I'll add my name to the list of fans of this case-
I got mine last night and it's exactly what I was looking for. The fit is nice and snug, but not so tight it hurts to get it out once you put it in..... THE CASE AND MY N4 I mean!! ....dirty minds, all of you...
Seriously, it's a great fit, nice solid snap in and no worry of having to pry your N4 out when you need to clean it. Speaking for which, if I had to list a "con" it might be that this case is just a little too bare bones- i.e. bare plastic touching the glass backing of the phone and no liner to protect against and errant particle of dust or grit. So be sure to remove your N4 and clean it an the case every so often.
It feels smoother and a bit slicker than I thought it would, not quite a "soft touch" as other case that have a matte finish. This can be a good thing as some of the soft touch cases I've owned have had a rubberized coating that can and has rubbed or peeled off over time. Won't be an issue with this Ringke.
This case is great if you just want some protection against getting the phone edges dinged or surfaces getting scuffed when being set down (there is a lip around the front screen which raises up a bit at each corner so you can set the phone screen down), but not so concerned about serious drop protection.
Highly recommended!
So, My wife has an iPhone5 and had an iPhone4; both with Otterbox Defender cases. The design of this case (and the Commuter series
) is such that there are two hard plastic pieces that snap together around the phone, a back and a front with integrated screen protector, and then a soft silicone type of outer layer plastic that skins the hard plastic inside.
This is a very impressive case on an iPhone because not only is it very rugged. it feels very solid and premium (costs about $50 too!!)
So I bought one for my SGS4, and, while it is still rugged, I am not so impressed, because the case twists and creaks and feels cheap. I believe it is because the Otterbox design must differ from the iPhone version because the iPhone is aluminum cased and the SGS4 is plastic cased. The difference is in how loosely (tolerance) the pieces are designed to fit together for the SGS4 compared to the ones for the iPhone.
Here is why:
The iPhone, being made of aluminum, will not get scratched by a plastic case, therefore the internal hard plastic Otterbox shell can be designed to fit so snugly around the aluminum that it will not flex and creak when you try to squeeze and twist it.
The SGS4, while being pretty solid on its own, is made of plastic and can not hold up to squeezing it very hard like a metal iPhone and can be scratched, so Otterbox designs into the back part of the inner shell a thin foam lining. The foam lining is springy and compressible, which means they have to design in a bit more tolerance (looseness) so that the front and back plastic pieces will snap together before the foam lining is fully compressed. This creates the problem that the Otterbox case on a SGS4 moves and creaks when you squeeze the phone in your hand. It is actually VERY creaky!! Only just pushing the buttons makes the whole think creak and feel cheap.
Unfortunately, I don't think there is much that can be done with such a design, unless they omit the foam insert and tighten up the shell or reverse the design and have a rubbery inner shell and a hard outer shell.
Well, I ordered an i-Blason case that has a soft rubber inner shell and a hard outer skeleton. I think it will feel much more solid and less cheap (and costs 1/3 the price of an Otterbox).
We'll see how it goes!!
gruuvin said:
So, My wife has an iPhone5 and had an iPhone4; both with Otterbox Defender cases. The design of this case (and the Commuter series
) is such that there are two hard plastic pieces that snap together around the phone, a back and a front with integrated screen protector, and then a soft silicone type of outer layer plastic that skins the hard plastic inside.
This is a very impressive case on an iPhone because not only is it very rugged. it feels very solid and premium (costs about $50 too!!)
So I bought one for my SGS4, and, while it is still rugged, I am not so impressed, because the case twists and creaks and feels cheap. I believe it is because the Otterbox design must differ from the iPhone version because the iPhone is aluminum cased and the SGS4 is plastic cased. The difference is in how loosely (tolerance) the pieces are designed to fit together for the SGS4 compared to the ones for the iPhone.
Here is why:
The iPhone, being made of aluminum, will not get scratched by a plastic case, therefore the internal hard plastic Otterbox shell can be designed to fit so snugly around the aluminum that it will not flex and creak when you try to squeeze and twist it.
The SGS4, while being pretty solid on its own, is made of plastic and can not hold up to squeezing it very hard like a metal iPhone and can be scratched, so Otterbox designs into the back part of the inner shell a thin foam lining. The foam lining is springy and compressible, which means they have to design in a bit more tolerance (looseness) so that the front and back plastic pieces will snap together before the foam lining is fully compressed. This creates the problem that the Otterbox case on a SGS4 moves and creaks when you squeeze the phone in your hand. It is actually VERY creaky!! Only just pushing the buttons makes the whole think creak and feel cheap.
Unfortunately, I don't think there is much that can be done with such a design, unless they omit the foam insert and tighten up the shell or reverse the design and have a rubbery inner shell and a hard outer shell.
Well, I ordered an i-Blason case that has a soft rubber inner shell and a hard outer skeleton. I think it will feel much more solid and less cheap (and costs 1/3 the price of an Otterbox).
We'll see how it goes!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a defender case and I don't have these problems. The plastic doesn't creak when I squeeze it. Takes a bit of pressure to actually get the plastic tabs to snap around it. The rubber molding is spot on.
You might have a bad case, or slightly off case.
Dunno.
Not to mention the iPhone case has the foam in the back too.. my case just recently started feeling a bit loose but i believe i didnt but it on all the way snapped, when i first bought it, it was extremely snug
I think you might have a defective case OP. AFAIK, you're the second person I've seen make this complaint but neither mine nor my husband's otterboxes are creaky in anyway. Not only that, but the plastic shell fits our phones fairly snug which works in our favor because these are the best cases we could've gotten on the ground and I'm not too worried about the whole samoled cracking issue.
(S/N: Did I just write a run-on sentence? lol)
Mine was creaky also and Otterbox replaced it.
I havent used the replacement yet. I switched to a different case because I didn't like the creaking.
I always remove the screen protector and don't know if this makes it less rigid.
The Defender on the my wives Iphone is really solid though.
Do you keep the factory screen protector?
Also, My GS3 did the exact creaking.
gruuvin said:
So, My wife has an iPhone5 and had an iPhone4; both with Otterbox Defender cases. The design of this case (and the Commuter series
) is such that there are two hard plastic pieces that snap together around the phone, a back and a front with integrated screen protector, and then a soft silicone type of outer layer plastic that skins the hard plastic inside.
This is a very impressive case on an iPhone because not only is it very rugged. it feels very solid and premium (costs about $50 too!!)
So I bought one for my SGS4, and, while it is still rugged, I am not so impressed, because the case twists and creaks and feels cheap. I believe it is because the Otterbox design must differ from the iPhone version because the iPhone is aluminum cased and the SGS4 is plastic cased. The difference is in how loosely (tolerance) the pieces are designed to fit together for the SGS4 compared to the ones for the iPhone.
Here is why:
The iPhone, being made of aluminum, will not get scratched by a plastic case, therefore the internal hard plastic Otterbox shell can be designed to fit so snugly around the aluminum that it will not flex and creak when you try to squeeze and twist it.
The SGS4, while being pretty solid on its own, is made of plastic and can not hold up to squeezing it very hard like a metal iPhone and can be scratched, so Otterbox designs into the back part of the inner shell a thin foam lining. The foam lining is springy and compressible, which means they have to design in a bit more tolerance (looseness) so that the front and back plastic pieces will snap together before the foam lining is fully compressed. This creates the problem that the Otterbox case on a SGS4 moves and creaks when you squeeze the phone in your hand. It is actually VERY creaky!! Only just pushing the buttons makes the whole think creak and feel cheap.
Unfortunately, I don't think there is much that can be done with such a design, unless they omit the foam insert and tighten up the shell or reverse the design and have a rubbery inner shell and a hard outer shell.
Well, I ordered an i-Blason case that has a soft rubber inner shell and a hard outer skeleton. I think it will feel much more solid and less cheap (and costs 1/3 the price of an Otterbox).
We'll see how it goes!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try getting it replaced. A sample size of one is not is any way considered enough to pass judgement on the tolerances and construction of a case and even moreso with a high end phone.
ricktat said:
Mine was creaky also and Otterbox replaced it.
I havent used the replacement yet. I switched to a different case because I didn't like the creaking.
I always remove the screen protector and don't know if this makes it less rigid.
The Defender on the my wives Iphone is really solid though.
Do you keep the factory screen protector?
Also, My GS3 did the exact creaking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, but I was told that stuff gets between that protector and the screen and cause abrasions. I have both the outer one and a cheap film one under. I don't have any problems with multitouch.
I've had the defender before on my droid x and I dropped it on some gravel, and being that it's uneven, having lips doesn't help. The gravel didn't do any damage to the screen protector. However, I have dropped my droid x before with cheap films and they always get holes in them.
i never liked otterbox. way too bulky. for iphone i guess it's ok coz it's a small phone.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
I was pleasently surprised with how slim the GS4 defender was.
I have had otterboxes for all my phones, BB and smartphones.
They have always been big and bulky.
ohh and I LOVE otterboxes warranty policy, send them an email with a picture of the defect and they mail you a brand new case.
I went a little case crazy the last couple of weeks. I have had the Seidio Dual Pro since I purchased the phone in June, but have been looking for something more substantial. I tried the Otterbox Defender and returned it a day later. The lint and hair that gathers under the plastic screen was driving me nuts. If it was not for that and the creaking of the case when held firmly, I would have kept it and my search would have been over.
The Incipio Dual Pro is still my favorite as far as comfort. It is a simple dual layer case with a very thin silicon inner layer and a nice grippy outer shell. It slips in and out of pockets easily, but provides the least amount of protection. The lip is very shallow and provides just enough clearance you will not scratch the screen face down.
The Trident Aegis is in between the Incipio and Seidio regarding protection. It also follows the traditional setup of a silicon inner layer and hard outer case. It is noticeable thicker than the Incipio. The protective silicon layer is nearly twice as thick and the corners are heavily reinforced. The lip is also a bit deeper. I liked this case, but wanted something that felt more substantial; similar to an Otterbox, but without the screen.
So today my Seidio Convert arrived, and it is perfect for my needs. First off, it comes with two cases and a holster (the holster only works with the heavy case, but you can order a thin holster separately). The first case is the Seidio Surface. It is a snug fitting plastic case that is lined with a felt type of material. This case snaps together from the top and bottom and feels very secure. The grip is excellent. I work in many different conditions and grip is very important to me. I have dropped several phones over the years when my hands get sweaty. I have no worries with this one. I feel the protection is close to that of the Incipio Dual Pro.
When you need that extra level of protection you convert the Surface Case by adding a very heavy thick rubber silicon layer over the top of the Surface Case. Then clip on the plastic outer backing that holds everything together. The three layers combine to offer a level of protection that exceeds the Otterbox Defender, in my opinion. The lip is very deep. There is no way anything can hit the screen if you drop it on a floor or sidewalk. The holster is very high quality. They redesigned it a couple of years ago and have added a lock to ensure it stays in the holster. The only thing I would change is the pin they use on the clip. I would have preferred a metal pin over the plastic one. The icing on the cake for me is the built in kick stand. I video chat with my kids every day when they get home from school and the stand works perfectly for that. The stand is built into the surface case so you can use it both ways. The other unique feature I have not seen before is the cover for the camera. A rubber flap protects the lens and then folds back and clips into the case when you want to use the camera.
The larger heavier cases take a little getting used to, but the transition was no more difficult than when we all moved from small screen phones to the Galaxy S4, and the added protection for me is worth it. I hope this mini review is helpful for someone. I will try to add pictures this weekend if I get a chance.
Having a bit of a mare in trying to find a really good case for my phone.
I've tried two so far, Spigen Slim Armor and Supcase Unicorn Beetle (neither of them are perfect.)
The Spigen Slim Armor.
Looks quite nice and has the kickstand which is great!
Feels slippery in the hand as the back and most of the edge of the case is a hard plastic, with only a thin strip of rubber material just by the bezel for grip.
The design of the case does little to make the phone feel smaller in the hand.
Offers reasonable protection though, the top and bottom of the case overlap the phone a little and decent depth on the back to protect the camera lens.
The buttons on the side of the phone.... Oh man what were they thinking?!
The buttons are flush with the sides of the case and feel the same as the rest of the edge so it's really hard to find the buttons by touch and all too easy to press them by accident.
I had to disable using the volume keys to take photos because I was shooting so many accidental pictures!
So I decided to try the Supcase as I previously had one for my M8 and it was brilliant!
The Supcase Unicorn Beetle.
The case looks great!
I got the frosted back one and even with the gold Edge plus it looks nice.
Loads of grip and feels much better in hand than the Spigen case, really like how it feels!
Less protection than the Slim Armor but that probably helps with the in hand feel.
Once again buttons are a failing on a case.
The Supcase buttons are incredibly hard to press, yes less accidental presses (in fact NO accidental presses) but also very hard to press them when I want them.
The design of the case has a black rubberised grip in the middle of the phone on either side, great for grip but not so great when using the phone on a desk.
Because the rubber grips or in the middle of the phone the top and bottom of the phone are raised from a flat surface so as you can imagine the phone wobbles when using it on it's back.
Bit of a major flaw IMHO
Don't want to keep buying cases to find "The Right One" nor do I want to use more than one case for different occasions.
Not sure where to go from here now.
I am using spigen ultra hybrid crystal clear case I have to say except it is kind of dust magnet and not very comfortable to hold due to the sharp plastic edges, it gives me good enough grip and protection while preserving the look of the phone pretty well, the button covers are not ideal but at least I don't have much accidental presses and easy to press as well
Supcase works well with my phone,despite the fact that it's a little bulky.
I really like the Speck easy texting cases. They provide significant protection for how slim they are and the rubber accents on the back give plenty of grip without making it stick when you're sliding it in and out of your pocket
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using Tapatalk
Just received the Poetic Affinity clear case with black TPU lining and I have to say it's one of the better cases I've used so far with my G5. The case is actually VERY thin, similar to a scap on polycarbonate case but there's the added benefit of the TPU accents on the insides of the case as well as the rim, top and bottom of the case. The corners - where the point of impact during a drop is most likely to occur - is reinforced with shock absorbing TPU but it's not over the top. Since it's TPU, I haven't had any issues with pocket lint. I have another case that is made of polycarbonate, and has a TPU boarder but that one lifts my screen protector, this one doesn't. That clear TPU on that other one is also turning slightly yellow. Since this one is mostly polycarbonate with a but of black TPU, I don't see that issue arising any time soon. I also like that the TPU accents on the back of the case also adds grip while the phone is on a slippery table.
I would imagine the back of case would also get less scratches over time since it's not making much contact with the surface on the table. I am pretty satisfied with this case since I was looking for a way show off the natural look of my gold G5 without sacrificing drop protection or worrying about yellowing TPU.
Positives:
> Lightweight and thin - adds very little bulk, similar to the other clear snap on cases on the market while providing more protection where it's needed
> Fits and is compatible with regular PET screen protectors - having used another clear polycarbonate case with TPU sides, this one does not cause my screen protector to bubble. It covers the trim of the phone right up to the screen protector.
> TPU lip provides enough spacing on the front so you can place it face down on a table or ground
> Raised ridges on the sides of the case which improves grip
> Cutouts on the top and bottom are precise - dead on
> Volume rocker buttons are precise and I get solid feedback when pressing them - no mushy volume buttons (something I've come across with another case already)
> Cutout for the fingerprint reader is large and not recessed - finger fits comfortably even if you have long nails
Not so good:
> Surprisingly difficult to put on and take off - The fit is much on point and that might be a good thing in terms of keeping out dust, but it was a bit tough to remove from the phone when I first got it. It gets easier once you remove it a few times but the case truly fits the G5 like a glove and a bit of force is required in order to pop the corners out. It does not scratch the phone but I have to say it is tougher to remove in comparison to other cases I've used including Spigen and UAG.
Thinking of getting this for my oneplus 3 but worried about yellow fade and scratches. How's yours going on till this day? @Kawaisa