This is a Review of Case-Mate Refined, Sports, and Studio Collections of S5 cases. http://www.case-mate.com/Samsung-Galaxy-S5-Cases/Samsung-Galaxy-S5-Cases.asp
I have been a fan of Case-Mate Tough case, used it on my Note 2, and reviewed it in the past to share my experience about it. One of the selling points of Tough case for me was it's very slim profile while still offering a decent drop protection. Once I got S5 for my wife and knowing she might not be a fan of bulky cases, I decided to get a review sample to see how it will look with S5. But here is a twist. Since this is technically not my phone, I figured it would be nice to look at some cases with a more flashy appeal for the ladies in our community who consider a smartphone as an accessory thus dressing it up accordingly. Since I got a lot of review samples and have a ton of pictures to share with you, I will try to be brief with my write up and let the pictures do the talking, but will offer my comments as well.
Let's start first with a Refined Collection samples. Just like the name states, it's more "refined" with a flashier look and more expensive material used to make each one stand out in it's own way. They each have a similar 2 piece design with a backplate piece which has a layer of thin shock absorption material and raised edges where you place your phone, and a frame piece you apply from the top which latches securely to backplate and holds S5 in place. Each design has it's unique back finish where Caliber (more appropriate for guys) uses some fancy material made out of GIO Ballistic Composite, Glam has a shiny sparkly finish under laminating anti-scratch cover, and Brilliance uses genuine crystal pieces (very securely glued to a surface) and leather. The rest of the material is plastic. They all have identical precise cutouts for all the ports, where Brilliance and Glam also offer metallic looking physical buttons for power and volume while Caliber has it in matching case color. I also have to note that a design gives S5 a squared off look in iPhone style. In my opinion it offers a level of protection for your phone to survive a drop, but with an exception of Caliber, it's hard to tell how much of a damage it will cause to a fancy backs of Brilliance and Glam. Furthermore, I noticed the case design wasn't too friendly with my tempered glass screen protector, where the edge of it was lifted off, but it shouldn't be a problem with a regular PET film screen protector. Obviously, the intention of these cases is to make a bold statement rather than being used while you are hiking outdoors or working on a construction. In addition, although Case-Mate is very well known for their super-coupons where you can save a lot of money, I would always start by looking on Amazon where you can find a better pricing for these.
Here are the pictures.
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Caliber
Glam
Brilliance
Next, let's take a look at Sports Collection which consist of Tough and Pop! Stand cases.
As I mentioned before, I'm quite familiar with Tough case for Note 2, so was expecting a similar one for S5. I found the case to be redesigned and now offering a better protection while still remaining relatively slim. The case offers dual layer protection with inner layer being a typical TPU shell for shock absorption. It has a nice snug fit, precise cutouts and alignments with all the port openings, metallic power and volume buttons - a nice touch you won't find with your typical TPU case, and a small lip to be able to place your phone case down without worrying about glass screen touching the surface. I found no issues with my tempered glass screen protector since softer TPU material wrapped around it rather than pushing on the sides. As a bonus, there is a second shell PC layer for impact resistance. It wraps around the TPU shell and securely latches to it. Another very important feature of this second layer is textured surface which offers an excellent grip for your hand, anti-skid protection when phone placed down on the flat surface, and still smooth enough to go easily in and out of your pocket without grabbing it.
If you are ready for a tougher protection, Pop! Stand will be your next choice. It's equally slim in comparison to Tough, but in my opinion it's fused dual layer design can take a bit more abuse. With inner TPU layer offering shock absorption and outer PC shell for impact resistance, it wraps your S5 very secure. Though the outer layer doesn't have the same textured finish, the side TPU grips compensate for that very nicely. Just like with Tough, Pop! has all the precisely aligned cutouts, but the power and volume buttons are part of TPU layer and sealed. They are made out of more flexible material to offer a tactile response of buttons. The bonus of this case is the kickstand which allows S5 to be placed in panoramic view for watching movies, etc. In comparison to Note 2 Pop! case which I also reviewed in the past, the rubber tip of this extended kickstand is better fused with the rest of it (in comparison to Note 2 Pop! design where it got separated after a short while). It also offers a small protection lip around the face of the phone and will secure a phone from sliding placed either on the back or the face down.
From the Studio collection, I received Naked Tough and Slim Tough cases.
As the name suggests, Naked Tough will make your phone look "naked" while still offering a level of Tough protection. This design consist of two pieces with an inner slim TPU bumper which also has metallic power and volume buttons, and an outer transparent PC back shell to go on top of it. It's very similar to Tough design with an exception of inner TPU shell being replaced with a bumper to keep back transparency. Obviously, it will not offer the same level of protection as a regular Tough case because you no longer have additional shock absorption layer on the back, but it has a very slim form factor, offers a bumper protection, as well as scratch protection of your battery cover. It will definitely help you if you drop your phone in it, but don't expect a high level of protection. This is more for a minimum protection while keeping it slim, easy in and out of the pocket, and no additional color beside your original S5 skin.
Slim Tough has a very similar 2-piece design as Refined collection without any fancy finish. It actually has an inner TPU shell which wraps around the phone, and a plastic frame piece that adds a nice bi-color detail including metallic buttons for power and volume. Slim Tough does a good job to square off the outline of S5 to make it look very iPhonish. As with other cases, all the ports have a precise cutout and nice alignment. In theory this case should be more durable than Refined collection since inner TPU shell fully wraps around the phone, but the protection level is still not exactly heavy duty.
vectron said:
From the Studio collection, I received Naked Tough and Slim Tough cases.
As the name suggests, Naked Tough will make your phone look "naked" while still offering a level of Tough protection. This design consist of two pieces with an inner slim TPU bumper which also has metallic power and volume buttons, and an outer transparent PC back shell to go on top of it. It's very similar to Tough design with an exception of inner TPU shell being replaced with a bumper to keep back transparency. Obviously, it will not offer the same level of protection as a regular Tough case because you no longer have additional shock absorption layer on the back, but it has a very slim form factor, offers a bumper protection, as well as scratch protection of your battery cover. It will definitely help you if you drop your phone in it, but don't expect a high level of protection. This is more for a minimum protection while keeping it slim, easy in and out of the pocket, and no additional color beside your original S5 skin.
Slim Tough has a very similar 2-piece design as Refined collection without any fancy finish. It actually has an inner TPU shell which wraps around the phone, and a plastic frame piece that adds a nice bi-color detail including metallic buttons for power and volume. Slim Tough does a good job to square off the outline of S5 to make it look very iPhonish. As with other cases, all the ports have a precise cutout and nice alignment. In theory this case should be more durable than Refined collection since inner TPU shell fully wraps around the phone, but the protection level is still not exactly heavy duty.
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Thanks for all the information! Why don't any of the cases cover the silver bezel!
Good question. Probably to keep it as slim as possible?
vectron said:
Good question. Probably to keep it as slim as possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BTW and completely OT, the granite countertop in your kitchen looks great.
Hi, could you please measure the dimensions (outside) of Sport Tough and Studio Slim Tough?
Related
This is a review of DBA Cases line of ThinGrip and Complete Ultra for Galaxy S4: http://www.dbacases.com/galaxy-s4.html
Being familiar with their line of Complete Ultra cases for Note 2, I got an opportunity to test/review their S4 version as well as ThinGrip which was new to me. What attracted me originally to DBA cases was not just a design with one of the best color selections of interchangeable parts, but actually the science behind the material their use. PC and TPU are the most common materials used in all of the cases, but these one are made out of a special mix that keeps every case super light, flexible, and durable.
Lets first start with ThinGrip. From the first look you might think, uh seen this thin shell wrap-around design already. Well, not really because most likely what you have seen was a cheap plastic cases intended just for scratch protection of the battery phone cover. ThinGrip design wraps around all the corners and along the sides providing you not only a back protection but also a corner protection as well. The top/bottom and volume/power buttons are open. Speaker and camera/flash cutouts are precisely aligned. What sets this design apart is the material and finish of it. This is not a typical hard plastic mold but a flexible PC material that will not crack if you drop the case or flex it to take the phone out. I would not go as far as telling you it will offer a great drop protection outdoors. That's not an intention of it, but I can tell you it will provide some acceptable drop protection for indoor use and maybe even in some occasions outside. The flex nature of the material will distribute the shock and the grip of this Thin case will keep phone from falling out of the case. It will also keep the screen from touching the surface if placed face down, and will offer a nice friction with a surface both face up/down. Also, the sides of the case have a nice bumpy pattern for a comfortable hand grip. And to enhance this experience the whole case has this smooth rubbery finish inside out. This is one of the thinnest and lightweight cases you can find which also offers more than just scratch protection. Plus, you get a variety of 6 cool colors. http://www.dbacases.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-thin-grip-african-violet.html
The Complete Ultra takes it to the next level with enhanced drop protection of dual-layer design. I will talk more in details about each layer further in my review, but DBA took this dual-layer concept to a next dimension by offering a selection of 6 unique colors for its outer Ultra PC layer and 7 unique colors for its inner Ultra TPU layer where you can buy each one separately or in predefined combos as part of Complete Ultra. This way you're no longer locked into the same color combination and able to mix'n'match different PC/TPU colors to dress up your S4 for any occasion.
Now about the Complete Ultra case itself. The combo of PC/TPU is very lightweight. Inner TPU layer is thin, yet feels very durable. Typically similar dual-layer design cases have inner silicone sleeve for shock absorption which is usually too soft and pulls around the edges. This one is made out of a more rubbery flexible material and holds better around the edges, although you do get some pull next to volume buttons (due to the large cutout). All the cutouts are very precise and aligned perfectly. Power/Volume are not covered, and cutout around those areas makes it very easy to access corresponding buttons. This inner TPU layer can even be used by itself. In addition to back matte finish, the side grip and bottom parts of the case which are outside of outer layer are thicker and glossy. The sides actually offers a very nice textured design for an additional grip - a very important detail. For an enhanced protection, this Ultra Complete design adds an outer PC layer. And let me tell you, I never seen anything like this. It's not your typical Polycarbonate plastic material. First of all it has a very nice rubbery-soft coating which is anti-scratch, thanks to its triple coated process. Apparently this PC is some advanced Flex material which according to DBA used in bullet resistant glass and cockpit canopy of F-22 Raptor Jet Fighter. I know it's a mouthful, but I was able to completely bend it without snapping it in pieces and it flexed back to its original shape like brand new. I took a picture of that as well. So pretty much it's designed to flex instead of breaking if you drop the case. I also want to mention that this outer layer offers a very decent back and corner protection once assembled together with inner TPU layer. Also, captured in pictures, you get an acceptable lip around edges of the phone so you don't have to worry about putting it face down on the surface. But in general, you can put your phone down on it's face without a worry of screen touching the surface or phone sliding across the surface. The same goes for outer layer which adds some nice friction where you don't have to worry about phone sliding across the slippery surface. http://www.dbacases.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-complete-ultra.html
Overall, I was very pleased with this product and found the quality of its material to be exceptional. The capability to mix and match colors is definite a great idea where you can customize your case just by getting another PC or TPU piece.
Now, here are the pictures.
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This is a review of Trident Perseus, Aegis, and Cyclops cases for S5. http://www.tridentcase.com/shop-products/samsung-galaxy-s-v/
In the past I have reviewed a lot of different Trident cases for smartphones and tablets, and was always pleased with their design, build quality, and very reasonable pricing (make sure to check Amazon for that). That's why I was very excited to get an opportunity to review their cases for the new Galaxy S5. Cleverly partitioned into different series, these offer various levels of protection depending on your use. Here, I'm going to look at Perseus Series (light-weight protection), Aegis Series (everyday protection), and Cyclops Series (tough protection) cases.
Starting with Perseus, I was very impressed with a packaging box which provided a full display of the case and a detailed description of features on the back. In addition to a case, Trident also included a film screen protector which is a nice bonus. The case itself is constructed of shock absorbing TPU gel material. Although rated as light-duty protection, it's actually of a better quality than typical cheap TPU cases. It has precise cutouts and alignment with all S5 ports, and power and volume buttons are covered. It should protect your phone from scratches and will provide a basic drop protection. The lip around the screen will keep it off the surface if placed face down, and it also offers anti-skid protection and no wobbling when placed face up. Also, it features a smooth surface finish so it will be easy in and out of the pocket.
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When you ready to step up to a more serious protection, Aegis Series is the way to go. It consists of two layers, inner shock-absorbing silicone layer and outer hardened PC plastic shell. In addition, it also comes with a screen protector. According to description of features on the back of the packaging box, this case actually meets or exceeds Military standards (MIL-STD-810F for vibration and drop), and it sure feels like it. Inner silicone layer has nice textured thicker back padding and also a thicker all around bumper with enhanced corner protection. The screen bumper is raised so there shouldn't be any issues placing the phone down on the screen. It also has attached port covers for micro-usb and headphone ports. I do have to mention because this is silicone material there is a little bit of pull around the edges. At the same time, I have not noticed it being lint magnet, it worked great with my tempered glass screen protector, and it felt pocket friendly. Outer PC shell wraps around the back with extra layer of protection and with side grips to keep inner shell from sliding off. Also, it has a dust cover for the speaker port. Both shells interconnect with a precision and wrap around S5 to give a solid feel. In addition to covering headphone, micro-usb, and speaker ports, power/volume buttons are covered as well and have a very nice tactile feedback response. The camera/flash is one common opening, and with border lining of inner silicone layers it makes sure your don't get flash reflection which often a problem on white cases where pictures get overexposed.
When you think about Tough Protection cases, lightweight and slim doesn't jump into your mind. Lightweight and slim doesn't go together with a case which has been build to meet or exceed MIL-STD810F standard by independent testing, including a requirement to survive 26 drops onto concrete from 4ft height. Well, I hope your phone/case will never have to experience this kind of a torture because guys at Trident already verified it for you So let's take a closer look at how this Cyclops monster looks!
Once you take it out of the box, you can't help but notice how lightweight it is. At only 62g and with a very slim profile it will not add too much bulk to your S5. But don't let the light weight and slim design fool you. The case is made out of two fused layers of TPE and PC material to provide a serious shock-absorbing impact protection. The power and volume buttons are fully covered while still having a nice tactile response. The same with headphone and micro-usb ports, covered by a flexible flap of TPE layer extension. Every other port opening has a precise cutout and perfect alignment with S5. You can also find a skid pad around the whole back perimeter to prevent case from sliding off any surface. But the best feature of the case is the removable screen protector. It's permanently attached to an outer frame piece that goes on top and interlocks with a case. Once locked, it creates a solid seal with virtually no movement of the phone inside of the case. The screen protector has a cutout for home button, top speaker, and front camera. It worked great even with my tempered glass screen protector and I didn't notice any issues with screen touch sensitivity. Obviously, its not waterproof case, but you will be able to use your phone in some mild rain and wind with this extra seal protection. There is also a loop opening in the lower corner to attach a lanyard for extra security while using your phone outdoors.
Really cool cases. I especially like the fact that some of them have the port covers for the headphone jack and the usb plug. Most for the cases being made for the S5 don't have this feature and I guess It's not the biggest deal in the world but I prefer them. I guess I'm just accustomed to having them.
I tried out the Aegis case for my S5 with the wireless charging back and can confirm that it will not fit. However, I was surprised at how bad the quality has become on Trident's cases. I've owned other Trident cases in the past and they felt pretty solid, but the newer builds have a much thinner silicone layer that provides very little protection. I would definitely spend the extra cash to go with an Otterbox.
This is a Review of Seidio DILEX Pro case for Galaxy Note 4. http://www.seidioonline.com/samsung-galaxy-note-4-dilex-pro-combo-black-p/bd2-ht2ssgt4k-bk.htm
As I usually say, you have to be living under a rock not to be familiar with Seidio line of popular cases such as SURFACE, DILEX (former ACTIVE), CONVERT, OBEX, etc. I had a pleasure to review and to post about these in our forums for a lot of different Galaxy phones and Nexus tablets. For me SURFACE and ACTIVE was always like two siblings, until ACTIVE name was replaced with DILEX and now enhanced with DILEX Pro. I think it was a good decision to rename it because some people probably associate Active with a more rugged outdoor design, something expected from CONVERT or OBEX cases. Either way, no matter what you call it - it's still the same design principle with an inner shock absorbing shell and outer soft rubbery flexible pc shell. This design stayed very similar throughout the last few years and dozens of models, until now. The “Pro” suffix took it to a whole new level of slim protection adding only 2.2mm of thickness! Here is what I found.
This two-layer interlocking design always surprised me with how Seidio was able to keep it thin and durable. But the latest reincarnation of ACTIVE/DILEX moved it even closer to SURFACE level with a lot of other design improvements without compromising the protection of your phone. This case used to have inner silicon shell with a rather stretchy fit. The new version has a slim form fitting TPU layer with a honeycomb pattern of Hexguard technology. You still get extra shock absorption cushioning and will be able to accommodate different screen protectors including various tempered glass brands where you don't have to worry about case pushing on the edges. During the test I had no issues with my tempered glass protector. Since this is not a soft silicone anymore, I’m no longer will be complaining about the material being a lint magnet. The exoskeleton shell goes over inner TPU shell to secure its position, and adds an additional layer of protection around the sides and the top/bottom of the Note 4. The outer shell material is flexible which is very important during a drop to survive any cracks. Soft rubbery finish is very nice to the touch and adds non-slippery grip as well as being very easy in-and-out of the pocket. There are two distinct sculptured grip points on each side of the inner shell which accessible from the cutouts of outer shell. These are strategically placed at the lower part of the phone for an enhanced grip.
Once interlocked and on your phone, every port opening has a precise cutout and perfect alignment. As a matter of fact, you have a very generous micro-usb opening to accommodate different connectors, a decent headphone opening for even fatter plugs, and S-pen opening is wide enough for a comfortable access. Also, DILEX Pro has universal bottom left mic opening to accommodate all Note 4 versions, including Verizon. Volume/Power buttons are covered and easy to push, and have a nice tactile response. Another star of this design is metal kickstand with a magnetic closure. It always adds a classy touch to Seidio cases, has a sturdy construction, and magnet doesn't interfere or blocks phone’s functionality. This kickstand is intended for a landscape viewing mode only, not the portrait. Last but not least accessory is a holster, something I always praise in my Seidio reviews. Besides felt lining to protect the display of the phone and swivel belt clip with a precise click mechanism, it has a very secure spring loaded clip for easy removal of the phone.
Overall, Seidio finally broke the mold of their classic ACTIVE/DILEX design with a new Pro version of it. They didn’t necessary re-invented the wheel, but surely improved it by making slimmer and slicker version while still keeping a high level of protection. People always used to look at SURFACE as the slimmest case in Seidio collection. Now DILEX Pro is going to challenge that, though you have to keep in mind that advantage of SURFACE is compatibility with OBEX layer for more advanced protection. But unfortunately SURFACE is not very friendly with tempered glass screen protectors, so if you want to keep it slim with a dual-layer protected – DILEX Pro will be a great choice. As always, shop around on Amazon where you can find the best deal on these cases.
Here are the pictures.
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Thanks, Vectron, for your detailed post and great photos.
After much searching, I think I'm leaning towards the Dilex Pro for my Note 4. I have the white phone and was thinking of the white case, but read a brief comment on the Seidio web site that caught my attention:
Our glossed white cases are smooth and polished
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Click to collapse
The answer to my question is probably self-evident, but I'll ask anyway, just to be sure:
QUESTION: Does the "Glossed White" Dilex Pro case have a different finish than the other colors - specifically, its it more slippery?
I owned an S4 before the Note 4 - which met its demise when I dropped it on a tile floor and shattered the display. Overall, it was a great phone, but the damned thing was so slippery that its amazing that it lasted as long as it did (I know, I could have been using a case all along, but I just hate the extra size and weight that a real protective case adds). I was happy to see that the Note 4 had a textured back, though in the last week of ownership I've found it to be equally slippery as the smoother S4 back. Add the metal edges (which I don't understand what all of the hype is about, but I digress...), and it's dangerously slippery, even with my carrier's insurance plan (and commensurately high deductible).
I've been attracted to the Seidio cases because of the rubbery, grippy finish that everyone describes. I just want to make sure that the white color has the same texture - or that I choose another color, instead. TIA for any first-hand feedback from white Dilex owners.
This is a review of Otterbox cases for Galaxy S6, Commuter Series: http://www.otterbox.com/en-us/samsung-galaxy-s6/commuter-series-case/sam4-galaxy-s6-byo.html#start=1 (available on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/OtterBox-COMMUTER-Samsung-Galaxy-Packaging/dp/B00TYTDN6Q/) and Defender Series: http://www.otterbox.com/en-us/samsung-galaxy-s6/defender-series-case/sam2-galaxy-s6-byo.html#start=1 (available on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/OtterBox-DEFENDER-Samsung-Galaxy-Packaging/dp/B00TYTBGOC/)
There is no denial, Otterbox is probably considered to be among the most popular brand names when it comes to smartphone cases. As a matter of fact “Defender” became part of our vocabulary referring to cases with tough multi-layer protection. And even in todays highly competitive and over-saturated market of smartphone accessories, a lot of the people still put safety of their phones in hands of Otterbox. Here I got a chance to test their latest versions of Commuter and Defender series for Galaxy S6.
Typically, Otterbox retail packaging has a nice presentation inside of a plastic clear box. I’m sure most of you are familiar with it or have seen it at Best Buy or your local carrier store. Since I received my review samples directly from Otterbox, they came inside of separately labeled small plastic bags. But regardless of packaging you receive these in, I would recommend saving it along with your purchase receipt. Otterbox warranty process is very thorough, and though it states “one year”, I know of situations when people submitted a claim with a picture of a damaged case and proof of purchase after warranty expired and were able to receive their replacement. True, you are paying premium, but you are also getting a reasonable support in return. More about the actual cases next.
Starting with Commuter Series, you get a dual layer protection with an inner silicone shock absorption layer and an outer PC impact resistant layer. In addition, Commuter case also comes with a film screen protector, to protect your display from scratches. The inner silicone layer has sealed power and volume buttons to keep dirt and dust away, while still having a nice tactile response. Micro usb charging and headphone opening both have port covers to protect from external elements, though it also adds some pressure on the connectors when you have charging cable or headphone jack plugged in. From my personal experience, if this bothers you – you can always cut them off. Other port openings at the top, bottom, and back of the case have precise cutouts and perfect alignment with S6.
The assembly of the case is straight forward where you start with an inner sleeve, making sure phone is fully inserted, edges are covered, and power and volume buttons are alignment, and then apply the outer shell. Once assembled, the case adds some bulk but at the expense of an additional protection. The inner silicone shell provides a decent front screen bumper allowing you to put phone face down. Also, you get a decent grip since outer plastic layer doesn’t fully cover silicone shell sides. Unfortunately, the outer PC shell is a bit slippery in your hands and could become a problem when placing your phone face up where it can slide off smooth surface if bumped. At the same time, smooth back cover means an easy way in and out of the pocket. Another observation, this case works well with most of the film protectors and some thin tempered glass protectors where silicone bumper of the inner layers shouldn’t lift the edges off.
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While Commuter series is considered to be their “slimmer” version, Defender series adds some noticeable bulk with a full wrap around protection, but it’s too bad. Either way, it’s a price to pay for an ultimate protection – and that’s exactly what you are going to get! Starting with an inner interlocking PC shell you have a built-in screen protector and also another thin layer of shock absorbent material inside of that shell. A built-in screen protector is film based and has a cutout for home button. The assembly of inner plastic case was a huge improvement over the previous Defender cases where tabs are a lot easier now to interlock and pull apart. On top of that, you have another silicone shock absorption layer placed over the PC shell. That piece adds another layer of shock protection and also significantly improves a grip. Also, you don’t have to worry anymore about your phone sliding off the surface when placed face up. Of course, facing down you also have a considerable amount of front lip to keep it off the surface. Just keep in mind this is just a film screen protector where any direct impact will not protect your display. For that you will need a tempered glass protector, but with Defender you can only use a thin tempered glass to fit inside of the inner shell.
Just like with a Commuter, Defender has micro usb and headphone ports covered and protected from any dirt and dust. Also, volume and power buttons are covered and have a nice tactile response when pressed. The rest of the ports have precise cutouts and perfect alignment. The only issue which still remains is micro-usb port opening being limited by plastic guards of the inner shell that allow only use of an average or narrow charging connectors. It’s probably not going to be an issue for majority, but I do have to acknowledge that some micro-usb cables with a larger connector might not fit.
Last but not least, Otterbox also comes with a belt-clip holster which allows you to carry your Defender case attached to the belt. Belt-clip holster will come especially handy when you spend a lot of time outdoors. The Defender case fits inside of the holster both face in and face out. Typically for extra protection you would want to keep it face in, but there is also an advantage to place it face out since a belt clip locks in open position and doubles as a kickstand to place your S6 in landscape orientation to watch a movie or to play a video, etc.
Overall, lately I noticed that people prefer to minimize and to slim down their cases. Even a slim case can enhance a phone grip and provide a very minimum drop protection. But it’s not enough if you are camping or hiking or work outdoors where your Galaxy S6 is going to be exposed to a rough handling. The choice between Commuter or Defender will give you some room to decide how much protection you need depending on your everyday activities, but regardless of your choice – both of the cases will give you a piece of mind with a decent drop protection. I know a number of people who got both of these cases with Commuter for everyday use and Defender for when they’re going on biking or camping. Of course, everything is up to a personal preference, but if you require a maximum level of protection – Otterbox cases should be on your list to consider.
Very Nice Review, Thank You.
Does the phone slide around inside of the plastic shell after you snap it together but before you install the outer silicone?
felloffthetruck said:
Very Nice Review, Thank You.
Does the phone slide around inside of the plastic shell after you snap it together but before you install the outer silicone?
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No, it wedged in there pretty tight! Otherwise, it would defeat the purpose of "defender"
vectron said:
No, it wedged in there pretty tight! Otherwise, it would defeat the purpose of "defender"
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Yea, I have the Defender for the S6 and the it was pretty loose inside of the plastic shell. Otterbox is sending me a new shell.
felloffthetruck said:
Yea, I have the Defender for the S6 and the it was pretty loose inside of the plastic shell. Otterbox is sending me a new shell.
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Click to collapse
Are you keeping the old one as well? Would be interesting to a/b to see what they have changed or if your original one was defective? Actually if you think about, being loose inside might be to your advantage since you can probably get away with tempered glass screen protector if there is any extra room
Do either of these cases work with wireless charging? That's what I'm curious about. Is the flash hampered by the cases in any way?
Sent from my SM-G920W8 using XDA Free mobile app
This is a review of Otterbox Symmetry case for Galaxy S6 Edge. http://www.otterbox.com/en-us/galaxy-s6-edge/symmetry-series-case/sam28-galaxy-s6-edge.html , soon to be available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/OtterBox-Symmetry-Samsung-Galaxy-Edge/dp/B00X0X3EQ6/)
You have to be living under a rock not to be familiar with Defender/Commuter cases – two well known smartphone case models from Otterbox. But with a high demand for a durable protection while keeping it slim, Otterbox came up with a new single piece case design called Symmetry. After reviewing their Symmetry S6 case I was curious to see how it will scale up to a more unique screen of S6 edge. Here is what I found after reviewing their S6 Edge version.
Arrived in their typical retail packaging, you get a good glimpse of the case under the clear cover of the front display. Otterbox refers to their new Symmetry Series as "balancing protection and style". I guess that's were a symmetry comes from, to give you the best of both worlds. Otterbox cases have their own unique style and selection of different colors, but they always put protection ahead of style as their #1 priority. With Symmetry they truly moved forward balancing both without sacrificing either one.
The case has a slick dual layer molded design where inner shock absorbent rubber frame is fused with outer PC drop/scratch protection hard shell. Looks like Otterbox decided to reduce the weight of the case, and they switched from using a denser honeycomb pattern to a new wider triangular pattern. Regardless of this change, the case still has decent shock absorption. The outer shell has a tough matte finish which is not slippery in your hands and enhanced by a rubber grip of inner shell bumper sticking out from underneath.
Contrary to S6 where you have raised edges all the way around to keep the screen off the surface, Edge case has only the top and the bottom lip edges to protect the display from contact with a surface or if you drop it flat on the surface. Every port is open and perfectly aligned without any obstruction. Even the power and volume covered rubber buttons are easier to push, in comparison to my Note 4 Symmetry case version.
Overall, if you want to cut down on a bulk of your case and prefer a single piece design that will look good and also will give you a protection on a level of Commuter series (minus micro-usb and headphone port covers) - Symmetry will be a great choice to consider!
Here are the pictures.
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I was looking into this, but It's just too ugly and too expensive. Have you tried the unicorn beetle from supcase?
Sent from my SM-G925T using Tapatalk
Oliv3 said:
I was looking into this, but It's just too ugly and too expensive. Have you tried the unicorn beetle from supcase?
Sent from my SM-G925T using Tapatalk
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I wouldn't exactly call it ugly, it just too plain vanilla But still offers a good protection, and it's slim. With Otterbox cases, if you can wait, during intro they go at full price but after awhile price goes does significantly.
I received review samples of Supcase in the past, for other phones. I found fitment to be poor and material quality was not that great either. I gave them my feedback without posting review (probably a year or so ago). Perhaps their quality went up, who knows.
vectron said:
This is a review of Otterbox Symmetry case for Galaxy S6 Edge. http://www.otterbox.com/en-us/galaxy-s6-edge/symmetry-series-case/sam28-galaxy-s6-edge.html , soon to be available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/OtterBox-Symmetry-Samsung-Galaxy-Edge/dp/B00X0X3EQ6/?tag=vectron00-20)
You have to be living under a rock not to be familiar with Defender/Commuter cases – two well known smartphone case models from Otterbox. But with a high demand for a durable protection while keeping it slim, Otterbox came up with a new single piece case design called Symmetry. After reviewing their Symmetry S6 case I was curious to see how it will scale up to a more unique screen of S6 edge. Here is what I found after reviewing their S6 Edge version.
Arrived in their typical retail packaging, you get a good glimpse of the case under the clear cover of the front display. Otterbox refers to their new Symmetry Series as "balancing protection and style". I guess that's were a symmetry comes from, to give you the best of both worlds. Otterbox cases have their own unique style and selection of different colors, but they always put protection ahead of style as their #1 priority. With Symmetry they truly moved forward balancing both without sacrificing either one.
The case has a slick dual layer molded design where inner shock absorbent rubber frame is fused with outer PC drop/scratch protection hard shell. Looks like Otterbox decided to reduce the weight of the case, and they switched from using a denser honeycomb pattern to a new wider triangular pattern. Regardless of this change, the case still has decent shock absorption. The outer shell has a tough matte finish which is not slippery in your hands and enhanced by a rubber grip of inner shell bumper sticking out from underneath.
Contrary to S6 where you have raised edges all the way around to keep the screen off the surface, Edge case has only the top and the bottom lip edges to protect the display from contact with a surface or if you drop it flat on the surface. Every port is open and perfectly aligned without any obstruction. Even the power and volume covered rubber buttons are easier to push, in comparison to my Note 4 Symmetry case version.
Overall, if you want to cut down on a bulk of your case and prefer a single piece design that will look good and also will give you a protection on a level of Commuter series (minus micro-usb and headphone port covers) - Symmetry will be a great choice to consider!
Here are the pictures.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ugly, huge. Makes the edge look silly.