Problems with the plastic back cover?

[DAS]

I have heard on numerous occasions from reviewers, owners, and other potential buyers that Samsung makes its devices out of "cheap" plastic. Another phrase that's often used is that it has a "cheap" plastic y feel.

Yet what I have failed to observe is any proof that the plastic material used on their devices is incapable of generally withstanding the daily grind of everyday use.

A colleague shared with me today that she was very interested in the Note, but was concerned about owning a Samsung device because, "samsung uses cheap plastic on the back cover."

Her comment got me thinking about the definition of the word cheap.

For instance, when using the word cheap to describe the material Samsung uses are we saying that the materials used are; relatively low in cost; inexpensive or comparatively inexpensive? Or are we suggesting that the materials used are; of poor quality; inferior?

If it's the former, then I would point out (as I did with my colleague) that it must be that the plastic material they use was chosen only to reduce their production cost, but the durability of the plastic is very solid.

If it's the latter, than the argument must be that the plastic material used is of an inferior quality, and thus we should see overwhelming evidence of constant failure and breakdown of the plastic cover. I honestly don't believe that's the case with the Galaxy Note. If I'm wrong in this assessment please correct me. I have yet to read on this forum, or any other, where someone has experienced a back cover, made by Samsung, that consistently breaks in half, warps from the heat, or cracks in the cold? Or they had to keep exchanging the device because of the failure of the back cover?

Unlike buying "cheap" (as in inferior quality) plastic trash bags from the Dollar store that produce tremendous anxiety if you use them for anything other than throwing away Kleenex, in my opinion, this description of Samsung's back cover is grossly inaccurate.

Please let me know if you believe Samsung's back cover fits into the first or second definition?

By the way, I went to the store with my colleague this afternoon during lunch and she picked up the white model of the Galaxy Note. After getting her corporate email and calendar to sync with her new device she is really excited to be a new Note owner.

 

[S-Doo-1965]

I have a white Note and find the back a bit slick. The Samsung flip cover replaces the back and has a better grip. The carbon blue has a more secure feel too.

 

[Xertion3]

I would concur that the inaccurate description of "cheap" is unfairly misleading. My first reaction to the plastic back was to find a replacement quickly because I suspected that once I ripped off the back to replace a battery or sd card that it would loose its fragile connection to the body of the phone. Contrary to the appeal or lack of, the plastic back, now owning the phone since April, has proven to be sturdy, robust and most important light in weight. I did purchase a replacement that I believe will stay kept away in the drawer with the rest of misfit phone parts for a long while.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2

 

[jontalk]

I have found many reviewers from various phone sites refer to Samsung devices as 'plasticky' and I would have to agree. If you compare the build quality to Apple, HTC or Sony, they do in fact feel a bit 'cheap'. Of course the flip side is that Samsung appears to 'lead the pack' in technological advances, so it's a trade off.

I have been wavering quite a bit myself since I'm so accustomed to an Apple phone which uses quality materials. The bad news is that it's Apple which means, "We love our customers so much we want to squeeze them to the core".. LOL

 

[DAS]

@jontalk: but my question is what do you mean by "the build quality in fact feels cheap"?

In what instance has the supposed poor build quality been evidenced by phones, tablets, computers and other electronic devices, crumbling apart or failing to meet the use needs of its owners?

I would argue that there are little or very few instances in which build quality has been an issue with Samsung.

For me, the phrase bad or poor build quality implies that there should be multiple product and device failures that can easily be documented. However, I just don't observe this to be the case.

 

[jontalk]

DAS.. It has to do with how something feels and looks, aka aesthetics.

As you know, people that want quality autos drive luxury sport brands and pay the difference knowing the materials used are higher quality. I think the fact that Apple has achieved this in conjunction with their brilliant marketing is a testament to this factor. However, as we all know in this forum, Apple is far behind technologically.

Where Sammy is concerned, the Skyrocket and Note don't appear to be constructed using as high quality materials as others (all plastic including the 'metal look' trim). And I understand this is done to keep the weight down, which is important in devices of this size. Regardless, it's an aesthetic thing more than anything else.

I don't have a major issue with it, and now that I see that Amazon just dropped the price on the Note to $199 and the Skyrocket to $69, it's VERY attractive.

Samsung clearly is the leader in development and advanced technologies in spite of the aesthetics and this is why the world embraces the products. Muahhahahaha..

 

[DAS]

I will concede your point that Samsung has chosen to use plastic in there backing and in the overall phone body construction.

It just seems unfair to call their products cheap in the truest sense of the word.

Cheap implies inferior and poor quality construction, and my argument is that if it were truly cheap materials being used then there would be hundreds of thousands of devices being returned daily because of "build quality" and that's simply not the case.

Samsung's devices may not "feel" as nice as some of the others, but until the Samsung devices begin to experience consistent product failure then calling them cheap seems inaccurate.

Nonetheless, I do concede your point and you make an excellent argument.

 

[ScandaLeX]

I too feel Samsung has been given a bad rep due to their use of plastic. I've yet to come across an issue of anyone complaining their phones malfunctioned because of the plastic.

I personally don't care what Apple makes their phones out of. People yap on and on about Apple products being so great yet drop it enough times, or even one good time and you can end up with a shattered phone.

Many of these blog sites and tech reviewers are the reason Apple / Samsung are pitted against each other. They've done Samsung dirty with the constant comparisons as though Samsung somehow doesn't deserve the distinction of being a company that makes some outstanding products.

My tech arsenal consists of Samsung and Apple.

Tappin' from my SGP 5.0

 

[J HighNote]

First, congratulations to your colleague for getting a Note. I've had smart phones since their inception but this is the first time I've had one where I remove the back cover occasionally to swap out the drained battery for a charged one. While I worried at first that the back might become loose and sometimes all the little tabs don't snap in so easily, I don't think it's because it's really cheap by any definition. I've been researching smart phones for the past two years trying to find one with a large screen and hoping some tablet would get cell phone capability. When manufacturers list features, they list weight and slenderness. You can't have low weight and slender phones without some consideration to using lightweight thin materials. The phone is sturdy and the lightweight back is an even tradeoff for such a strong impressive screen. I have my phone in a holder that uses nothing other than a sticky strip that sticks to the back of the phone. There have been times I've held it by only holding the holder leaving the phone hanging by the sticky strip. If the back were going to pull out or crack, mine would have certainly done it by now. I carry it everywhere, I've dropped it a few times, I've taken off the back at least once or twice a week, and it still looks brand new. I think it's made extremely well.