This review is of the Schnail Savior Series Clear Case with Aluminum Frame Military Grade Full Body Protective Rugged Cover in Black for the Google Pixel 4 XL.
Overall I really like this case. I have been using it for the last few days, and I have to say that I am surprised. I normally use Spigen, Caseology and Otterbox cases, but I really liked the overall appearance of this case and wanted to try it out.
When I first received it, it came in two main pieces. The outer frame, which is a combination of aluminum and TPU, and then a hard plastic inner frame. Assembly is pretty straight forward. Clean your phone really well, insert the phone into the plastic inner case, and then nest it into the aluminum and TPU outer case. You will want to get a small flat tool of some sort to help the lip of the TPU surround on the aluminum frame to clear the plastic inner frame. I wish that a tool had come with the phone in order to do so, but I found that a toothpick worked just fine. Once nested together completely, the case has a extremely solid feel. There is no movement like I have experienced before with other nesting phone cases. While this means it can be a pain to disassemble and reassemble, it also means that if you drop it the case isn't likely to come apart.
The quality construction and build seems to be on par if not better than other well known brands that I have owned and used in the past. The use of the aluminum frame is implemented nicely, which just the right amount of exposure, but not so much that it makes the case slippery. The clear backing is nice thick, and the lens cut out accents the raised camera lens very well. The lip provided by the aluminum frame and the rubber/plastic surround gives ample distance from the glass, which means should I accidentally drop the phone, it should avoid cracking the screen unless I happen to land directly on a sharp corner or raised object that strikes the screen directly. If there is one con to this case, it would be the raised lip, especially if you are using the new "swipe to go back" feature that Google has implemented in Android 10. You can still swipe to go back, but there is a bit of learning curve as you will need to press your finger into the edge of the lip before attempting to swipe. I use my thumb to do so, and found that if I attempt to use the edge/side of the my thumb, it doesn't work as well as if I press my thumb flush before swiping. A small sacrifice to make in order to ensure if I drop this phone that the raised edge will protect the screen from harm.
All in all, this is a case that I can highly recommend and will be my daily driver over my Spigen Tough Armor.
So I was sent this case for review as well, and if OP doesn't mind, I would like to 2nd a lot of what is said here.
The case is difficult to put on, but once the case is on I feel like I could throw it off my roof, and have it survive. Not that I actually did that... I had to use a butter knife to get the inner frame under that lip all the way around the front/top, but once the case was on, it felt very solid. Its difficult to disassemble so hypothetically a big drop shouldn't split the case in 2 like some other 2 piece cases have a tendency to do. If I had JerryRigEverything money, I would have loved to test it like that. The camera is well protected by raised edges, but not actually covered. The screen isn't covered either (like a lifeproof case), but I'm ok with that, it means I can bring my own glass screen protector.
As far as look and feel, it is a bit bulky, but thats the price you pay for this much protection. I like the clear back, since Google makes such a big deal about their colors, its nice to still see the back of my phone. The buttons line up properly, and are a little mushy, but nowhere near as bad as some other big cases. I might be the only one who appreciates the little loop holes on the bottom right of the case for adding a wrist strap or something. A Peak Design anchor is probably going to live there forever now. Wireless charging still works, but your mileage might vary, it does add a tiny bit of distance between the charger and the phone. Like OP, I also found the raised lip around the edge of the screen to be a bit annoying, especially since gestures is the new Pixel default. The gestures are harder to use, and there is a learning curve, or just go back to using the soft buttons at the bottom.
Overall, if a lot of protection is what you're looking for in a case, I have no problem recommending this one! Pictures to come, I just haven't had time to get out my real camera and take any.
Related
I ordered one of these off of Amazon Friday when I got my Nexus
goo.gl/qpBr
I ordered through DayDeals. I received the two halves that snap together, but no belt clip
I want to note that the sides not shown in the picture are white, and it makes viewing the sides inconsistent and kinda ugly. It fits like a very tight glove except for the top left corner. It doesn't snap down all the way.
The case is very light, and in my opinion flimsy. I don't care too much about protecting it from light scratches, as I've ordered a full-body skin from Zagg to do that. I want to protect it from accidental drops, and I don't think this case can do that for me.
It flexes easily and unnecessarily.
I do like it shape, if it were to snap down completely. It leaves the entire screen open for my fingers to fing, and all controls are easily accessible, no ports or holes are covered up.
I also noticed that having a case prevents my hand from touching the screen and screwing up the points at which the screen recognizes input.
However this is overshadowed by the fact that the case provides less friction or grip than the phone without the case. I found the phone would slip slowly out of my palms while trying to type in horizontal mode.
Pros:
Nicely shaped
Doesn't cover holes or controls
Very light and unobtrusive
Improves accuracy with touch screen
Cons:
Did not include belt clip
Flimsy
Slippery
Does not fully fit over the phone
Unlikely to protect the phone in case of accidental drops
Overall I would give this product 3 points on a scale of 10. For less than $10 I didn't really expect much. I'd much prefer a Body Glove hard shell case similar to the one I had with my MT3G.
I got the same case and have the exact same issues. Already ordered a TPU case to replace it.
I have the same case as well, and would have to say that I agree with all your points... one thing (maybe the only thing) I like about the case is that it didn't add a whole lot of bulk, and still fits in my Case Logic holster which already had a snug fit for the phone.
I got two of these off ebay and both fit the phone perfectly. I know what you're talking about with regards to fit though. I ran into the same problem with similar cases for the G1 several times.
Hi guys;
Today I finally got my case for SGS!
And in start, I have to say that is great, even I had some issues with installation of this case.
I have ordered my case from ExportPrive online shop: SGP Ultra slider hard case for SGS, and because I didn't wan't to pay more for delivery it took almost 3 weeks to get my case.
With case I got one SGP STEINHEIL Crystal Clear screen protector and 4 small protectors for camera lens:
And just to mention, I mess up aplication of screen protector so I got two boubles .
But later I removed that screen protector, because it was sooooo fingerprints sensitive, that after 5 min of use, protector got so messy that it has become totally reflective and has affected viewing experience of phones screen. But it didn't effect sliding of fingers over screen; sliding was nice and smooth.
Installation of case was a bit tricky; at first I have applied additional protective stickers, but as I have realized, they affected positioning of phone inside case, so I wasn't able to close case properly. So I have to remove all those stickers and cut part of internal padding to make phone fit more nicely inside case:
After that I notice that bottom part of case didn't "click" on top part, or to be more exact, it did, but not enough to make a solid connection. So I use lighter to melt part of bottom case and made additional ridge, to make it connect better with top part:
But be VERY careful while doing this; this plastic is very sensitive to heat, so it melts very fast!
After that, case fit nicely, close nicely and remain solid and rigid.
Video:
youtube;wmYSbqu3W0A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmYSbqu3W0A
Over all, i'm happy with this case, and all this small issues ware something that I expected, so it didn't affect my overall impression of case.
But I'm disappointed with screen protector; those bubbles ware not a issue (i remove them with no problem later), but issue with fingerprints made this screen protector useless, because it affected screen visibility and look of phone, because it made fingerprints more pronounced.
So, for case, I'll give rating of 4/5, and for screen protector 2/5.
Yeah I also got this case from the same site, I must say I'm very pleased with this case and it seems that its very good for protecting it,
Thanks for the good review
Nice work, what ROM and clock is that ?
So this case is hard plastic no rubber to it?
If it is hard plastic when you drop it on impact wouldn't the case just break and absorb none of the impact unlike a rubber case
TieNN89 said:
So this case is hard plastic no rubber to it?
If it is hard plastic when you drop it on impact wouldn't the case just break and absorb none of the impact unlike a rubber case
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it breaks then it absorbed all of the impact.
@OP
I didnt have to burn anything on mine or cut the padding that was installed, its a pretty good casing but theres.
The only bad thing about the white casing is that when there are scratches at the back with in the camera hole ( horizontally from edge to edge ) its gonna show up like a black line, this is true for all colors except the black.
After getting an Otterbox Defender case for my iPod Touch and liking the level of protection it gave, the minute I bought my Atrix 2 I hoped they made one for it. Luckily they have a couple cases for it, the Commuter and the Defender. After careful consideration I went with the Commuter for a few reasons, less bulky, I don't use hip holsters and I thought it would be like the Defender for my iPod and have a built in screen protector....Since the screen on the A2 is beveled on the edges I didn't think that would work out too good. I bought my case on Amazon from a seller named "Alwayz on Sale" for $24.99 + $4.48 shipping. My experience with this seller was as expected, quick order processing, quick shipping, product arrived as advertised, even a couple days early too. Just received it this afternoon and installed it this evening when I got home from work, here's my take on it.
The case consists of two parts, a silicone sleeve and a polycarbonate shell. Also included are a self adhesive screen protector, a screen cleaning cloth and a "squeegee" card to help push the air bubbles out from under the protector. The first thing I did was mocked up the screen protector to see how it fit. This is a major fail by Otterbox! The protector does not cover the whole screen, it just covers up to the beveled edge of it. Not only that but at the top where the cutout is for the speaker and camera is there are not separate cutouts for each, there is just one large notch type cutout. And since the camera is lower than the speaker, the cutout goes down far enough to clear the camera and then straight over, then up the right side of the speaker. The end result is some screen real estate not protected by the cover directly under the ear speaker. In the grand scheme of things this is just a tiny part of the screen, but it's a detail that should have been given better treatment. I imagine it would be difficult to produce a self adhesive screen protector to fit like a glove over the A2's beveled screen, I get it, but for those looking for full screen protection this is not the answer.
I was let down with the screen protector but still had high expectations for the case itself and it didn't disappoint. The silicone sleeve feels quality, is relatively thick and seems like it will absorb much of the shock and jarring from falls and what not. It fits nicely on the phone, it's a snug fit like you'd expect. Then came time to install the polycarbonate shell....being the impatient mofo I am I coudn't be bothered to look for instructions on the best way to do this. The shell encapsulates the sleeve/phone so it's not just a slide it into place and move on type of deal. The way I did it was slid the phone with the sleeve installed top first into the shell, then pressed the right side of the phone down into the shell taking care not to put too much pressure or force on the buttons as it slid into place. Lastly I grabbed the left side of the shell and kind of bent it backward, if that makes sense, and pushed the phone down into place and let the shell go so it "grabbed" the phone and held it in place like it should. I then checked the port covers to ensure they were lined up right and opened and closed properly, then tested the buttons to make sure they were lined up right as well. No problems here.
With the case fully installed I inspected it's build quality and fitment and was not let down. No sharp edges anywhere, no molding overhang, the mic opening at the top and bottom of the phone were aligned perfectly, the beveled edges surrounding the rear camera and speaker was a nice touch, ensuring no interference with either. Obviously, the case did add some bulk and weight to the phone but that was to be expected. However it's not an exaggerated bulk, it's just enough to put your mind at ease knowing that if you were to drop your phone, it's not likely to get damaged. The silicone sleeve is borders the face of the phone, allowing you to set it face down without worry of it resting on the screen. The raised buttons are easy to press and make for especially easy locking/unlocking of the phone for people with fat fingers like me. The only thing I don't like, aside from the screen protector, is the lack of silicone in strategic spots on the shell to ensure improved grip. There is none. The shell is just that, a plastic shell, so it's quite slippery to hold. There is so much room on both sides of the phone that they easily could have cut out a large opening in the shell on both sides and allowed the silicone shell to fit in said openings giving much improved grip. That's about the only thing I could see that could be improved with this case. And the screen protector. There is a good thing about the plastic shell though, it should allow easy entry and removal from pockets. That's one that I like about it over the Defender case for my iPod, which is housed in a poly shell with the silicone sleeve wrapped over the shell. And since I keep my phone in my pocket, should work well for me, as long as I don't drop it.
Luckily I had some experience with Otterbox before so when I placed this order I ordered an Xtreme Guard screen protector for it as well. This combo results in 99.9% frontal protection of the phone. The only part not protected is a tiny area above the camera as the cutout for it is a U shaped one, not a circle. I highly suggest the same skin type protector if you go with this case so you get a complete, form fitting screen protection. Overall I give this case 4 out of 5 stars, with a better screen protector and improved grip like I mentioned above, it would easily get 5.
Great write up. I have a speck case which cover the beveled edge nicely just waiting for a decent screen protector.
Sent from my MB865 using xda premium
cuhrazy said:
Great write up. I have a speck case which cover the beveled edge nicely just waiting for a decent screen protector.
Sent from my MB865 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. The Otterbox covers the beveled edge nicely too.
sent from my Motorola Atrix 2 via Tapatalk
Not sure what the issue is but I seem to have developed a case of the butter fingers cause I've dropped my phone 3 times now....not a scratch/dent/scuff on it
What about some pics?
nahuelarg86 said:
What about some pics?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would require that I go get some new batteries for my DSLR....maybe I'll pick some up while out shopping this weekend.
Here you go!
Got this case a few months back from amazon. So far i've had a few falls and it's protected the phone very well. It feels solid and fits like a glove, i'd recommend this case to anyone with an Atrix 2 (save those with an oversized 4000mAh batter).:good:
I've got the Defender and it's awesome !! I rate it 5 stars!
Sent from my MB865 using xda premium
Recently applied bestskinsever.com front and back skins to my D850.
http://www.bestskinsever.com/lg-g3-skin
I ordered the glossy front and the matte rear. The glossy front keeps the phone looking exactly like it does from the factory. I ordered the matte rear because the phone does not have a glossy rear finish like many other smartphones. The matte rear goes very well with the "brushed metal" look of the back plate. It even creates a slight pearling/frosting effect with the white. I am happy with my choices.
Bestskinsever is such a better buy than the other brands...I got mine for $11.99 shipped to my door which is a fraction of what other brands charge for just the front! It comes in a flat envelope with instructions.
You need to make your own application solution out of water a dish soap, but that's not a huge deal at all. I won't really go into the whole installation process because there are tons of videos out there detailing how to install wet phone skins.
Front:
It is well made and is the same quality I have always expected from them. The cutouts for the camera, light, and motion sensors were perfectly positioned as well as the cutout for the speaker.
I was a bit apprehensive about the overall size of the front skin though. It was slightly smaller than the front of the phone on all four sides. I thought that as a result, it would be obvious that the phone has a skin on it since the skin wouldn't reach all the way to each edge.
My worries quickly subsided once I applied the skin to the phone though. Being slightly smaller made it easier to position the skin on the screen without the edges of the skin hanging over the sides of the phone...making them more susceptible to capturing dirt or peeling off. Once finished, it was an excellent fit. The only way you can tell this phone has a skin on the front is by looking closely at the camera/sensors where the skin has its cutouts. SATISFIED!
Back:
The back was a less pleasing experience. Yes, the cutouts for the laser sensor, camera, flash, buttons, and speaker are positioned perfectly. However, do you remember how the front was ever-so-slightly smaller than the actual front of the phone, which made installation easier? Well unfortunately, bestskinsever did not create the back piece this way. The piece is pretty much exactly the same size as the back plate of the phone.
Lining up the skin perfectly as intended with all the cutouts exactly in their places made it very difficult to keep the corners of the skin adhered. This is due to the curvature of the phone and was most prominent at the top corners. To combat this, I removed the skin and placed it slightly lower on the phone so the top edges would have a fighting chance of staying stuck down. I achieved a reasonable amount of success at the top of the phone, while keeping the cutouts reasonably in place.
The bottom of the phone definitely has a small amount of overhang as a result, which in my opinion is not as bad as the top corners were looking prior to re-positioning. I'm curious how the overhang is going to hold up over time. I'm anticipating that it will probably begin to collect grime/lint but we will see. Hopefully since it is the matte finish that anything it does collect will be less apparent. If I hear from bestskinsever that they will be revising the rear skin to make it slightly smaller like the front, I'll definitely pick one up.
You can see the imperfections at the top and bottom. I do love the slight pearling/frosting effect that it creates though.
is this just a clear vinyl wrap?
Yup, that's correct.
I have never been a fan of phone cases because they make the phone bulky and heavy. Plus I just like the way today's smartphones look...they are pretty lol.
Update on the skin after being installed for a few weeks now.
The front is still acceptable. The edges have stayed completely stuck down and there is no dirt starting to accumulate on any of the edges. When looking at it with the screen off at certain angles, you can see that there have been some imperfections that have developed randomly across the surface. I'm not sure what has caused them. They aren't scratches at all...more like indentations, but when rubbing your finger over the surface, it's still perfectly smooth.
The rear is a different story. Just like I predicted in my review of the back, the bottom edge that is overhanging has collected some dirt and grime. It has peeled away from the phone slightly as well. While the other there edges are staying adhered to the phone better, they are still accumulating grime and beginning to look dirty. Additionally, the large cutout for the buttons/camera is beginning to collect grime on the edges as well. The back of the phone doesn't look clean. Just seems kind of dingy.
Due to my dissatisfaction, I've ordered a Spigen Ultra Hybrid case (which will be arriving today). Definitely looking forward to peeling off the back skin and cleaning the phone. Liked this particular case because it has a clear polycarbonate back which should still allow the phone's "beauty" to show.
I'm glad bestskinsever gave me this skin for free just for writing a review, so I haven't really lost out on anything and I still have a decent screen protector.
Display + Buttons
Oblique angles
Rear, Texture, Hump, repeat Hump
Corners
Cutouts
What is aramid fiber? I don't know, please go look it up and be mindful of marketing.
Synthetic materials like carbon fiber, fiberglass, composite, aramid, kevlar, etc are just fun names for the same concept. You take strands of something really strong in one aspect but catastrophically fails if twisted or sheared or rubbed against itself. That's why you lay out all the fibers in certain directions then glue them in place and hope the glue prevents situations where the fibers are weak.
When you see aramid, think amine-based (nitrogen). Carbon alone (like in carbon fiber) blocks radio frequencies so no-go for phones. Nitrogen helps the fiber form similarly strong chains without RF obstruction that pure carbon sheet linkages cause. From what I've read, aramid is closer to kevlar but doesn't require the same tension for strength. Being 0.7mm thick, it's definitely not protective and you should only think of this as an alternative skin. From what I've read, the shock absorption is somewhere between glass and plastic. You are def getting worse drop protection than any real case.
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Ordered 2/7, received 2/26 (19 days, if math hard). I didn't take a picture of the box, but think fauxfiber-wrapped cardboard with foam inside. Sturdier than your Amazon package, closer to particle board tbh.
I paid $26 on aliexpress and would not recommend it if you need a case. I like the slim case but need a lip. I don't lay my display face down but still ... I love the rear, the button cutout is tolerable, and the lack of lip is a dealbreaker. I don't see any suitable alternatives so it's my daily for now.
Texture: the plastic feels amazing. Soft and grippy enough. My XPS 13 9360 has 1/10th the texture and is grippier. I have no complaints about the texture or grip and would not adjust either. It can be slippery for those concerned about that. After a week, it still looks and feels new. I'm not sure how scratch-resistamt this material is, but it definitely still feels superlative.
Finish: Minor variation/bumps at the corners. In general, straight lines are cut perfectly while rounded edges have small imperfections (<0.5mm). If you're struggling to see it in the photos, trust your eyes. I chose the camera cover variant for piece of mind (also comes in no-top/-bottom or camera-cut-out or both). You can see that small space, which I really don't like. I can feel the case creak a bit in that area, and am certain that harder-than-glass particles will accumulate and scratch the lens.
Installation: it's not terribly hard to install, but removal can be scary. The small bridge of plastic over my 3.5mm port shows some visual strain. It's not quite a crack, but the aramid plastic is clearly discolored in a fracture pattern. It only appeared when I began to very gently remove it (to take inside pics for you...).
Ergonomics: I don't like the exposed buttons but feel like cutouts would have caused problems. Hard to install/remove, prone to stress fracture were avoided by just cutting that section out. This is why we see so many cheap hard cases just omit the top and bottom. You lose a little protection and also lose a little headache.
Personally: I didn't just buy a case to protect my phone. I was rocking the very protective and great-feeling case temporarily while the aramid fiber was en route. It's big and bulky, but it feels amazing in the hand and I highly recommend it if you can grab it for under $10. This aramid fiber one is basically a skin, and I like the look and feel despite the lack of protection. I'm going to keep using it while I seek an alternative or addition for some screen protection. I don't hate screen protectors, but would prefer just an ultra-minimal 3d-printed bumper or something. This is a lot of concession and effort for a case I paid $26 for. I don't think a skin would be a suitable alternative, but for anyone interested I implore you to reconsider a slim plastic that that has top/bottom coverage. How do I truly feel: god damn does this case feel good. Forget a skin, the in-hand feel during use is amazing and I recognize that my phone is basically caseless. I'll put the rugged case over this one rather than risk breaking it from frequent removal.
Things I would change: LIP, smaller button cutout . I paid $5 for a small sheet of fake carbon fiber for wrapping cars and plan on using it to pad the gap in the camera hump. It may be too thick, or just right. I might just cut a tiny ring to "seal" the camera holes. I originally intended on surrounding the buttons so it would be more flush, but think the effort is not worth the payoff.
Other: I had the Totallee leather case for the last couple months on my 3 XL (was $8 new on amazon) and the cutouts were atrocious. After several hours with an exacto knife and a small flame, I made the buttons easier to use and the USB-C port accept my big, thick plugs. I think with those mods, that was my ideal case. Very slim but stiff, ~0.3mm lip (1mm would have been nice), and the leather rear feels fantastic while the edges are more durable plastic for daily use.