Question about cases and screen films

[oscarnyc]

So I just received my gold edge. In 6yrs of owning smartphones I've never used a case or a screen protector. I'm pretty careful, but have had 2 phones screens cracked from falls. I'm definitely getting the Samsung protection plan, but since this is also the first time I've had the latest and greatest and the screen shape seems particularly vulnerable to damage I plan to at least try a case and/or skin. I've ordered several cases from various slickdeals/amazon sales, so I've only paid like $12 for 4 different cases and a Skinomi full skin.
The question is, what is the relative protection offered by each, and what do you recommend? Does the Skinomi really just protect against scratches on the front and back, or will it help hold the screen together and offer some protection against cracking in a fall? For cases, I have a Ringke Slim, Oblique Naked Shield, Spigen Slim Armor and an Obliq dual-poly bumper (though it has a back part too). The Ringke and Oblique and very thin which is good, but do they do anything besides scratch protection for the sides and back? The other two are more robust, but they add a lot of bulk and take away from the attractiveness of the phone - but will they offer meaningful protection from a fall?
I appreciate the advice.

 

[katmandoo122]

OK, here's my opinion...others may be different though.

First, when it comes to screen protection, nothing beats tempered glass. They feel like the original screen and do extremely well at protecting your actual screen, breaking on a fall instead of your actual screen. And, most tempered glass protectors are cheap, often less than $10. HOWEVER, to my knowledge, no one currently makes a tempered glass protector for the Edge. There are a couple of companies that SAY they are but they have not produced stock yet.

So, the next level of protection is polymer based protectors. These have come a long way over the years. They used to suck bad, causing your glass screen to be sticky with visual impairments. Look at reviews and find any reference to "orange peel," which is when the surface gets micro-variations that make your screen look like a transparent orange peel. The good news is that most protectors these days feel better and are crystal clear. I have the Zagg HD on my Edge and it is very nice. Just be careful putting it on (or having it installed). The tiniest piece of dust will nearly ruin it if caught underneath.

Having said all that, the polymer protectors provide very little screen protection against falls and cracks. They will hold together a cracked screen but the amount of impact protection they provide is minimal. The good news is that the Edge has an amazingly tough screen. Here's a good video showing how tough the Edge really is.

As you can see, it can take a beating, so many have opted not to have a protector on it...I almost did, but...the one thing the edge has a bit of a reputation on is getting scratched. Keys and change and whatnot will not scratch the screen but sand and dust might. I opted for the protection not to keep the screen from breaking but to keep it from getting scratched.

Now, as to cases, it comes down to an proportionate formula of bulk vs. protection. To the extent that you can accept more bulk, you get more protection. The Spigen Slim Armor, for instance, will to a good job of corner protection and decent impact protection but not nearly as well as the Spigen Rugged. I actually like the Slim Armor but my phone is too beautiful for me to cover up like that so I use the Samsung Protector Cover. It provide nearly no screen impact protection but does protect the corners and keeps the back from being scratched (being glass, it is prone to micro scratches just like the front). I personally do not like Ringke, finding their Z3 case to be of poor quality, but the Oblique Naked was on my ponder list and is a decent alternative to the Samsung Protector. Just don't expect it to fully protect your phone.

tl;dr A screen protector is for scratch protection and a case is bulk vs. protection. Find the best compromise that provides protection without unduly affect your aesthetic requirements for the most attractive phone currently on the market.

 

[marky_yo]

He said it best! I have the blue well black edge and am switching between the blue Samsung back snap on which covers the corners and back to a clear case like the spigen. The only run in I have had with clear cases and so far this cheap one I got off Amazon for around $9.00 it's called "enther" is the only one that doesn't leave a bubble on the back of my screen unlike a lot of other clear cases I have tried. I know spigen offers a free back screen protector when you buy there case for this reason. I just ordered one for the heck of it. I love the official Samsung case that snaps on the back but wished it covered the sides for I'm a little OCD about the metallic getting marked up. Yet again this phone seems durable, I would though get a screen protector for the front. I too wish they made a tempered glass they are the best! But the zagg has shocked me in its quality and has come a long ways!! You wont be disappointed just be super careful when putting it on or have someone else do it. It really comes down to if you are prone to dropping your phone or not, hell we all have done it, I did it sober and drunk ah ha but it just depends how you treat your phone on a day to day basis. I don't go by the heavy duty cases it takes way too much out of the beauty of the phone for me.