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[Q] Thinnest Case?

Hi,
I am looking for a case that adds minimal bulk to the device. I would prefer something with a soft-touch finish, but not necessarily silicone.
So far, I have looked at the Seidio Surface, the SGP Ultra Silke, and the Rearth Ringke.
Does anyone know from experience which of these cases is thinnest?
Also, has anyone found other cases that will retain the slimness of the phone?
Thanks.

I dont know from experience but from reading these forums the incipio feather case maybe be the slimmest. Its hard case that snaps on but doesnt cover the top or bottom of the phone. I do got the Rearth Ringke which is awesome. The fit is great.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App

hugo87 said:
I dont know from experience but from reading these forums the incipio feather case maybe be the slimmest. Its hard case that snaps on but doesnt cover the top or bottom of the phone. I do got the Rearth Ringke which is awesome. The fit is great.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. Is the Rearth Ringke relatively slim as well?

Also interested in a slim case.

Its really not that bad. The fit is great and the texture it has is a nice touch. It has enough grip to keep it from slipping but slippery enough to keep lent and fingerprints off.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App

^That's good to know.
Does anyone else have any suggestions for slim cases?

you could get these if you would consider a skin http://www.adreama.com/products/mobile-phone-skins/samsung/nexus-s
they're pretty damn thin, give good grip, protects the outside of your phone from scratches, and you get two so you can pick which color you prefer

I wish case mate would make a barely there case. There seems to be a huge demand for it.

incipio case quite slim, soft, and sexy.. the only drawback is it's quite fragile. my friend bought it awhile ago, he had SOD (sleep of death) many times using netarchy kernel and he had to remove the case to remove the battery. after a few remove, the case start to get loose and finally the case gave up and broke..

hoponpop said:
you could get these if you would consider a skin http://www.adreama.com/products/mobile-phone-skins/samsung/nexus-s
they're pretty damn thin, give good grip, protects the outside of your phone from scratches, and you get two so you can pick which color you prefer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This seems interesting. I have found several cases identical to this on eBay for as little as $3 (like this andthis).
The material seems different than other TPU cases, and is just what I am looking for. Anyone else have a case similar to this (TPU, but with matte-finish rubberized rear)?

kvs678 said:
This seems interesting. I have found several cases identical to this on eBay for as little as $3 (like this andthis).
The material seems different than other TPU cases, and is just what I am looking for. Anyone else have a case similar to this (TPU, but with matte-finish rubberized rear)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that second one looks just like the black one that you get in the two pack I posted. I actually think that the black one looks really bad with a black phone, but that's just my opinion.

I have the incipio feather case (black) and love it. Soft touch, great grip, and best of all no fingerprints. Not a tacky rubberized feel that sticks to everything (lint, hair). There is a little space at the top and bottom that isn't covered (bottom for port access) but it looks great. very slim. I bought the standard black case that best but had available on launch day and the crappy rubbery screen protector. Couldn't stand either one and dug out my g1 sleeve cover.
Bought the incipio because I hate the slick back of the phone. Been using it ever since.
I would disagree that it is fragile. I take it off and put it back on at least once a week and haven't had any loosening or breakage (after several months of use). Thing is still rock solid and fits perfectly snug.
hopefully this is helpful.
edit: although it is very thin and adds very little bulk, it is noticeable. With the case on, my phone no longer fits in my g1 sleeve and this makes me kind-of a sad panda.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App

hoponpop said:
that second one looks just like the black one that you get in the two pack I posted. I actually think that the black one looks really bad with a black phone, but that's just my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is your overall experience with the two-pack case that you posted? Does it add too much bulk to the device, or attract dust/lint?

eramsey said:
I have the incipio feather case (black) and love it. Soft touch, great grip, and best of all no fingerprints. Not a tacky rubberized feel that sticks to everything (lint, hair). There is a little space at the top and bottom that isn't covered (bottom for port access) but it looks great. very slim. I bought the standard black case that best but had available on launch day and the crappy rubbery screen protector. Couldn't stand either one and dug out my g1 sleeve cover.
Bought the incipio because I hate the slick back of the phone. Been using it ever since.
I would disagree that it is fragile. I take it off and put it back on at least once a week and haven't had any loosening or breakage (after several months of use). Thing is still rock solid and fits perfectly snug.
hopefully this is helpful.
edit: although it is very thin and adds very little bulk, it is noticeable. With the case on, my phone no longer fits in my g1 sleeve and this makes me kind-of a sad panda.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks so much for the detailed review. I appreciate the input.
The Feather seems to be a promising alternative to the other cases, mainly because I love the soft touch finish.

kvs678 said:
How is your overall experience with the two-pack case that you posted? Does it add too much bulk to the device, or attract dust/lint?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually think that the phone fits better in my hand with the case on. i'm not worried that i'm going to snap it in half on accident and it's only the tiniest bit bulkier than it normally would be.
I seem to notice little hairs and stuff accumulating right where the case stops, but it's easy enough to either wipe them off without removing the case or to just pull the case off and clean around the edges. overall, I think it's a great case. I added some before and after pictures so you could see how little bulk there is.

I also have the Incipio Feather Case and agree with discussion above. Actually have 2 for 2 phones.
Black is matte finish. Teal is not, but its not a hard, shiny plastic feel. I really like it, questioned buying but so tired of black (their other colors are
very bright, way too much for a mother of 3).
I was looking for the thinnest case possible and feel this is it.
The top and bottom is open so won't protect there, but has the corners.
The thing I love the most is the grip, felt the phone was too slick and just
waiting to drop. This solved that. I do not feel it is fragile, don't take off
that much, but have no problems using fingernail. It is tight, but that is good.
Would highly recommend. And if shopping on Ebay, there are some for $20
shipped. It states Nexus S (not specific for 4g, even on the box when you
receive it), but if it is Incipio, not knock off, it works.

sgp case is very good

Comparison: Seidio Case + Holster

There two different Cases, the Active case & Surface case.
Does anyone have any of the two? I'd like some thoughts about the cases
because I'm most likely to jump into one of these cases, since I think ballistic
cases are too big & bulky but I had the infuse 4g so that had something to
do with it too =P
-Edit-
Seido Holster case
Here's an even better case, it's almost the same price, and it comes with a kickstand.. i wish i saw this before i purchased the pt holster case ):

I got the Seidio Surface.
Very beautiful case. Its very thin, believe its just 1mm thick.
Feels very nice to the touch, easy to put on... easy to take out.
Nice access to all buttons.
However, since its so thin and all that stuff, not sure its good for protection. Probably just minor? I got it more for aesthetics reasons because I love that sapphire blue.
However, still offers some protection over not having a case, but obviously less than a more bulky case like my old Case-Mate Pop.
Basically, everything about the surface feels and looks nice.

Thank you! I want to get the Surface one too because I mainly just want the holster.. the case is just an added bonus lol.. the fact that it looks very simple and doesn't add too much bulk is a plus to me too

Just an FYI, but Best Buy sells the exact same case as the Surface Combo. It is branded for Best Buy but it is the same. It is an excellent case IMO.

Hey thanks for the heads up.. i did check into it and saw how similar they both are.. i might just end up buying it since shipping might take a while. Thank you
Sent from my LG-P925 using XDA App

Just got the platinum series with holster from bestbuy. Its a great case, does not add too much bulk. The front edges are slim so it does not interfere when you slide your fingers. And I got it for 30 dollars it was initially 35 but if you get a best buy rewards card they will do a 20% discount
I agree its a really nice case
Sent from my LG-P925 using XDA App

DevJackey said:
I got the Seidio Surface.
Very beautiful case. Its very thin, believe its just 1mm thick.
Feels very nice to the touch, easy to put on... easy to take out.
Nice access to all buttons.
However, since its so thin and all that stuff, not sure its good for protection. Probably just minor? I got it more for aesthetics reasons because I love that sapphire blue.
However, still offers some protection over not having a case, but obviously less than a more bulky case like my old Case-Mate Pop.
Basically, everything about the surface feels and looks nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the surface case with kickstand and holster combo like the one in the ebay link above. Just two nights ago i dropped my thrill out of my truck window doing 55mph and it only scratched the corners of the whole case and around the kickstand. i had just got the phone replaced due a manufacturing defect so i thought i was screwed and just destroyed my phone. thankfully it is still in mint condition because of the case.

[Q] Decent Nexus S Case?

I've been searching all around for a decent case for my new phone. I want something that will give it minor drop protection, isn't bulky and doesn't look ugly. Locally I don't have much of a selection but the two I've been looking at are the adreama case and the incipio feather case. Does anyone have any suggestions or have tried either of those cases?

I have the incipio feather. I bought it only so I could lay my phone down without fear of scratching my camera or backplate. It offers little to no drop protection. But can barely tell its there if you like a minimalist approach.

I have a rocketfish case I got at best buy. I was looking for exactly the same thing you are. It's a rubbery case but the outside is hard coated, as are the edges so it doesn't stretch or stick. It's all black and molds to the phone. I really love mine.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Rocketf...lack/2494399.p?id=1218330754572&skuId=2494399

Any cheap TPU case will do. Can't see myself plopping over 10$ for a case, and definitely don't like the so said protection of "hard" cases they sell just about everywhere. Next thing you know the case blows into 1 billion tiny pieces or just breaks away from your phone at the most minor drop.

This from SGP is very nice, and comes with a first rate screen protector.
http://www.sgpstore.com/sgp-google-nexus-s-case-ultra-silke-series.html.

I just bought this one:
http://goo.gl/fktZi
Very happy with it. Makes the phone feel very solid. It does add some bulkiness, but it's worth it because the case feels great to hold.

This is the one I use, I have had it on it since day one. Reminds me of an otterbox, but half the price and not nearly as bulky.

Bump for Incipio, have one in blue, one in teal and its subdued. Does offer protection, least bulk I could find and love it.

Thanks for everyones responses, I think I'm going to settle on the Feather case. One more question, is it necessary to have a screen protector? I'm generally pretty safe with screens, I managed to have all of my iPod screens live without a scratch so far but I'm not sure how much this screen will be able to manage.

I have the Incipio thin feather case. Its as low as $16.95 on Ebay and is super thin, sexy, and sleek. Just be prepared to beat women off of you. They come runnin'. lol

Google Nexus S Pop! Cases
This case is a great addition to my Sprint Nexus - S. It was very easy to put the phone in the case basically just running one's thumbnail around the edge will make sure the phone is in tight and well sealed.
The case 'elevates' the phone's glass off of a surface when placing the phone face down. Plus, the rubber edge makes a nice satisfying and 'rubbery' thunk, and you know it just won't slide around!
*edit - No URL allowed:
Google Nexus S Pop! Cases
case-mate.com/Google-Nexus-S-Cases/Case-Mate-Google-Nexus-S-Pop-Cases.asp

I had a TPU case and then got the Rearth Ringke case, and the Ringke case is much better. Retains thinness of the phone, looks sleek and feels great in the hands. Worth looking into.

Incipio Feather is awesome. I'm less worried about protection and more worried about how slippery this phone is. The case gives it grip and looks alright too.

i have this one on for the past 8 months.. its a beautiful case that hardly adds any bulk to the phone... and its 4 bucks
http://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-GOOGLE-NEXUS-CURVE-CASE/dp/B004IYVEBI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1322137939&sr=8-2

moinsheriff said:
i have this one on for the past 8 months.. its a beautiful case that hardly adds any bulk to the phone... and its 4 bucks
http://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-GOOGL...VEBI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1322137939&sr=8-2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just wonder if you have to use a stylus now...
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

+1 for incipio feather. Just picked myself up one.. won't offer much drop protection but it's a sleek slim case.

I have never been one for cases, but I purchased the Incipio Feather and I haven't had the need to take it off. Love the damn thing.
Hope that helps.

another +1 for incipio feather. just got mine yesterday, great case. and i think it would actually offer some drop protection, at least if it landed on a corner or back.
if you need to access the back of the phone frequently though, to change battery or sim, forget this case. it fits really really well, and would be a pain to take off all the time imho.

a12m4nd0 said:
I had a TPU case and then got the Rearth Ringke case, and the Ringke case is much better. Retains thinness of the phone, looks sleek and feels great in the hands. Worth looking into.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ringke is great until the soft touch rubs off and it starts sticking in your pocket and collecting lint.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium

epm011 said:
One more question, is it necessary to have a screen protector? I'm generally pretty safe with screens, I managed to have all of my iPod screens live without a scratch so far but I'm not sure how much this screen will be able to manage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A screen protector is a must have, there are no arguments against it.
You can get already 3 protectors in high quality for 1.77$!
And im not a fan of any case, smartphones are thick enough and you take it off after a while anyways.

Which case to get...

Hey guys, I'm getting my note 2 in a couple days so I have been looking at cases. Id like a nice quality one which looks good and isn't overly bulky and possibly even with a kickstand.
My budget is 30/40 bucks max.
I've been looking at the seidio active and the uag one. Thanks
Sent from my HTC Incredible S using xda premium

Been looking for one myself. I like the Ballistic one, but it doesn't have a stand.
I know someone who has one for the S3 and it seems to work great

Platinum Series (Seidio Surface at Best Buy), or the Poetic or Bear Motion folio cases. There's also a rubber/plastic hybrid called the Rhino or Rugged case on Amazon, and I've had pretty good luck with that one.

Trident Aegis

I honestly think the best case for the Note 2 for my needs is the otterbox commutter. I doesn't add too much bulk, protects it very well (almost as well as the defender, see the link below), and has port coverings for to stop dust and other small particles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc4MEzq9hHc

UAG all the way. I've had both the active series and just about all the others. My main beef on the active series was that it actually looked a little cheap. Also the top and bottom of the active series is too flexible so in and out of pockets isn't like the UAG.
It's pricey but it looks like a $40 case. You get your money's worth. I haven't used the screen protector but I really like that it includes one.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

Can't really say anything about the UAG case since I don't own one. But when I myself was trying to figure out a heavy duty case I ended up with the Otterbox Commuter as well. Compared to the UAG cases from what I can tell, the otterbox has dust cover openings for both the headphone and micro usb ports as well as a dual layer case vs the UAG just one layer.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

This 2.00 case and 4.99 shipping making it 6.99 shipped works excellent. Has a abs plastic exo skeleton and a rubberized skin. The exo skeleton locks onto the skin and has hard and soft protection at all 4 corners and has kick stand built in to the exo skeleton. Also comes with another holster type case that has an articulating clip that will go from portrait to landscape carry it too has its own kickstand
I dropped my phone from 4 feet and it bounced on 3 corners before it stopped and not a thing wrong with it .
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A7F4SF6/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Commuter case for me at the moment. Good double layer protection an i like the lips size of the edges feels like this case can take a drop from chest or ear height with no problem.. well lets hope so.
Considering buying a Defender just to do the extended battery mod. Probably get it in black since they say black makes things look slimmer Lol
sent from my Cricket Note 2

Big choice at http://www.acetag.com
ONLY $7.02. You can get a case as you wish. Check out at acetag.com :good:

Ordered a bunch of cases (list in post). I'll answer any questions.

So I've ordered and received the following 2 cases for my M8 so far:
SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Premium Hybrid Protective
Aduro Shell Holster Combo Case
I'm not completely happy/unhappy with either one, so I've gone ahead and ordered the following cases:
Minisuit Clipster Kickstand Case - This one looks identical to the Arduro case but is $3 cheaper. If I decide to keep it, even after I ship back it will be the cheaper option.
HTC M8 One 2 Puregear Kickstand Case Holster Combo - This one looks very similar to the Arduro/Minisuit, but I'm hoping the shell covers a bit more and/or the holster might be good with one of the other covers.
Seidio Surface Case with Metal Kickstand and Holster Combo
Otterbox Defender Series
Spigen Capsule Clear
i-Blason Prime Series Dual Layer Holster Cover with Kickstand and Locking Belt Swivel Clip
SUPCASE Premium Hybrid Protective Bumper Case
I'm not planning on writing complete reviews because it would be too time consuming, but I would be happy to answer any questions that anyone has.
I have preferred SEIDIO cases in the past with the holster combo. I had those on my HTC Tilt and my first Droid 2 - which was lost at an airport when I think a piece of luggage pulled the whole thing from my belt when I lifted it. Apart from that experience (which I blame myself for as much as anything), I'd been happy with SEIDIO...the Tilt survived a motorcycle accident that totaled my bike, but the phone was fine. SEIDIO was pretty expensive though, so I went through 2 or 3 much cheaper rip-offs (sans holster) over the last couple yeats of my phone.
I think the traditional SEIDIO rubberized cases provided a good balance of protection without being too incredibly bulky.
I'm caught at an impasse now with the M8 because it is such a nice looking phone I'd like to show it off with more of a light and clear case. OTOH, I have a 2 year old that I'd like to protect it from. Also, the M8 is much bigger than the phones I've had in the past (height and width wise, thickness is actually thinner) - so I'm not sure how a thick case will influence my carrying it around.
I think the best solution for me may be a case that provides protection somewhere in-between a TPU and a Otterbox (i.e. middle ground) and ideally be able to fit into some holster. I feel that the holster is necessary due to the size of the phone in a jeans front pocket - especially if a case is grippy and hard to get out.
Anyway, the above thoughts are how *I* will be judging the cases and some of them may change my mind entirely (e.g. The Otterbox, which I really don't think I want, but thought I would give it a shot).
I'll ship all the ones I don't want back to Amazon. I figure $10 return shipping is a good investment to find the right case for 2 years of my life.
Let me know if you have any questions about the cases and I will try to answer them!

TraderJack said:
HTC M8 One 2 Puregear Kickstand Case Holster Combo - This one looks very similar to the Arduro/Minisuit, but I'm hoping the shell covers a bit more and/or the holster might be good with one of the other covers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would like to hear more about this one. I have a similar one from verizon but it doesn't look that slick or feel great in my hand

d1ez3 said:
I would like to hear more about this one. I have a similar one from verizon but it doesn't look that slick or feel great in my hand
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure. I think the one from Verizon is identical to the Minisuit/Arduro ones I mention above. None of them look that slick...with the black cross-hatching. About they only thing they have going for them is a good holster setup...but that's why I'm hoping the Puregear has something else going for it rather than a slightly different design.
The cases will be here on Wednesday and I hope to try them all out then.

This is great.... Im very interested in SUPCASE Premium Hybrid Protective Bumper Case
but was holding off ordering from Amazon. Can you tell me how much thickness it adds and overall feel, comfort etc... I agree, I love the body of the M8 and needs to be shown off however it also needs to be protected at the same time.

How's spigen capsule clear? Is it a fingerprint magnet? I presume it's slippery?

As long as we're talking about cases, you should try looking at the Dualtek case for the M8. It's a little bulky but definitely protecting the phone and looks stylish. Feels great, too.

I've been using Otterbox cases for every phone since I switched to Android years ago but I agree that the Defender and Commuter cases make this phone too bulky. Luckily they have the Symmetry Series which is slimmer (one piece, plastic shell with rubber liner built in) but still provides great protection. Color schemes are limited, I went with black, but they have around 5 choices if you like brighter colors.
Cons are that the case is a little slippery for my tastes and it adds bulk to an already big phone but I drop my phone every day so it's a trade-off.
http://www.otterbox.com/Symmetry-Series-for-HTC-One-(M8)/htc28-one-m8,default,pd.html

I just got the cases this evening. I'll respond directly to the questions asked, and then I'll give my overview on the others:
d1ez3 said:
I would like to hear more about this one [HTC M8 One 2 Puregear Kickstand Case Holster Combo]. I have a similar one from verizon but it doesn't look that slick or feel great in my hand
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Puregear is almost identical to the Arduro and Minisuit cases as I assumed it would be. It has a slightly different cutout for the camera (which I like less), and a different surface texture from the cross-hatching type on the other two. You can clearly see the surface texture differences in the Amazon pics. While I like the design texture on the Puregear slightly better, it is really so equivalent in every other way that it isn't worth the $4-5 premium you would pay over the Minisuit. These are low bulk cases..good holster. These cases would do virtually nothing in a drop except maybe allow a bounce before the phone snapped out of it. That being said my similar case for the Droid took a few drops and the phone was no worse for wear.
cue_32 said:
This is great.... Im very interested in SUPCASE Premium Hybrid Protective Bumper Case
but was holding off ordering from Amazon. Can you tell me how much thickness it adds and overall feel, comfort etc... I agree, I love the body of the M8 and needs to be shown off however it also needs to be protected at the same time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This one is maybe one of my favorite from the bunch. It is way easier to take on and off then the SUPCASE Unicorn Beetle Premium Hybrid Protective case I also purchased. Unlike the Beetle, the back is totally clear instead of frosted - so it shows off the phone. The sides however are not rigid like the Beetle, which is why it can be removed from the phone easier. The back is more rounded like the phone, whereas the Beetle is more squared. It has a slightly tacky feel...maybe not as much as the Spigen below, but it is grippy. I would say it is kind of your standard TPU type case, but of the utmost quality for these type. Since you can find TPU cases for $3-4, I think the $10 for this is not totally out of line. I'm really unsure that either of the SUPCASEs would offer any real protection from a drop. I will almost definitely be keeping one of these cases for now.
One other benefit of this case is that it fits into the Minisuit/Arduro holster really well.
richteralan said:
How's spigen capsule clear? Is it a fingerprint magnet? I presume it's slippery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Despite the term "soft" being in the description in Amazon...I thought this was going to be a hard case - so I was a bit surprised.
It is actually not slippery at all, quite the contrary. I also don't think it is that bad of a finger print magnet. It is in some ways similar to the SUPCASE Premium Hybrid Protective Bumper Case I mention above, except that it is clear all around instead of having a black bumper. However (and I think I read this elsewhere in the reviews) the clear color of the case has a yellow tinge to it that is really disappointing since the main feature of this case is to showcase the phone. This case may have just a *bit* more cushion than the SUPCASE - but in all honesty I still don't think any of these are offering great drop protection. I think I prefer the SUPCASE (either one) to this one - it just doesn't have the same "sparkle" that you get from the pics.
Going onto the other cases.
The Otterbox and the SEIDIO - the two most expensive ones. And, probably because of that, the two biggest disappointments:
The Ottterbox was just ugly out of the box. I've never had one before because I always thought they were bulky and ugly - but I wanted to give it a chance. Even though the Otterbox probably would protect better than most of these, I still don't think it would be foolproof. I also really dislike the screen covering piece which is non-optional. For the cost, I just wouldn't consider something like this over the i-Blason (see below).
The SEIDIO had the same nice finish I was used to on their matte cases. I wasn't a huge fan of the two piece snap together design. I also got one with a slight manufacturing defect and the pieces didn't line up perfectly. Because of the two piece design, it was able to stay as a slim case but protect all around the edges. However I'm sure the case would snap open if the phone fell onto a hard surface. Additionally, as much as I enjoy the quick release holster of the SEIDIOs, they are not without their problems and can easily get caught on things and drop your phone (happened to me not infrequently with my other cases). The kickstand on this phone was also not that attractive being a bit flimsy and off to the side. Like the others, I also really don't know how much protection from a drop this would give you - probably somewhere just north of the SUPCASE/Spigen. Like the Otterbox, just not worth the money on this phone.
Finally the i-Blason... I think it is one of the better in terms of protection - being a 2-piece shell case. South of the Otterbox maybe, but better than the rest. Not a bad looking case, though not beautiful. I almost wish they had a model without the kickstand and big fat grooves on the back. I don't know if those grooves serve a real functional purpose, but if you removed those pieces you would have a much cleaner looking case with probably the same level of protection.
Looks wise - I think overall the SUPCASE Premium Hybrid is my favorite... I'm just not sure it is going to give me the protection I want from my toddler. I'm considering keeping that and the Minisuit (mostly for the compatible holster). Or, perhaps I will keep the i-Blason for most of the time around the house, but also the SUPCASE for a svelter pocket profile and when I want to show off the phone.
I'm going to keep looking I think for something else like the iBlason. I might give up on the holster idea altogether as I realize it isn't the 90s anymore. I need to see how well this phone does in my pocket over the next week or two to decide if it's a priority.
If you all have more questions on these, I'll do my best to answer.

I just purchased the Case Mate Naked Tough Case from Amazon. So far so good. It has some shock protection and still shows the good looks of the phone. I'm using it in conjunction with a Zagg glass shield. I would post a link, but I suppose I need to post a few more times before I can.

I've only used Otterbox defenders in the past. That being said, I just bought a M8 today and looked at the reviews on Amazon. A lot of people complain about the clear screen protector being bowed or warped and not tight against the screen. What's your impression on this issue? And from the sound and looks of the design, it sounds pretty similar to the M7.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app

FearlessAZ said:
I've only used Otterbox defenders in the past. That being said, I just bought a M8 today and looked at the reviews on Amazon. A lot of people complain about the clear screen protector being bowed or warped and not tight against the screen. What's your impression on this issue? And from the sound and looks of the design, it sounds pretty similar to the M7.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Definitely. Honestly I played with the otterbox for all of 30 seconds. First off, I just thought it was ugly...
Put it on and it seemed pretty bulky, although I was going to give it a chance since I knew that with that bulk came good protection.
The minute I touched the screen though I observed exactly what you are stating, the screen protector is not flush and that gave it an overall cheap feel.

So here is my update as I am leaving town for a couple of weeks and am choosing a case to come with me for the first real road test:
Based on my observations above, and the info from this thread, I think I'm going to stick with the Supcase Beetle.
While I like the SUPCASE Premium Hybrid Protective Bumper Case as well, I feel that it just doesn't offer great protection. Also, I find the volume buttons a little loose, as if they move too much off contact with the phone when you press on them.
The Beetle may only be a ~6-7 in the protection department, but the only ones that beat it are the Otterbox and probably the i-Blason. I just can't do the otterbox, and the i-Blason is a tad bulky and doesn't showcase the phone at all. I wish they removed the back nubbins and kickstand from the i-Blason. I haven't found a really nice and lean 2 piece case (internal silicon, hard outer shell). The Spigen 2-piece (not reviewed here) is a good contender for that role but it blocks the IR port, which is a non-starter (even though I will rarely use that feature, on principal I don't want a case that removes features from my phone).
So, for now I'm opting more for an "8 looks and 6/7 protection." The UAG looked like a good alternative that might have been 8 on both fronts, but from my thread linked above someone who has owned both feels that the Beetle is close on par with the UAG from protection standpoint. Price wise, the Beetle wins hands down.
I am still left though in a situation where I don't have a holster. I don't know yet how big of a problem that will be. I need to see how the Beetle does in my pants pocket over the next week. If it doesn't work out, and I can't find a compatible holster for the Beetle, I may have to abandon it all-together because it is just too hard to take it out of the Beetle on a regular basis to put into a holster-compatible case...I don't want to have to do that even weekly.

Dang. That is kind of a let down. I don't mind bulkyness at all but if that screen protector isn't tight, it's just pointless for me. I work construction and need something that won't allow the dirt to get between the screen and protector. I'll look into a few that you suggested. Thanks!