Hey folks. I know it's late in the G4 game, but if you're like me, it's still your phone for the foreseeable future. Was getting bored with my plain black eBay case so I got a few others. Almost spent all my money in one place for a UAG case, but decided I'd have more fun getting 3 or 4 for the same amount of money.
Caseology Daybreak Mint $9
Really nice single layer soft style case. The color is so rich and glossy. Fits great, good feel. Nice generous lip on the front. Wasn't sure how I personally felt about the mint green for my phone, so a family member ended up stealing this one from me. Saw reviews where some people got cases out of the box with flaws in the outer color layer, but the one I got is perfect. I like how precise the camera/flash/laser cutouts are, whereas most other cases take the lazy way and just use one big opening.
Incipio NGP Teal $7
Only bought it because it was being sold at half the normal price. Pretty serviceable average soft case. Really hate when cases don't have good grip and this compound has a very dusty, dry feel to it, the type that offers no adhesion to your skin. Main thing I like about this case is the way it lets light through since it's transparent. Not sure I'll be using this one much though. The diamond pattern on the back cover of the G4 also shows through the back in a weird way, just makes it look dirty. You can see it faintly on the bottom in this picture.
Hybrid Shield/Spartan Case $5
I've seen this one called different things. Originally spotted it for sale from Cruzerlite before catching on that this isn't really their brand and that so many of these cases can be found elsewhere for cheaper. I like it a lot. Pictures don't capture the color well. Again, a little bit slippery on the sides for my liking. I really wish more case designs would think of having some sort of grip on the side. We buy these things to protect the phone, it's stupid when it feels like it'll make you drop it more often. Very hard to separate the two halves of the case, those little rubber nubs really secure into the plastic back.
Astronoot Metallic Blue $5
A love it or hate it type of case. It removes all the curves of the phone. Unfortunately mine had a paint drip flaw in the finish. I actually like it, but it definitely pushes things even farther into the realm of impossible-to-one-hand-the-phone. If you're in a situation where you can freely use both hands and aren't going to drop it, I actually love that it flattens out the phone. As nice as it looks, I think all the curves of the G4 and the way it tapers down to the phone having super thin edges, really makes it uncomfortable. It's nice to throw this on and go back to the world of a normal brick phone like most others. Now you can set the phone down and type on it without it rocking back and forth like crazy. Really was most excited to get my hands on this case and it didn't disappoint in the way it changes the entire dynamic of using the phone. Can even stand it up on the sides, no kickstand needed. The metallic blue looks awesome in person. Overall I really think people should give one of these style cases a chance. I see them sold as Astronoot or also Ranz brand.
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Overall I have the teal shield case on right now. I keep switching back to the big blue, but then the larger brick gets annoying after a while. In all my years of owning phones and cases, I really seem to get the most use out of the different cheap eBay ones that are available. Everything fits well, in case you for some reason believe cheapo cases are missing proper cutouts or anything like that. It's obvious to me now that these all get manufactured somewhere and then different companies just slap their own brand on. Not even knock-offs in the sense that they are reverse engineered and then copied. They're just unbranded. You can find eBay cases that look just like Verus, Spigen, etc.
Some of these other hybrid cases only confirm for me how the Caseology Envoy was the most disappointing case I ever bought. Looks so nice, but the outer polycarbonate ring on that one comes to a weird point, and it's just the most uncomfortable and unsafe feeling case I've ever owned.
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