:
J&D TPU:
My wife wanted a colorful TPU case to add to her purple TUDIA one so I thought I would add this case in as well. It has a nice feel and isn't as flimsy as the Diztronic one. The case itself is very nice which left me pleasantly surprised.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. The headphone cutout is on the smaller side but still bigger than the Ringke
Finger print cutout: The cutout is a good size and about the same as the DGLTE one. I like when the cutouts are around ~15mm so you have enough room to easily access the sensor but without exposing too much of your phone. The bevel on it is very slight so that might make finding it a little harder overall.
Volume/Power buttons: The buttons all have a solid click and there are no issues at all with them. The resistance to press them is somewhere between the Supcase and Spigen but they work very well for a TPU case.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the iVoler I have now, the glass sits nearly flush with the screen so if you put your phone face down this could be an issue
Overall: 9/10 Good slim case, but the smaller bevel on the cutout might make it harder to find the fingerprint sensor.
J&D:
Poetic Affinity: This case was given to me for free in exchange for a fair and honest review
This is my first Poetic case since I had their folio for my Nexus 7 (2013) so I was not sure what to expect. The case feels nice, but I can't help but notice that there is way to much going on with the case. There are 3 yes 3 logos on the back of the case. The first one is the Poetic name at the bottom, then there's the Affinity on the side of the case. Last but not least the Poetic "P" sits right over the NEXUS U and S which is annoying. I don't know why Poetic went the route of Verizon by slapping their logo all over the place because it ruins the look of the case as you can see below. The case also features two long 'ribs' that keep the case off the surface so it doesn't scratch. I can see how they would need this since my case arrived with a plethora of scratches on it already. To put this into perspective I've used both the Ringke Fusion and Spigen Ultra Hybrid a lot and neither has noticeable scratches like the Affinity. On a more positive note the case has nice ridges on the edge which give the case a nice grip so you won't drop it as easily. There are also reinforcements at each of the 4 corners to help assist with drop protection. The camera cutout is a little large, but it gets the job done easily and also has a raised 'rib' or lip that goes around it.
Update [1/11] I received the revised version of the Affinity case in both Clear/Black, and Clear. The overall size of the case is identical; however, there are some very important changes that were made to the case. First Poetic moved their iconic "P" to above the fingerprint cutout it. It previously covered part of the NEXUS logo which was a less than ideal placement. While I would have preferred a more discrete logo (possibly on the bumper) the new placement looks much better than it once did. The bumper area still features the excellent ridges giving you a nice grip while holding the case. Poetic also removed the gigantic Affinity logo from the back of the case which was reminiscent of the Verizon branding on one of their phones. The inclusion of a raised rib acts not only as a structural means to increase its durability, but it also helps keep the clear back off any surface. This should help prevent scratches as you use the case. I haven't noticed any obvious marks on the case like I did with the initial version which is a great sign.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. The headphone cutout is the tied with being the smallest so keep that in mind. On the plus side it does have a cover for the headphone jack so you may or may not appreciate that.
Finger print cutout: The fingerprint cutout is a nice size and sits in the middle of the pack. It has a nice but subtler bevel to it which I enjoy. There are no issues finding/using the cutout which is not something that can be said for all of the cases to date.
Volume/Power buttons: The buttons all have a solid click and there are no issues at all with them. The feel of these buttons rivals the Diztronic and are now tied for being the best overall adding to the nice feel of the revised case.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the intelliglass I have now, the glass is protected by a small lip so you can lay the phone face down without any issues.
Overall: 6.5/10 9.3/10 The "p" on the back coupled with the Verizon over branding kills the cases otherwise good design. The case I received was scratched which also detracted from its overall appearance and speaks for the quality of it. I hope Poetic fixes these issues in the future. The revised case fixed 90% of the issues I had with the initial version. The back panel seems more scratch resistant so far along with a better placement of their logo. I enjoy the feel of this case, and I hope Poetic will further reduce their branding in the future for clear cases.
Poetic Affinity Revised:
Poetic Affinity left to right: Black/Clear R2, Clear R2, Old style Clear
Poetic Revolution:This case was given to me for free in exchange for a fair and honest review
I'm not a huge fan of rugged cases, so what I am about to write might not be true for everyone. I find the case to be massive, there's no other way to put it. This case is big, and it wants you to know that. The case itself is a 2-piece design with a plastic inner (you insert your phone into this first) and a hard TPU stlye outer shell. The case features a metal kickstand that works in both portrait and landscape orientations without a hitch. There is also a built in 'loop' on the upper left corner of the case which allows you to use a lanyard or heavy duty key ring to clip it on to your body, bad or whatever you wish. I personally don't trust any hook on a case to hold my $650 phone, but to each their own. The case also features Poetics signature 'P' directly over the fingerprint sensor, but this time it blends in nicely. Next we have 2 more logos, one on the bottom saying 'Poetic', and another on the side denoting the case type (Revolution). I could go without the side 'Revolution' branding, but that's my preference.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger, i-orange, or CHOETech cables. The headphone port will likely only work with slim connectors due to its depth from the case, but it would be possible to use bigger aux cables if you purchased an extension for it of sorts. Both ports have covers made of TPU and case rigid, but not impossible to pull back. The top headphone one is easier to move than the bottom for me.
Finger print cutout: The cutout is large by design, and it needs to be. There is a nice 'channel' to guide your finger through the dungeons and onto the sensor assuming you have the bear hands to handle this case one handed. The sensor works great even with the bulky case, and it leaves me without any real complaints.
Volume/Power buttons: The buttons are a hard to distinguish without looking at them. I can't imagine using these with gloves on due to their sponginess in general. The buttons do eventually give you a nice 'click' if you can find them on the side.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the intelliarmor I have now. I had to remove the plastic pre-installed screen protector in order to use my glass one.
Overall: 8.5/10 The overall design of the case is great, once you get over the large 'Revolution' logo on the side of the case. Other than that logo and the mediocre buttons, the case is functional for the 'outdoors' and related activities.
Poetic Revolution:
Ringke Fusion:
Ringke is known for making a range of cases from their slim 'shell' cases to their 'max' rugged ones. The fusion sits right in the middle and is a clear hybrid case. The case itself has a nice feel and isn't too slippery with its PC back and TPU sides.
Update [12/27] My wife is currently using the case, and it's having a lot of issues staying on the phone properly. The case seems to pope off on the sides with little/no effort. The TPU sides could be deforming over time which would be concerning for its long term durability. I have updated the rating of this case to reflect the issue encountered.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. The headphone cutout is the tied with being the smallest so keep that in mind. On the plus side it does have a cover for the headphone jack so you may or may not appreciate that.
Finger print cutout: This cutout is the one of the biggest of the batch by nearly 1.2mm in diameter. I am not a big fan of that because I don't want my phone to get scratched. Thankfully soon after my Ringke was delivered my dbrand matte black skin arrived to save the day. Now I won't have to worry about my phone getting scratched in that area should I drop it in some awkward manner.
Volume/Power buttons: The buttons all have a solid click and there are no issues at all with them. The feel of these buttons rivals the Diztronic and are now tied for being the best overall.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the iVoler I have now, the glass sits nearly flush with the screen so if you put your phone face down this could be an issue
Overall: 9.25/10 8.75/10 The small headphone and overly large fingerprint cutouts (without a beveled edge) are not ideal
Ringke Fusion:
Speck CandyShell:
This is my first Speck case since the dark days of my iphone 3g. The case itself is on the larger side which some of you may or may not appreciate. The PC back has a nice smooth feel to it and the 'ribbed bars' add excellent grip to the case. I am very pleased with the case so far. My concerns with the case getting scratched easily turned out to be true as I've seen with the few hours I've used the case. It's hard to see the scratches so I don't mind it as much. That is also why I bought the white version over the black one. The case is rock solid and has the same thickness overall including the camera area. This means it lays perfectly flat on the table which I like. The one area of concern for my is the TPU at the bottom of the screen that goes over the USB port. It's a little flimsy and might wear over time so keep that in mind. This is my new favorite case overtaking the Spigen Rugged Armor.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. Next the headphone port is small but will work for your standard headphones just fine.
Finger print cutout: The cutout here is on the larger side which I don't like, but the TPU inner ring makes it more tolerable for me. The bevel is nice and you can feel/find it easily.
Volume/Power buttons: All of the buttons "click" well and are my favorite to date beating the Diztronic, Ringke and Poetic. I simply love the feel of the buttons since the TPU contrasts the feel of the PC back.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the intellarmor I have now, has a small 'lip' to protect the screen without covering it
Overall: 9.75/10 Everything is great about this case, but if I had to find something wrong it would be how hard the case is to remove at times.
Speck CandyShell:
Seidio Surface
I've owned a handful of Sedio cases over the years, but all of them have been from their Dilex line; this is my first Surface case, so I wasn't sure what to expect from it. The build of Seidio's case has generally been good over the years ever since they transitioned from silicon to TPU. The case is a hybrid consisting of an inner TPU and outer poly carbonate shell which has a kick stand. Putting the phone in the case is straight forward and relatively painless, but getting it out is a nightmare. The TPU inner shell grips the poly carbonate exterior so much that even the Hulk would have a hard time removing the case in a rush. The kick stand is functional, but it does wobble when you pull it out. Some users had issues with the magnet not being positioned correctly in the case which led to the screen turning off constantly/until the bottom is removed. Mine has the issue if I move the back on fully (I guess I didn't have it on 100% before), so I removed the magnet from inside to fix the issue temporarily. Seidio is sending out replacements to all of the people affecting assuming they contact Seidio. I also have a small issue with one side of the poly carbonate shell bowing outward a few degrees where it connects to the bottom half, but thankfully a replacement case will fix that issue.
Update [1/9] I received the revised version which no longer has the magnet issue.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. I've tested the following USB-C cables on it so far: ChoeTech, Google, i-Orange, Cable Matters and the TechMatte adapter. The headphone cutout is very small, and will require an extender/adapter if you have a large cable.
Finger print cutout: The cutout on the TPU shell is smaller than the exterior one, but overall it's on the larger side.
Volume/Power buttons: The volume/power buttons feel great if you don't put the exterior shell on (i.e. just the TPU part); once the shell is installed the buttons become very hard to push due to the small cutout size used to access them. I don't have big hands, or fingers and it is difficult for me to use the buttons without really trying to press just the right way.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the intelliglass I have now. Thankfully there is a lip which will help prevent scratches to the front of your phone if you decide to lay it face down on a surface.
Overall: 8.25/10 The initial issues with the magnets, bad cutouts for the volume/power buttons, and weak kickstand detract from an otherwise decent case. Update [1/9] The review rating still stands for the above reasons despite the replacement not having the issue (it never should have shipped with a known problem)
Seidio Surface:
Spigen NeoHybrid EX:
As I'm sure many of you are aware of at this point, I enjoy Spigen cases. Their precision is really unmatched as far as cases right now. I haven't found another case that has such tight tolerances which won't allow me to use my dbrand back skin. I tried to install the case with the rear skin on, but the poly-carbonate bumper would not seat correctly no matter what I did. I ended up removing the back skin and just installing the camera one which allowed the case to fit without any further issues. The case is a 2-piece hybrid design as it's name would suggest. The rear is a TPU/poly-carbonate mixture, while the bumper is just poly-carbonate. The buttons are 'free floating' inside the frame, but they are not loose like the Nexus 6's NeoHybrid last year. The back of the case is slippery, yet it's not nearly as slipper as the CaseMate I reviewed earlier. There is also a very fine 'dotted' pattern on the inside of the case which I presume is to keep the inside from getting scratched? I'm not entirely sure the purpose of these little dots, but the Ringke Fusion has them on the camera portion as well. Speaking of the camera, this case only has the cutout for the camera & laser/flash. This is good news for those us that were asking for a clear case which offered a little bit more protection, and this case delivers on that front.
Update [12/23]: The quality of the poly carbonate bumper seems questionable lately with multiple people reporting issues with the fitment still. Spigen needs to make the bumper out of a higher quality material to avoid deformation, and live up to the 'premium' case they have designed. The case is also very slippery as previously mentioned, so users should keep that in mind when purchasing this case.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. I've tested the following USB-C cables on it so far: ChoeTech, Google, i-Orange, Cable Matters and the TechMatte adapter. Next, the headphone cutout is large just like all of the other Spigen cases I have reviewed. This should allow it to work with most cables, and some auxiliary ones depending on their size.
Finger print cutout: The fingerprint cutout is one of my favorite things that Spigen has done for their 6P cases. The cutout is the perfect size, has a very nice bevel, and feels natural to slide your finger into. (take that as you may )There isn't a whole lot else to say because Spigen does the fingerprint cutout the best hands down.
Volume/Power buttons: The buttons on the case are 'metallic' and click perfectly every time. The downside is the buttons sit flush in the frame, and the volume buttons are separate instead of a true rocker. The volume buttons are connect, but you can't tell without looking at the other side of the frame on the inside. This isn't something I particularly like, but I am willing to overlook it since they click well. The way the buttons sit flush in the frame makes it hard to find them in a hurry which will affect everyone differently depending on your usage.
Update[12/20]: The case seems to be having an issue with the poly-carbonate frame not sitting flush with the TPU part around the volume and power buttons. This issue is not isolated to just me unfortunately, and I will reach out to Spigen for comments regarding it. The review has been updated and the score was lowered temporarily until the issue gets resolved.
Update [12/27] I received a replacement from Spigen, but the bumper still bows out around the volume rockers/power button. I didn't even bother installing the case because the design is flawed. I also bought a silver one on Amazon which has the exact same issue. I gave Spigen 3 chances, and they failed each time. I will update the overall score of the case to reflect this lack of quality control; I will also email Spigen about the persistent issue, but I doubt it will get fixed at this point. I would't buy this case again given all of the issues its had. You are better off getting the CaseMate (despite its small scratch around the FP cutout) if you want a decent clear case.
Here is Spigens response:
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the intellarmor I have now. Thankfully there is a lip which will help prevent scratches to the front of your phone if you decide to lay it face down on a surface.
Overall: 9.6/10 7/10 until the volume rocker issue gets fixed. The case is certainly one of my favorites despite the volume rockers sitting flush and not being able to use my dbrand back skin. Spigen knows how to make an excellent case and this one is not one of them. I gave Spigen every opportunity to address the issue, but Spigen chose to still send me a defective case 3 times.
Spigen NeoHybrid EX:
Spigen Rugged Armour:
Let me start by saying this isn't your ordinary TPU case. The back almost has a soft touch feeling to it without actually having a coating that would wear off like the Nexus 5 did. The faux carbon strips that flank the top/bottom of the case add a nice texture change to break up the otherwise boring back of the case.
Update[12/27] The upper lip of the case keeps bowing outward during my daily usage for some reason. It will not go back flat and stay there as it should unless you take the phone out the the case, place it top first in, then hold the top as you put the rest of the case on. This is disappointing because the case was on of my favorites until this issue occurred, but not I'm going to knock it's score down because of the issue. I will email Spigen about this issue as well.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. Next the headphone port has ample size even for those of us with HUGE auxiliary connects and my friend @winwizard noticed today when he tried his.
Finger print cutout: The cutout here is my favorite so far because its barely bigger than the sensor which allows for better protection and it has a good tapered edge to it. Some of the cutouts are too big in my opinion and I would prefer one that is done with more precision because it makes the case feel better to the user.
Volume/Power buttons: All of the buttons "click" well and yes you can actually take screenshots. This case doesn't have the best buttons, but everything else is excellent. The buttons are still great, but there is a clear winner on that front.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the iVoler I have now, has a small 'lip' to protect the screen without covering it
Overall: 9.5/10 9/10 everything is great and it would be perfect if it had the buttons that 'clicked better'
Spigen Rugged Armour:
Spigen Thin Fit:
The Spigen Thin Fit is exactly what the name implies, a thin fitting case that isn't meant to protect against more than scratches. The case is open on the top/bottom, and it has an excellent soft touch finish reminiscent of the black Nexus 5's back. The case could not feel any better in your hand if it tried, the sides are just as 'grippy', and it doesn't try to be anything that it isn't. I didn't intend to ever purchase this case, but I was sent it as an apology for the tardiness of their NeoHybrid EX case (now shipping 12/28)...i
If you get any other color besides black (i.e. Gunmetal, White, Mint), then you will lose one of the best features of this case, its soft touch finish. The other cases just feel slippery, and like hard plastic. I have the gunmetal one as well since I gave the black one away to a friend of mine. It is very slick, even more so than their ultra hybrid is. All of the other comments regarding its fit, function remain the same. I would personally get a black one if you want more grip.
Ports: The top/bottom of the case are nearly 100% open, therefore there should be 0 issues with headphones or cables.
Finger print cutout: The cutout is nearly identical to the other Spigen ones, which as you may know I truly enjoy. The precision of the cutout shows Spigen's dedication to quality (in my experience).
Volume/Power buttons: The cutout's for the buttons are large, angled and perfect. I can easily press the buttons no matter how I decide to do so (except with winter gloves on). There is a plastic divider between the volume/power buttons so they can easily be distinguished between.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the intellarmor I have now. It sits nearly flush with the case giving way to nice swiping from the edge.
Overall: 9.5/10 This is the best slim case with it's soft touch finish, and perfect fit. This is the go to case for anyone wanting a slim, great feeling case!
Spigen Thin Fit:
See Post #7 below for the remainder of the reviews
I will be getting the spigen thin fit and ultra hybrid so i can helo with those.
I like your hay penny
Or is it a wheat penny? Anyway!
Did you not buy a verus case? I'm using it now, and I thought people said it was very similar to the spigen.
Nevermind, I see you have a verus review incoming. If you haven't received it yet you may be getting the updated case with the larger USB cutout
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Maybe we can add my spigen Ultra Hybrid review here
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Great comparison review, thank you!
Spigen Ultra Hybrid:
The Ultra Hybrid was one of my favorite cases for my Nexus 6 last year, and this year that still remains the case (pun intended). The case is great, slim and overall better feeling than the Ringke Fusion, but there are a few that could be better.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. Next the headphone port has ample size even for those of us with HUGE auxiliary connects. The ports are nearly identical to the tough armor so that is a great thing.
Finger print cutout: The fingerprint cutout on the case is on the smaller end like the Verus case, but it has a nice beveled edge that makes up for it barely being bigger than the scanner itself. I haven't had any issues with finding the sensor, and I prefer this cutout to the Ringke one which is overkill. There is an odd 'crack/scratch' at the bottom right hand side of the fingerprint scanner. I'm not sure what caused it at the factory, but it hasn't gotten any worse so far.
Volume/Power buttons: All of the buttons "click" well and yes you can actually take screenshots. This case doesn't have the best buttons, but everything else is excellent. The buttons are still great, but there is a clear winner on that front. The buttons are similar to the tough armor but not nearly as nice as the ones on the Ringke.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the iVoler I have now, has a small 'lip' to protect the screen without covering it unlike the Ringke that sits nearly flush with the glass.
Camera cutout: This particular case has the visor cutout which is nice for those who appreciate the look of the phone's unique design. The top TPU part didn't seem to sit perfectly flat around the headphone cutout which could be a result of my dbrand skin or the way the case is. I wasn't a fan of the visor cutout initially, but it has grown on me overtime. There is plenty of 'lift' to keep the camera from getting scratched as Spigen detailed in their listing.
Overall: 9.4/10 Great feeling slim clear case that is only limited by the okay buttons and almost perfect fit.
Spigen Ultra Hybrid
SupCase:
Supcase makes a nice hybrid style case in their Beetle series. This particular case has a solid heavy duty feeling TPU bumper with a Polycarbonate back featuring a frost finish. This case feels like a tank without all of the bulk that you might see on similar cases. The one downside is the frost inside coating scratches easily while putting your phone in. I don't know if you can see it in the pictures but I already have 2 scratches on it. I don't think it detracts from the case enough to be concerning but it's worth mentioning.
I'm going to repeat some things here because there is only so much you can say about certain things
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. The headphone cutout is the smallest of the batch and won't fit any big cables without modification.
Finger print cutout: This cutout sits somewhere between the size of the Spigen and Diztronic. It feels nice with the same beveled edge but the overall feel is better due to the polycarbonate back of the case.
Volume/Power buttons: The buttons all have a solid click and there are no issues at all with them. There is a little more resistance required to push them than you would see on the TUDIA, but by no means are they bad.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the iVoler I have now
Overall: 9.25/10 The small headphone cutout might be a no go for some people, but this case is a tank while maintaining a slim profile thanks to its hybrid design.
SupCase:
TUDIA:
TUDIA always makes great cases that are high quality and fit well which is what makes me com back to them for all of my phones. The case has a nice grip and feel but its not as good as the Spigen but still a great case.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting the official cable, or the one from the 22.5W charger. It has plenty of room without being overly large like some cases. The headphone cutout is the largest one so far and should have no issues fitting any cable.
Finger print cutout: This cutout is the largest one in my opinion which isn't ideal for me. There is a nice glossy beveled edge to it which helps your finger better feel its way onto the sensor so that's a big plus.
Volume/Power buttons: All of the buttons "click" well and yes you can actually take screenshots. This case doesn't have the best buttons, but everything else is excellent. The buttons are still great, but there is a clear winner on that front.
Update[12/27] The buttons are starting to get harder to use in this case, but I'm not entirely sure why. I've found that my wife's purple version doesn't have the same issue. The purple one does discolor easily, so I would stick with the darker colored versions for that reason.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the iVoler or intelliarmor
Overall: 8.25/10
ULAK:I received this case in exchange for an fair, unbiased review.
Let me start by stating that I own around 20 cases for my Nexus 6P, and I actively use the majority of them depending on the occasion and purpose. The ULAK case reminds me of another couple that I own the DGLTE, and Pleson cases. All 3 of these cases are nearly identical in form, function, and overall fit. The ULAK case differs from the initial picture as other reviewers have stated, so I wanted to make it clear. The case you will receive will be the one seen in any other picture except the very first one. I think the seller should update the listing to reflect this because it's deceptive. The case is 100% TPU as noted in the listing which is a good/bad thing depending on your preference. I don't like the location of their logo on the bottom right corner of the back section. Any logos on the back of a clear case defeat the purpose of having one, and should be located on the side instead.
Ports: The USB-C port has no issues fitting cables from these (and likely many more) companies: Tronsmart, Huawei, Google, i-Orange, CableMatters, Aukey, Anker etc... The headphone cutout is small but it could certainly be worse. It should fit most headphones and potentially some slightly larger ones depending on the size of your AUX cable.
Finger print cutout: This case has a very large fingerprint sensor cutout as seen in the listings pictures (not the first one as mentioned earlier). The cutout doesn't offer any real negatives other than its large size and average feel. I'm not a fan of the larger cutouts as some of you would know by reading my other reviews. I didn't expect the cutout to be great, so I wasn't let down by what it turned out to be. There is a beveled edge around the fingerprint cutout which gives your finger a nice transition from the back of the case. Since this is a 100% TPU case, and the cutout is large it could be off centered due to the way you put the case on. If you put the bottom of the phone in first, then pop each top corner on one at a time it will put to one side. This can be counteracted by popping the whole top in at one time.
Volume/Power buttons: The buttons on this case are some for the worst overall as of right now. The buttons don't click, in fact they are so stiff its hard to press them at all without really hitting them hard. It's nearly impossible to tell if you are pressing the buttons or not because there is no feedback which is amplified by the cold weather where I live.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues intelliglass case fit screen protector I currently have installed.
Overall: 5.5/10 If you overlook the Amazon listings incorrect primary photo, and want a simple clear case this one will work. It's not great, or completely terrible either. It gets the job done once you get over the near impossible to press buttons. I would also like to see more companies that make clear cases place their logo somewhere that doesn't ruin the look of your phone while it's in the case.
ULAK:
Verus:
I had high hopes for the Verus hybrid case after Spigen decided not to make their NeoHybrid for the 6P. The case itself feels and looks nice but that all stops when you attempt to use it. The two small retaining pieces of plastic already broke on the bumper only adding to its already loose fit on the case.
Update [12/27] I've messaged Verus several times on Amazon, but they never replied to my concerns with this case. I'm disappointed by the lack of service they have provided, and I would stay away from their products.
Ports:The USB-C doesn't fit any cable without modification that I own. The cable can go in fine usually but when you remove it the case tries to grab it which only distorts the plastic bumper more. The headphone cutout is small on this case and won't fit any oversize headphone cables. My revised cases fit my cables just fine, there are no longer issues of it pulled the bumper away from the TPU section like the original one did. I also don't have any issues with the relatively small headphone cutout.
Finger print cutout: This case has the worst cutout possible. Its nearly identical to the actual sensor size which leads to a lot of missed reads in my experience. there is also a very very marginal tapered edge which only adds to the small size making it harder to use effectively.
Volume/Power buttons: The buttons are very 'soft and squishy' and don't feel good at all. The bumper doesn't fit tightly which then makes it cover the buttons more hence the bad feel of the case. The revised cases Verus sent me are much better' while the buttons aren't as tactile as I hoped, they are still good overall. The buttons are no longer soft, now they are more firm in a good/bad way depending on how you look at it.
Tempered Glass fit: No issues with the iVoler I have now, has a small 'lip' to protect the screen without covering it
Overall: 8/10 The loose fit is of the plastic bumper, retaining tabs breaking after less than a week, the poor feel of the buttons and overly small cutouts ruin a nice looking case. Do yourself a favor and don't buy this case! The updated case is significantly better; all of the trouble areas are addressed, and the button stiffness was reduced a lot.
Verus:
New Pictures:
Here are the tables of the case dimensions I measured. (I decided to go buy another digital caliper today because I wanted to ensure people could have them before the weekend)
All measurements were taken 3 times and averaged. I also 'zeroed 'the caliper before each measurement if it was off.
The Fingerprint scanner is 11.5mm wide and then the beveled edge is ~1.5mm (0.75mm each side) making it ~13mm wide.
Google Live Case
First Impressions
Google packaged the case in a rather interesting Google-esc style box featuring a small circular hole cutout pattern. Inside the outer box sleeve, you will find another circular patter which lifts up to expose your awesome creation!
The case looks great given the matte finish (there is no option for a glossy one just yet). My wife ordered this particular one with a picture she made of our cat, so she really liked how it turned out. On the outside you will find a smooth texture that unsurprisingly is quite slippery. I’m not too fond of the NFC button personally, but more on that later.
Desgin
On the design front it’s very similar to Spigen’s thin fit aside from the cutouts for the camera and visor. The coverage on the top/bottom is a little better than Spigen’s offering for those of you that also own that case thus it is also thicker by a hair. I want to note that the live case will not fit properly with a skin on your Nexus 6P due to how tight the internal tolerances are. My wife had to remove her dbrand skin (just the back, not the visor one) for it to fit. Speaking of fit, this case is TIGHT, in fact it was a struggle to get it off when she was switching cases to go to the gym today, I’m not sure if everyone will have the same experience in that regard, but I wanted to note it nevertheless.
Inside the case you will see the rather large NFC antenna leading from the button to the visor area. This can be programmed to do a variety of things from Google’s My Live Case app. Both my wife and I found the button rather hard to press regardless of how you help the phone. I tested this on both her Nexus 6P as well as my own. It’s not a huge deal, but at the same time I wish Google would have made it a little easier to push, and maybe placed it in a better area.
Overall
To sum things up I don’t think there is a better way to customize a case than what Google is offering. While the case may not offer any real protection other than from scratches to the phones back, it does give you and unparalleled level of customization. I will add more to this later, including how well the case holds up to daily use, and other notes. I also ordered a live case for myself, so I’ll add pictures of that when it arrives.
Google Live Case
Box:
Case (Without phone):
More pictures and details will be added shortly!
Photos of Supcase Beetle
Hope you don't mind. Rather than starting a new thread, I thought I'd add to this with some photos of the supcase beetle.
I like this case - good protection. Major gripe: headphone cut out is not big enough for a few of my headphones.
Lots of pics:
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benandfaith said:
Hope you don't mind. Rather than starting a new thread, I thought I'd add to this with some photos of the supcase beetle.
I like this case - good protection. Major gripe: headphone cut out is not big enough for a few of my headphones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't mind, but as long as people user the hide tags so the pictures don't clutter up posts. I will keep my OP updated with all of my cases and possibility reference other peoples posts if need be in the OP
Pilz said:
I don't mind, but as long as people user the hide tags so the pictures don't clutter up posts. I will keep my OP updated with all of my cases and possibility reference other peoples posts if need be in the OP
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the instruction. I didn't know about the hide tags, but managed to figure it out.
Thanks for the comparison btw. Look forward to reading more.
Pilz said:
I don't mind, but as long as people user the hide tags so the pictures don't clutter up posts. I will keep my OP updated with all of my cases and possibility reference other peoples posts if need be in the OP
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love hide tags!
I do. I love them. Don't judge me!
benandfaith said:
Thanks for the instruction. I didn't know about the hide tags, but managed to figure it out.
Thanks for the comparison btw. Look forward to reading more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are helpful especially when people are viewing this from a phone. I'll add more as time allows and I get more cases
Which case feels the thinnest? I just got my Diztronic case and wish the fingerprint cutout was more tapered toward the edges.
mimitran said:
Which case feels the thinnest? I just got my Diztronic case and wish the fingerprint cutout was more tapered toward the edges.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will measure them all on Saturday becusse i ordered a digital caliper from amazon and it won't be here until then. Based simply on my observations i would say the Diztronic and Spigen are very close. The SUPCase is the thickest but there is not clear winner for the thinnest yet.
benandfaith said:
Hope you don't mind. Rather than starting a new thread, I thought I'd add to this with some photos of the supcase beetle.
I like this case - good protection. Major gripe: headphone cut out is not big enough for a few of my headphones.
Lots of pics:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! Made my mind to go for the supcase!
2 questions:
1. Which the is the Tempered glass you are using.
2. How is the bumper of supcase? Does it give the confidence that it'll survive a drop?
Regards
Pratik
PratikP said:
Thanks! Made my mind to go for the supcase!
2 questions:
1. Which the is the Tempered glass you are using.
2. How is the bumper of supcase? Does it give the confidence that it'll survive a drop?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I'm using Tagg - fits perfectly inside the lip of the supcase
2. As you can see from the photos, the top and bottom of the sides protrudes out more then the centre portion of the sides. It's a fairly sizeable chunk of rubber (without being obtrusively so). I can't imagine the phone will be dented in any way if dropped onto the corners. I'm heaps more confident about its protection compared to the Huawei freebie I was using before (plastic junk that had little to no protective value when it comes to drops). There's also a bit of a lip on the front which will do well to protect the screen on most drops onto a flat surface. Obviously dropping it onto a pointed object is another story.
One thing that is lacking in the 'bubble' construction in the corners that you will find on cases like the Spigen. I suppose with the bubble, some shock will be absorbed, whereas a case like the supcase will transmit it on. I'm not too worried myself. I had a supcase on my one m8 for a year and it survived a few drops.
Do you have a link to the Supcase? I looked on Amazon but I cannot find the color you have posted here.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
cdsbj6508 said:
Do you have a link to the Supcase? I looked on Amazon but I cannot find the color you have posted here.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm from Australia and got it from ebay Australia
http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/Nexus-6P-C...rotective-Case-Cover-/121810625565?nav=SEARCH
benandfaith said:
1. I'm using Tagg - fits perfectly inside the lip of the supcase
2. As you can see from the photos, the top and bottom of the sides protrudes out more then the centre portion of the sides. It's a fairly sizeable chunk of rubber (without being obtrusively so). I can't imagine the phone will be dented in any way if dropped onto the corners. I'm heaps more confident about its protection compared to the Huawei freebie I was using before (plastic junk that had little to no protective value when it comes to drops). There's also a bit of a lip on the front which will do well to protect the screen on most drops onto a flat surface. Obviously dropping it onto a pointed object is another story.
One thing that is lacking in the 'bubble' construction in the corners that you will find on cases like the Spigen. I suppose with the bubble, some shock will be absorbed, whereas a case like the supcase will transmit it on. I'm not too worried myself. I had a supcase on my one m8 for a year and it survived a few drops.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree, but i guess it is one of the best hybrid cases. Ain't heavy duty. Keeps the form factor and is backless
Regards
Pratik
---------- Post added at 01:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:02 PM ----------
cdsbj6508 said:
Do you have a link to the Supcase? I looked on Amazon but I cannot find the color you have posted here.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015X90UJS/
Just in case you need to order from a .com
Regards
Pratik