I bought the Sony Style case a year ago when I bought my Z2 tablet. It was pretty good: rubber and plastic so water didn't affect it and it fitted well. But it was heavy, didn't look that great, it was a bit too vertical as a stand and after a year of careful use the corner snapped off. I replaced it with the IVSO case. That lasted a week before the corner snapped off and I returned it (no I didn't drop it). I decided to buy a silicon/rubber case to replace it. There is a cheaper silicone case you can buy that comes in various colours called the X-Line, but people have complained that it doesn't fit that well and also it has TWO holes for the headphone jack, which is jus stupid. Also, it isn't much thicker than the tablet so would offer much protection in a drip.
The Poetic GraphGrip case is brilliant. It's really high quality and fits really well. There are cutouts for every port on the device apart from the headphones and power where there are raised bits to press. It feels really nice in your hand - kind of silky. It protects the case brilliantly as it's pretty thick around the edges and corners. It's raised about a millimetre on the front so it protects the screen a bit. I'm not bothered either way about the checked pattern on the back. I don't love or hate it, but it probably offers lots of protection. The infrared port is easier to use on this case than the Sony because the flap on the Sony gets in the way. Overall a well-made, high quality case that protects well, fits very well and looks pretty good.
Excellent review on YouTube here.
I have been searching for a protective case for the note 5 and having tried a few I can say that the Poetic revolution is the best one I have tried so far.
It's not ungodly heavy like some of the other ones, it does add some heft but more in line with what I would expect.
It offers full body pritection, including a plastic screen protector. I have a love hate relation with them honestly, they ultimately end up scratched up and I remove them in time. I put the phone in the case with my tempered glass protector still in place so that is probably the reason but this one I have yet to decide if I like it, it's crystal clear but slightly impedes touch sensitivity and does not sit flush against the glass, requiring you to tap just a bit harder. That's actually a plus tho because on some other cases, the screen protector sits right on the glass and you end up with watermarking. Like I said tho, I kept my glass one on so that's my own doing. The cut outs for the home button, speaker and camera are dead on.
The corners are squared off which should distribute the force of an impact over a larger area, hoping to protect better. The sides are pliable while the back is hard.
I like the volume buttons, having 2 buttons instead of like a slider deal allows easy adjusting with no guessing. The ports are all covered with flaps, it looks to be a tight fit for larger headphones although the stock ones fit fine. The s-pen, I don't know...I am 6'4 and have larger hands but I can not access it. It sits too deep, a key or something you could pop it out I am sure, depending how often you use it, it might be an issue. I think if you need a protective case that's a minor annoyance, just worth noting.
The kickstand works well, mainly in landscape. It's easy to pop out and close, doesn't rattle and stays put rather well.
The only real downside to this case is wireless charging does not work for me. I have a Spigen 3 coil charger and placing the phone on it I get nada. Most likely due to the metal kickstand I would guess.
Depending what's important to you in a case will ultimately determine if this one's for you. I work in construction and welding, I need reliable protection and will use this case when working. Weekends, etc I'll put on a less protective case. Personally, glad to have this one as an option and if you are looking for a good quality, protective case, keep this on your short list.
More pictures
Couple more
My review of the Poetic Revolution case
Disclaimer: I got this case free in exchange for this review. I have previously recieved and reviewed Poetic's Affinity case, a slim case which I like so much it has become my daily driver. How will I like a big case such as this one after using the featherweight, unobtrusive Affinity? Well, let's see....
The case arrived quickly. It was plainly packed in what appeared to be a non-retail plastic envelope. I don't know if the retail package ships with instructions, but mine didn't.
The case looks very sharp. It is big and blocky, with a somewhat military look. It consists of two pieces. There is a black plastic front, which features a built-in clear plastic screen protector with cut outs for the front camera, speaker and home button.. And then there is the back piece. Like the other Poetic case I have reviewed, this one is a seamless combination of hard plastic and rigid rubber. The plastic parts are black, and the rubber is a military drab greenish brown that suits the look of the case. The plastic and rubber meet in a combination of ridges and bumpers that are aesthetically sound. An aluminum kickstand sits squarely in the back. The top right corner of the case has a squared off rubber "loop" which is maybe for hanging the phone on something? I can kind of see the appeal of such a feature, but it adds bulk to an already big case without feeling substantial enough that you want your device hanging from it. There are also some "screws" and "rivets" which seem to be purely cosmetic and just molded into the plastic. Inside the back there is some kimd of texture that looks like it is designed to distribute force and further protect the device in case of a drop or other impact.
The ports line up perfectly. There are covers for the charging port, headphone jack, and even the S-pen. I like the complete protection (and this is the best S-Pen protection I've seen), but I will say that the S-Pen port is kind of hard to squeeze your finger into.
The front part of the case is supposed to snap on. Normally, I do not care for cases that are rigid inside, as I feel they jack up the phone's finish. While this may have been true of Samsung's previous chromed plastic bodies, I have no such concern about the aluminum edges of the Note 5.
Like the poster above, I tried to leave my glass screen protector on when first installing this case. It is obviously not designed for this. No fault of the manufacturer. My results were the same: a bowed out, unresponsive, mushy feeling screen cover. In addition, the convex fit made an easy access point around the camera, speaker and home button for dust and lint, which soon began to accumulate. So, I took off my glass. After doing this, the front of the case snapped on snugly with a satisfying "click". The screen protector, which is visibly thicker than that of the Otterbox Defender, sat flush and tight on the surface of my phone. Two days after taking off the glass(which I left on for two days), I see nothing accumulating under the screen at all. I am seeing some very fine scratches, but nothing visible.during normal use. And, for the record, I only clean my phone's screen/screen protector with lens cleaning wipes. Never dry. And my phone is usually in my pocket when not in use. I work indoors in clean dry conditions.
The front of the case goes on easily (once you remove your glass lol). The back, like most rubber over plastic cases, stretches slightly over the back and hugs a lip on the front of the case. It fits snugly and well, ....except for one part. The lower left. Not a huge deal, but it just doesn't seem to sit flush like the rest of the case, no matter what I do. There is a pic of this corner attatched. But, aside from that small quibble (well, small to me, YMMV), the fit is good and solid. Even the part that isn't 100% flush doesn't feel loose or mushy.
The case is bulky, no doubt. Either you like the way that feels in the hand or you don't. The back of the case is hard plastic with some rubber ridges. The sides are rubber with a barely visible micro texturing that seems to add a nice grip. The phone is not slippery in the hand. Nor is it slippery on a table, whether laid on its front or back. Though big, the phone feels good in the hand, not slippery or slimy. If you use your phone in landscape mode a lot, you need to be mindful of the "loop" on the top left corner. It may get in your way, prompting you to flip your device over to play your game or watch your video.
The lip around the screen has a nice angle to it, so you don't feel like you have to worry about hitting the screen anywhere. It doesn't interfere with the function at all. Can't really say the same for the port around the camera. It's deep and plenty protective, but it doesn't have any kind of bezel or anything like I've seen on some Note 5 cases. This can make it feel like you're "digging" for the heart rate monitor, which is kind of a pain.
The buttons are perfectly covered. But they do feel a little spongy. In addition, the sides of the case are angled inward, kind of under the top, almost like a saucer, get me? This angle has the effect of making the button pushes feel slightly awkward.
The hole around the speaker is deep (the rubber here is very thick) and more tube like than funnel shaped. This has the effect of changing the sound from the bottom speaker somewhat. Making it kind of "canned" sounding.
The kickstand is good and solid. It sets the phone at a good angle for viewing/gaming in landscape mode (but again, you have to be mindful of where the loop is). It works in portrait mode as well, but I dont know if it is intended to be used that way
The case is kind of a bear to take on and off. I put my phone into an armband when I run, so I take mine out of the case a lot. I found a workaround (jamming the thing case and all into my old Note 3 armband lol).
Lastly, as the previous reviewer noted, wireless charging does not work with this case. I must say, as common as wireless charging is becoming, this seems like a grave oversight.
At the end of the day, the phone offers good, solid protection, looking very good while doing it. But it does seem to sacrifice form in favor of function. For those who require, or just like, like solid protection, don't mind bulk, and don't need the case to slip on and off like butter, this may be the case for you. It certainly is substantial and protective. But it isn't terribly user friendly in some respects, maybe even less so than other cases of its type. In any event, even though I generally prefer a slimmer case, I am.in no hurry to switchn and will probably continue to use this one until the next time I absolutely have to charge wirelessly or wear skinny jeans. I don't see it as a daily driver for me. Partially because I just prefer smaller cases (which is no reflection on the product or manufacturer)n and partly because this case does seem to have a few drawbacks. I can definitely see myself using this for occasions when I am traveling or feel the need for extra protection. Ultimately, I have mixed feelings about the case. It has its strengths and weaknesses.
Pros: solid, offers complete coverage and protection, dual-layer (plastic/rubber), thick, and snug screen protector, covered ports, kickstand, nice grip, good looking, great value for the price (around $20)
Cons: S-Pen difficult to reach, difficult heart rate monitor access, bulky, loop adds bulk and reduces ease of use, buttons mushy and slightly awkward, no wireless charging, case affects speaker sound
More pics
NOTE: I received one of these free in exchange for doing a review.
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Please note the photos I've uploaded. This is a VERY strong case which is made of two pieces, completely covering the phone. DO NOT have a screen protector on your phone when you use this case as the front of the case already has a screen protector built in. If you want the ultimate in protection for your phone, then this is it! The front first goes onto the phone and snaps on with a strong "click". I have read other reviews of this case where the reviewer left a screen protector on his phone and that causes not only for the S-Pen to not work as well but also caused problems in making the front case fit properly on the phone - the fantastic tight tolerances on this case are THAT GOOD! Talking about the screen protector, it is a very strong material which does not at all seem to be a 'finger print magnet'. Also you will note from the pictures I submitted that the tolerances of the cutouts in the screen protector for the pone speaker and home button are the exact right size and line up perfectly. Getting back to putting the case on the phone - once the front is on, then you put the back onto the phone, and the tolerances are so tight with the way the front and the back of the case fit together that you will certainly have some difficulty getting this case on and off of the phone. (You will note this is primarily because of the bottom of the phone case - see the photo with the back and front of the phone case separated but held next to each other.) However, since this case is meant to be #1 protective for this phone, to meet that end it is purposely built with the tight tolerances.
My guess is you can throw this case against a brick wall pretty hard and your phone will not break (however I did not have the guts to try that)!
Going through the remaining photos, you will note the case fits the phone extremely well. Not only is there enough coverage so that the front of the phone - as well as the back camera lens - will not touch anything if the phone is laid down on a flat surface, but the case on the front comes very close to the edge of the display, which is very well protected with the built-in screen protector. I have also read reviews of other thick protective cases where the case was so thick that sometimes a shadow would appear in photos taken by the phone because the camera lens is so deep inside of the case - but that is not the case here (no pun intended). My photos also show the holes for the charging port and S-Pen etc. The ports are covered by included 'plugs' which are part of the case and extremely well designed with ridges built in so that after extended use they should never fall open. The only downside I have found from these 'plugs' are that the S-Pen is actually not very easy to retrieve out of the phone because it is pretty deep and hard to reach. Also, if you have some kind of a plug for the power or the audio that do not fit, then you would not be able to make those holes larger without damaging the capability of the port covers. However, all the plugs and audio cables I have fit with no problem. There is also a loop on the case on one corner which I would prefer not to have, but it is strong rubber material so it could be carefully cut off with a sharp knife and nobody would ever know it was there. Better to have the option of having it or not!
The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is the kickstand on the back is metal, and because of that (I think that would be the only reason) the wireless charging will not work. I really wanted to give this 5 stars but in all honesty because of the wireless charging not working I couldn't do it. So please take this review as 4+ or 4.5 stars! In any event, if you want your previous phone to last forever - then this would be your case!
KruseLudsMobile said:
NOTE: I received one of these free in exchange for doing a review.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We have a thread for reviews on this case already, with that said, I have tried several different wireless chargers, have a couple that are super thin. I slid them between the kickstand and still no luck. That was my original thought process as well, that it was the kickstand. I guess it's just too thick, sucks in that aspect.
Looks good for hiking and outdoor activities
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...
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Disclaimers:
This review is just the ramblings of a crazy man. These are just my opinions after two weeks of usage so take all comments with a grain of salt.
The cost of the case was re-imbursed from the vendor for an un-biased review.
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The two piece case design seems to make the phone ‘float’ in the corners of the outer case. Not tested but I imagine this will help prevent damage when dropped as advertised. Due to this design though, the phone is wider than the Samsung Metal case and not as convenient when using the phone one handed. This can be an issue for people with smaller hands but the trade off is better protection IMO. I also like the grip design on the side of the phone case, it helps prevent the phone slipping in your hand.
The camera hump is well recessed in the case and there are no worries when laying on a flat surface. That being said, this is a $1400 phone and I have a glass camera screen protector on the hump.
The kickstand is something else that is better than the Samsung case. The Samsung kickstand is so “delicate”, that the kickstand pops off whenever pressing on the volume buttons. The Armadillo Vanguard case doesn’t have this issue and stands strong.
The only nuisance for me was the protruding square nub on the power port cover. The problem I had was that the nub had sharp corners that would dig into my pinky finger when holding the phone one handed. My home remedy solution was sandpaper the corners/edges.
Final thoughts: I am impressed with the quality of the case and its potential protection. This is especially true for the price (~$18) when compared to the Samsung Metal case with kickstand (!$40) which I also own.