Way back on July 3rd I posted links to a bunch of cases that I had ordered (Confessions of a case hoarder) and many of them came from China so they took a while to get here. Since then I have ordered and received a few more and I think I'm finally done. Whew! Who has more than 12 plus a battery cover?
Ok, to be fair one of those was sent in error and I then received the proper one and another is one my daughter didn't like on her SGS3 so she gave it to me...I don't like that one or the one sent in error. My daughter has 2 or 3 cheap TPU cases but I'm not going to review those. In the interest of time and bandwidth I'm not going to include pictures but I will include a link for each case along with my opinions.
I ordered all of these cases a few at a time because I couldn't decide what I wanted and they're so inexpensive I figured if I didn't like them I'm not out too much money. Plus there are times where I wanted more protection for my phone or just want a different feeling of the phone in my hand.
Protection of the phone is always more important than appearance but that doesn't mean I don't want the case to look good too. I have no use for those super sleek cases that barely cover the phone and leave the top and bottom edges completely exposed. I just don't get it but to each their own. Years ago I had a girlfriend with a convertible Mustang. Whenever the top was down she would slip the shoulder part of the seat belt under her arm because she didn't want a tan line across her exposed shoulder. I'll admit she looked really good without the shoulder belt but she looked good with it too. I haven't seen her in years so I don't know if she ever regretted not wearing the seat belt properly. Kinda like sacrificing phone protection just so the phone will look slightly better. As I said, to each their own.
With that in mind, here is my stupidly large collection of relatively cheap phone cases and what I think of each of them. Keep in mind that I have very large hands so those with smaller hands may have a different opinion of certain cases:
From Ebay:
1.
Black twill leather battery door back cover For SAMSUNG GALAXY S3 III i9300 new | eBay
Description: Faux carbon fiber battery cover replacement. Supposedly leather over flexible plastic. It's stamped with a slightly textured CF pattern. It's slightly thicker than the stock cover so some cases won't fit when it's in place. Buttons and various holes are unaffected.
Fit It snaps into place very easily and just as easy to remove. The holes line up perfectly.
Opinion: I think it looks fantastic and it seems that it will add a bit of protection to the phone because it's thicker than the stock cover. It feels very slightly soft in my hand so I think this might help absorb shock a little better than the stock cover too. But, I don't think I'll ever use my phone without a case over then top of this so the appearance is pretty much lost. And with the type of cases I use over the top of it I would think that the slight level of added protection is probably negligible compared to that of the case itself. A point could be made that it's kind of a waste of money if it's always going to be covered. True, but there is one case that I have that's semi-translucent and you can easily see the CF pattern through the back.
Will I use it?: I use it with the cases that fit with it in place. Some cases are so snug that they only fit with the stock case. I use it mostly because it does add a slight level of protection and it does look good with my semi-translucent case.
2.
BLACK KICKSTAND HYBRID HARD CASE COVER SAMSUNG GALAXY S III 3 S3 ACCESSORY | eBay
Description: Dual layer case with a kickstand. Two piece hard plastic inner case. Semi-soft silicone (I think) outer case. Kickstand works in both portrait and landscape positions. Buttons are unaffected. The USB and headphone ports have flip-up covers. It is so thick it has more of a lip on the front than any other case I have.
Fit: It fits the phone fine with the stock battery cover and all of the holes line up. But it was so difficult to remove the hard plastic case I didn't try it with the CF battery cover. It took at least 5 minutes of struggling using various plastic "Tools" to finally pop the two halves apart. I thought I was going to break the phone so my wife, who is much more patient than I, finished the job.
Opinion: It's huge and bulky but it still manages to feel good in my hand. I actually think it looks good if you want the bomb-proof look.
Will I use it?: There are definitely times where a super tough case would be nice to have. But not often and since it was so ridiculously difficult to remove I won't put it on again unless I file/sand down the little hard plastic nibs that hold it on. I don't know that this will ever happen.
3.
TPU Gel Case Cover Skin Stand /Screen Protector For Samsung Galaxy S3 III i9300 | eBay
Description: It's a single layer black TPU fused to semi-translucent hard plastic. The hard plastic is sort of flexible and works well with the TPU. It has a kickstand in the middle of the hard plastic that only works in landscape mode.
Fit: It fits very well with the stock battery cover and it's a tight fit with the CF battery cover. The holes all line up and the buttons are reasonably easy to use. Not super easy to press but usable without complaint.
Opinion: I really like the feel in my hand and the sides have a molded in knurled grip pattern that makes it easy to hold. I also think it looks really good and it's pretty thin while still offering good protection. It's also the only case I have that shows off the CF battery cover. It is a very tight fit with that cover on though.
Will I use it?: It's one of a few cases that I like enough to use frequently. It's not my favorite but I use it.
4.
Black Carbon Fibre Hard Back Case Cover For Samsung Galaxy S3 Slll i9300 | eBay
Description: One piece hard plastic snap on case. It has a faux carbon fiber coating on the back that is semi-soft to the touch and slightly textured. Not sure what it's made from. I didn't notice when I ordered it that the top and bottom edges are partially exposed.
Fit: It snaps onto the phone with the stock battery cover with no problem at all. It's a very tight fit with the CF battery cover in place...CF over CF...Hmmm...Silly? While the holes line up the edges are sort of rough and need to be sanded showing a real lack of attention to detail. The hole for the camera lens is pretty misshapen too.
Opinion: I ordered this case but I received a completely different case, which I will review next. I complained to the company (In China) and they sent me the proper case without making me send back the mistake. No way was I going to do that anyway considering I only spent $3.50 for the case. It's a really cheap and shoddy case. Worst finish of any I've received. Aside from the fairly rough openings there's also a very small spot where the black color is missing, exposing a reddish brown spot. It's hard to see without looking for it but it's there. Overall, from arm's length the cover looks great on the phone. You can't see the spot or the rough edges from that distance.
Will I use it?: Almost certainly not. I didn't realize that the case leaves the ends exposed and that's a deal breaker for me. Yes, it's sleek and looks great but protection comes first. There are other hard carbon fiber cases that do cover all four edges.
5.
Black Carbon Fibre Card Wallet Pouch Case Cover For Samsung Galaxy S3 Slll i9300 | eBay
Description: One piece wallet flip case. It has a carbon fiber stamped/colored soft leather surface. They claim it's leather but it's likely faux leather. The inside is smooth "Leather". It has cutouts for the flash/camera/speaker in the back that line up well. It also has a hole in the upper folded area where you could attach a lanyard if you wanted. It has a magnetic latch. The top and bottom edges are open but the case extends enough that I don't think the phone itself could actually touch the ground if it fell.
Fit: It fits easily with the stock battery cover but not with the CF battery cover. The only holes to line up are the flash/camera/speaker and they line up well. The case is clearly made for the phone and fits very well. Credit cards fit in the slots provided.
Opinion: I didn't order or pay for this case. It was sent to me in error before case number 4 was sent to me. It's not the type of case I would order. However, I can see that it is very well made and designed and appears that it will protect the phone very well. It would be great for someone looking for super protection for their phone while still wanting to travel light, carrying only ID, credit cards and maybe a little cash. I think it looks really good but it's just not my style and far more case than I'll likely ever need.
Will I use it?: No, highly unlikely.
6.
Samsung Galaxy S3/SIII i9300 Concave Lines TPU Case - Black | eBay
Description: shiny black TPU case with curved parallel lines on the back. It has a lightly knurled textured edge. The edge does protrude slightly above the face creating a lip but it's probably the lowest lip of any case I have. Enough though. The TPU is thinner than some other cases I've had.
Fit: It fits the phone perfectly with the stock battery cover but won't fit with the CF batter cover. None of the holes quite line up perfectly but they are all acceptable. Because the case if black on a dark phone it's very hard to tell and the holes are all "close enough" to function ok. The buttons work fine.
Opinion: I think this is a great looking case that should appeal to someone wanting a slimmer and stylish case that still provides decent protection to all edges and the face. But other than the hard shell CF case number 4 it provides the least protection of any case I have. This is mostly due to the front lip being relatively low. It feels great in my hand with the perfect amount of grip without being too grippy.
Will I use it?: I like the appearance and the feel a lot. But I wish it had a little bigger front lip. I'll still use it though once in a while.
7.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Clear-TPU-C...Accessories&hash=item33796ea4d4#ht_500wt_1113
Description: "Clear" TPU case. It's actually clear TPU that for some reason has been "Hazed" or "Frosted" inside. The outside is completely smooth and glossy with not texture anywhere. All of the ports and buttons are cut out. It's as thin as case number 6 but has a larger lip around the front and provides much better face protection.
Fit: It fits perfectly over the stock battery cover but it's very tight over the CF battery cover. The holes all line up and the buttons are easy to push because they are cut out. It feels pretty slim and about the same as case number 6. It feels great in my hand but there is no extra amount of grip provided because it's just smooth TPU.
Opinion: This is my daughter's case. But since I bought it and some people were interested in this case in this thread I decided to review it. It looks good on her
white SGS3. It looks white and you can more or less read the printing on the back of the phone through the case. But because they "Frosted" the inside for some stupid reason it makes my blue SGS3 look like crap. It turns it into a washed out, milky version of what it normally is. I have another semi clear case that is frosted inside but it has a completely clear "X" across the back. That shows the back of the phone fairly clearly, especially when it has the CF battery cover on. So obviously they can make a clear TPU case without "Frosting" the inside. I can see no reason at all to "Frost" the inside of this case. It makes it useless for a blue case. The white looks pretty good though.
Will I use it?: Not at all. It's my daughter's case but I wouldn't use it if she gave it to me. I HATE what it does to the color of the phone. But my daughter likes it and she uses it sometimes.
8.
Hard Case+Silicone Skin+Holster Belt Clip for Samsung Galaxy S3 S III i9300 i747 885249302470 | eBay
Description: Dual layer case with a holster. It uses a fairly thick silicone inner case with a smooth hard plastic outer case with a matte finish. The holster is also smooth hard plastic with the same matte finish. The silicone is relatively grippy but the hard plastic is completely slippery. The holster case has a rotating belt clip that double's as a kickstand that works in both landscape and portrait positions. It sits a bit low in the portrait position though. The case/phone snaps into the holster with a large clip at the top. You can clip the case/phone into the holster with either the face in or out. Neither the headphone or the USB jacks are covered or plugged.
Fit: The case fits very well and is easy to put on with the stock battery cover. It didn't really fit with the CF battery cover. The buttons work perfectly. The holes all line up. While the case fits the phone quite well and the case/phone fits the holster it isn't easy to remove the phone from the holster, especially when it's clipped to my belt. It's very difficult to nearly impossible to do without unclipping the holster from my belt, actually. The case does have a good sized lip that will really protect the face when it's not clipped into the holster.
Opinion: It appears to offer outstanding protection for the phone even if it's not in the holster. But clip it into the holster and I think it would be hard to break your phone when dropped from almost any height. It's really well armored. More than most people will ever need. But I'm not really thrilled with the smoothness of the hard plastic. I wish it had that "rubberized finish" that some hard cases have. And while the clip that secures the phone into the holster allows for the phone to be placed either face in or face out it's way too difficult to remove the phone with only one hand, like when it's on your belt or clipped to the outside of your pants pocket. The styling is fairly masculine, angular and stark. Very utilitarian. I like the look and the case by itself is pretty bulky but feels good in the hand.
Will I use it?: Probably not too much. At least not the holster part. It's way to hard to unclip the phone. But it provides more protection than any other case I have so if I need that I'm set.
9.
Samsung Galaxy III S3 Black ARMOR Hard SOFT Holster Case + Belt Clip STAND | eBay
Description: Dual layer holster double kickstand case. The inside case is thin silicone and the outside case is a rubberized hard plastic. The holster is the same rubberized hard plastic with a soft "velveteen" coating where the screen touches while it's in the holster. It has flip up covers for the headphone jack and the USB port. The phone case has a kickstand that only works in the landscape position. The holster has a rotating belt clip that doubles as a kickstand that works in the landscape and portrait positions...But seeing as how I can only get the phone to fit into the holster with the face inward I'm not sure what the kickstand function of the belt clip is for.
Fit: The fit of the case is perfect with the stock battery cover and only a little bit tight with the CF batter cover. The phone slides in and out of the holster pretty easily but it's slightly more difficult with the CF battery cover in place. All of the holes line up perfectly. The buttons work perfectly. Some people may want more resistance to button pushing though. The button covers feel as if they are attached directly to the inside of the phone.
Opinion: I LOVE this case. It's a dual layer case that isn't too thick. Even with those ridges and the kickstand along the back it still is reasonably thin considering the extra protection that a dual layer case provides. The rubberized finish feels almost exactly like the silicone inner skin and they both have a great finish that feels nearly perfect in my hand. I even like the holster and I didn't think I'd ever like a case with a holster. I only got it because there are times when I either can't keep the phone in any pocket or when I want superior impact protection. I usually won't need the holster though. The case looks good, feels great and protects the phone very well.
Will I use it?: Absolutely. It's what I've used more than any other case now that I have it. I got it well after my first cases but it's what I leave on the phone most of the time...At least for now anyway. Love this case!
10.
GRAY Rubberized Mesh Hard Soft Combo Case Cover Samsung Galaxy S III 3 S3 | eBay
Description: Dual layer case with a thin silicone inner case and a rubberized hard plastic outer case. The outer case is perforated and is gray while the silicone is black.
Fit: The case fits very well with the stock battery cover but it's really too tight with the CF battery cover. The holes all line up well and the buttons work perfectly, pretty much like the buttons on case number 9.
Opinion: I really like this case and it looks different. It's the only non-black case I have other than 2 clear ones. There were lots of color choices available just like with most of the cases I have and I'm not sure what made me chose this color combo. Just something a little different I guess. The dual layer case feels almost as thin as a regular TPU case but it provides a little more protection. It feels great in my hand too. Not too grippy, not too slippery.
Will I use it?: Yes, eventually. I really like the case but I have others that I like too. It will find it's way into the rotation.
From Amazon:
11.
http://www.amazon.com/Fosmon-X-Shap...+Case+for+the+Samsung+Galaxy+S3+S+III+-+Black
Description: Black TPU case with a lightly knurled textured outer surface and a glossy "X" across the back. It's thinner than some TPU cases but not too thin. It has a decent sized raised lip around the front.
Fit: The case fits very well with the stock battery cover but it's a bit tight with the CF battery cover. Still works though if I want it to. The holes all line up well. The buttons are a little still thought. Still functional but stiffer than I prefer. I think I'll do the old tape strip trick to make them easier to push.
Opinion: It's a really nice case that feels great in my hand. Just the right amount of grip. I'm not completely in love with the glossy "X" on the back though. But I can live with it ok. The case is very slim for a TPU case but still seems to provide a good level of protection.
Will I use it?: Yes, but probably not too much. I have other cases that I like as much as or more that do a great job.
12.
Amazon.com: Cimo X-Line Back Flexible Cover TPU Case for Samsung Galaxy S III - Clear: Electronics
Description: This case is pretty much identical to case number 11 except it's "Clear".
Fit: Same as case number 11.
Opinion: Pretty much the same as case number 11 except I don't care for the appearance as much. But compared to the clear case my daughter has (case number 7) but instead of frosting the inside of the case they put a knurled texture on the outside of the case. The "X" is fairly clear over the blue case and shows off the CF back pretty well. But it doesn't really do much for me. Actually, it's a case my daughter ordered for her phone but she didn't like it so she gave it to me. Gee, thanks.
Will I use it?: Not too much if at all.
13.
Amazon.com: CrazyOnDigital Armor Case for Samsung Galaxy S III S 3 I9300 (Black): Cell Phones & Accessories
Description: Dual layer case with a medium thick silicone inner case and a matte finish hard plastic outer case. The outer case isn't rubberized though so it's still a little slick. Not too bad though. The back of the hard plastic case has 9 holes in it that the silicone fills in. The front is well protected by the lip that comes up over the sides.
Fit: The fit is perfect with the stock battery cover and a little tight with the CF batter cover. The buttons work very well but aren't really sticking out so it's a good compromise between too easy and too hard to push. The holes all line up fine.
Opinion: I really like this case. It's not my favorite but it works very well, is reasonably thin for a dual layer case and it offers great protection. It also feels really good in my hand. The only thing I wish was different is the black polka dots on the back. They aren't very visible with the black on black combo I got but they make these in many other color combos and they are very visible on those. Some people will love them and some people will hate them. I'm ok with them but I'd rather they weren't there. I still love the case though.
Will I use it?: Yes. It was one of the first cases I got and I used it a lot until the other cases started rolling in. I'm sure I'll use it again.
That's pretty much it. At least for now. I know it's a ridiculous number of cases but it was kinda fun buying them and for the most part they were pretty cheap. I didn't know what I was going to like and sometimes I'll have different needs than other times. Sometimes I'll just feel like making my phone look and feel different. I'll use some of them and some will just sit in a drawer.
Benny
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