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GS3 Case discussion thread

In this video review of the Incipio Silicrylic Dual Pro, the guy categorizes the case as 'medium duty' and compares it to the Speck Candyshell which he describes as only 'light duty' in another video. This got me thinking about how protective the various cases are.

Has anyone seen a droptest with this case? I've heard somewhere that the corners crack with impact, and in the video the outer shell can be seen to be connected only by the four corners. I can't help thinking that the case could fly apart in a heavy impact/drop. I think I prefer the cases where you have to struggle to assemble it, squeezing the power button through a hole in the outer shell. Struggle to assemble it = struggle to separate it in an impact?

One question could be how much protection do you need for your phone? Or maybe it could be worded such as does the thickest case available provide any more practical protection than a medium thick TPU case? Will wearing 3 sets of seat belts hold you into your car seat any more than wearing one? My shiny black TPU case I had on my Droid X protected it from numerous 4' to 6'+ falls to concrete/asphalt without even leaving a mark on the phone or the case. Was a thicker or more armored case necessary? Not for me but if I worked or played where the phone might drop from 12' or higher I can imagine where a much thicker case might actually be useful.

Another factor is that if the outer shell popped off of the soft part of the case it might serve to help dissipate some of the energy of the fall. Many race cars are designed to come apart in an crash for this very reason. I would think that if the outer shell came off in the initial impact the soft case would protect it after that.

Benny
 
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i bought the same case! (but w/ blue sides)

glad you like yours, i still have not received mine yet, hopefully monday! i have no case at all right now...


do you have any "real" pics of yours? thanks!


I have what appears to be the same case. I ordered mine off of Ebay only it came from China. It did take about 10 days to get here but it was also only $2.99 shipped.
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TPU Gel Case Cover Skin Stand /Screen Protector For Samsung Galaxy S3 III i9300 | eBay

I like it, a lot! It fits very well, holes all line up, buttons work pretty well. It's very comfortable in the hand and doesn't add too much to the bulk of the case. While I've only used the kickstand a couple of times it can come in handy from time to time. And while it does stick out a little from the back of the case it doesn't bother me at all. About the only complaints I would have is that depending on which micro USB charger I'm using, it can be a little difficult to plug into the USB port. I use 3 different chargers depending on where I am and one doesn't fit easily while the others do. Also, because the area along the edges are textured it's a little difficult to feel where the power button is. It sort of blends in with the surface around it even though it is clearly set apart from the surrounding area. It's not so bad that I can't deal with it but there have been a few times when I went to turn it on or off and sort of missed the button. That will likely change as I get more used to the case. Seeing as I have about half a dozen cases to choose from it's going to take a while to get used to this one. But so far I've used this one more than any of the others.

Benny
 
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... my Otterbox Commuter case arrived today.... the outer layer is REALLY slippery to my dry fingers and hands...

I'm tempted to try using some Plasti-dip Black spray on the outer layer of the Commuter, to give it a rubberized surface. Still thinking about that. I wonder how thin a layer I could achieve and still have it look nice and work to add friction? I've used the dip containers, but not the spray....

I decided to try the black Plasti-Dip spray, but first I tested it on some old PDA cases I have. I liked the result very much, so went ahead and used it on the Commuter's hard shell. This picture shows it with 3 coats. It really doesn't look much different IMO, but it sure does lessen the slipperiness of the case's surface! It goes on very much like spray paint, in a nice fine layer while spraying. In 4 hours I can put it into service. :)
 

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I may be in the minority here but I really WANT/NEED a case with a belt clip. BUT all the current ones i can find clip on with the screen hidden away. I want to use my phone as my MP3 player and constantly change and play with the music. Kinda shocked i cant find one.
For the record i have 4 cases so far for my GS3 and really like the Fosmon cases and the Kay's Case, for the price they can't be beat and the buttons are covered BUT easy to press and the cutouts for USB, mic, cam etc...all fit perfect, for 5-10 dollars on amazon or Ebay they are the way to go.

These look like they might be able to use the belt clip with the screen facing away from it:

http://www.amazon.com/GTMax-Holster-Protector-Kickstand-T-Mobile/dp/B008HKOV0U/ref=sr_1_35?ie=UTF8&qid=1342321740&sr=8-35&keywords=galaxy+s3+case+with+belt+clip


http://www.amazon.com/Holster-kickstand-Protective-Samsung-S3-Clip/dp/B008CKCD46/ref=sr_1_44?ie=UTF8&qid=1342321826&sr=8-44&keywords=galaxy+s3+case+with+belt+clip
 
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Anyone seen this one? I just ordered it last night. I have been a big otterbox fan since iPhone 3G, but this case comes with a hard shell screen cover and seems a little less bulky. It costs $49.99, but what is $50 for a $650 phone? Samsung Galaxy S III Ballistic SG MAXX Series Case | goballisticcase.com

I bought this case on Friday from AT&T. I also had the OB Commuter and needed a holster and noted the case buttons were hard to press. The Ballistic fits perfectly, and the case buttons worked wonders. The only "flaw" that I'm still unsure of is whether the lower right part of the case near the back button is a design issue as I'm not having 100% success hitting the back button with the case on. Unlike the S2, I've had no issues whatsoever with the back button with the OB case on.

I have the pebble blue S3 fitted into a white/grey Ballistic; AT&T didn't have the blue/dark blue and I didn't want to wait as I wanted a durable case for my S3 as I got this on Friday.
 
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That Incipio Faxion looks like an excellent case. Too bad its colors don't match the phone very well. A blue/blue combo would be ideal for me.

I bit the bullet and purchased from a Verizon corporate a blue Belkin case. $21.11 was a bit steep, but I'll probably use it for as long as it's in good enough condition. The case's color is closer to that of the home button than the phone's body, which accentuates rather than duplicates the phone's body color.

I grabbed the case from the back of the peg and its cut-outs match all of the required places on the phone; everything is almost perfectly centered. It's amazing what a little quality control does for a piece of flexible plastic...

Based on my experience with this case so far, I may just end up returning the Diztronic case I have ordered. We'll see when it gets here, but I'm thinking the uncovered buttons will prove to be that case's deal-breaker.

More Later

I got the same one today. Started with the flip one but that didn't last long as the flip cover degrades the interaction with the phone. I was also looking at Seidio and Incipio but the Belkin seams to match color better for the blue. Wish it was matte finish instead of shiny though. The Surface Amethyst looks too purple and the Feather Purple doesn't cover the buttons.
 
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I have the grey/dark grey silacrylic case. It feels really nice, and looks good on my blue gs3.

The screen protector that comes with it feels really good, but the sides are peeling up. I'd recommend looking for a different one. I'm gonna try a invisishield HD I guess.
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Have the same Incipio case with a Phantomskinz matte full body kit (actually used the clear screen on the front, but matte on the back) and it hasn't peeled, but then again it is a wet protector that I let dry overnight.

I did not use the screen protector included with the Incipio.
 
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I have the Incipio Feather case and its exactly what I was looking for in a case. Its extremely slim and gives the phone a perfect feel in my hand. I know I am not in the norm when I say this, but I can't stand any case of silicone or TPU. I just think it makes the phone seem cheap and I don't like how it feels.

Any slim Incipio case or Case-Mate are a must get for anyone looking for what I want in a case. I don't usually go for cheap cases for my laptop or phone. they are extremely expensive devices and I am going to give them good quality cases.

Link to the Incipio - Samsung Galaxy S III feather
 
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there's a shop here in bangkok that does custom hand made films for just about anything. my old macbook pro was wrapped in cevlar film before, it lasted for many years until now. my macbook air now is wrapped with a matte transparent film for over a year now. so i brought my S3 yesterday and did it too. its a great scratch protection, just don't drop it. :D

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there's a shop here in bangkok that does custom hand made films for just about anything. my old macbook pro was wrapped in cevlar film before, it lasted for many years until now. my macbook air now is wrapped with a matte transparent film for over a year now. so i brought my S3 yesterday and did it too. its a great scratch protection, just don't drop it. :D

img3777s.jpg
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img3774j.jpg

I like these skins companies are doing. And I like the one you got. I have a skin from Stickerboy.net on my Ipad and I love it. It protects it but gives it that "naked" feel to the device. My pet peeve is like buying a super nice phone and throwing this huge case on it to protect it. I will never see the phone and how good it lucks. Like when I bought the S3 I left it without a case for a couple days to enjoy it. I see people's iphone's all the time in these huge Otterbox cases. They never get to enjoy the design. Anyone else hate this about cases? This is why I always buy the most slim and less protective case money can buy.
icon10.gif
 
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I like these skins companies are doing. And I like the one you got. I have a skin from Stickerboy.net on my Ipad and I love it. It protects it but gives it that "naked" feel to the device. My pet peeve is like buying a super nice phone and throwing this huge case on it to protect it. I will never see the phone and how good it lucks. Like when I bought the S3 I left it without a case for a couple days to enjoy it. I see people's iphone's all the time in these huge Otterbox cases. They never get to enjoy the design. Anyone else hate this about cases? This is why I always buy the most slim and less protective case money can buy.
icon10.gif

i agree with you, i'm an OCD with cases even before when i was an iphone fanboy. but i realized i always end up using the slimmest case or sometimes just the body film. like you, i really like the slim feel of a nice and sexy phone, i also like the way it looks so i end up removing the case most times. so i'm sticking to just body protective films. anyways, i only dropped a phone i think 5 times in my life. knock on wood!:D
 
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The only "flaw" that I'm still unsure of is whether the lower right part of the case near the back button is a design issue as I'm not having 100% success hitting the back button with the case on.

I think it may have to do with the screen protector. I have had the same issue. I tried without the screen protector and it worked flawlessly. However, after using the case a bit I don't seem to be experiencing the back button issue as much.
 
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