[Galaxy Note 3 Accessories] IT_Architect:
Forward: I have a Black Galaxy Note 3 coming tomorrow, and I've been agonizing over which case to buy. I started out not too sure even which type I wanted. My purpose for sharing this is to help others perhaps narrow down where they want to go. I looked at a lot more than those listed here, but I checked out people's opinions on Amazon a threw out the not-so-good.

Slim Cases:

*My view on slim cases is they must look like a million or they have nothing to offer

spigen Neo Hybrid Champagne Gold $25.21

Plus:

- Beautiful looking

- Protects edges, back, and buttons, but not screen.

- Rubber is inside the ring, so the phone will not get scuffed

Minus:

- Has spigen logo instead of Note 3.

- Dies not protect screen

Caseology Leather Skin $8.50

Plus:

- Looks good

- Protects sides and back

- Adds very little to the size of the phone

Minus:

- Because it is so thin, it also adds very little drop protection

Medium Protection:

Seidio Active Dilex $34.91

Plus:

- Protects well

- Comes with holster

- Landscape kickstand

- Protects back and sides

- Easy on and off

*Better in every regard than the Surface

Minus:

- Doesn't protect screen

- No Portrait kickstand

- Difficult to get off to get at battery

Otterbox Commuter $28.98

Plus:

- Protects back, edges, but not screen

- 2-peice design, BUT soft rubber on the inside this time, with outer polycarbonate shell

- Comes with stick-on screen protector

- Can use a Seido holster http://forums.androidcentral.com/ve...e-holster-otterbox-commuter-vzw-silicone.html if desired.

- Flaps to keep crap out of headphone jack and USB ports

- Less bulky than the Defender model

- Easy on and off

Minus:

- Not easy to get out of belt clip, which can be super annoying.

Heavy Protection:

Otterbox Defender $42.39

Plus:

- Protects back, edges, and screen.

- 2-peice design with INNER polycarbonate shell covered by an OUTER rubber shell.

- Comes with holster

- Flap to keep crap out of headphone jack and USB ports

- Very good protection

Minus:

- Adds a lot of bulk to the phone

- Rubber is a magnet for dirt

- Not easy to get out of belt clip, which can be super annoying.

- The hard plastic inside scuffs up the phone, even if it's metal like the iPhone.

Flip Cases

*My view on these is it better look good, protect the screen while closed, and not be too thick

Samsung S-View Flip Case for wireless battery charging $41.70. The one without wireless charging is cheaper

Plus:

- Beautiful looking

- Protects screen from keys in your pocket.

- Automatically wakes up phone with no lock screen when you open the cover.

- Can take a call and see who it is without opening cover

- Can get with wireless charging pad built in.

Minus:

- BLUETOOTH: You cannot initiate a call using the button on your BT headset or in-car BT while the cover is closed. This makes it illegal for CDL drivers and other situations in many states.

- S-Voice does not work with the cover closed.

- More difficult to take pictures with cover open

- Flap doesn't stay closed

- Have to hold open the flap while using the phone, and even bigger problem during navigation.

- Doesn't have much drop protection nor keep the dust and dirt out of your phone

*My take is it would be better to remove the chip from this case so you could use your Bluetoth and S-Voice. Then organize your home screen around the cutout-window. This one makes it on looks. The Bluetooth problem kills it.

*I found too many negatives on the other flips. You can get a cheaper one of these without the wireless battery charging.

Waterproof Cases

Seidio Obex $61.57

Plus:

- Protects phone very well. Like having a waterproof Otterbox

- Looks nice

- Only waterproof that supports the stylus

- Comes with holster

Minus:

- Hides phone elegance

- Not easy to get stylus out

- Sound volume, callers hear their voice echo unless you are on speaker phone, talk load so they can hear

- Screen protector scratches very easily

- Difficult to get phone in and out of case

- Doesn't hold up to the in and out of the pocket.

*The only waterproof case available for the Note 3 with stylus support

VWTECH Waterproof $21.99 + $2.99 shipping (Looks like the Redpepper to me, which is half the price)

sr=1-4&keywords=galaxy+note+3+redpepper+waterproof

Plus:

- Looks far better than the Obex

- Easy on and off

Minus:

- Cannot use stylus

- Not much fall protection

*Not a daily driver. Use only for time around the water.

Summary Advice:

Lifeproof and Otterbox don't make waterproof cases for the Note 3. Probably the best thing to do for being around water are the Dandy Case/Joto Case that are essentially string, waterproof bags. They would also be the only ones that would float. I don't see anything waterproof that is currently available that could be a daily driver.

Wireless Charging

Plus:

- Don't need to plug it in, which saves wear on USB port

Minus:

- Doesn't fit inside other cases unless they are designed for wireless charging.

Thoughts

- Flip cases are beautiful, but impractical. The Samsung S-View is a stunning conversation piece, but the worst of all in terms of usability without being able to initiate calls from Bluetooth. I fell in love with it and came within a whisker of ordering it, but decided to sleep on it. Good thing too.

- The Spigen Neo Hybrid Champagne Gold is the most elegant. It doesn't offer a lot of protection, but the phone looks like an iPhone with no case.

- The Otterbox Commuter looks good, like it has protection, but not like it's in a bomb shelter.

- The Otterbox Defender looks like a waterproof case, but it is not. This is what I might use if I worked in the building trades. You would want its belt clip for sure. What I don't like about it is that the hard plastic is on the inside, and the rubber on the outside, rather than the opposite like other cases, including the Otterbox Commuter. It protects the phone from major damage, but I also haven't seen a phone yet that lives in one of these that doesn't get marred up by the hard plastic case.

- I would want a waterproof case for my daily driver if I was going to have a case like the Otterbox Defender that has stylus access. The problem is it has sound quality issues and doesn't hold up as a daily driver. LifeProof and Otterbox don't make a waterproof case for the Note 3.

- I was rabid about going with wireless charging, but the case situation gets a lot more complicated. If the S-View cases made any sense, then the Samsung S-View has a model where it is built in. About the only situation left is a bare phone with the charging cover left off..

- The option I didn't talk about was no case and a belt clip. The problem is the only time it would be protected is in the belt clip. I see it falling out my shirt pocket, my sweatshirt belly pocket, jacket pocket, etc.

- These thoughts have funneled me down to the Spigen Neo Hybrid Champagne Gold for a looker, or the Seidio Active Dilex or Otterbox Commuter for all around usability and protection. Either will get a good tempered glass screen protector.

That's it.