Our guide to picking the best case for your new phone - Android
Most smartphones nowadays feature metal or glass builds, and so, keeping them safe and free from damage can be quite difficult. A good case or cover goes a long way, even if you don’t want to hide the phone’s beautiful design. However, some cases can add some style points to it as well. From the ultra-slim to the extremely rugged, there’s a type of cover for everybody.
If you’re looking to buy a case, you might be curious to what kinds of cases are out there or what phone case brands you should trust. In this case buyer’s guide we do our best to answer these questions, as well as highlight some of the best smartphone case manufacturers around!
Phone cases can be broadly divided into four different categories — thin, hybrid, wallet, and rugged. These categories are mostly self-explanatory, but let’s take a quick look at what they entail.
The best bet for most smartphone owners would be a hybrid case. There are a lot of excellent options out there, and they offer a lot of protection despite being quite thin and light. Cases like the UAG Plasma and Ringke Fusion-X come with the same MIL-STD 810G-516.6 certification for impact resistance as rugged cases, and do so without making the phone heavy.
Ultra-rugged cases are a niche category, but users will appreciate the fact that the phone will survive almost anything. If you work in harsh environments or are particularly clumsy, these cases will certainly offer some peace of mind.
Ultimately picking the right case comes down to knowing what kind of protection and features you need.
A wallet case is great for anyone that wants the convenience of it. Not only do you get to carry cash and cards, but the folio cover often doubles as a kickstand. Genuine leather wallet cases are a touch expensive, but look fantastic as well.
Thin cases are minimalistic and what most people would prefer. However, they offer varying degrees of protection. Some of these options aren’t the most protective, might leave buttons and the screen exposed, and aren’t for anyone who isn’t careful. There are exceptions of course, like the Spigen Rugged Armor or Liquid Air, which are both excellent cases.
At Android Authority we highly recommend Spigen cases. Why? They tend to be a perfect blend of affordability and reliability. There are rarely issues with Spigen cases when it comes to fit (and they tend to be very good at protecting our phones. The brand also makes a variety of cases in pretty much every style and type you could dream of.
Of course, Spigen isn’t the only worthwhile brand out there. Any of the other brands on this list are also definitely worthy of your consideration. What about brands not on this list? Honestly, it’s about doing your homework. There are tons of brands out there and really any case can be worth the investment.
Before you buy a case from a brand you’re not familiar with, just be sure to check for the following:
It’s not just Team AA that recommends Spigen. In a poll from January this year, the vast majority of Android Authority readers (38.1%) voted for Spigen. That’s not a huge surprise to us. As mentioned, Spigen makes some of the best cases around. The smartphone selection is quite diverse, and most of their cases are quite affordable.
A distant second with 12.2% of the votes goes to the “I have no allegiance to one particular brand” crowd. Third place with 8.6% of the votes goes to first-party cases, like ones from Samsung, Google, or other smartphone OEMs. Otterbox is another popular one amongst our readers, garnering 5.6% of the votes. Finally, the “I just choose whatever’s cheapest” crowd made up 6.2% of the votes this time around.
You should now know what brands are most popular and what kind of case types are out there. Now it is time to pick the right case! Below we take a closer look at our six favorite case brands, as well as give you advice about some of the specific types of cases each brand produces.
Editor’s note: We’ll be updating this list of the best manufacturers of smartphone cases regularly.
Spigen is one of the most popular case makers out there as we’ve already made quite clear, and with good reason. It has a wide variety of cases in its portfolio, from the ultra-thin hard shell to the rugged dual-layer cover. It also does a pretty great job as far as phone selection is concerned. You will definitely get a Spigen case if you have a flagship phone, even going back a few years.
That said, the company also offers at least one case for a number of mid-rangers and even some entry-level devices. Spigen cases are also relatively cheap, with the price of the different types of cases usually between $8 and $20.
The Spigen Rugged Armor is a personal favorite and one of the best cases the company has to offer. It’s thin and light, and utilizes air cushion technology and a spider web pattern on the inside to help with shock absorption. Adding to its protective capabilities are covered buttons and a raised lip around the display.
It’s also a good-looking case, with carbon fiber elements on the back adding a touch of style. If you’re looking for a decently protective case that doesn’t make the phone too heavy, the Rugged Armor is a great way to go. The Spigen Rugged Armor is available for most current generation flagships.
Get the Spigen Rugged Armor case for:
Regardless of the type of case you are looking for, Spigen has something for you. Its ultra-thin options, like the Thin Fit and Air Armor, are great. The Liquid Crystal and Ultra Hybrid are transparent cases that let you show off the phone’s design, and the Spigen Neo Hybrid is a stylish alternative to the Rugged Armor.
The case maker also has an excellent rugged option in the form of the Tough Armor, a dual-layer case with a built-in kickstand. And that is just to name a few. You’ll find cases like the Liquid Crystal, Rugged Armor, and Tough Armor for most phones. Popular devices have even more options though, with a couple of wallet cases added to the mix.
The go-to case brand to keep your phone completely safe is undoubtedly Otterbox. It has a few different types of cases available, but the common theme across the board is heavy-duty protection. These cases are big, bulky, and might not be the most visually appealing, but they’ll certainly keep your phone protected during accidental bumps and drops.
Otterbox cases are on the more expensive side, with prices ranging from around $30 to $70. But it might be worth getting an expensive case to make sure that the far more expensive smartphone stays undamaged for as long as possible.
Otterbox cases are available globally, but its smartphone selection is limited to US releases. That said, if a phone is available in the US, from the entry-level to the flagship, you’ll probably find an Otterbox case for it.
The Otterbox Defender series is one of the more protective options available from the rugged case maker. The case is thick and heavy, but the multi-layered protection is great. All buttons and ports are also covered, so it keeps the phone safe from environmental ingress as well.
A version of the Defender case also comes with a front plate with a built-in screen protector, but that is mostly available with older phones. A “screenless” edition comes with a raised lip to keep the display safe, but allows easy access to under-display fingerprint scanners. Both versions of the case come with a holster with a belt clip, that also doubles as a kickstand.
Get the Otterbox Defender for:
The Defender might bring more to the table in terms of protection, but the Symmetry and Commuter cases might be the better option for most people. These are sleeker and lighter, but don’t compromise on safety in any way. These cases are also available for a wider range of smartphones when compared to the Defender series.
The company also has a cheaper Commuter Lite case that is intended for entry-level and mid-range phones. At the other end of the price spectrum is the Defender Pro series, which earns the Pro moniker by adding an anti-bacterial layer to its protective features.
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