[REVIEW] CoverOn Case for ZTE Blade X Max

metllicamilitia

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Dec 3, 2011
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It Is What It Is

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What to do when you buy a phone that isn't massively popular and you want a case for it...well you go to Amazon. It's amazing what you can find shopping online. While the ZTE Blade X Max wasn't exactly the phone I had planned on getting, I still wanted an extra Android device to tinker with. Now with using this phone for work, I absolutely needed a case for it. The problem with that is the ZTE Blade X Max isn't a super well-known popular phone so there aren't many cases available for it to begin with. Most of the cases are going to be slim shells that offer no real protection at all. I needed something better. I suppose I found that, though there may be a similar case that could be slightly better. I found the CoverON Explorer though, an Otterbox Defender wannabe for a fraction of the cost. I knew this meant lackluster quality for the rubber/TPU layer. I was happy to see there are a few color options for the Explorer. So I chose black and green...oops. The problem isn't the color combination, or that the green is a safety neon green, it's really that there is so much of the rubber/TPU part of the case; which just happens to be the layer that is colored. The case is similar enough to an Otterbox, you take off the plastic shell that is the outer layer on this case, put on the rubber/TPU case, then push the plastic shell back over the rubber/TPU case. This takes a little finagling since the rubber/TPU layer is so loose. Once it's on though, it's a pretty solid case, except for the edges of the rubber layer, which do move around quite freely when you press on them.

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The very back of the case on the plastic portion has some extra standoffs for grip and added drop protection. There is even a little stand right in the center of the case. I had to use something to pry it open the first time, it was closed rather tight. This stand will only work for landscape mode, but it does work quite well and even helps greatly with the sound since the phone speaker is on the back of the phone. There is a single cutout for the camera and fingerprint sensor on the back that is really well done. The USB-C port cutout is also done well enough to use without any issues, and both microphones and the 3.5mm jack also have cutouts that are wide enough to not be problematic. It may seem strange, but one of the other reasons I chose this case was for the belt clip. I will never wear a belt clip on a belt, but I will clip to my pockets. Sometimes this is quite useful with my job. Again, like the Otterbox Defender, the clip part of the holster swivels 360 degrees. I wish they took another leaf out of Otterbox's book though since the phone can only slide in and out from one side of the holster due to the how the arms are. There is no satisfying lock or click with this holster, you know it's in just by feeling it. The holster does, however, have a felt lined interior to protect the screen of your phone. That's something I would like to see Otterbox do as well. It's just always a nice touch.

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The Good
Cheap
Protective
Has a stand


The Bad
A little loose
Holster is limited
Stand is hard to pull out


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Conclusion
For a phone that doesn't have many cases available for it, and for the price, the CoverON Explorer is actually a pretty nice case. So if you happen to have a ZTE Blade X Max and need some extra protection, check out the CoverON Explorer. It's hard to beat for the price, and it helps route the sound from your speaker better so it doesn't sound so muffled. You can find the CoverON Explorer on Amazon right here.