New owner of a Note 3 but long-time lurker of XDA!
Noticed not too many users using aluminum/metal cases so I figured I'd give them a whirl~
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I decided to review this specific case because it's literally everywhere on ebay and seems to be the most popular aluminum case for the Note 3 currently.
1) What I received in the mail
Packaging was incredibly simple.
Here is what I received(This may vary depending on where and whom you buy yours from),
-Aluminum case enclosed in bubblewrap
-Keychain/Mini screwdriver(one side is flat head while the other is a philips screwdriver head)
-Mini bag with spare screws(Not pictured)
2) The Weight.
Weighed my Note 3 first to find it weighing at a paltry 6.05 oz.
After applying the aluminum casing, I found the weight to increase roughly 22%(From 6.05 oz to 7.35 oz)
Being that this is my first case for the Note 3, I'm unsure if the increase in weight is typical for most cases or abnormal.
3) Build Quality.
The casing actually feels very sturdy and tough in the hand despite it's thinness. This case is a SCREW-ON case.
There are rubberized strips inside the bumper to absorb any impact and the back panel actually replaces the stock back panel of the Note 3 to truly reduce bulk size.
But for some strange reason, after installing the case, I felt almost afraid of ever dropping my phone. Although the aluminum is thick and sturdy, I just didn't feel entirely safe holding it in my hand.
The buttons feel great! I actually prefer pushing the casing's buttons rather than the stock buttons.
All the cutouts are very accurate and easily accessible EXCEPT for the headphone jack.
You will NOT be able to use any 3.5mm right-angled cables with this case on!
This wasn't a dealbreaker for me because I never use my phone as my mp3 player.
As expected from anything made out of brushed aluminum, there is no grip to this case. If you are a butterfinger, stay far away from this case.
WARNING: the cutout near the S-Pen is just a tad bit sharp so please be careful when handling!
4) Aesthetics.
I must admit, I've gotten quite a bit of compliments after putting on this case!
It looks quite luxurious but the only downside is the obnoxious Engrish on the back of the casing. The logo almost looks like XXX or something and the description underneath is incredibly redundant(Seriously, it literally says "mobile phone metal frame cover mobile phone set Note 3").
The buttons remind me too much of the iPhone(especially the round volume controls). They look obnoxious on my Note 3 but atleast they work :/
For those who dislike reading long blocks of text,
Pros
-Looks luxurious and expensive
-Wifi is NOT affected by the aluminum casing (Download/Upload speeds were the same with and without the case)
-Buttons feel very good
-Cutouts are very accurate
-Phone does not move around in case due to the screws
-Pretty damn slim for a aluminum case. Does not add much bulk at all
-The added weight is not too large. This may not be a Pro for some.
-Compatible with most if not all screen protectors(I am using an iloome Screenmate Flex Tempered Glass Protector)
Cons
-Weird Engrish writing on the back(There are also blank versions of this case available on the internet!)
-3.5mm right-angled cables do NOT work on this case
-God damn slippery
-Feels somewhat unsafe to drop despite the robustness of the casing. This may not feel the same for other users.
-Gets cold when left untouched
-Sharp corners around S-Pen
-Screws are incredibly small and ridiculously easy to lose if not careful
More pictures!
Biggest complaint I've seen on this type of case is drastic decrease in signal.
Do you have anything to report in regards to signal?
Sent from my SM-N900V
I have this case in grey/silver and I did indeed notice some signal degradation in areas with weak signal. For this reason, I had to switch to a diztronic case. Otherwise this is a beautiful case - though makes the phone look a little thicker from the side view.
blaine07 said:
Biggest complaint I've seen on this type of case is drastic decrease in signal.
Do you have anything to report in regards to signal?
Sent from my SM-N900V
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's odd.. I have yet to notice any decrease in signal with this case on. Perhaps this may vary depending on the user's location.
Most if not all aluminum cases cause signal drop. Sometimes it can be drastic and sometimes it can be very minimum. Every case I've owned that's metal is like that. Doesn't matter if it's cheap or expensive.
screws
I lost the screws and do not know where to find new ones, or what kind of screws they are? Can you help me?
I bought one of these cases. While it looks and feels great, i have to agree. It is crazy slippery. Like, really.
Also, more issues i had with it, is that I had practically no GPS signal, neither could I use the NFC. That's a pity, as I got numerous compliments about the case, and I would really like to use it full time. But alas, I am back to my slim fit carbon fiber case.
Can't you apply strategically placed strips of see through plastic armor to make it more grippy?
Does it provide any protection?
Sent from my SM-N9005
Good looking case ruined by their logo.
The case looks very nice - it's a shame the logo and decrease in reception mess it up.
Related
Has anyone found any good cases? It seems very hard to find a durable case for the phone. So far all I have found that seems slightly good is the PDair Silicone case but I haven't found any reviews on it. There is also the array of ebay cases that may or may not actually be good.
I own the PDair leather book-style opening case, and I am quite pleased with it. It fits perfectly, and is custom made. I highly recommend any of the PDair products, although their prices aren't always the best.
How about aluminium hard case?
Sent from my LG-P500
ngfar said:
How about aluminium hard case?
Sent from my LG-P500
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've actually ordered a PDAir Aluminum case for the Lg Optimus 7. I shall give you my thoughts on it this weekend.
Well, don't know if you're still interested on my thoughts but here goes...
I'm not very experienced on cellphone covers but I will try my best to describe what you need to know.
The PDAir aluminum case is surely a surprise, though at first not a very pleasant one.
What I disliked was how the phone now felt in my hand compared to when it didn't have a case. Of course you will get used to it eventually but the aluminum casing provides a kind of uncomfortable hold due to the way its made. Since my english is not the best I will show you what I mean:
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i63/Meats_Of_Evil/PDAirLGE9001-1.jpg
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As you can see the part outlined in the picture is what makes the phone feel uncomfortable. It kind of sticks out into your hand and it may bother a lot of people who use their phones for long periods of time.
Moving on we have another problem, at least for me. Due to the nature of the case itself which acts like a little jail cell for your phone you will experience a slight discomfort or inconvenience while talking since the enclosure leaves some very little space when closed between the speaker of the phone and your ear you will notice that the sound emitted from the speaker needs to travel far more and it feels like the sound is being redirected throughout the whole case instead to just your ear.
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i63/Meats_Of_Evil/PDAirLGE9002.jpg
Another thing that bothered me was since there is definitely a little space left between the screen on the phone and the top of the cover you might have trouble in some games or apps that need the outer most part of the screen to be touched. For instance, while playing Plant vs Zombies I have an extremely hard time trying to touch the shovel which is located in the upper most part of the screen when playing horizontally. Also, the clock icon on the upper part of the screen (vertically) in the Windows Phone 7 Home Screen which displays all the extra info, wifi, 3g, battery etc. Is also hard to touch since the aluminum enclosure blocks a little.
*Note*
Other cases may also suffer from this.
Now as for the cover itself it is very very sturdy, I think its aluminum I don't really now but I like it that it absorbs the cold and helps cool the phone in a sort of way. The material itself is very very hard so I guess they weren't kidding when they said "Anodized aircraft-grade aluminum". I applied some force to it and it didn't even bend, though I'm sure if I apply strong force I could bend it I don't think it was necessary since the phone would never meet those stressful conditions. The two cons about the encasing being a little jail cell for the phone and blocking a little of the upper parts of the screen because it leaves some distance between the screen and the case is a plus in terms of added security. I haven't dropped my phone yet but I am confident that it will resist the shock of a fall without endangering the screen since the screen itself will never come in contact with the floor due to the little space left between the screen and the case. One thing I like is how well secure the phone is inside the case, it fits perfectly but at the same time you have to kind of force it into the case so it sits there. The inside of the case has a material that acts as a cushion for the phone and its what keeps it perfectly locked in position and even with the other half of the cover still opened I tried shaking the cover furiously to see if the phone would fallout but it rested in its same position without moving an inch so that's a huge plus.
Every button on the phone and port is perfectly accessible due to cut out holes on the case, so you'll have no problems plugging the phone to USB or using the buttons.
The thing that could have been better is the locking mechanism of the case which is just a snap in "lock" and it doesn't feel very good, it just snaps in so you can easily open the case without any trouble but I feel it should have been better.
This case is no Otter thats for sure but in terms of protection I believe it will do the job nicely. I have a 2 year contract with this phone so this cover better do the job, I will report it if it fails eventually, but for now I'm pretty confident.
I thought of a rating system:
Handling/Comfortability (is that even a word?) - 2/5
Installation/ Ease of Use - 5/5
Phones functionality after installing - 4/5
Case Quality - 5/5
Case design - 3/5
Final Score: 3/5 (I think)
I bought this ... I know
Paid 22 shipped on ebay. It consists of a silicon case with a plastic shell that clamps over and covers the back.
*Pictures where I get home at 5 PM*
The fit is nice. The plastic shell clamps on tight enough that the silicone is all held very tightly in place. No wiggling around like standard silicone cases. The cutouts are all in the right locations for my ATT model. The buttons work well and seem fairly sturdy. Have to see how they hold up over time. Have not and do not plan to purposefully drop my phone but it seems as if the protection would be decent. It has thick rubber bumpers at all four corners. There is also a lip all the way around the face side that would protect the screen from hitting a flat surface. The only downside is it does increase the weight of the phone, some of its stock impact resistance is from its very light weight. My "opinion" is that the phone would be protected from impact but be subjected to higher Gs. Probably a net positive since in stock form landing on a corner would be bad.
As far as aesthetics and feel: The phone is quite a bit larger. I would say it roughly doubles the phones thickness and probably twice as heavy.
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I had that case, (bought it at AT&T when I got the phone) in the end it was too thick, I kept taking it off because it wouldn't fit in my pockets comfortably. In the end, I went with the Case-Mate Pop. Similar protection, yet doesn't have the bumpers. In my opinion, the bumpers made the case way too big.
oic0 said:
Paid 22 shipped on ebay. It consists of a silicon case with a plastic shell that clamps over and covers the back.
*Pictures where I get home at 5 PM*
The fit is nice. The plastic shell clamps on tight enough that the silicone is all held very tightly in place. No wiggling around like standard silicone cases. The cutouts are all in the right locations for my ATT model. The buttons work well and seem fairly sturdy. Have to see how they hold up over time. Have not and do not plan to purposefully drop my phone but it seems as if the protection would be decent. It has thick rubber bumpers at all four corners. There is also a lip all the way around the face side that would protect the screen from hitting a flat surface. The only downside is it does increase the weight of the phone, some of its stock impact resistance is from its very light weight. My "opinion" is that the phone would be protected from impact but be subjected to higher Gs. Probably a net positive since in stock form landing on a corner would be bad.
As far as aesthetics and feel: The phone is quite a bit larger. I would say it roughly doubles the phones thickness and probably twice as heavy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got my Ballistic SG for the SGS2 yesterday (Black/Blue)... good price ($20.20 shipped eBay... and now I see it for $18.99 shipped). You're either going to love this case or hate it, depending on your phone use/ protection objectives. Pros: fit is exceptional, covered buttons actually have a better feel than bare.. very responsive, easy to press. The soft inner shell fits tight once the outer hard shell is put on... so edges are nicely raised over the screen (and camera) with no annoying flappy play (like some TPU cases). If your primary objective is protection, this is the case for you. With the slightly oversized bumper corners, seems like you could bounce this phone off the concert and it would rebound back up without incident. Also, the noise-cancellation mic (top of phone next to jack) is not covered as the case has a perfect cutout for mic and jack. Cons: as OP states, it does add size and weight. Size to me is actually a bonus as I used to have an Infuse and this GS2 seemed small in my hand... now with case, size it perfect. Weight addition is noticeable; but I suspect over a few days use, it will become a non-issue.
Added pics
Love this case but..... Great protection, looks good, no covered holes, buttons easy to push. The thing that is driving me bonkers isn't the additional size this case packs on, it's the type of rubber used for the wrap. It's a 'sticky' rubber and pulls my pocket out with it on all my pants. Wish it were a more smooth, slicker rubber that would slide out of my pants better (Thats what she said, right?)
I have had it since day one, love it, a few good drops, the kids.....phone still looks like it is brand new, and the case has a life time warranty. I'm happy
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
I have the black/blue one. I just love it. It fits awesome, no flimsy corners or so.
My case of choice for my past 2 devices. Dropped the phone a few times and the bumpers bounced it back up. Still looking good as new. Does add some extra weight but it to me it makes the phone feel much better in my hands.
i like this case..but........rather get a otterbox for 5 bucks more
Picked it up the att store, returned it no less than 20 minutes. They Guy gave some some crazy eyes doing it. Picked up the case mate pop black case. Overall happy so far, gonna use this until I decide what to do. May get the commuter still. If the SG did not have those stupid bumpers I would have kept it.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using xda premium
fantomsingh said:
i like this case..but........rather get a otterbox for 5 bucks more
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why?
10char
I actually bought the commuter case on Amazon for 23 bucks free shipping. The commuter covers more of the front screen than the pop case mate. I paid 38 Buck for this case at att so cheaper pricing is better. Otterbox will also send replacement silicon wraps if you complain about looseness or case seating problems. Different strokes for different folks I always say. No screen protector though, gorilla glass has never scratched on me.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using xda premium
Prefer metal cover instead of PU leather case on the back N3,get to know some aluminum alloy cover yet seems it's a little bit wired with the appearance of an iPhone knock-off,if anybody tried this kind of case and if it will block the signals ?
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greentaloy said:
Prefer metal cover instead of PU leather case on the back N3,get to know some aluminum alloy cover yet seems it's a little bit wired with the appearance of an iPhone knock-off,if anybody tried this kind of case and if it will block the signals ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As of a couple of weeks ago, there were two variants of the "iPhone-type" metal case. One used two microscrews to secure the back cover, the other used a "tab/slot" method.
I purchased one of each for evaluation from eBay. The one using the two screws required me to remove the back cover of the Note 3 to properly fit, yet the overall "thickness" between this case and the other is the same (or so negligible that I couldn't tell). Both cases have two round buttons for the volume, but the microscrew case has an oblong button for the power, whereas the tab/slot case has a round button for the power. Another (important) difference is the microscrew case has a raised lip around the camera lens, so it offers some protection, whereas the tab/slot case is flat, and the camera lens DOES protrude a bit, exposing it to risk of scratching. The oblong button, in my opinion, looks better.
You would think that the tab/slot case would be more susceptible to having the back plate fall out (and the phone with it), but, in actual use, it is quite secure, and I doubt that it would fail (especially since your natural hold keeps the tabs "squeezed" to the frame anyway). However, I suppose if you dropped the case, the back panel could pop out, whereas the microscrew case would not (although, the microscrew case is only secured by screws on ONE side, and the other side is still a tab/slot).
As for actual use, (I'm on USA TMobile), I did NOT notice any signal degradation whatsoever... I got the same number of bars as I always did without the case. I didn't do a scientific signal measurement... just a subjective look at the bars, but really... it worked perfectly fine, and isn't that what is most important?
HOWEVER, it completely negated the NFC (ie, it did NOT work), and it also prohibits QI Inductive Charging. So keep that in mind. Bluetooth and WiFI did not seem to be affected.
Another thing to consider... the openings around the USB charge port are not very big. I had to file the hole larger on the tab/slot case so my USB cable could completely plug into the phone. The microscrew case was large enough, but just barely. I did not try it with the Samsung supplied USB3 cord.
So what's the final verdict? I think the tab/slot case is better, as it did not require me to remove the back cover of the phone, and as I stated above, it was no thicker than the other (maybe the aluminum gauge is thinner?). You also don't need to carry around a screwdriver (and you'll need a VERY small screwdriver tip) if you ever have to take your phone out of the case.
Ultimately, I chose neither one, as the aluminum is quite slippery in your hand. Instead, I went with a Seidio Surface case, The Seidio also has a kickstand, which I needed.
The aluminum cases do look nice, if you like the iPhone look, but after using them for a week, I got tired of the look and went back to the black Seidio. The black color makes the phone look less imposing... the aluminum just makes the phone look bigger. I suppose if you got the black aluminum instead of the silver, it would look thinner. Also, just FYI... I also purchased an aluminum bumper and one of those cheap "brushed aluminum" back covers to see if I could get a "thinner" profile but with the same looks... don't waste your time... it didn't look all that great, and the aftermarket back covers are THICKER than the stock Samsung cover, so it makes the bumper a very tight fit.
For reference, here are listings from eBay that are representative of the cases I purchased (no guarantee that these "listings" will be viewable after a few weeks). If I decide to not be so lazy, I might take some photos of the two cases and post them... but for now:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291001851272
http://www.ebay.com/itm/200974399049
Hope this helps.
Had something similar on my tmobile S4 yes it killed signal in weak areas, ended up throwing it away.
So after hours of searching for a metallic bumper case that was premium and protective I came across this Chinese bumper case brand which I had low expectations of but it was cheap so I bought it.
After a 14 day wait for it to come from China to the UK, it came in a mediocre but secure packaging which consisted of a box and a plastic wallet to hold the bumper case alongside a screwdriver and a pair of spare screws for the bumper case. Enough rambling now lets get to the case
Pictures:
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So as you can see from the stupidly large images above which i'm not bothered to make smaller , the case comes in two pieces which are secured together with screws, IMO I like this because it reduces the the risk of scratching the device (an awful experience i have had with previous bumper cases with one securing point with past phones) while also giving that manly look . Speaking for the durability of the case it is awesome as the bumper case can withstand knock multiples times without succumbing to a single mark though i have not dropped my S7 on concrete yet i'm sure it should protect it well. Alongside my dBrand skin and this bumper case I have noticed that this phone has drastically got more grippier than my S7 bare or with a Spigen Thin Fit case. The I/O at the bottom are all still accessible with the all headphones and USB cables I have used so far. To end off the pros, DAMN this case looks awesome on the S7 as it really brings out the "curves" of the device.
To end off the only thing I would like to see an improvement in will be for the protection of the camera bump by making the side lip larger so it does not have to bear the brunt of a surface, but this would be impossible without damaging the sleekness of the case. Overall I definitely recommend it!
AliExpress: http://bit.ly/29ooDCb
eBay UK: http://ebay.eu/29acWNl
I've had something similar for Nexus 5 and the signal would drop significantly.
The S7 has all the antennas on the side, how is the reception with the bumper vs without ?
Corbu said:
I've had something similar for Nexus 5 and the signal would drop significantly.
The S7 has all the antennas on the side, how is the reception with the bumper vs without ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be short reception is hit hard as without I had usually 4 bars (indoors) and 5 (out) now its significantly less usually 2-3 bars.
BUT I still have access to 4G and to my usage the change reception did not impact performance when using the case.
MahaDEVELOPER said:
So after hours of searching for a metallic bumper case that was premium and protective I came across this Chinese bumper case brand which I had low expectations of but it was cheap so I bought it.
After a 14 day wait for it to come from China to the UK, it came in a mediocre but secure packaging which consisted of a box and a plastic wallet to hold the bumper case alongside a screwdriver and a pair of spare screws for the bumper case. Enough rambling now lets get to the case
Pictures:
So as you can see from the stupidly large images above which i'm not bothered to make smaller , the case comes in two pieces which are secured together with screws, IMO I like this because it reduces the the risk of scratching the device (an awful experience i have had with previous bumper cases with one securing point with past phones) while also giving that manly look . Speaking for the durability of the case it is awesome as the bumper case can withstand knock multiples times without succumbing to a single mark though i have not dropped my S7 on concrete yet i'm sure it should protect it well. Alongside my dBrand skin and this bumper case I have noticed that this phone has drastically got more grippier than my S7 bare or with a Spigen Thin Fit case. The I/O at the bottom are all still accessible with the all headphones and USB cables I have used so far. To end off the pros, DAMN this case looks awesome on the S7 as it really brings out the "curves" of the device.
To end off the only thing I would like to see an improvement in will be for the protection of the camera bump by making the side lip larger so it does not have to bear the brunt of a surface, but this would be impossible without damaging the sleekness of the case. Overall I definitely recommend it!
AliExpress: http://bit.ly/29ooDCb
eBay UK: http://ebay.eu/29acWNl
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow pictures look great! (obviously taken with an LG G4)...
Hey everyone, haven't done a review of anything in forever but I just had to take some photos and get my first impressions out for the Tudia Merge since for the Razor Phone 2 our case options thus far have been limited mostly to the OEM case which have been getting some mixed reviews. This review is NOT sponsored, I bought this myself. At the discounted price they were offering pre-release through a coupon code on reddit it was a no-brainer to try out considering the cost and availability of the OEM options.
The Tudia Merge is a two piece case, made with what seems to be a slightly thinner TPU material with a polycarbonate plate. Anyone familiar with Seidio and Spigen will immediately recognize this kind of construction. Compared to my Seidio Dilex that I had for my U11, i would say the TPU material is a little more rigid and with a more paper-like texture. It is more matte but picks up less of my greasy fingerprints. Being a two piece case means that you can keep your skin on the phone for when you wanna still have some abrasion protection should you want to run without the case at any point. The polycarbonate plate has a matte soft touch finish to it. I generally hate soft touch black matte because it has a tendency to show grease marks. I put this up on my forehead (gross), and it didn't automatically turn in to a freshly detailed black car. As a bonus to having a two piece construction like this, the annoying peeling sound from the stock glass back when you push down on it is gone since you can't push down on the back anymore...not exactly a fix for the problem in the first place but its a good side effect nonetheless. My generic wireless charger still works through the entire case.
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Aside from the two angled bands at the bottom and some debossed branding, the back of the case is without much flair, and maintains the slab profile of the phone. There are cutouts for both the camera and the RGB snakes on the back. Personally I would have loved to somehow have the RGB covered by clear polycarb but as recessed as it is I feel like the light will be adequately protected.
I was hoping the front would move in towards the screen more as we do have some significant screen bezel on the side which could be used for a more secure hold. The sides of the front should have no issues clearing most tempered glass screen protectors unless you have one that goes all the way to the edge of the glass. Because of the relatively shallow grab of the front, it is possible to peel the case off with the polycarb plate attached. I have had other cases where you could do that but they never fell out of the case in a drop.
Volume buttons are your standard raised pieces with tabs keeping them connected to the case. The tab sections are pretty robust and the buttons retain their clickiness, with the added benefit of having a slightly bigger footprint due to the shape. The bigger shape also makes it feel a bit more like a rocker switch to the touch.
Charging port is recessed quite a bit due to the case thickness. Tudia did make the opening bigger too accommodate all sorts of fat cable plug ends. It works with the stock cable of course but will also fit the more generic metal wrapped ends.
Power button is recessed with enough of a taper and a large enough cutout to not interfere with fingerprint sensor operation. It did take a slight bit of an adjustment on my part due to the fact that I have small hands so my normal grip when unlocking from picking the phone up is at a bit of an angle instead of fingertip dead on. If you can comfortably grip the phone and your fingers land perpendicular to the screen surface, it should not be much of an issue.
On my Spigen liquid crystal case for my U11 there are some cutouts on the corners where the phone does not actually make contact with the case. This is supposed to allow for better deflection of drop forces on the corner which should provide better protection by having less points of contact in the critical corners so more of the force makes it way though the case body instead of transferring to the phone. The Merge also looks to have this feature, whether it works I hope I never find out.
Overall I would say that at this price, first impressions are that it would probably do the job while maintaining the industrial aesthetics of the phone. Unfortunately I don't drop my phones very often nor am I going to drop my personal phone on purpose for a drop test so it might be awhile before there's any updates from me regarding the actual protective properties of this case for those of you that would depend on this to protect from daily drops. I will say that in comparison to many cases that I've owned from various brands, this case is probably about 80-90% what a Seidio two-piece non active or rugged case would be which should do the job for most people that aren't Ethan Hunt.
Excellent informative review! I really appreciated your breadth of coverage and greatly appreciated the photos you took. Thank you!
I also have the exact same case, like it so far. Hope I never get to "test it out" by dropping it... Does exactly like the OP says it does. Feels nice in the hands, takes the sharpness off the squared edges of the phone, puts my mind at ease. I'm no longer afraid to set it down anywhere anymore. I would recommend it
Is it bulkier then Spigen air cushion case?
I've had this case for about a month, but mine is grey. I'm not pleased... The back I'd super easy to scratch, and quite ugly.