[Galaxy Note5 Accessories] GAPO:
I got my case in the mail yesterday. Full disclosure: I recieved it as a free promo, on the condition that I review it. I am not the type to give a positive review to a product I don't care for, as this post shows: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=62637305&postcount=73

OK, here we go. Case looks good. Not a big fan of gold, but it's not really that important to me. I get why others are saying that the plastic is kind of cheap looking and has a visible seam. But that's only when inspected really closely. From a normal, reasonable distance (like that of everyday use), it looks just fine. I even got a couple of compliments on the case today, and I wasn't even showing it to anyone, juat taking it out of or putting it back into my pocket. It has a very modern, almost high-tech look that is admittedly somewhat cheapened by the gold plastic, but that is quickly gotten over. The rubber back has a nice ridged texture, which feels pleasant and grippy in the hand.

It's kind of hard to talk about function or form independent from each other with this case. It seems like a lot of thought went into both aspects during design, as well as how they could compliment each other. For example, the case is slim and adds no appreciable bulk. It also has curved sides that hug the contours of the phone better than my Otterbox Commuter did. I like the Commuter a lot, but between the non-slippery ridged rubber back, the curved edges and the overall thinness of the Artech, it just feels better in the hand. Its more comfortable to hold and I feel like I have a better grip on it. The slim profile of the case makes it very comfortable in a pocket as well.

The phone pops into the case in a single piece. It went in easily, but there are instructions in case you need them. I was a little worried that it might pop out as easily as it popped in. But after slamming the phone hard against my palm several times, it didn't budge. Even when I cupped my palm in an effort to put more stress on the side of the case to purposely get it to pop out. It has a nice, snug fit. There is a nice raised lip around the screen, even with a tempered glass screen protector.

As another poster noted, there is a nice bezel next to the heart rate monitor on the back of the phone that makes it easy to reach. But overall, the camera hole is smaller than my other case. So I feel that the Artech offers better camera protection without interfering with function. This same type of design is noticeable below the home button, where the lip of the case flattens out for more comfortable access. It is obvious that some thought went into this design.

Despite the back being ridged rubber that hugs the palm, the fact that there are a couple of ever so slightly raised plastic parts on the back means that this effect is, regrettably not useful on a table or other flat surface. It feels a little like a missed opportunity, but not a deal breaker.

The buttons and all of the holes for the various ports line up perfectly. The battery and headphone jacks are exposed, which I don't necessarily like, but can live with. There is a rather large opening for the s pen, but flat surfaces will touch both sides of the case without coming into contact with that part of the device. Further proof that there is a deliberate and thoughtful design here.

The rubber on the back and on the inside of the case seems kind of thin, but is a bit nore rigid than my other case. The power and volume buttons are responsive and soft. They are not very "clicky", of that kind of thing is important to you. It is not important to me, and I like the feel of these buttons.

A good 3/4 of the back is the aforementioned ridged rubber. I'm not sure how much protection it would really offer in the event of a decent drop. Again, I am conparing it to the Otterbox Commuter, which has a plastic over rubber back. One way to find out, which I don't plan on trying anytime soon. But it seems solid enough. There is some ridged pattern on the inside of the case, but I don't know if that is decorative or not. It's not symmetrical, so I think it probably is. In any event, the slightly raised plastic bits on the back look like they would prevent the back of the phone from actually coming into contact with the ground (covered in rubber or no) as the result of a flat drop. But that is just speculation on my part.

In conclusion, i would say that this is a very nice case, a few minor quibbles aside. It's got a nice blend of form and function not often seen in phone cases. It looks and feels good, and the functionality is excellent in my opinion.

For the asking price (I got it free, but you know what I mean), it is definitely nice. I only buy Otterboxes because I get them at a significant discount which puts them in the same price range as the Artech. So if I had to buy one or the other of these, it would be hard to choose (unless the Commuter was full price, in which case it would be Artech hands down because it is a good case and also I'm a tightwad). The Artech looks and especially feels way better, is easier to hold securely, and very comfortable. As far as protection, both seem comparable, but I would give a slight to moderate edge to the Otterbox commuter because of the covered ports and plastic over rubber back. But, make no mistake: the Artech Slim Stylish case seems to offer good, solid phone protection. And I'm in no hurry to go back to my other case. I'm gonna go ahead and use this one for a while.

I would definitely recommend this case to anyone looking for a sleek, yet protective case that feels good to hold.