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CC268's CASE GUIDE!

This thread is simply designed to help those who are currently looking at cases and want to decide which case is best for their needs.
I guess you could say I am a "Case Expert" - I have spent a lot of time collecting and trying different types and brands of cases for not only my HTC Thunderbolt, but previous phones like my Samsung Fascinate.
Keep in mind different phones will have different cases and brands available to them, but this guide should cover the most popular brands. Enjoy!
I will divide this guide into several sections:
- Case Types
- In-Depth Look at Specific Cases
- Best Protecton
There are several different Case Types (Four Basic Types)
*** Hard Cases: Typically snap together or "slide" on using two sections
Examples: Seidio Surface Case, "Shell" Cases, Snap-On Cases
Opinion: Typically not the greatest cases as most snap on cases are a PITA to both put on and take off - also very vulnerable to dust and dirt contamination, thus scratching your phone - does more damage than protection
Exceptions: Seidio Surface Case - this case has protective material on the inside, preventing scratching, although doesn't completely protect from dirt and dust
*** Rubber/Jelly Cases- Fairly self-explanatory, very low cost - not to be confused with silicon or TPU cases
Examples: N/A
Opinion: For the cost, these aren't bad actually. However, with that being said you can find many different cases in the same low cost price range that are better. These cases take the cake when it comes to dirt, lint, and dust attraction. Simple solution: Clean them often using dish washing soap, which over time will eliminate some of the dust and dirt attraction. These cases are also the hardest to slide in and out of pockets, so if your into those skinny jeans, stay away from these :laugh:
Exceptions: N/A
***TPU/Silicone Cases - Great cases, in fact...these happen to be some of the cheapest cases and are actually some of my person favorites
Examples: TPU Cases - http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Rubberi...8594&sr=1-2&keywords=HTC+Thunderbolt+TPU+Case
| http://www.amazon.com/Smoke-Rubber-...677&sr=1-19&keywords=HTC+Thunderbolt+TPU+Case
Opinion : First off, they are some of the cheapest cases available. Second, these cases attract very minimal amounts of dust, dirt, lint, etc - I would say the least amount out of all the other case types. Easiest cases to slide in and out of pockets. Finally, if you take your cases off to use accessories such as car docks, music docks, etc then these cases are great for you as they are some of the easiest to take on and off. Great protection too, both shock resistant and typically have enough of a lip to protect the screen.
Exceptions: N/A
***Premium Cases/Hybrids - These are the pricier cases, also tend to be the most protective
Examples: Seidio Cases, Otterbox, Platinum, Incipio, Casemate, Body Glove, Trident...
Opinion: For the most part these are great cases, they tend to be more expensive but if you are rough on your phone, they typically prove to be a good investment. Typically offer the most protection and use the best materials and includes several layers of protection(Hard Shell, Rubber Shell, etc).
I will go into depth on the majority of these cases in the "In Depth Look at Specific Cases" section.
Exceptions: N/A
***In Depth Look at Specific Cases - Some of these may not be so "in-depth"
Otterbox Defender - This case is probably the most protective case you can buy (Seidio Convert case is very comparable). It utilizes several layers - a snap on hard shell, an outer rubber shell, and an optional holster. The snap on inner shell comes with a rubber-like pad mounted on the inside, providing the phone with a protective surface, keeping it safe from scratches. The rubber outer shell is a thin shell that simply wraps the inner hard shell - it fits very well. It also comes with a built in screen protector - its junk, so I simply took it off. The rubber shell does attract a decent amount of dirt and lint, which can be a pain, but overall not too bad. The inner shell can also be a PITA to put on and take off, so if you need to take your case off quite a bit for connecting to accessories, this may not be the case for you
Rating: 7.5/10
Seidio Convert Combo - This cases utilizes three layers or protection, four with the holster. First is the inner hard shell - protective material layers the inside of the case, slides together. Second is the rubber shell - very similar to the Otterbox rubber shell. Third is a hard plastic skeleton - goes on top of the rubber shell, keeping it in place and adding additional protection. Fourth is the optional holster. This case is much easier to take on and off compared to the Otterbox, although it can be easy to scratch the phone when sliding the inner plastic shell on and off. If you need the ultimate in protection, but take your case off a decent amount, this may be the case for you.
Rating: 8.5/10
Casemate Pop! - This case is one layer of protection. However, it has a hard rubber/silicone inner lining, which is excellent protection for you phone. The outside of it is wrapped in a glossy, hard plastic shell. Easy to take off, however, after taking it on and off for a while, it begins to wear the hard rubber inner lining down. Also, the hard plastic shell looks old after a couple uses, as it scratches very easily - White color also begins to yellow after time.
Rating: 7/10
Trident Kraken - This case utilizes two layers of protection - First, a soft silicon inner lining. Second - a hard rubberized snap-on shell. This case is definitely a cool looking case, but a major PITA to take on and put off...one of the most poorly fitted cases out of the cases I have tried. Nonetheless it is a good looking case and offers good protection.
Rating: 6/10
Body Glove - This cases uses one layer of protection - hard snap on case with a cool rubberized wrap. This case doesn't add to much bulk, but provides great protection, however it is a tough one to get off (almost snapped the tabs off when taking off). It does not attract much dust and dirt like other cases and isn't too bad when it comes to slipping it in and out of your pocket.
Rating: 6/10
Incipio Silicrylic: One of my favorite cases as it provides great protection and is one of the easier cases to put on and take off. Does not attract much dust, lint, and dirt. Great color schemes as well!
Rating: 8.5/10
***Best Protection - Of course, this is opinion based, but very much based on observations over the years.
Best Look/Cool Factor: I am a huge fan of Ghost Armor - it is a wrap (they have several different styles including Clear, Matte, and Carbon Fiber) that protects almost every inch of your phone from scratches. They also have the best screen protector hands down (in my opinion)...I currently have my Thunderbolt wrapped in Android Green carbon fiber - very cool. I have also used white, in which I have never experienced any sort of yellowing at all, also very easy to clean! Of course, Ghost Armor does not protect your phone from drops, it simply protects it from scratches, so I top it off with a nice clear TPU case such as this one: http://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Thunde...095&sr=1-5&keywords=HTC+Thunderbolt+clear+TPU
This provides an amazing look and some of the best protection - also TPU cases attract little to no dust, dirt, and lint! Also, once you buy the full wrap and screen protector, you get full lifetime replacement, meaning you can get everything replaced for $10, you can even change colors! I highly recommend having a Ghost Armor employee do it if you have any stores near you...if not it doesn't seem like too hard of a task to apply yourself.
Ultimate Protection: Ghost Armored - including screen protector and topped off with the Otterbox Defender case or Seidio Convert Combo!
I spent a lot of time on this guide, so I hope this helps out when it comes to choosing a case.
If you have anything I can add to this guide or suggestions, feel free to comment!:laugh:

Galaxy S4 KaysCase Slim Hard Shell Case Review

Although the manufacturer KaysCase is relatively new to the phone accessory game, they have already become somewhat well known for designing high quality cases at low prices. The KaysCase Slim Hard Shell is no exception. Fit and finish is top notch, and the matte material feels great in the hand. The included screen proctor was a welcome surprise that more than justifies this case’s $6 price tag.

KaysCase isn't very well known, but this case easily rivals the SPIGEN Ultra Fit.

I found the deciding point to be the corner protection on all of these hard cases, the SGP Ultra Fit covers them all the way up to the top and bottom while all the other cases decrease the height on the way which makes the phone more vulnerable the more it turns to the top/bottom while falling (although the SGP one doesn't protect the top and bottom either, but the curves really are more out-drawn).

Screen protector included is pure win!
Sent from my GT-N5110 using xda premium

Even if you dislike the case, $6 for a screen protector isn't a bad deal.

Galaxy S4 Acase Supreme Pro Case Review

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=x_XHpjd4MuQ#!
Acase has created slim and sturdy dual layer case they call the Supreme Pro. It offers a rubber inner layer that offer shock and scratch protection, while the outer hard shell protects the phone from drops and bumps. It is currently offered in seven colors, and retails for around $25 on Amazon.

dbrand skin review

I've been using the dbrand skin in a spigen crystal shell case for about 3 months now and thought that's enough time to share some thoughts with you guys.
Dbrand skin: https://dbrand.com/shop/lg-g5-skins...BlENC0VVnGH0I6M49hJFhXEGleAefzd4aAooREALw_wcB
- canadian company
- shipping + tax comes out to be around $24 CDN for front + full back + camera coverage (you get a total of 3 camera lens skin plus they threw in few additional pieces for the bottom front and bottom back)
- material is 3M vinyl
Installation:
I installed everything except for the lens part because I saw a review on Youtube which noted that you can see part of the wrap when the wide angle lens is in use, and I use the wide angle all the time therefore I didn't bother. The whole process took me less than 10 minutes. Key is to use your hair dryer to soften the edges so it moulds to the curvature of the phone and also smooth out the edges in the end to make the skin feel like it has fused to the phone.
Quality:
The matte 3M material feels great in my opinion. It has some gritty texture to it so it's not slick like the phone as is on its own, so it really comes down to personal preference. For me, the priority is to protect the phone so I don't really care about the texture. The skin will definitely protect the phone from scratches, but because it has some thickness to it as well, I think it will protect the phone from potential minor dents. I did use the phone without a case for about a week or so while waiting for the case to arrive and the skin felt nicely stuck to the phone and there were no signs of corners lift. I can't speak to how it would have done over the long run as I drop my phone a lot and I've left it in the case since then, however the general comments that goes around is that this company makes good quality skins. I do take my phone in and out of the case quite a bit for when I fly my drone so that the phone fits in the phone holder of the remote control, and again no signs of lifting.
Customer service:
I have to comment on this because I have dealt with this company before when I had the Samsung Galaxy s7 and it was exceptional. I foolishly pressed the wrong button and selected the option "without button cutouts" for the front skin. When I received the skin, I saw that there was no button cutout, I contacted dbrand about it. They reviewed the order and told me that I likely selected the wrong option before checking out, but they replaced it anyway without any hassle. I even offered to ship back the one sent out to me, and they said it's not necessary. I guess that's the kind of customer service you would expect when you pay $30 for some stickers...but then again it was my mistake! lol Shipping was blazing fast, but then I am from Toronto where their office resides.

I was using dBrand skins with Spigen Ultra Hybrid clear case as well. Highly recommend that case. It didn't tear the skins when pulling case on or off while still being snug fit. The corner air cushion did work to protect the phone from dents during a couple of falls.
I also had a full 3D coverage Supershieldz tempered glass protector that didn't lift up with that case; it did lift when using a Poetic Affinity and entirely cracked with the Spigen Style case. Only other case that didn't tear skins or protectors was Spigen Hybrid Armor (but it didn't show the dBrand skin off.)

Accessories Case / Screen protectors

What case / screen protectors do you plan on using on your new p7p ?
If the modem is still terrible at least you can disguise it in a nice case

Not sure what people complain about. The modem on my P6P works pretty much exactly like every other phone I've ever had.
Anybody know if a P6P case will fit on a P7P? They seem pretty close to identical.

I've always liked Spigen cases, but I wish they would make them in hazel. The hazel one on the google store is not in stock, uggh. I usually go with Skinomi Matte screen protectors. Might try the spigen protector this time.

According to the Google Store, the only screen protector - as of now - that is "officially" rated to work properly with the FP scanner is the Case Mate variant, it's a flexible/non glass one.
I sifted through most ebay/Amazon P7 Pro screen protector offers that are available, and oddly enough most tempered glass screen protectors have a warning message that states that the FP scanner won't work due to a technical limiation.
Hopefully that doesn't mean that no glass screen protector will work.
--
Concerning cases, I planned on getting a Paralax from Caseology, but it seems that they changed their design. The P6 Pro had a wonderful two-toned design (gold colored accent on the camera hub and centered in the middle, with the black variant), that is now a boring/terrible grey-ish accent. So I'm not sure yet what kind of Case I'm going for.
The Caseology Athlex (a new case) looks promising, since it has a dent in the middle to rest your finger, but the neon colors on it are ridicolous.

What do you think about the Dbrand case?

Spigen is now a Made for Google partner with its Pixel 7 cases

Seems like there's no regular brown option for the bellroy leather case which is unfortunate.

I ordered a Caseology Parallax case and pre-ordered a Whitestone Dome tempered glass screen protector.

Spigen most thin option(I think tough armor it's called), and Whitestone Dome like always(there taking preorders and shopping soon). Whitestone dome was $19.99 for two.
I hope this can help someone.
Spigen tough armor
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09YMTL3MM?psc=1&smid=A2SFKRF5TPZMT5&ref_=chk_typ_quicklook_titleToDp
Whitestone Dome
[UV GEN] Google Pixel 7 Pro (2022) Hard Coated Film Screen Protector with UV light - 2 Pack of Film
Galaxy S10 Tempered Glass Screen Protector LIQUID DISPERSION TECHNOLOGY - Our patented liquid glass evenly disperses over your entire screen, including existing scratches and scuffs, and hardens to create an impenetrable edge to edge barrier while repairing former cracks and imperfections. BEST...
www.whitestonedome.com

Samuel Holland said:
Spigen most thin option(I think tough armor it's called), and Whitestone Dome like always(there taking preorders and shopping soon). Whitestone dome was $19.99 for two.
I hope this can help someone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IIRC, the Thin Fit is Spigen's thinnest model, and the Tough Armor is actually bulkier than the Thin Fit, Liquid Air, and Rugged Armor models.
I went with the Spigen Liquid Air. It's what I've got on my current phone. It hits the right balance for me between protection and bulk. FYI, though; some people don't like it because it's possible for stuff to get in the grooves in the triangle texture on the back. It doesn't bother me - I just brush it off, and it's fine - but I thought I'd mention it just in case that's something that's an issue for anyone.

Also, been using Spigen Thin Fit on my prior devices which works for me!

jbaysingar said:
IIRC, the Thin Fit is Spigen's thinnest model, and the Tough Armor is actually bulkier than the Thin Fit, Liquid Air, and Rugged Armor models.
I went with the Spigen Liquid Air. It's what I've got on my current phone. It hits the right balance for me between protection and bulk. FYI, though; some people don't like it because it's possible for stuff to get in the grooves in the triangle texture on the back. It doesn't bother me - I just brush it off, and it's fine - but I thought I'd mention it just in case that's something that's an issue for anyone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
galaxys said:
Also, been using Spigen Thin Fit on my prior devices which works for me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, and yes, for me it needs to fit in my work shirt; I have thin fit on m yOnePlus 8 & 9 pro. I'm thinking a good chance, I'm gonna have to get another case, but I didn't see thin fit so I figured I'd try the tough option. Thanks for the heads up. I see on Spigen website, they have it along with a charger for free w/purchase.

Samuel Holland said:
Thanks, and yes, for me it needs to fit in my work shirt; I have thin fit on m yOnePlus 8 & 9 pro. I'm thinking a good chance, I'm gonna have to get another case, but I didn't see thin fit so I figured I'd try the tough option. Thanks for the heads up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hear ya. I'm not sure what's up with Spigen P7 Pro cases on Amazon right now. I had to go to Amazon's "Spigen Store" page to find the Liquid Air because it didn't show up in the search results for whatever reason.
FWIW, according to the Spigen website a P7 Pro version of the Thin Fit does exist, they just don't seem to be currently selling it on Amazon for whatever reason.

I have Caseology on my P6P. Looking at the Athlex for my P7P. I also bought Skinomi screen protector.​
The Spigen Liquid Air looks pretty nice too. I have a week to decide while I wait for my phone to arrive.

Spiegen Liquid Air for her phone and Supcase Unicorn Beetle for me. Both with Supershieldz screen protectors. It's how our current phones are now. I'm just sticking with what has been working for me.
.

I'm doing the Caseology Parallax too. Have one on my P6 and I like it.

swieder711 said:
I have Caseology on my P6P. Looking at the Athlex for my P7P. I also bought Skinomi screen protector.​
The Spigen Liquid Air looks pretty nice too. I have a week to decide while I wait for my phone to arrive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went with the Athlex, I have a vault on my p6pro. It should be here today.

I got the Spigen Rugged Armor as usual. I kinda wanted to try the Athlex (I kinda like the black/neon green one) but it seems really bulky!

I have ordered the luxurious bellroy leather case again, (same as for pixel 6 pro), and also the caseology one.
UK costs,
£49 and 16.99.
Both great cases.

Morgrain said:
According to the Google Store, the only screen protector - as of now - that is "officially" rated to work properly with the FP scanner is the Case Mate variant, it's a flexible/non glass one.
I sifted through most ebay/Amazon P7 Pro screen protector offers that are available, and oddly enough most tempered glass screen protectors have a warning message that states that the FP scanner won't work due to a technical limiation.
Hopefully that doesn't mean that no glass screen protector will work.
--
Concerning cases, I planned on getting a Paralax from Caseology, but it seems that they changed their design. The P6 Pro had a wonderful two-toned design (gold colored accent on the camera hub and centered in the middle, with the black variant), that is now a boring/terrible grey-ish accent. So I'm not sure yet what kind of Case I'm going for.
The Caseology Athlex (a new case) looks promising, since it has a dent in the middle to rest your finger, but the neon colors on it are ridicolous.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you find the glass screen protectors? I only found one on Amazon.