Urban Armor Gear for the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

I have always been a big fan of the Urban Armor Gear case line. It is always hard to find a fault with this line of cases. Let's see how the S7 Edge case holds up.


This case is not like your other Urban Armor Gear cases in the sense that it just protects. When Samsung came out with the S7 (flat version), UAG just had to find the right dimensions and put it together. With the S7 Edge though UAG had to really find a balance between protection and usefulness.

The Edge of the S7 Edge is both very useful and a big hindrance. Let's see how UAG designed the case to work in favor of the S7 Edge.

Firstly, let's talk about the design. The design is quite on par with the other designs - you have that modern design that really looks like it's very industrial and sturdy.

It features very well reinforced black rubber in the corners and hard plastic at the back.

As usual, the UAG line comes in a multitude of colors (sadly, far less than the iPhone lineup has). To check them out, click here. In this review I have the Magma colored case which is actually very nice. Over the years I always got the ICE color because it would really shine through devices which could change their back plate or color with a skin. I really felt like this time I wanted to keep my S7 Edge with 1 color and just get a colored case. Magma is certainly eye catching, isn't it? I also have a blue case on the way that my partner really wanted, so when it arrives next week I'll update the post with comparative pictures.

Going back to the review we can see that there is also a thick and raised rubber that surrounds the camera. I'm quite a shutter bug if any of you visit my other shootouts :
S7 vs G5 part 1
S7 vs G5 part 2
S7 vs G4

As I was saying, the rubber around the camera and LED flash has 0 effect or warping on the camera which is great news. A lot of other cases tend to move those borders around the camera and flash and when you fire up the flash it leaves some ghosting or artificial whitening to the image. Luckily this doesn't happen. Also, as you can see in the image above, there is an shallow widening of the rubber to accommodate a finger for those of us that actually use the finger heart rate monitor reader. Good stuff. That's some attention to detail that the Supcase didn't take into account, having to do some finger gymnastics to get a good read.

 While there is added weight and width to the device, it's rather minimal.
The S7 E weighs 157 grams without a case, and with the UAG case it goes up to 192 grams, which isn't much. The Supcase went up to 213 grams.

 As you can see in this image the entire edge is very readily available. You lose absolutely no functionality while using this case.

One of the good points that I was talking about is that this case adds a little thickness to the sides. When I use the S7 Edge without using a case, I often touch the sides of the screens by accident and it opens apps or does functions that I didn't want it to do. With a case that adds a little thickness to its sides you avoid a lot of these issues. Now if you compare this case to other cases, you still have that awesome feeling of the infinity display in your hand - in other cases it feels a little more like a case with the sides, but this removes from the beauty of having a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge with those gorgeous edges! The UAG case keeps those edges nice and clean. Galaxy

If you take a look at the front of the case you can see that there are lips on the top and bottom to raise the case from a table if you place it on top. This is a must have for any case with such an expensive case and device! 

I have a few other cases that cost practically nothing that would protect my device from absolutely nothing other than a casual scratch that would have been caused by entering or exiting my jeans - but if you often place your phone face down on the table you'd better have a case that raises the screen off the table! Also, the added rubber keeps it from sliding off the table (fantastic for airplanes and tray tables on trains or buses). 

These rubber pads are, of course, also present on the back.

 Ports are open and exposed, but this is a waterproof phone, so it doesn't matter. Speaker phone and microphones don't get muffled. Port sizes are also very generous so you can use basically any micro USB cable and headphones. This compatibility issue is something of the past. 

OK, any bad things about this case? Of course! There are always drawbacks. If you drop your phone with this case on any corner or on the back it'll probably be OK with this case on it. But what about the sides? Since the case actually starts below the edges, that would leave it vulnerable.  Just something to keep in mind.

So would I recommend a UAG case? Of course! This is one of the BEST cases you can get for your device! It's about 30,00 euros on Amazon, and 35 USD with free world shipping if you buy it directly from their website. The price is right on target for the quality of the case and design, but is it for everyone? No. It's pretty noisy, and actually detracts from the beauty of the device. But then again, ANY case that actually protects the device will. Just something to take into account. :) It's a VERY good case and I highly recommend UAG to everyone. My partner uses it at the gym every day because we all know which case will protect it if it falls. 

+ Very stylish

+ 4 colors to pick from

+ Very VERY well designed 

+ Lighter than other solutions, but heavier than minimal solutions

+ It doesn't raise my screen protector (BestSkinsEver, case friendly)

+ Very easy to put on and take off, but it won't fall out!

- Kind of expensive if you don't spend money on cases

- The sides are more exposed than other cases, but this also allows you to enjoy the infinity display

- Shipping times take a while to Europe. I have tried both direct from Amazon (1 week delivery), and directly from UAG took about 2 weeks. 

Link directly to UAG

Here are some more pictures. Enjoy

Supcase Unicorn Beetle case for the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

Hello everyone! And welcome to another one of my reviews. I just wanted to tell everyone about the Supcase Unicorn Beetle case. I got this off of Amazon for 19€ from Amazon Spain.

But is it a good case? Let's find out!

This has to be ONE OF my FAVORITE cases if you're looking for top level protection for a low price - but there are a lot of compromises.

 This a dual layer case. This means that you have to first insert your phone in the section of the left and then you have to fit it into the section to the right. This is how it gives you so much protection. First, it is suspended in the left plastic frame. After you insert it into the right silicone and rugged plastic you get a dual layer case.

As you can see in this image the top ear speaker and all the sensors are completely exposed but they are also protected from drops. This case also adds a lip to the phone so that if you were to place it screen down on a table the phone would clear the table considerably not having to worry about scratches while sliding it around on the table. It shouldn't slide around regardless due to the fact that the case is also rubbery, so it should stand its ground on an airplane tray table or your own glass table.

 There are also some rubber feet on the back of the phone as well to avoid sliding around.

 I do believe that Supcase stole some of its inspiration from the UAG case (here's a shot from my upcoming UAG case)

It's hard NOT to see the similarities in design, right?

 Regardless of the design, we can see that the edge corners are exposed all the while being protected, which is good. They do not have any negative effect on the actual usage of the screen or the edges. Everything is very usable still - you can tell that they spent a lot of time and R&D on this device case so every little feature is still accessible. Kudo points for you, Supcase. :)

One thing to note about this case is that most Supcase Unicorn Beetle cases come with a screen protector attached to the front, but this design didn't. Right now manufacturers are having a hard time creating screen protectors for the S7 Edge because of the curved display. Just keep that in mind. This case doesn't lift up the screen protectors since your device sits IN it rather than wrapping the case around it.

The weight on the other hand of this case is actually A LOT. It makes the phone much heavier.

Weights for the S7 Edge:

• 157 grams -  No case at all (and just a screen protector on)
• 213 grams - With the Supcase Unicorn Beetle + the same screen protector on mentioned before

That is pretty substantial - but I guess for the dual layer protection you're getting it's all right. But I am telling you, it feels like a brick now - so heavy!

Even though it may look like the corners are extra protected, I don't believe they are any thicker than any other part of the rim of the case.  I could be wrong, but just by looking at it inside, it does seem this way. Regardless, it does feel very substantial and protected.

The charging port and 3.5mm jack are protected with a silicon flap. This is a very good idea for those phones that aren't waterproofed, but I don't think it's 100% necessary for the S7 Edge since it is already waterproof.


On the downside of these flaps, I feel that they're very rugged - they put a lot of pressure on the micro usb charger when plugged in and also the 3.5mm headphone jack. It's probably nothing, but you can feel the resistance it is putting up while plugging it in.

 Buttons are plenty tactile and clicky. So no issues here!

The ring around the camera lens and LED doesn't affect your shooting abilities at all, yay for that! Some cases do give you a ring while shooting with the LED.

How about how easily it comes out of your pocket? It slides right out! The rubber is a very smooth rubber so it doesn't grab onto the inside of your pocket like silicone cases do. While on the topic of your pocket, it does add some thickness to your device (of course). Which means that it'll mark your inside pocket a little bit more, too ;). So bulging phone outline is way more noticeable than without a case FOR SURE. 

Heat - I never felt my phone warm to begin with, and so with the case I didn't feel it either. While using the fast charger, normally the S7E gets warm, or maybe even warmer than normal but never hot. In the case you are bound to notice that it doesn't get as warm. This is probably because the layer between your hand and the phone is so thick that you won't really feel the heat! That's good and bad. Good because you won't feel the heat, and bad because the heat will be trapped inside the case and will take longer to dissipate. 

In the end, the design is nice, it is rugged and it will protect your phone very well despite adding all that weight I'd say it's a keeper!

Here are some photos comparing it to the S7 Edge Urban Armor Gear case, coming up in the next review.

I'd say give it a go! It's only 19,00 euros and it really does protect your device well

+ Very good protection

+ Protection for money
+ It feels VERY solid in hand, and the weight is something that I like personally, but I can see why it might defer some people

+ Nice design

+ Screen protector friendly

- A little hard to remove from its case

- I don't like the pressure the flaps put on the plugged cords, but I'm sure it won't be a problem. No one has complained about this yet, but it's still something to watch out for in the future! So it goes in this category.

- Heavy - but it gives a sense of solidity and strength

LG G5 vs Galaxy S7 Edge: Decisions, Decisions...

Well, I sent back the first LG G5 because it had some defects that I didn't like.

• Not flush SIM tray.
• Unaligned magic slot
• Battery life was very sub par
• Bubbles under the paint

Now I have a new G5 that is in perfect condition :) I'm a happy camper! 

I think on a device that costs as much as this one does you should expect and actually get a device that's perfect. In reality, the LG G5 costs roughly the same as the S7E if you price hunt a little. 

I really like both phones. The G5 feels like a traditional phone that's very light. The S7E feels like a piece of art. I wouldn't dream of using either of these phones without a case. For the G5 I have a UAG case, which in my experience have been the best bang for the buck, and for the S7E I have a UAG case and a Supcase Unicorn Beetle case which really makes the phone feels ultra protected, as does the UAG case. But when I publish my case reviews you'll see the difference between them.

Well, one of my most favorite things to do is to really look at the cameras. This is where I am most interested, and I am REALLY having a hard time deciding. Each device has it's own strong points and weak points...

Photography is really important to me, and I think the G5 offers better options, but I am also worried about build quality over time...  The Galaxy S7 Edge, if you take care of it, offers superb build quality... and a very very fast camera. 

Today I'm taking both cameras out and I'm going to review both shooters with 100% automatic modes, only focusing manually in a secondary shot. 

I'm going after the best basic shot. I know with manual mode you can fix everything, but when you're on vacation or you want to capture that shot you won't have time to play with white balance or exposure times...

So let's see how it goes!

New cases ahoy! Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and LG G5!

UAG and Supcase Unicorn Beetle for Galaxy S7 Edge

New cases came in :) 

UAG for LG G5

Exciting devices! :) Exciting cases! Especially with this generation of devices, I wouldn't dare NOT use a case. I mean, come on! LG G5 has a very thin glass screen, as well as a painted body which can easily be scratched (and when I say easily, I mean very easily... I've seen in the forums that people can do it with their phone). And the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is all glass! Yes, while it might not shatter in your hand, a drop could shatter the screen or back... The back I wouldn't mind as much since it would be in a case, but the screen is the most important thing for me... If I get a single scratch I can't bare to look at it any more.

Stay tuned!

Urban Armor Gear for LG G4 (UAG Case)

Here's a review that I have decided to republish:

The LG G4 Urban Armor Gear case

This is a fantastic case that's very styling. It's very easy to put on and take off, but it does have its cons as well. For example, if you are using a leather case, then it's a bit more difficult to take off - well, let me explain. The actual case is easy to take off, but it usually rips off the leather back case as well.

The edges have drop protection, the case is very well made. I can honestly say that this is probably one of the BEST cases you can ever find if you're looking for something that protects your device. It has lips in every direction so you know that your phone will never get scratched if you leave it on a table face down or face up, which is important if you're also worried about scratching the screen or the camera.

The actual design is actually quite nice. It looks very modern. This isn't the case you'd probably give your grandma or take into an office meeting. I think UAG is going for a modern younger look. Of course with words like GEAR and ARMOR, you're not going to get those shiny mirror cases from other brands, or the bland styling of another case that you can get off of AliExpress or eBay for a fraction of the case. I mean, just look at the faux screws in there! They don't really do anything, but add a nice flare of armor and military design.

I have access to many of the leather and ceramic and plastic backs from LG, all official. So I thought I'd take some pictures with each case so that you could see what it looks like.

The current backs that I have access to are:

• Leather black
• Leather mint
• Gold
• White

I'd say the best backs are the plastic ones. This is good because if you're using a leather back, and try to remove the case, the case removes the back with it and this is actually somewhat problematic since it's sometimes harder to remove the leather back from the case than removing the actual case! - Then again, it's not such a big deal. While that might be one of the negative points, I must add how UAG has made every cut out absolutely perfect. The IR blaster has a perfect cut out, the micro USB charging port is large enough to accommodate every single charger I own. The headphone port fits every pair of headphones I own, too - but that's not hard, I often use the smaller headed headphones. Every microphone is open and allows sound to travel through with ease. All the buttons are accessible as well (power, volume up and down). The camera opening is more than enough and, more importantly, the flash isn't messed with by the edges of the case - a very common issue with a lot of cases that are cheaper (I can't tell you how many times a flash has destroyed a picture when it bounces off a case and this totally ruins the moment!) Good job UAG :)

The case offers fantastic protection, just as we have come to expect from UAG. On the other hand, it does make the device noticeably fatter. If you don't mind the looks of a fatter device, then you can rest assure knowing that UAG has your LG covered!

Pros:

+Very durable

+Stylish

+Protects device from drops, scratches from the table and lifts it with slight lips on the table.
+A lot of attention is paid to the design of these cases

Cons:

-Price could be cheaper, but with all the design and engineering behind the case, I'd say it's justified if you value your device.

-It makes your device heftier and thicker.

Enjoy the picture gallery!

LG G4 UAG case

Surface Pro 4 Urban Armor Gear case review

I've had this case for a few weeks now and I have been testing it out. I must say that this is, probably, one of the most rugged cases you can get for your Surface Pro devices. UAG makes them for multiple devices, including phones and other computers and tablets, but sadly I have only tried this for the Surface Pro 4.

You can get it in a few different colors. Check out their website.

UAG got this case out to me to test out on my review SP4, but in the end I ended up buying myself a SP4 because I love this darn thing so much. The last thing I'd want is to have it fall or get scratched. Usually I don't mind the body, but the screen is so important.

The first thing you'll notice is how nice and well built it is. It certainly feels like a premium product, and it is! Especially for the price, you should be expecting something that feels good in the hand, feels solid while using, and feels like it'll outlast your device. I got a UAG Cobalt colored case, and it is indeed very nice.

On my SP4 I keep a screen protector, not a glass one, but rather a plastic one. But I don't know if it will be 100% necessary anymore because there is a lip on this UAG case that raises the SP4 up from the ground. So you can place this on the table and there could be little specks here and there, but since it is raised, the screen won't physically touch the table. This is very good news of course, but you must always be careful because a large enough piece of sand or something sharp could reach the screen, and this goes the same for any case or device - so just be careful. 

This case is quite easy to put on, and very difficult to take off. The best way I've found to do this is by using the bottom right or bottom left to wedge it out first, and then go to the opposite side of the bottom, and then after that you can practically slide it out. I did have some trouble while figuring this out and felt like I was going to break the Surface while trying to get it out of the UAG case. This is both good and bad, good because it means it won't fall out or come out accidentally; and bad because it's not a case you'll slap on like your phone in 2 seconds.

Let's talk about the angles: The UAG doesn't have as wide of range as the original kickstand, see images. As you can see in the pictures there are multiple angles with the mechanism. They are not like the SP4 stand, which you can put anywhere between the minimum and the maximum. Here are there are little pegs that ride up and down - this means you can put it on any one of the little pegs and have it stand there without any issue - it's a very firm stand. Keep in mind though that you won't be able to hit the lowest angle like we do with the SP4 (for example, for writing or taking hand written notes in class or in meetings). Here is a picture of the lowest angle:

And here are some images of the kick stand compared to the SP4's original in the minimum and maximum. As we know and love, the SP4 kickstand doesn't have a minimum - you just unfold it and you can place it in any angle, but I put it in this angle which is one of the lowest I could put my SP4 standing up (of course I wouldn't leave it at this height just in case, if I were to touch the screen it would probably fall over.

The stability of the kick stand is very good! I mean, very, very good! The kickstand is very firm, held in place by plastic pieces that snap into place. Neat mechanism, but isn't as good as the original SP4 stand mechanism of course. It won't be switching angles on its own any time while pressing down. The actual stand is made of a kind of metal which is very cool to the touch. I'd be worried about scratching the table if you have a very easily scratched surface (meaning table, not device haha). The bottom of the stand isn't actually sharp by any means, but it feels ultra-sturdy, which is a great feeling to have. But I'd rather air on the side of caution and not let it sit on any dark IKEA furniture.

If you were to place your device closed and case down on the table, would it slide? The case itself is rubbery plastic, but the kick stand, being made of metal, could slide. But it's a lot less slippery than if the Surface Pro 4 were on the table without a case; in that situation the SP4 would slide without any doubt since it's so slippery. So it's great to know that you could place this, case side down of course, on the table or glass and not have it slide away. The texture and design really help the case grab on to the surface of the table.

Let's talk about some specifics:

Can you fold the keyboard back all the way? No… You can't sadly. What happens is this - the keyboard detaches. This is due to the thickness of the case, and there are some trade-offs of course to having such a rugged case. This is fine. Most of the time I have my bag with me and if I need to disconnect the keyboard, I just throw it in my bag and continue with what I was doing. I know this isn't the ideal situation for most people though.

The inside of the case is a textured honeycomb design, and I'm sure there's a reason for it. You can't see it from the outside, so it's not for design purposes. The inside of the case is made from a rubbery, hard plastic material. So it'll cushion and hold tight - too tight sometimes (I'm mentioning this again because there are no instructions on how to put it on or take it off in the box, but when removing, take off a lower corner by bending it a little bit. If you try and take it off the entire case at once by bending both corners, for instance, you might hear a crack or two! Not good! So go slow, and do one lower corner at a time. After you get the two bottom corners off you can slide the device out very easily).

All the ports are accessible and something that is fantastic this time around is the charging cable - this time you can put it in either direction! So no need to keep it in only one position like previous versions (I can't speak for the SP3 case since I didn't get to review it, but I can speak about the SP4 case and the SP2 case - the latter didn't have that option and could only be placed in one direction). Going back to the ports is the fact that they are all accessible but you must be wary of the headphone jack - it's likely that angled headphones won't fit, but you can go ahead and try! Most straight headphone jacks will.

The pen has a holder at the top, and it is also reversible, but there is a design at the top that "recommends" how to place it. But I've placed it numerous times in both directions and there were no issues. It grabs on to the pen VERY well. Also, the pen is still magnetically able to be locked on to the device, but since the case is so thick, it loses some of its strength. So it's really good that if you're at the desk you can just plop it on the side again all the while if you're going to toss it in your bag or move around a lot with it, you can attach it physically and very strongly to the top of the case.

There is a flap for the keyboard which holds it in place, which is a nice touch. The SP4 doesn't have this by itself and only the bottom (where it attaches to the computer) is magnetically locked in, so it can flap open. Now it can't and won't! It's just a piece of elastic with a thumb with the UAG logo, but believe me, it's great that it's there. 

So in the end, what do I think? I think this is a fantastic case for those who want to take care of their device and don't mind the added weight or thickness. Once again, this isn't a case you'd slap on in 20 seconds, if you put it on, you'll want to keep it on for a while. It's great for drop protection, even though I'm not willing to test it out! But just due to the design and how it's made you can tell that it's VERY well put together and thought out and the corners are thick! So I'd much rather have this case on my device than not if I know I'm going to take it around a lot. So basically, if you're going to keep your SP4 as a desktop, there is no need to get this case (check out the ESR case I reviewed), but if you're going to travel around a lot and take it everywhere you go, then it's a great idea to invest in a good case. 

Pros:

+Your device is very well protected

+Very portable

+A lot of thought has clearly been put into the device

+Angles are good, but not the greatest
+Great design and very stylish! Surely an eye catcher for many (myself included)

Cons:

-Heavier than going with no case, obviously

-Thicker

-Less angles on the kickstand

-Hard to take off
-Pricey, but again you're also paying for the brand, R&D and droppability

Check out the UAG website
Cost: around 70 USD