Got it finally! Should have been here yesterday but the post office messed up and it was a day late.
Anyway I literally just put it together and am charging it for the first time so I can't say how the battery life is but HOLY COW this this is HUGE! This thing should last forever!
Now I decided not give just a repeat review of the review on XDA. That was a great review with better pictures than I could have done and I can confirm everything that review said is true! But I just wanted to hit on some other thoughts on it.
This case is super nice and doesn't look cheap at all. It feels very solid like it was just made to be that way. The grip feels perfect. It is a good grip to hold yet it slides out of my jeans pocket pretty easy. Its texture will not show finger prints at all. I tried to leave the built in screen protector on but it took all of five minutes before I was ripping it out. It was pretty nice and hard to see just by looking at it but I couldn't handle the gap feeling when I would touch it. It pulled out easy.
Now I do want to be straight with you.. This thing is not what the average phone user would probably call practical.. I can only imagine what my co workers will say monday when they see it. But then again most might say that the note 3 itself isn't practical. But for us who have bought it that is ok with us. This takes it to a whole new level though. Don't get me wrong, I love it, I'm just saying it wouldn't be for everyone. It still fits in my jeans though without looking too awkward. I tried the holster and am not sure if it is just because I am skinny but I don't think I could ever wear this and be taken seriously. Because of the length of the N3 when I wear it on the side of my hip it is like to wings coming off the sides. It looks crazy if I try to cover it with my shirt. But I am happy with it in my pocket so that is ok.
Because of the size of this it kind of changes the whole dynamic of holding the phone. It feels like a different device. I have had no case so it will be an adjustment but I know I will get use to it. Its kind of like holding the old gameboy advance. Pushing the bottom back and menu buttons feels different because there is a ledge there now that your thumb has to rest on but it is still easy to push and isn't blocked. This is actually a very good thing because I was always pushing the buttons, even the dock buttons with the palm of my hand or my fingers because they were so close to the edge. This fixes that. The ledge around the screen is about 2 pennies thick(for lack of a better measuring device) so that will help protect the screen on a drop. The camera is not blocked and is recessed pretty far in which I wonder if it might help the pictures, as it will keep the light from shinning on the lens. The s-pen is a little harder to get to, the flap works well but what is hard is getting your finger nail on the edge to get it started. I don't use it all the time so I don't care but if you used it a lot it might bother you.
Well without more test of the battery I can't really say much more without repeating what the xda review said. If my review seemed a little harsh, realize that I think this is a AMAZING deal! You get a top of the line case and battery for the price that I might have guessed just one of them would cost. I was simply being showing some possible down sides. The main being that it is BIG! Like you could use this as a self defense weapon big.. but as note 3 owners we like big things. Can't wait to see what the battery life will be! I will come back and attach some real life photos if I can.
Edit- Man this is so much nicer to hold! I think it helps it's one hand use! Waiting for my other phone to charge so I can post pics.
Sorry about the terrible lighting of my house..
View attachment 95601
Monster truck phone? lol
View attachment 95602
Next to Droid 2
View attachment 95603
View attachment 95606
Having trouble finding good comparisons. It is actually the same thickness as an old SNES game.
View attachment 95605
Pennies showing the ledge thickness.
View attachment 95607
My attempt to show it in a pocket
View attachment 95608
View attachment 95609
Huge holster!
View attachment 95612
View attachment 95613
In hand.
Well its not great but it might give you an idea. I was looking for my gram scale to show the weight but couldn't find it. All I know is if you where sweat pants or basket ball shorts you better tie the string tight because this is going to pull your pants down for sure!
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram