I dropped my case enclosed Note 2 and... - Galaxy Note II Accessories

So I'm looking at Note 2 cases and want something not too bulky but provides protection from accidental drops.
All these "I've dropped my Note 2 and it cracked" threads are freaking me out.
No case review site has test drops, so I'm looking to you and asking that you share your stories about dropping your phone, if it survived, and what case you had on.
I haven't seen a thread like this before so hope others will find it useful.
I personally have seen the Otterbox Defender on a friends Note2 and he dropped it many times with no problems.
However, that thing is ginormous, and doubles the size of the phone.
I'm looking for something that'll still fit in my pocket.
So my question to you:
1) what case?
2) dropped on what surface as how high?
3) what happened?
- nothing, works great!
- cosmetic damage, but screen good, works well.
- screen cracked...
- screen fine, but internal damage affecting functionality...
Thanks for your time!

go look at note 2 otterbox vids.on youtube... dude throws it out the second story window etc.

Cruzerlite. Had dropped out of the hip pocket of my sweats and I bent over to pick up a piece of mail I dropped out of the mail box. Was a pretty short drop, probably less than 2 feet as I was fully bent over when it fell out, and never in a million years would have imagined that small drop would have broke it. Not a bad break, just a hairline crack going from the home button to the ear piece.

FIREONHIGH said:
go look at note 2 otterbox vids.on youtube... dude throws it out the second story window etc.
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Read the OP, he doesn't want anything that large.
Back on topic: I've dropped my note 2 about 3 or 4 times now, all without a case, all I have is a small, barely noticeable scratch in the chrome bezel and what I noticed the other day is on the bottom right corner the chrome seems to have been rubbed off somehow. I'm now using a samsung the case, seems like it'll provide pretty good protection for its size. It completely covers the chrome bezel, and the outer edge is a softer material so it should do some (albeit not much) shock absorption while the back of the case is hard plastic (and a fingerprint magnet, this must be why there's no black note 2 although one would have looked brilliant.)
I should also add that I've pretty much always dropped I on a wooden floor, which is a bit more forgiving than tiles or concrete
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

DeoreDX said:
Cruzerlite. Had dropped out of the hip pocket of my sweats and I bent over to pick up a piece of mail I dropped out of the mail box. Was a pretty short drop, probably less than 2 feet as I was fully bent over when it fell out, and never in a million years would have imagined that small drop would have broke it. Not a bad break, just a hairline crack going from the home button to the ear piece.
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Hope that doesn't happen to my diztronic case that I bought. It's pretty similar to the cruzerlite case that you have
Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

The problem with this thread is all drops are different. Unless you get enough sample of a certain drop for a specific case , you can't really generalize. The best you'll get here are a bunch of anecdotal samples.
For the most part though, the thicker the case, the better the protection. So get the thickest case you're willing to tolerate.
swyped all these spelling errors from my galaxy note 2

http://www.tech21.uk.com/Category/samsung_galaxy_note_2
Supposedly Tech21 has a line of cases for the Note 2 that has D3O strips that turn rock hard on impact to prevent damage to the phone on drops. The D3O material works much like cornstarch and water, which turns hard when you press on it.
Review of the case without cover:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af_AARLbKeA
Here's a youtube video of it in action being thrown onto the floor on another phone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw0Kky6sZCA

If you're super scared of your note 2 breaking, maybe get a wallet type of case?
I've dropped my note 2 three times. The first and second one, it was in a wallet type flip case, after the drops, it was scratch-less.The third time I dropped it was when it was on a jelly case. I had it gripped by my armpit when it fell on the ground face down!! It was raining then too so I did panic quite a bit. Fortunately, my note 2 survived that fall without a single scratch too >
I'm only 5'2 so that may not be much of a fall. -__-

ichibanjay said:
http://www.tech21.uk.com/Category/samsung_galaxy_note_2
Supposedly Tech21 has a line of cases for the Note 2 that has D3O strips that turn rock hard on impact to prevent damage to the phone on drops. The D3O material works much like cornstarch and water, which turns hard when you press on it.
Review of the case without cover:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af_AARLbKeA
Here's a youtube video of it in action being thrown onto the floor on another phone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw0Kky6sZCA
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oh wow, that's actually pretty amazing, are the strips enough though? looks like they're the thickness of sticky tape.
is the entire case not made of the stuff?
they make cases/bumpers made out of d30..how come the note only gets 2 tapes on the back?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtMNfSHfkv4

I bought the Tech21 D30 for my Note 2 before watching those videos, and I'm extremely happy with the case. I don't drop my phone often or anything, but I like to have something on the back to prevent scratches and dings from laying it on various tables, etc. The two times it has dropped 3-4, there are virtually no signs of it. The case grip could be better but then it wouldn't slide out of my pocket easily so there is always that trade-off to consider.
I'm ordering a wallet case from Story of the but I'm sure I'll continue to use this case as well due to how it keeps the phone fairly thin and manageable.
Sent from my Note II using the XDA Premium app

finalhit said:
oh wow, that's actually pretty amazing, are the strips enough though? looks like they're the thickness of sticky tape.
is the entire case not made of the stuff?
they make cases/bumpers made out of d30..how come the note only gets 2 tapes on the back?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtMNfSHfkv4
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Thanks for the videos. To think I was starting to believe their hype.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium

Why don't they make a bumper style case with a pinky-finger-thick bead of this stuff around the edges? Might add bulk, but I'd think it would be far better than any silicone or hardshell case.

If you find the OtterBox Defender too bulky, try the Commuter. It's thinner and still provides ample protection as it's a two piece case made from a silicone layer and a poly-carbonate hard shell. I can vouch for the level of protection they provide from past experiences (I had one on my GALAXY S II and dropped it by accident, landed face down and I was petrified that it would've damaged something... not so much as a scratch).
I have one on my GALAXY Note II and it fits very well - the buttons retain their tactile feel and "click" and it doesn't make the phone harder to hold or use in any way.

ichibanjay said:
http://www.tech21.uk.com/Category/samsung_galaxy_note_2
Supposedly Tech21 has a line of cases for the Note 2 that has D3O strips that turn rock hard on impact to prevent damage to the phone on drops. The D3O material works much like cornstarch and water, which turns hard when you press on it.
Review of the case without cover:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af_AARLbKeA
Here's a youtube video of it in action being thrown onto the floor on another phone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw0Kky6sZCA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
in the tech21 case, it works well since its a different layer and it just distributes the force evenly across the layer to minimise damage.
with other cases though, hard cases are a double edged sword. hard plastic and metal cases may be pretty to look at, but hard plastic and metal cases also amplify vibrations, which can cause damage to the internals of your phone and to your screen. normally i'd say avoid cases where most of the hard material is in direct contact with the case. ie. only go for hard plastic if theres a silicone/tpu layer between the plastic and the case. and only go for aluminium cases/bumpers if theres a layer of soft material between the metal and the case. this way, the vibrations are dampened before they reach your device.

Related

Looking for a case? Get the otterbox.

I'm on my 5th day with the case, the case provides the best protection for drops and scuffs but does have a few downfalls.
Pros:
-Sleek Design, doesn't add bulk like Bodyglove.
-Waterproofs and protects ports.
-Scratch proof screen protector like ZAGG.
-Easy install and removal.
Cons:
-Screen protector installation was botched 3 times, if you mess it up like I did by getting dust on the sticky side run it under cold water and apply it wet then remove air bubbles and water with a rag.
-Screen protector bends too easy, a corner is bent upwards.
-the silicon sections of the case collect alot of dust.
-Notification light blocked if its sitting down flat.
-No grip on surfaces like body glove.
I got it for $25 on newegg including shipping. No regrets.
wcgbmd said:
I'm on my 5th day with the case, the case provides the best protection for drops and scuffs but does have a few downfalls.
Pros:
-Sleek Design, doesn't add bulk like Bodyglove.
-Waterproofs and protects ports.
-Scratch proof screen protector like ZAGG.
-Easy install and removal.
Cons:
-Screen protector installation was botched 3 times, if you mess it up like I did by getting dust on the sticky side run it under cold water and apply it wet then remove air bubbles and water with a rag.
-Screen protector bends too easy, a corner is bent upwards.
-the silicon sections of the case collect alot of dust.
-Notification light blocked if its sitting down flat.
-No grip on surfaces like body glove.
I got it for $25 on newegg including shipping. No regrets.
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Click to collapse
i would buy one in a heart beat if they came out with a hip holster for it. I always had otterbox cases on my blackberries.
Did you get a commuter or an impact case?
Use a belt holster for the Samsung Moment.....same size as Hero with Otterbox
xxwckdxx said:
i would buy one in a heart beat if they came out with a hip holster for it. I always had otterbox cases on my blackberries.
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i have one but the silicone ruins it for me collects to much dust
i just hate how plaisticy the back case is...i prefer my seidio personally
Yeah, the otterbox is great, but its a dust magnet.
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Ordered mine on Ebay yesterday for 12$. When you guys bring up dust are you talking about it getting dust on the case itself?
reedsw said:
Ordered mine on Ebay yesterday for 12$. When you guys bring up dust are you talking about it getting dust on the case itself?
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In general, soft silicone rubber attracts dust due to static and then holds onto it. The Otterbox has the interior silicone liner that shows around the edges of the snap-on outer hard case.
If you're the type that carries the phone in your pocket, the rim around the screen will tend to grow hair. If you carry it in a holster (I have a generic Case Logic one meant for a Blackberry), you shouldn't have an issue.
reedsw said:
Ordered mine on Ebay yesterday for 12$. When you guys bring up dust are you talking about it getting dust on the case itself?
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No, on the sides of the screen. It happened to me when I had my Body Glove case.
HeroMeng said:
No, on the sides of the screen. It happened to me when I had my Body Glove case.
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Ah, yes I also had this issue with the body glove case. I don't have an issue right now though with the Otterbox.
For the dust issue there is a really easy fix, rub it off with your fingers it only takes a few seconds. Its a minor annoyance but nothing that makes the case not worth it. So far everything has been great with the case.
wcgbmd said:
Ah, yes I also had this issue with the body glove case. I don't have an issue right now though with the Otterbox.
For the dust issue there is a really easy fix, rub it off with your fingers it only takes a few seconds. Its a minor annoyance but nothing that makes the case not worth it. So far everything has been great with the case.
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I don't actually OWN the otterbox, but I do want one.... time for an ebay search
I have had my otterbox case (commuter) for my hero for a month and a half now and love it. The case was kinda a bit thing for me as I work at a pizza joint (where we toss our own skins and make our own dough) so flour everywhere is a huge part of everyday for me. Flour has not been nice to my phones in the past completely plugging up virtually every hole available on my phones. So huge selling points for the otterbox was the cover over the headjack and usb port which work like a charm. It does collect dust in the corners but much better to have it collect there than where it can do harm. with a good screen protector on I can cover the speakers from flour also. The case feels natural in your hand and more like a part of the phone than something bulky covering it. It comes in two parts and its easy to take apart yet never comes apart with out you removing it. I pull it off and clean the small build up dust and flour every couple of days and it looks brand new again.
Well thats my review of the case. Oh yeah, one more thing for people who want one, I got mine from amazon.com shipped for $25 flat. So just incase your like me and kinda lost faith in ebay or what have you $25 on amazon is a good deal considering both otterbox.com and the sprint store sell these cases for around $50
The Otterbox Rocks!!!
I mean it!! Ok, let me tell you why!
Ive been skateboarding for a longtime and the things I've done to phones you wouldn't believe!
Ever since I got this otterbox I've thrashed my hero quite a few times from dropping it off my lap getting out of the car, falling on it from takin a crash on my board2, falling off the top of the car.
& it sat in a heavy ring of water for about 30 mins....I had no idea..lmao. Needless to say no water damage to the phone it self. Every opening ie covered and with a full scale screen protector you can make the phone look brandnew anytime you want.
I highly recommend this case! It's protected my phone ALOT!! I still have it
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Picked mine off ebay for 13$. Seems to be good. Got a piece of something under the screen cover and I have a little circle off screen so no big deal. If I put the phone in my jean pocket it is covered in lint when I remove it =) Little tape or some rubbing and it all comes off.
This is my first rubber case for a phone I have owned and I have to say its pretty nice. Full functioning usb, volume, headphone jack, lights and camera while protecting the phone... cant really ask much more than that right?
Had my Otterbox case (Just Impact not Commuter) for about a week now, absolutely thrilled with it. Fits better than my wifes generic brand case, Screen protector is great, even after one failed attempt. Only gripes I have: Picks up any dust or lint or anything extremely easily. Grabs onto my jean pockets a bit too much, pulls them out a little bit. But those small complaints aside it's a great case and a great deal considering the screen protector is included.
bbv203 said:
Use a belt holster for the Samsung Moment.....same size as Hero with Otterbox
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Click to collapse
Where did you get the holster. I want to do this too.
http://www.seidio.com/index.html
i searched there website.....i dont see where they sell anything for the samsung moment, especially a belt holster??? because Im very interested in this as a well......
sorry to be a buzzkill but otterbox.com has the hero one for 34.95 but still, 10 bucks is a savings regardless!

[Q] How do you protect your nexus? Case, pouch, invisible shield, nothing

Just was wondering what people have been using to protect their N1s now that its been out for a while, and how has it held up. I like the look of the N1 on its own without cases, and was thinking of using the little pouch that came with the box with no other case. Is this a wise move?
I have a case on my phone and an anti-glare screen protector (don't get anti glare it ruins the screen's look and colors) the reason I don't use the pouch is it gets annoying to take the phone out of my pocket with the pouch on then have to remove the phone from the pouch.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
The slip case that came with the phone
Seidio Innocase works for me. See the XDA Nexus acessories section...
I've got an Otterbox Commuter series case that I use when I'm on "business" trips or at other times that my phone is likely to be handled roughly. That case is no joke. Actually, I would probably use that case all the time if I didn't use my car dock every time I drive. It takes a bit of time to pull the phone out of the case several times a day. I generally just use the slip case that came with the phone. Does a good job of fighting off scratches, and is still easy to remove so I can install the phone in a dock in just a moment.
Just a screen protector, I have used cases/covers etc, and always end up coming back to just nothing I like the slim feeling
I like the slim look also, thats why i think im going to stick with the little android pouch that came in the box. Just hope it doesnt cause any black marks on the sides or anything. Previous owner of the nexus said he never used a case but made sure nothing else was in his pocket and the phone looks brand new with no marks anywhere.
On one of my other N1s there are some dust particles under the screen on the bottom left. 1 of them is big enough to look like a dead pixel when the screen is on, the rest are not noticeable. Anyone have a easy fix to get rid of the dust? That one particle is starting to annoy me.
Ever since I lost the neoprene case, I have been going commando.
Case-Mate "Tough Case" and the screen protector that came with it.
Transparent polycarb hard-case from eBay. Beautiful and strong, but no docking possible.
Stealth guard and there pouch that came with it
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
codesplice said:
I've got an Otterbox Commuter series case that I use when I'm on "business" trips or at other times that my phone is likely to be handled roughly. That case is no joke. Actually, I would probably use that case all the time if I didn't use my car dock every time I drive. It takes a bit of time to pull the phone out of the case several times a day. I generally just use the slip case that came with the phone. Does a good job of fighting off scratches, and is still easy to remove so I can install the phone in a dock in just a moment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do similar: when I'm traveling, I put the N1 in my Otterbox Commuter case and enable the PIN the lock. Otherwise, no case and no PIN.
A gel skin for me.
I put a screen protector on it to cut down on sweaty fingerprints during the summer, otherwise nothing. I've had mine since it came out for ATT (march?) and it's still perfect. Just keep keys and change in the other pocket.
i'm using a silicone slip on protector. i'm too scare i'll drop it without it otherwise i would go commando but i have nerve damage in my right hand so my control over parts of my hand are sub par compared to normal people
my ulnar nerve was severed by glass and repaired but i still do not have full function of the minor muscles in my hand and only have partial feeling in the pinky/ring finger and that side of my hand so thicker phones are more comfortable in my hand and the super rubber grip around the whole thing makes it very hard if not impossible for it to slip out of my hand.
smachine said:
Just was wondering what people have been using to protect their N1s now that its been out for a while, and how has it held up. I like the look of the N1 on its own without cases, and was thinking of using the little pouch that came with the box with no other case. Is this a wise move?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use BestSkinsEver (for a fraction of the cost of an InvisibleShield) protection and a horizontal leather Case Logic pouch... I used to have a silicon protector but it was a pain in the butt because it collects dust and lint like crazy!

Very dissapointed in Otterbox Defender case

I got my new Otterbox Defender case from AT&T today. Only paid $42 with shipping and tax so that wasn't too bad.
I weighed it against my Seidio Active case and holster and the Otterbox with holster weighs 12.5 ounces and the Active case with holster is 10.5 ounces if anybody was interested. Removing the clear plastic protective cover from the Otterbox lightens it by 0.15 ounces or about 4 grams.
I will say this thing feels like it will take a lot of abuse before the phone will break. That is of course, unless the screen is hit by a direct impact that the case can't deflect. Remember, there is a lot of screen area so anything protruding like a rock that makes initial contact with the screen will probably break the screen. No case will stop that.
Things I don't like about the Defender whether I knew about it when ordering or not......
yeah it adds a lot of bulk but not too bad. The volume up and down buttons are not very responsive but I suspect some electrical tape on the inside of the case over the phone buttons should help with that. The power button is actually a little too responsive for my taste. It is very easy to click the power button which sucks because the volume buttons have to be pressed hard and the thumb is usually over near the power button when operating the volume buttons. This leads to easy power button pressing.
The plastic case creaks like a wooden floor in a turn of the century house. What the hell is all of this about. Whether you squeeze the case side to side or twist the phone slightly. I suspect it is the outside case rubbing against the inner hard plastic case. I will try some baby powder on that. Still, the case does not have the rigidity that I was hoping for. If you manually twist the phone case at opposite corners the thing flexes way easily.
I called myself from my home phone, walked away and left the note 2 on the counter. I did not hear any echo from either phone as others have reported. This may show up later thought. If the phones are close together then echo can be present.
The plastic protective cover that comes with the case is garbage. Plain and simple. Yes there is a gap between the plastic and the phone screen. Very annoying. I took the plastic off within a few minutes. I have my own screen protector on it anyway.
I like the charging port and headphone port being covered with the rubber plugs.
When the case is put in the holster there is little leeway where the holster snaps into the detent in the phone edge. Several times I have found that the phone had to be adjusted a bit in order for the case to snap into the holster firmly. This may be a problem down the line or I might just modify it so that this makes a positive connection more easily.
This isn't really a comparison between the Active case and the Defender but I thought I would point out a few things.
I don't like having to use the Defender holster as a kickstand for the phone. The Active case has a built in stand in the case.
I do like the protective lip around the screen of the Defender which is made up of the softer outer shell and the hard plastic inner shell. The outside is not soft and gummy like silicone (like the Active) but a little harder. Kind of like a hard rubber but not as hard as a standard hard plastic if that makes any sense. It has a good feel to it. If the Defender is laid face down the hard lip does nothing to keep it from sliding. If laid on its back it resists sliding a little better depending on the surface. It is the opposite with the Active case. The Active has the silicone lip on the face and keeps the phone from sliding around if place face down. If the Active is placed on its back it will slide because the outside part is hard plastic.
The camera has a nice cutout with a lot of plastic protruding around it. The only way this camera lens is getting damages is if something goes right into the cutout and hits the lens directly. Getting to the stylus is very easy.
Ok, I did take the outer cover off and rubbed some baby powder to the inside. The creaking noise is diminished but still there.
I will try out the otterbox for a while and see how I like it. I work in a factory so it is highly plausible that this could fall off of a 12 foot ladder onto concrete. If I worked in an office I would not be using this case most likely.
I really like the look of the Active case in red much better than the otterbox. Fortunately, I place practicality over fashion generally.
Either way, I will hang on to the case and see what happens. Considering that both of these cases have similar MSRP (prices) the value is definitely in the Otterbox as far as material and engineering. The Active case needs to have a little more engineering and firmer material around the screen. in order to ask as much money as they do.
My biggest issue with the Defender is two fold:
1) Face it, this is an UGLY utilitarian looking case hiding our sexy thin phone. They did NOTHING to add any sex appeal to this case. It's like putting a bikini model in a full length raincoat and buttoning every snap.
2) The plastic screen protector feels cheap, scratchy and provides too much drag on the s-pen.
I got my commuter a few hours ago. It's pretty nice looking, the buttons aren't too hard to press, the cutouts are perfect, and it comes with a screen protector which I choose not to use. I couldn't ask for more from it. I also feel like it's very protective and would survive a 6 ft drop (even though im 5 ft).
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
Note_2 said:
I got my commuter a few hours ago. It's pretty nice looking, the buttons aren't too hard to press, the cutouts are perfect, and it comes with a screen protector which I choose not to use. I couldn't ask for more from it. I also feel like it's very protective and would survive a 6 ft drop (even though im 5 ft).
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't had the opportunity to hold the commuter series for this phone. Most of the cases for this phone need to be ordered since nobody seems to have anything in stock for this phone, around where I live, and I live in a decent sized city.
I got the commuter for $35 shipped on amazon. 3-5 day shipping, ordered Wednesday and got it earlier today even though it was expected tomorrow to friday! I tried to buy one closest to me for a decent price and the seller accessory net did great.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
I too have the creaking issue with the Defender. Mine(two of them) also creak and crackle. The plastic part that snaps together does not snap tightly thus causing some play which in turn causes the feeling that there is movement underneath and the creaking sounds. I got a replacement on the first one for this and the second one they sent also does this.
Otter customer service is great but the product right now imo is subpar
It is probably going to creak because it is suppose to flex... that is the whole point of the case absorbing impacts.
My biggest gripe about the Defender case is that dust makes it way in between the case's plastic screen protector and the phone's glass screen. It enters at the Home button mostly and at the top opening for the sensors. I have to open the case at least once a week and wipe out the dust. It's mainly fabric debris from my jeans pocket so I don't think it's anything scratchy.
honestly i hate my commuter case,its to damned fat,but when i drop my 700$ phone ,im happy, strange how that works
oddly enough, the only time I have dropped my Note 2 is when I used the otterbox Defender holster. If the phone case is pushed back and down in the holster when inserting , then the holster tab doesn't fully lock into the notch in the case. I thought I had it snapped in and it fell about 42 inches, I have a 36 inch inseam, and hit the concrete floor. Of course, this is a walk in the park for the Defender case so naturally there was no damage or marks on the case at all, and I wasn't worried about it when I picked the phone up.
My Active case has a much better spring loaded latch design so it is impossible for this to happen.
I actually got my knife out and made a little adjustment on the case notch so this won't happen again.

How much protection does a slim case really offer?

How much does a slim hard case, like the Rearth Ringke, really protect a phone from a drop or fall?
I have never had a case on my phones before. And I'd rather not have a bulky phone. But I've been considering a case as I don't want a busted phone.
I would think that you want want a case that absorbes shock from the fall. But all of the cases that look like they could absorbe shock look huge and bulky. So if a slim hard case really does offer protection then I could see myself rock'n one.
i'm asking myself the same question. I got 3 Mercury TPU cases and they look great, but they're so thin I don't see how much protection they'll offer. then again, my friend dropped his Note II without a case, all he got was scratches in the corners of the phone. the TPU cases will definitely protect from that. but if it's a hard enough fall that will break the screen without a case...I don't think these type of cases will prevent the breakage.
They offer VERY LITTLE protection from falls. They're more for style and scratches.
I mean, take into account that neither the top or bottom is covered. Add to that there is no lip to the front. The plastic is very thin. Probably if you were to drop your device, MAYBE your device would be OK, but the case itself would be destroyed or cracked. Now, that's ONLY if you drop it on the back, or a corner (-1 corner because one of them is exposed).
A TPU case would offer more protection because of it's "jelly" nature, but still, it's for dust or accidental bumps or something like that. Not for "drop" protection. Those are the thicker cases, of course.
I actually bought the Rearth Ringke, but am return it. It was too loose and felt like it would fall off at any moment. There was another slim case at the T-Mobile store. It was thicker and really gripped the phone. It also coverd the top and bottom better. But it's still slim and hard with no shock absorbing properties if it fell.
I think I'll end up getting the Body Glove. It seems thing and have some shock absorbing properties.
This is the case my wife and I have. I have the black one and she has the white one. The black shows fingerprints. I like the white one better.
It will not protect your phone from a drop. It is really only good for stopping scratches on the back and sides.
I probably wouldn't buy it again.
My wife had/has a bodyglove slim TPU case and cracked her screen on her first drop with case on (we have already replaced her phone through Asurion twice now from drops). I believe that case and cases like it are created to add grip and protect from scratches and normal wear while adding almost no bulk, not to protect from fall damage. For that purpose the case is magnificent.
I believe it's the same with the hard slim cases. I have a Rearth white slim case and dropped my phone from my desk onto carpet and the case popped off. It wasn't a high fall and it was on carpet so I had no damage, but I can't see it doing anything for me protectionwise if I dropped it on concrete or blacktop etc.
There's no exact science for that. It really depends on how the phone drops, the surface, the case and even other factors like if you have a heavier extended battery or not.
I had a Galaxy S2 for 18 months, never had a case or screen protector. I dropped it a few times and never had any problems except a few scratches on the corners/plastic. One day I just dropped it again, from hip-height, somehow it landed almost horizontally face-down and cracked the glass (that's what brought me to the Note 2 forum).
A decent bumper case would probably have saved it, by absorbing some of the energy of the fall and probably not allowing direct contact with the floor (most have a 2mm lip over the glass). Even those might not work if you drop it on a pebble or similar.
Bottom line is, a slim case will offer some protection and might save you in specific falls, but offers no guarantee at all.
In the case of the Note 2, I'm definitely using at least a bumper case mostly because it will probably reduce the probability of dropping it. The original body is wide, long and very slippery, with the buttons on the edge, perfect scenario for drops. A rubberized case gives a much better grip and is less likely to fly off my hand as the SGS2 did that day.
randpost said:
My wife had/has a bodyglove slim TPU case and cracked her screen on her first drop with case on (we have already replaced her phone through Asurion twice now from drops). I believe that case and cases like it are created to add grip and protect from scratches and normal wear while adding almost no bulk, not to protect from fall damage. For that purpose the case is magnificent.
I believe it's the same with the hard slim cases. I have a Rearth white slim case and dropped my phone from my desk onto carpet and the case popped off. It wasn't a high fall and it was on carpet so I had no damage, but I can't see it doing anything for me protectionwise if I dropped it on concrete or blacktop etc.
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It's actually advantageous to have the case "pop-off" because it increases the impulse time of the fall. This allows the energy of the fall to be distributed over a longer period of time. Some cases are actually designed to do this. An analogy would be how modern car bumpers crumple versus how older car bumpers are solid and rigid. The passengers are much less prone to injuries even though the car may look worse off.
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---------- Post added at 09:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:56 AM ----------
As the previous poster stated, it really depends on the angle/point of impact. Due to the size of the screen, it is much more prone to cracking. This is just the nature of a device this size regardless of gorilla glass or any current synthetically hardened glass (with such a slim profile).
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I had a Belkin thin plastic case (rubbery feel, non flexible) for an iPhone and dropped it on gravel from arm height before. The case dented noticeably but the infamously fragile phone held up.
I'm sure it was mostly luck, but the case being able to absorb, crumple and dissipate the kinetic energy around instead of it being concentrated into one small point on the phone probably helps.
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I can't speak for the slim cases, but during the Holidays, I was sick (and medicated) and dropped my phone 4 times in one day :silly:
All of them were about waist high straight onto tile landing a different way each time. The combination hard plastic / TPU case I bought from china somewhere held up like a champ. No scratches, no dings.... nothing. Phone looks like the day I got it. It's not perfect, but it has done the job. I can guarantee that I would have had some type of regretable damage if it were not for the case that one day.
Only 2 gripes with the case:
1) The clear plastic hard part that covers most of the case scratches easily, so I have those circular swirls that you see all over black cars that are washed with crap towels.
2) The white part that runs around the edges like a bumper stains easily and has a slight blue tint due to my jeans.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170929265375&ssPageName=ADME:L:eek:C:US:3160
I had a ringke slim case dropped it from 3 feet and my phone slid down the drive way after the fall. Not a single scratch on the phone.. I guess it's just all how you drop it
-TeaM VeNuM Like A Boss
-Galaxy Note II Edition
Short answer..non
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We've only dropped our Note 2s a few times, but we had standard tpu cases on our G2Xs for the previous 18 months. Those phones got dropped all the time, and we never had a screen crack or scratch. Tpu isn't a lot of protection, but it's a heck of a lot better than a naked phone. It softens the landing and distributes the impact just enough. I still don't want my 3 year old playing with my phone over concrete, but aside from that, I don't worry too much.
How about metallic bumpers (without any casing)? How much protection would they offer?
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cal3thousand said:
I can't speak for the slim cases, but during the Holidays, I was sick (and medicated) and dropped my phone 4 times in one day :silly:
All of them were about waist high straight onto tile landing a different way each time. The combination hard plastic / TPU case I bought from china somewhere held up like a champ. No scratches, no dings.... nothing. Phone looks like the day I got it. It's not perfect, but it has done the job. I can guarantee that I would have had some type of regretable damage if it were not for the case that one day.
Only 2 gripes with the case:
1) The clear plastic hard part that covers most of the case scratches easily, so I have those circular swirls that you see all over black cars that are washed with crap towels.
2) The white part that runs around the edges like a bumper stains easily and has a slight blue tint due to my jeans.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170929265375&ssPageName=ADME:L:eek:C:US:3160
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This is the case I had for my S2 and now have for my Note 2. My S2's was white and as you mentioned it did stain. My Note2's is black so I cannot see the stain lol!
I love it, its grippy on the side and I'm confident if I drop it it will protect is most drop scenarios.
ludester said:
This is the case I had for my S2 and now have for my Note 2. My S2's was white and as you mentioned it did stain. My Note2's is black so I cannot see the stain lol!
I love it, its grippy on the side and I'm confident if I drop it it will protect is most drop scenarios.
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Might have to get a black one myself

Polished chamfered edge

Nice to see Samsung going with a premium metal finish and it does look stunning when new but 2 weeks down the line and it is covered in tiny scratches etc...
I look after my phones, tbh I'm a little bit OCD but even still the edge is looking tatty.
I then got a TPU case to try and protect it... 2 days later, it is scratched to hell! Just the case alone touching the chamfered edge is enough to scuff it...
what did Samsung make it out of? Cheese? A soft cheese at that!
I love my note 4 but...
I have the same experience. Maybe if it gets too bad I'll try the method used in this video.
http://youtu.be/EZuYzQrIHjA
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MadfishGTB said:
Nice to see Samsung going with a premium metal finish and it does look stunning when new but 2 weeks down the line and it is covered in tiny scratches etc...
I look after my phones, tbh I'm a little bit OCD but even still the edge is looking tatty.
I then got a TPU case to try and protect it... 2 days later, it is scratched to hell! Just the case alone touching the chamfered edge is enough to scuff it...
what did Samsung make it out of? Cheese? A soft cheese at that!
I love my note 4 but...
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Is this the white or black version you are talking about?
I've got the Ringke Slim on mine and it covers the edges. No scratches on mine.
It's the black one I have...
the coloured part is immaculate still but the polished section looks a mess
My note 2 seemed to fair much better in terms of durability.
Also, the camera lens cover is very exposed on these, I hope it can be replaced somehow in the future (although no scratches yet)
Same here with the white one. Got scratches on the chamfered edge from being in a pants pocket for gods sake. Anybody know to go about buffing them out?
Sorry to hear that you are having those problems. I am not trying to burst your bubble but the "metal" finish around the Note 4 is NOT metal. I have have read a post on this forum of another person saying the same thing and so I went down to my nearest BB to check it out. I am now convinced that he was right.
Here is the test I carried out to prove the point. I found a Galaxy Alpha and examined the similar finish and that is truly metal. With the AC in Best Buy I was able to put the Alpha to my cheek and you can feel the coldness of the metal. I then walked over to the Samsung store in BB and did the same with ALL the Note 4s on display and they were all just at reasonable temp. Also on the Alpha it will be noticed that the headphone jack and the charging port is covered in plastic or rubber inside of the metal cutout. Take a look at he N4 slot for the pen or the headphone jack and you will see that the white plastic is just covered by the " metal" finish.
That my friend is why you are having scuff marks already on your new device. It is JUST a "METAL" finish on the outside. Now if there is a metal frame it is on the inside, not on the outside like the Alpha. Can't wait to see a teardown from folks like IFIXIT to confirm. I could be wrong but until proven wrong I will stand by my cheek test.
No, it is metal (aluminium I believe ) but it is very thin. When you look at the headphone jack port like you say there is plastic but there is still a thin metal part of the frame...
Samsung wouldn't have needed to add the spacers in the frame (small white blocks top and bottom) if it was metal effect. These are there for the antennas to work properly in the metal.
Aluminium is a very soft metal, perhaps if they chose a more sturdy, harder metal like titanium for example then we wouldn't be having this problem but then we would have paid more for the already expensive phone.
For me I'll just end up keeping the TPU case on, it feels better in the hand and against the ear (metal frame has quite sharp edges) and offers some protection without adding much bulk to the device. Maybe once the phone has been used a while I'll look into customising the frame with either plastidip or hydroprint.
Yeah it would be made of aluminium. People wanting that "premium" look and feel. Just like the iPhone and any other phone made of an alloy, looks awesome out of the box but after a while scratches will appear. Plastic resists much much better, that's just the way it is.
Also it would have been hilarious watching you going around touching the bezels with your face
remove the back cover and look at the frame closely: you can see that the whole frame is definitely NOT metal. it is plastic with metal coating or layer and some metal inlays.
I highly doubt that the frame only has a metal coating. If you check the YouTube video of the guy bending the ip6p, note 3 and 4 you will see the note 3 bend and bounce back because it's plastic. Alloy on the other hand bends and stays bent. Looking at you note 4.
Of course I could be wrong.
It does seem to be a thin metal covering over a plastic frame...
gives the look of a premium device but the protection and flexibility of a plastic device
The frame is made of metals collected from the moon and the back cover leather is made from the skin of puppies.
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Whether its a thin metal strip on the top or solid metal, the nature of being aluminium is that it will scratch easily. It is the same with the HTC One that also has a chamfered edge. I have read many reports of it getting scratched too easily. If you look closely at the edge you will see that at the very least it is a metal strip. Thickness has nothing to do with scratch resistance. So we can argue whether it's solid or not, but the relevance to the initial poster's issue that it scratches easily is zero!
Everyone complained about Samsung's cheap looking plastic bezel. Now we are complaining about the upmarket stylish metal one! I guess a finish like the edges of an iPhone 6 are the only option that will satisfy everyone's needs. Incidentally I do remember reports of people with the bumper case on an iphone 4...took it off, to find that the little imperfection nodules of plastic on the inside of the bumper were enough to rub and wear the metal surround of the phone!
And if they had anodized it, it would have prevented scratches (like Nokia n8),but would have caused the frame to crack more easily, unless they used more surface, or thicker pieces of aluminum, which in turn would affect other things. So pointless.
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Even if it was made of adamantium people would still complain.
eddhard said:
Even if it was made of adamantium people would still complain.
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Couldn't agree more!
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you do know that aluminium and metal phones get scratched up this easy i dont know why ya'll are surprised
hello00 said:
you do know that aluminium and metal phones get scratched up this easy i dont know why ya'll are surprised
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Even in manufacturing these metals are impossible to keep pristine. I had an iPhone 4 with a small nick in the metal band out of the box. I had an HTC One with a couple of little nicks and microscratches in the band out of the box. And my note 4 also has a few imperfections. But then it's best not to study these phones under a spotlight because you will just find things you don't want to see!
I think/hope the issue lies with TPU cases simply because they, as all cases trap dirt under them but because they are TPU they have more movement.... the dirt gets ground against the polished edges. Hard cases like the Ringke do not have this movement...
Would be helpful to others if people who are experiencing this issue state which cases they have used.
Thanks.

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