As I stated in my other review, I apologize for the poor image quality. I snapped these images this evening in fluorescent lighting with a BlackBerry Torch. (Could've used an actual torch and probably had better lighting.) Anyway, I digress...
These cases can be found all over the internet. In fact, it is so ubiquitous that my brother and I ordered the exact same case without even talking about it. (He lives halfway across the country.) But once again, I digress. (Is there a pattern developing here?)
I was honestly hesitant to buy this at first. Since it is obviously a "cheap" Chinese, mass-produced item, I thought, "How good can it really be? But for around ten bucks, why not give it a try?" Unless you owe your bookie a lot of money after that New Orleans - Atlanta fiasco, what do you have to lose? I was pleasantly surprised to find a heavy-duty, well-made case. I don't know how durable it will be long-term, but it sure SEEMS pretty strong.
It has a soft, flexible silicon inner "skin", a hard plastic outer shell/cover, and a belt clip/holster in which to put the former. The hard shell leaves the top and bottom parts of both sides open in order to expose the silicon skin - for better grip, of course. The fit isn't extremely tight like some cases, but I don't get the feeling it's going to fall off, either. Time will tell if it stretches. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, this hard shell has a kickstand. YAYYYYYY!!! That's what I wanted: a kickstand. (These behemoths just scream for a case with a kickstand. Oh, did I mention the kickstand?) Anyway, it appears to be pretty strong, not the cheap, punched out kind on many inexpensive TPU cases. No, this kickstand has a hinged, hard plastic main stand, and a hard plastic inner prop to give it strength and stability. One disappointment is that it can't be used in both portrait and landscape modes. Alas, landscape is the only option. (With thoughtful design, some cases can have one kickstand that can be used with both orientations.)
The holster has what appears to be a very strong, ratcheting belt clip that can also be propped open (like another kickstand) in multiple positions. What's really strange about this, however, is that I haven't yet figured out how this can be used with the phone. From what I can tell with what little experimenting I've done, the phone in the case will only slide into the holster face-in. So what's the point of the kickstand on the belt clip? If anyone has any ideas on this, I'm open to suggestions. The holster is felt-lined, so it should provide adequate protection and a little cushion for that gorgeous GN2 screen.
The audio jack and microUSB ports are well protected with very thick and robust rubber covers. In addition, the covers for the volume rocker and power button are amazingly effective. I was shocked at how easily I could use both of these buttons under the silicon covers. They were very well designed and perfectly positioned. As one would expect, all other holes, lens, flash, ports, and S-Pen are easily accessible and unobstructed.
Time will tell how well this holds up, but consider me extremely impressed at the design and build quality of this case...especially for around $10 all over the internet. If you like the Seidio design, even Otterbox, but don't want to shell out $40-60, you should seriously consider this one. Heck, even if you aren't happy, you only spent a ten spot. I'm sure even your bookie would understand.
RATING: 8.5 out of 10
PROS
CONS
(Poor pictures below)
These cases can be found all over the internet. In fact, it is so ubiquitous that my brother and I ordered the exact same case without even talking about it. (He lives halfway across the country.) But once again, I digress. (Is there a pattern developing here?)
I was honestly hesitant to buy this at first. Since it is obviously a "cheap" Chinese, mass-produced item, I thought, "How good can it really be? But for around ten bucks, why not give it a try?" Unless you owe your bookie a lot of money after that New Orleans - Atlanta fiasco, what do you have to lose? I was pleasantly surprised to find a heavy-duty, well-made case. I don't know how durable it will be long-term, but it sure SEEMS pretty strong.
It has a soft, flexible silicon inner "skin", a hard plastic outer shell/cover, and a belt clip/holster in which to put the former. The hard shell leaves the top and bottom parts of both sides open in order to expose the silicon skin - for better grip, of course. The fit isn't extremely tight like some cases, but I don't get the feeling it's going to fall off, either. Time will tell if it stretches. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, this hard shell has a kickstand. YAYYYYYY!!! That's what I wanted: a kickstand. (These behemoths just scream for a case with a kickstand. Oh, did I mention the kickstand?) Anyway, it appears to be pretty strong, not the cheap, punched out kind on many inexpensive TPU cases. No, this kickstand has a hinged, hard plastic main stand, and a hard plastic inner prop to give it strength and stability. One disappointment is that it can't be used in both portrait and landscape modes. Alas, landscape is the only option. (With thoughtful design, some cases can have one kickstand that can be used with both orientations.)
The holster has what appears to be a very strong, ratcheting belt clip that can also be propped open (like another kickstand) in multiple positions. What's really strange about this, however, is that I haven't yet figured out how this can be used with the phone. From what I can tell with what little experimenting I've done, the phone in the case will only slide into the holster face-in. So what's the point of the kickstand on the belt clip? If anyone has any ideas on this, I'm open to suggestions. The holster is felt-lined, so it should provide adequate protection and a little cushion for that gorgeous GN2 screen.
The audio jack and microUSB ports are well protected with very thick and robust rubber covers. In addition, the covers for the volume rocker and power button are amazingly effective. I was shocked at how easily I could use both of these buttons under the silicon covers. They were very well designed and perfectly positioned. As one would expect, all other holes, lens, flash, ports, and S-Pen are easily accessible and unobstructed.
Time will tell how well this holds up, but consider me extremely impressed at the design and build quality of this case...especially for around $10 all over the internet. If you like the Seidio design, even Otterbox, but don't want to shell out $40-60, you should seriously consider this one. Heck, even if you aren't happy, you only spent a ten spot. I'm sure even your bookie would understand.
RATING: 8.5 out of 10
PROS
- Shockingly well-made
- Good-looking, rugged, "industrial" design
- Lots of other colors and patterns available all over the interwebs
- Outstanding device protection
- Easy access to everything
- Very strong-looking and seemingly durable holster
CONS
- Bulky (this may not be a con, but I had to say something about it)
- Not sure how the belt clip prop is supposed to be used with the phone display outward
(Poor pictures below)
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