[Galaxy S 4 Accessories] mierkan:
So, case and screen protector arrived today. Due to the delivery person slamming the box on my doorstep in his rush to complete his route, my ScreenMate is cracked right out of the box. Dealing with Amazon to get that resolved.

However, the Obliq case is in perfect condition.

My thoughts:

I purchased the Obliq due to budget reasons, with the intention of replacing it in a month or two. It was the best looking case that I could find that looked to me like it would actually protect the device which fit into a tight budget. Overall, I think this is a good budget purchase. I am quite tough on phones (for goodness sake, I destroyed a RAZR MAXX HD within 6 months), so I wanted something to protect well, at least *for now*. I am likely to replace the Obliq down the line, in part due to a likely need for an extended battery, as well as simply for more protection.

I am coming from a RAZR MAXX HD which was destroyed. The S4 itself, of course, feels way flimsy to me, due to the design and weight of the MAXX HD. Prior to ordering the Obliq, I was concerned about added bulk, however, upon putting the case on, I now feel like the phone is quite protected, and feels much less flimsy. The added width does not make the phone hard for me to hold, and I do not have very large hands.

The case fits very snugly around the device, and is, while not super difficult to remove, at least something that does take a decent amount of effort, which means that the device is definitely secure, and isn't going to slip out easily.

While the matte finish is likely "grippier" than a glossy finish would be, initially, the back feels quite slick on my fingers. I initially was concerned that it was too slick, however, I think that 1. as it breaks in, this will be less of an issue, and 2. the raised sections of the back, and the channels between them assist in giving something to grip, so that it doesn't slide out of the hand quite as easily as I initially thought that it would.

The clicky feel of the buttons that exists on the phone by itself is gone, but for me, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Initially, I thought that I had somehow gotten one of the bad cases, but then I realized that the buttons work perfectly for me, I was simply expecting a different feel to them. Upon realizing this, I quickly became accustomed to the button feel, and now am quite happy with the performance.

The cutouts for the microphones, charger and headset jack all line up visually perfectly. The cutout for the charger is decently sized, and I don't think that I will have any issues plugging in any micro-usb connector that I have into that port at all. The headset cutout definitely will *not* allow for any L-shaped headset jacks. The cutout for the IR blaster appears on my case *appears* to me to be slightly off, however, after testing, it does not hinder it in any way (tested as remote for the tv/cable box only).

The dark inner material does not feel as shock absorbent to me as I would like, however, I feel that likely for those who are not Call-thulu, Destroyer of Phones, this case will work quite well. Overall, I think that as a temporary solution for myself, this will suffice for the next month or two until I can replace it with something I feel is a bit sturdier for my purposes. For those who aren't particularly hard on phones, looking for a budget solution, this case is, in my opinion, a very good buy. If you're rough on your phones, then you may want to look into something a little more high end.

My ratings would be:

Added Weight: 8/10

Size: 9/10

Protection: 7.5/10

Fit: 10/10

Overall Aesthetic: 9/10