I used the roocase Exec Tough for my Note 5 for a week before writing this review. The current case I use is an OtterBox Commuter, which has been installed for about 2 months. This brief review will compare/contrast the roocase to the OtterBox.
roocase basics:
- Was sent a production version (not a beta) of the new Exec Tough Slim Fit Armor case for the Note5 to review
- Made from a co-molded TPU/polycarbonate process which combines a shock absorbent rubber inner lining with a hard but flexible outer case into a single cover that snaps onto the phone as one piece
- Case was all black except for the volume and power buttons, which are covered by a raised metal-looking plastic buttons that protect them from dust while making it easy to feel for the buttons with your fingers (more on that below)
- Other colors for the case are available - check the roocase website
- Case was surprisingly thin but strong
- Pictures below
roocase vs. OtterBox comparisons:
- roocase was thinner and lighter; felt easier to hold in my hand than the OtterBox
- roocase was not as bulky in my front pants pocket as the OtterBox
- roocase volume and power button cover keys were easy to locate and press; OtterBox key covers require a much firmer push to engage the buttons by comparison as they are covered by a raised rubber area
- roocase has a nice raised bumper on each case corner, clearly intended to fend off issues from drops (see pic below); OtterBox has no raised corners but has rubber around each corner as part of the OtterBox inner liner piece
- roocase was much easier to install on the phone versus the 2-part install process and alignment / press-fit of the OtterBox; however, roocase was very snug once on the phone once installed, and some strong pressure is needed to remove the roocase - it does not come off easily (probably a good thing)
- roocase does not have any rubber flaps covering the micro-usb or headset jack ports, like the OtterBox does
- Was much easier to get at & remove the S-Pen with the roocase on than with the OtterBox - the OtterBox has a slot in the rubber inner liner at the bottom right of the phone case, which while protecting that corner against drops, makes it a little harder to reach in and pop-out the stylus than the roocase's TPU co-mold design. Those with skinny fingers may not have such issues with the OtterBox installed but I do.
- OtterBox when installed has a higher case lip around the screen that makes you slow down and focus more when using a full finger swipe in from the far left edge of the screen; the roocase does not have as high a lip around the screen, and made this finger gesture easier to be recognized
Other general comparisons:
- Both cases offered clear access to the speaker & mic ports at the bottom and mic port at the top of the phone - no issues
- Both cases offered clear access around the camera and flash on the back of the phone - no issues
- Both cases offered clear access to the micro-usb and headset jacks (other than the OtterBox has rubber flaps covering these which must be first pushed out of the way). I had no issues hooking up my USB cables or Bose & Samsung headset cords to the phone with the cases installed.
Drop test notes:
- I have dropped my phone before with the OtterBox case on it (3' drop), and it landed on the bottom right corner, ejecting the S-pen onto the floor but no damage at all to the phone, case, or S-pen
- I did not drop the phone during the week I had the roocase installed, so I cannot comment on how it protects the phone, but just looking at its design and appearance of case features, it should protect just as well as the OtterBox
In conclusion:
- The roocase was more to my liking than the OtterBox, thanks to the fact that it was seemingly just as strong/durable, but also easier to install on the phone, had less weight/bulk, and it was easier to get at the S-pen/USB/Headset jack locations
- I have not decided which case I will use going forward as my ONLY hesitation with the roocase is that I find the phone screen turns on much too easily in my pocket due to the fact that only the lightest touch is required on the silver roocase button covers to activate the phone. I will use each case for another week, switching between them, until I can decide. Leaning towards the roocase though - just being honest.
These are just my opinions - you have yours. Will reply to thoughtful questions but will ignore any attacks or criticism of my opinion.
jaxf250 said:
I used the roocase Exec Tough for my Note 5 for a week before writing this review. The current case I use is an OtterBox Commuter, which has been installed for about 2 months. This brief review will compare/contrast the roocase to the OtterBox.
roocase basics:
- Was sent a production version (not a beta) of the new Exec Tough Slim Fit Armor case for the Note5 to review
- Made from a co-molded TPU/polycarbonate process which combines a shock absorbent rubber inner lining with a hard but flexible outer case into a single cover that snaps onto the phone as one piece
- Case was all black except for the volume and power buttons, which are covered by a raised metal-looking plastic buttons that protect them from dust while making it easy to feel for the buttons with your fingers (more on that below)
- Other colors for the case are available - check the roocase website
- Case was surprisingly thin but strong
- Pictures below
roocase vs. OtterBox comparisons:
- roocase was thinner and lighter; felt easier to hold in my hand than the OtterBox
- roocase was not as bulky in my front pants pocket as the OtterBox
- roocase volume and power button cover keys were easy to locate and press; OtterBox key covers require a much firmer push to engage the buttons by comparison as they are covered by a raised rubber area
- roocase has a nice raised bumper on each case corner, clearly intended to fend off issues from drops (see pic below); OtterBox has no raised corners but has rubber around each corner as part of the OtterBox inner liner piece
- roocase was much easier to install on the phone versus the 2-part install process and alignment / press-fit of the OtterBox; however, roocase was very snug once on the phone once installed, and some strong pressure is needed to remove the roocase - it does not come off easily (probably a good thing)
- roocase does not have any rubber flaps covering the micro-usb or headset jack ports, like the OtterBox does
- Was much easier to get at & remove the S-Pen with the roocase on than with the OtterBox - the OtterBox has a slot in the rubber inner liner at the bottom right of the phone case, which while protecting that corner against drops, makes it a little harder to reach in and pop-out the stylus than the roocase's TPU co-mold design. Those with skinny fingers may not have such issues with the OtterBox installed but I do.
- OtterBox when installed has a higher case lip around the screen that makes you slow down and focus more when using a full finger swipe in from the far left edge of the screen; the roocase does not have as high a lip around the screen, and made this finger gesture easier to be recognized
Other general comparisons:
- Both cases offered clear access to the speaker & mic ports at the bottom and mic port at the top of the phone - no issues
- Both cases offered clear access around the camera and flash on the back of the phone - no issues
- Both cases offered clear access to the micro-usb and headset jacks (other than the OtterBox has rubber flaps covering these which must be first pushed out of the way). I had no issues hooking up my USB cables or Bose & Samsung headset cords to the phone with the cases installed.
Drop test notes:
- I have dropped my phone before with the OtterBox case on it (3' drop), and it landed on the bottom right corner, ejecting the S-pen onto the floor but no damage at all to the phone, case, or S-pen
- I did not drop the phone during the week I had the roocase installed, so I cannot comment on how it protects the phone, but just looking at its design and appearance of case features, it should protect just as well as the OtterBox
In conclusion:
- The roocase was more to my liking than the OtterBox, thanks to the fact that it was seemingly just as strong/durable, but also easier to install on the phone, had less weight/bulk, and it was easier to get at the S-pen/USB/Headset jack locations
- I have not decided which case I will use going forward as my ONLY hesitation with the roocase is that I find the phone screen turns on much too easily in my pocket due to the fact that only the lightest touch is required on the silver roocase button covers to activate the phone. I will use each case for another week, switching between them, until I can decide. Leaning towards the roocase though - just being honest.
These are just my opinions - you have yours. Will reply to thoughtful questions but will ignore any attacks or criticism of my opinion.
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Great review, thanks.
May I add, the otterbox cover for ports is a great advantage especially as a daily commuter, my pockets are filled with stuff.
This stuff caused me to loose my headphone jack because it was not connected on my work Iphone.
*the fact that it was an iphone didn't help *
Related
Shellster Horizontal Ribbed Design - Cover/Holster Combo:
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Available from Amazon.com (search words: LG 855 Shellster Black Belt Clip Holster)
Price: About $3.50 US ($3.50 + Free Shipping)
Materials: Hard black plastic cover and holster w/clip
Pros:
Compact
Great fit
Price
All-in-one solution
Cons:
Poor case retention in holster
No shock-absorption by case
No other color options
Belt clip only fits belts to 1-5/8" (4.1 cm)
Boxed-edges on case and holster
The "Shellster" case was my first LG P970 phone case. The price was right from Amazon (under $4, including shipping) and the on-line reviews were mostly favorable. I was impressed with the compactness of the combo, and the overall fit on the phone. I don't think the cover and holster could be made any thinner than this combo. The case sides wrap up and around the phone's sides, and sit just above the glass face surface; this case does not interfere with the on-screen keyboard in any way. The cover doesn't look like it's held on the phone by much, but it grips the phone well. My only real complaint is that the back of the cover is "boxy", with squared edges; the P970 has a beautifully rounded back that fits the hand well, and the squared edges of the cover feel out of place and make the phone appear larger than it actually is.
The holster is precision-molded and holds the phone cover face-inward. Three clips -- two on each side and one on the bottom -- hold the cover snugly in and against the holster. There is a shallow perimeter lip on the holster that helps position the cover; it also (somewhat) prevents the phone/cover from sliding up and out of the holster. A large felt pad lines the inside of the holster and protects the phone's face. A mulch-position clip securely locks the holster on a belt up to 1-5/8" (4.1 cm). The holster also has a "kickstand" built into its clip; pulling out on the clip and slipping an attached wire loop downward locks the clip outward. The stand seems to work fairly well, but I question its long-term durability.
In use, the holster didn't perform well. I immediately ran into problems with keeping the phone/cover in the holster while carrying it on my hip/small-of-back; all was well until I sat down. Sandwiched between my back and a chair/seat backrest, the phone had a tendency to work its way up and out of the holster in vertical carry. The three or four times the phone slipped out, I was able to quickly recover it. The Otterbox for the iPhone has a release latch on its holster; it's a feature that this holster sorely lacks. The holster has a raised ridge at its top to help retain the phone/case, but it's just not enough. I also ran into an issue with the belt clip: 1-5/8" clearance wasn't enough for my 1-3/4" work belt; the clip slipped over my belt, but wouldn't lock.
Rating, in three parts:
Cover - 3/5 - holds phone the well, but feels boxy in the hand, making the phone feel larger than it really is.
Holster - 1/5 - nicely built, but cover/phone retention is poor.
Overall - 2/5 - An inexpensive combo that's limited by both the lack of a retention latch and a non-contoured cover.
So The kind folks at Otterbox sent me not One but TWO replacement cases because my original defender had the rubber for the headphone jack and usb jack start tearing after use.
Let me start by saying they are an OUTSTANDING company ( And I dont own any of their stock, get paid to review or compensated in any form) . I called and asked if they could send me a new rubber outercase for my existing Defender because the two port flaps were tearing. Since they didn't have any of the silicone shells or Defender cases they sent me an Otterbox Commuter in my preferred color choice (Glacier White) until they had more Defender cases in stock. What did I get? at the same time a new full retail Otterbox Commuter in Glacier White and a full Otterbox Defender in Black (my original color).
I thought maybe showing them side by side may help others decide which case is a more suitable choice.
In the pics below the Verizon SCH-i605 is in the (OLD) Otterbox Defender and the NEW Otterbox Commuter is on the TMobile SCH-T889.
Long and short of it is each case has its merits and flaws. But both are great choices for protection on this expensive device.
Common To Both Cases:
+ Very good protection for falls. Corners, Screen, and back are protected.
+ Both have rubber flaps covering Audio and USB ports.
The Defender has 3 parts: Hard plastic back cover, Hard plastic front cover with integrated hard plastic screen screen protector, Soft silicon outer shell that wraps everything including the screen bezel.
The Commuter has 2 parts + a standard adhesive screen protector. Soft silicon inner shell that wraps the entire phone including raised screen bezel, a hard ABS plastic outer shell and also the adhesive screen protector.
Defender:
+ Exterior shell is Silicon. More tacky / sticky in hand and less slippery . Less likely to slip out of the hand.
+ The hard interior case has a raised rim around the screen in the harder ABS plastic and I think would help protect the phone screen from an off-angle fall .
+ Built in plastic screen protector as part of the top lid.
+ Feels more rugged and effective for extreme falls or clumsy ppl lol.
- Exterior is soft rubber and may also be more difficult to slide into pockets.
- Integrated hard plastic screen protector is full coverage BUT has cutouts top camera, sensors, ear piece and bottom home button, which allows dust to eventually get wedged between the actual screen and the protector.
- Is approx 3mm thicker overall and slightly heavier. Generally noticeably bulkier.
- Volume and Power button require more effort to press.
Commuter:
+ Less bulky then Defender. Slimmer, slightly less tall and def feels sleeker in hand.
+ Volume and Power button feel normal with minimal added effort to press.
+ Easier to disassemble.
+ Outer Shell is hard plastic and is mush easier to slide in and out of pockets.
+ Screen protector is a standard adhesive variety , but once installed is very smooth , bubble free and doesnt show fingerprints,
- Hard plastic is slippery and it will slide on a table or possibly out of your hand.
- Adhesive screen protector may be challenging to those trying to install one for the first time , especially one this large. It only comes with one.
- Offers slightly less protection then the Defender , BUT comes with a slimmer profile and weight.
Someone asked me about which of these two cases would offer better "crash" protection onto a sidewalk.
I personally prefer the Commuter case for its overall slender form factor. However ; I think the Defender offers superior protection.
The Defender has the soft (and thick) outer shell. In the event of a fall onto concrete or another hard surface physics would say the soft outer shell will absorb more of the impact shock then the Commuter. Why?
The soft exterior will absorb the shock and disfigure on impact where the hard exterior of the Commuter will transfer the impact to the soft inner shell. The problem is that since the hard exterior of the Commuter compresses the soft inner shell significantly once put on it minimizes the amount of cushion it can offer.
Basically once the silicon is compressed (pretty significantly might I add) and sandwiched between the outer case and the phone itself it wont have the cushion and recoil it would have if it were allowed to remain fully expanded on the exterior as in the Defender..
NOTE: I received this at a discount in exchange for reviewing it.
Also NOTE: This is an outstanding case and the first fully protective case where I have given it five out of five stars on Amazon as well as here.
Please see the photos. Wireless charging works well with this case on. The phone is fully protected, front back and the sides - with this case. The only con I can find about this case is - which is not even a con - is that the two piece fit together so well that when it arrived with no instructions on how to pull it apart to insert the phone, that it is puzzling at first how to do so! DO NOT do like I did which it to try to pry the pieces apart with a knife on the front to try to open it - fortunately I did not scrape the case but soon discovered that the rubber lip on the front around the edges can be pulled back, and that is how to get the front of the case away from the back.
The pieces fit together with very tight tolerances. You first put the phone into the front of the case (and use no screen protector because one is included as part of the front of the case) - and it snaps on nice and tightly. Then you push the flexible heavy rubber-life back onto the front. When you are holding the phone case with the front facing you, and feel along the back edges on the sides of the phone, when you run your fingers up and down those edges they may feel lumpy. If you just push those lumps in then you will feel them snap into place and flatten out - this case fits the phone very well.
One thing I like in particular about this case is the raised lip around the front edge of the phone is raised higher than you will find on most other protective cases, without seeming like it is too fat around the edges of the phone. Additionally, the lip is raised less down near the home button on the phone so that there is no issue with people with large fingers trying to get the fingerprint reader to work well - another good design consideration included with this unit.
The back of the phone's hard plastic surfaces are matte so it is not at all a 'fingerprint magnet'. The indentation for the camera lens has walls that are reflective and slanted so the lens would never be obstructed by the case and there would never be any kind of shadowing affect. On the back of the phone case there are also small fake 'screw heads' that stick up and are in fact made of the heavy rubber material - and they do a good job of actually acting like nice rubber 'feet' on the back of the phone so that it will not slip when put onto a slanted surface. Although the corners and edges of the phone are made of this material, the case is still not too bulky - and not too slip resistant - to stop you from being able to slip it easily into your pocket.
The bottom edge has plugs which only cover the ports which the case designer feels would be used less often - the headphone jack and the charging port. The speaker grille is of course left uncovered and the S-Pen is actually easily accessible - the case is designed so that corner of the phone is still protected from falls, while the S-Pen is still easily reachable, which shows how well the phone case is designed. The only other case I have reviewed which had better plugs is one with plugs slightly larger than the hole with extra ridges on the side of the plug, so that it would still stay in the hole even after being pulled out hundreds of times - that is not the case here, but these plugs still fit pretty tightly and the only way to test if these would stand up to long term daily abuse is to test that for many months of wear and tear. However, I do not think that would be a problem with this phone.
To help with the grip a little better, which may be unnecessary due to the material used in this case anyway, the sides have raised ridges sticking out all the way up and down both sides of the phone. The buttons work very will and do not work so well that they would be pushed in by mistake. Additionally the buttons are easy to find by feel without looking - but in fact they still do not stick out so they would never catch on anything either!
As far as a protective rubber case for the Note 5, this one would be my top choice! Outstanding job Artech 21!
Looks like a great case, similar to the otterbox defender. Two questions? Does Tech 21 have a lifetime warranty for this case (like otterbox) and does the slot where the home button is allow too much dust in?
I am not sure about the warranty. With regards to the slot where the home button was, I only took that photo to show it was ever so slightly misaligned but forgot to mention it. I don't think any dust would get in there...
Note: I received a discount on this case in return for reviewing it.
This case is better than others which claim to offer a huge amount of protection because it is not as bulky as most of the others. One reason could be also because it does not in fact include a cover with a built-in screen protector for the front, although there are lips which do stick up around the front to protect it when the phone is placed face down on a table.
Wireless charging works well with this case as well which can be an issue with other protective cases.
The back of the phone is a shiny plastic material which can be a fingerprint magnet to a very small extent, but that is not nearly as noticeable as an issue as the phone has on the back when it has no cover. The back is also curved on the sides like the bare phone itself, so it is very comfortable to hold.
In order to make up for some possible slipperiness on the very back, you can see by the photos included that that is more than made up for by the rubber "grippy" sides. I would have preferred the side on the phone with the volume buttons to have the same rubber material all the way up the side as the side of the phone with the power button, but that is just my preference with which everyone may not agree.
On the front, the top lip and the bottom lip around the screen are hard rubber, while the sides edges are in fact the same plastic as the center of the back of the phone. They do not fit right up to the edge of the glass the same way - so on the front you can see a little of the metal edge on the top and bottom front edges of the phone with this case. However, it is just this one 'slight flaw' that makes the next paragraph possible:
It may sound counterintuitive, but what I like most about this case is that is not only a very protective case for the phone, but it is also very easy to slip on and off the phone at the same time - the rubber and plastic pieces do not have to be pulled apart from each other to put the phone in or to take it out. Just grap a couple corners and with a little effort it will pop off - not so easy that it would ever slip off on it's own - it is very snug. It may seem like a silly thing, but I have a custom proclip holder in the car (for the bare phone) - and I like to slip my phone into that when I get into the car. As that requires removing the case and slipping it back on, when I am using the other protective cases for my phone I am forced to just not use the proclip holder those times when I am driving - except not with this case!
All in all I really like this case and I'll be using it a lot!
wondermanyoulove said:
it is 4.99 dollars in Ebay
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Probably one of the other reviewers. I still have mine.
So I received my second package from To2c.com which contained my 2 cases & to my surprise another clear Tpu gel case & screen protector.
So I now have received 2 Gel cases & 2 screen protectors free from To2c.com!!!
This review is of the MOFI flip RUI flip case in black.
It cost $5.99 USD bundled with purchase of the phone.
Overall it is quite well made it contains a semi grey clear Tpu case to hold the phone to the outer case.
Time will tell whether or not the gel case separates from the outer as I've had this happen before with this type of case.
All the appropriate cutouts are big enough & clear every peripheral device needed, the speaker holes are not covered in any way & it's very very slim.
What I noticed straight away was if you have the back flipped open & pick up the phone it covers the fingerprint reader...so it needs to be closed or semi closed to unlock :/
This will be the same with any of these types of covers, not a deal breaker but that's where an open faced type case would be an advantage.
Edit:
Cons:
I find it quite bulky when the cover is flipped open to the back, the bend on the folding edge has no give & I don't think it ever will because it needs to roll around the phones edge.
Also the power & volume buttons are impeded slightly by the outer hard edge of the case.
I'm undecided...& will update.