[Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Accessories] Pilz:
Diztronic Voyeur: Over the years I’ve become quite a fan of Diztronics cases for several reasons. The simplicity of their design is refreshing compared to some other cases that appear to overdo certain things. The Voyeur case is a hybrid case featuring a TPU bumper alongside a clear polycarbonate back that has a scratch resistant coating on it. Along the backside of the case you will find four tiny feet (1 in each corner) which act as a means to keep the clear back off any surface which should prolong it’s life along with the scratch resistant coating. As per Diztronics usual set up, the TPU is very nicer (nicer than Spigen’s) and has a matte look to it. I really enjoy the look of this case overall, but first I want to mention some minor issues. First and foremost, I haven’t found a screen protector that will in fact work with this case. So far I’ve tried the newly redesigned Spigen film which arguable covers the least possible area on the front while still covering the edge. It lifted the edges on it immediately no matter how I placed the phone in. Next, I tried the VZW plastic ones which are also case friendly just like the Spigen ones are. This was also a failure, since the screen protector started to lift and wouldn’t go back down. (for the pictures I had to be extremely careful with the screen protector, and I had to constantly push it back down between each one I took). If you don’t use a screen protector, then this shouldn’t matter because the case is great. The last small issue is concerning the clear back; it is unfortunately subject to the same ‘watermarking’ aka rainbow effect when you apply pressure to it. I spoke with Diztronic about this, and they stated it should go away for the most part (at least the constant ‘stuck’ area, but the overall ‘watermarking’ will still occur when you apply pressure). If you’re using a skin on the S7 Edge this will be a non-issue for you.

Ports: The micro USB port has no issues fitting cables from any of these manufacturers: Tronsmart, Choetech, Samsung, Nvidia, Motorola, Aukey, and Anker. If you have large ‘studio’ style headphones with a massive aux cable you won’t be happy with the normal sized cutout for headphones, but it works fine with my Bose QC 20’s, Freestyles, OE’s, Samsung headphones, and some others I’ve tried. All microphone cutouts are also present.

Volume/Power buttons: Diztronic is well known for their excellent buttons, and this case upholds that standard. The buttons are all great, tactile, and genuinely feel nice to use!

Overall:9/10 Despite the small ‘watermarking’ issue (which might get fixed if the case is revised), and the inability to use a screen protector so far the case is in my top 5 favorites. Not everyone uses a screen protector, so I didn’t let that count against its overall rating. Diztronic overall made a nice simple yet different styled case that is something anyone could appreciate.

Diztronic Voyeur:

Disclaimer: I was sent these cases from EasyACC in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

EasyACC TPU Clear Case: First let me start by saying this might be the thinnest case I’ve used yet with some catches. The case is similar to the other two extremely thin TPU cases that I recently review including the Spigen Liquid Crystal, and the Ringke Fusion Air. On the underside of the back you will find the same dot matrix pattern which helps prevent watermarking from occurring. (Watermarking is when the case sticks to the phone causing a rainbow like effect) Since the case is so thin, it doesn’t grip on the sides of the phone; the only parts holding your phone in the case are its four corners that wrap around the face of your S7 Edge. I’ve found this to cause some issues which I will go into further detail on. The volume buttons are the only thing on that side keeping the TPU from uncovering your edge, but when you look at the opposite side with the power button things start to change. The power button area of the case has a side ‘missing’ to it which essentially means it won’t hold the side of the TPU like it should. As I mentioned there is nothing preventing the sides of the case from pulling away when you hold the phone aside from where it encloses the buttons. Since the power button isn’t enclosed that whole side of the case pulls away from the phone as you hold it. The case won’t come off despite this because the four corners holding it to the phone wrap around enough to prevent that, but it's not exactly comforting to have one side of the case physically pop off while using it.

Ports: The micro USB port has no issues fitting cables from any of these manufacturers: Tronsmart, Choetech, Samsung, Nvidia, Motorola, Aukey, and Anker. If you have large ‘studio’ style headphones with a massive aux cable you won’t be happy with the normal sized cutout for headphones, but it works fine with my Bose QC 20’s, Freestyles, OE’s, Samsung headphones, and some others I’ve tried. All microphone cutouts are also present.

Volume/Power buttons: All of the buttons function well, and are tactile as you should expect from any slim case made from a TPU. There is a big issue with the power button section not fully wrapping around it which causes the side of the case to move outward as you use the phone.

Overall: 5/10 There is a lot to like about cases like this particular thin one from EasyACC, but the rather alarming issue (design or quality control related) is enough to prevent me from putting my phone in it again.

EasyACC TPU Clear Case:

EasyACC Protective Armor Case: EasyACC was kind enough to provide another case for me to review, but this time it’s a 2-layer hybrid as opposed to a thin TPU one. This case is nearly identical in terms of styling, function and feel to one my wife uses on her Nexus 6P that she really enjoys. It included 2 different colored back ‘plastic’ panels that can be interchanged depending on what your personal taste is on any given day. My particular case included both a black, and mint back alongside the inner TPU. Each of the back panels is subtly textured giving them a nice feel, but not necessarily what I would call any real grip over a conventional TPU case like my Spigen Rugged Armor. I have no issues with the cases fit at with either of the two included back panels. This case does have a rather large camera cutout that seems over the top to me, but it might be more appealing to other people. I personally prefer to have as much of the back glass covered and protected since I am prone to dropping my phone. The larger cutout does not affect any function of the phone, but is a personal preference of mine to have a smaller one.

Ports: The micro USB port has no issues fitting cables from any of these manufacturers: Tronsmart, Choetech, Samsung, Nvidia, Motorola, Aukey, and Anker. If you have large ‘studio’ style headphones with a massive aux cable you won’t be happy with the normal sized cutout for headphones, but it works fine with my Bose QC 20’s, Freestyles, OE’s, Samsung headphones, and some others I’ve tried. All microphone cutouts are also present.

Volume/Power buttons: The buttons float freely inside of the inner TPU shell allowing for a pleasant, but sometimes sensitive button pushing experience. I did notice how the buttons can be hit accidentally due to how much they stick out from the TPU, and how sensitive they are. This isn’t a huge deal to me, but it might me for people that keep their phone in a bag where it could be accidentally turned on.

Overall: 7/10 I think this is a decent offering in the two-piece hybrid case area due to its included spare shell, and overall good feel. There are some areas that could use improvement such as the button protrusion and large camera cutout, but overall I didn’t find any big issues with this case.

EasyACC Protective Armor Case:

Evutec Karbon SI Lite: I was very interested to see an hybrid case that used real carbon fiber given it’s durability. The case itself is very thin, and almost has a fake silicon coated feeling to the TPU bumper. I’m still rather neutral on how the TPU feels, but along the backside is where things get interesting, There’s a carbon fiber insert that adds durability (I would at least hope it does) with an extremely smooth finish to it. My case arrived with a small defect in the carbon fiber where it borders the TPU (looks like the coating is peeling away, I will take more pictures of that area). This should not hinder the cases durability, but it does detract from the look of the back panel since it cannot be unseen. On the bottom of the carbon fiber there is a ‘tramp stamp’ with the company’s logo similar to the type of nonsense some service providers do that will not be named. The logo is under layers of a “scratch resistant” coating, so there’s no hope of it being removed at any point. The case feels very loose as another member mentioned around the middle of the edge, or frankly anywhere along the sides. I thought for a moment that my phone was going to pop out and suffer a K.O. by hitting the pavement when I pulled it out of my pocket earlier this evening.

Ports: The micro USB port has no issues fitting cables from any of these manufacturers: Tronsmart, Choetech, Samsung, Nvidia, Motorola, Aukey, and Anker. If you have large ‘studio’ style headphones with a massive aux cable you won’t be happy with the normal sized cutout for headphones, but it works fine with my Bose QC 20’s, Freestyles, OE’s, Samsung headphones, and some others I’ve tried. All microphone cutouts are also present.

Volume/Power buttons: All of the buttons are great, making that the only good part about this case so far.

Overall: 7/10 Like many people, I love the look of carbon fiber, especially when it’s the real deal. This case threw away a lot of that appeal when it arrived with a defect, and didn’t hold my phone securely as any case should. I won’t sacrifice looks for protection here, so despite the effort, and tactile buttons I would avoid buying one of these.

Evutec Karbon SI Lite

Incipio Dual Pro Shine:

I’ve always been a fan of Incipio cases including the one I currently have on my Surface Pro 4 and Nexus 6P. The Dual Pro Shine for the S7E was a letdown. The case doesn’t have the same quality feel that all of my other Incipio cases do. When I put my S7E in the case the polycarbonate shell didn’t fully fit around the TPU insert which was concerning to me. It detracted from the overall appearance, and feel of the case. When I compared the TPU insert to my Nexus 6P’s Dual Pro it just felt stiff and cheap, so I’m not sure what Incipio was thinking when they released this version of the case. It almost feels like a hard plastic at times despite being a TPU. On the front side of the insert the border has a glossy finish which helps it blend in with your screen as a nice touch to an otherwise mediocre case. I enjoy the brushed metal back because it actually looks like brushed metal unlike some cases I’ve seen. It doesn’t have a texture to it, so you might be disappointed if you’re expecting some added grip from the back.

Ports: The micro USB port has no issues fitting cables from any of these manufacturers: Tronsmart, Choetech, Samsung, Nvidia, Motorola, Aukey, and Anker. If you have large ‘studio’ style headphones with a massive aux cable you won’t be happy with the normal sized cutout for headphones, but it works fine with my Bose QC 20’s, Freestyles, OE’s, Samsung headphones, and some others I’ve tried. All microphone cutouts are also present.

Volume/Power buttons: The volume and power buttons on this case are very stiff which makes it hard know if you actually hit the buttons or not. The volume buttons are a little better than the power button, but still difficult to press in the end. I’ve noticed that sometimes the S7E will have issues with the power button’s tactile feel in a case if you don’t install it correctly, but I checked the feel with/without the PC shell. I also checked how responsive the buttons were based on the way I inserted the phone (one side first, top first etc) to no avail.

Overall: 7/10 The poor fitment of the polycarbonate shell coupled with the extra stiff buttons ruined an otherwise good case. If Incipio addresses these issues I would enjoy using it a lot more.

Incipio Dual Pro Shine

Incipio Dual Pro:After the disaster that was the Dual Pro Shine, I decided to give Incipio another chance at redeeming itself. The Dual Pro (original) was the case I originally wanted because I have the same one for my Nexus 6P, and it’s great. Incipio kept the same soft feel coated polycarbonate outer shell which I appreciate. The only downside to the soft touch finish is that it shows marks easily (most of them will go away if you wipe them with a damp cloth). I don’t really mind if it shows marks or not since it feels really nice to hold. Although the soft feel/soft touch (same thing) back feel nice, it can be a little slippery, but not more so than a normal TPU case. At times the grip does feel better I would say its subjective. All of the other key areas that I really loved on my 6P version remain (unlike the Dual Pro Shine).

Ports: The micro USB port has no issues fitting cables from any of these manufacturers: Tronsmart, Choetech, Samsung, Nvidia, Motorola, Aukey, and Anker. If you have large ‘studio’ style headphones with a massive aux cable you won’t be happy with the normal sized cutout for headphones, but it works fine with my Bose QC 20’s, Freestyles, OE’s, Samsung headphones, and some others I’ve tried. All microphone cutouts are also present.

Volume/Power buttons: Finally, Incipio made their normal Dual Pro case as good as it should be! The buttons are nothing short of excellent (on par with my Speck case now!) which surprised me after using the Dual Pro Shine with its horrible buttons. Frankly I doubt buttons will get any better than these or the Speck’s (I am open to seeing that happen), but this one is right alongside it. Needless to say you will not be disappointed with any buttons on this case.

Overall: 6.5/10Incipio’s Dual Pro tops my list of excellent cases now that their button issue seen on the Dual Pro Shine seems to have been fixed (or maybe mine was just defective?). The soft touch back panel, dual layered build, and excellent buttons make it one of the best cases I’ve used to date.

Update: After using the case for a few weeks one of the outer shell "plextonium" corners started to become loose and pull away from the inner TPU. I contacted Incipio about this issue, and updated the overall review score.

Incipio Dual Pro

Incipio Octane:

I had high expectations for this case like the other Incipio above, and this case lived up to most of them. First this case is a hybrid style (hybrid cases are my favorite) featuring a TPU type bumper, and a poly-carbonate or possible acrylic frosted back. I have a feeling the back is likely acrylic because cases that are frosted usually are (I will look into whether or not it is). The slides have a nice 'tire' texture, but don't get your hopes up about this providing any more grip than a smooth one because it doesn't. The texture is very much aesthetic which hurts the initial appear of this case. I was hoping the bumper would have provided more grip since most cases that I have are slick which is bad for an all glass phone with a curved display. The case itself is high quality as you might expect from Incipio, but I don't think it's worth the $25 price tag given how some of my 'cheaper' cases are equally nice if not better.

Ports: The micro USB port has no issues fitting cables. If you have large ‘studio’ style headphones with a massive aux cable you won’t be happy with the normal sized cutout for headphones, but it works fine with my Bose QC 20’s, Freestyles, OE’s, Samsung headphones, and some others I’ve tried. All microphone cutouts are also present.

Volume/Power buttons: The power button will occasionally have issues clicking no matter how I insert the phone making the case frustrating to use at times. The volume buttons also suffer the same issue, so I can't exactly say that's a good thing. If the buttons don't click well it makes recommending this case difficult.

Overall: 8/10 Incipio made an attractive looking case that is hindered by its slippery exterior and stiff buttons like the Dual Pro. I can't recommend it due to the button issues which are a big deal when it comes to using a case, but other than that everything else is good.

Incipio Octane

Incipio Performance Level 4:

After using the Performance Level 3 case, and enjoying how nice it was, I opted to go one step further with the Level 4 case. Now, let me start off by saying the physical design looks very similar, but that’s about it. The case is very different in the way it feels, functions and protects the phone. At first I thought the case was quite nice (as you can see in the unboxing video I posted), but after using it for a few days I found many issues that kept me from really enjoying it in the same way I did the Level 3 case.

First, let’s talk about the design; Incipio opted for a 2-piece case along with a holster which is fine, but they made the bumper area of the outer shell clear which I don’t like at all. While the case does have a nice ‘honeycomb’ textured molded into both the inner TPU and outer PC (technically it’s a 4-layer case) shell that should help distribute the shock effectively. The outer shell has a cheap feel along the edges even though the backside feels nice in a way similar to the Level 3 case.

Secondly, the bottom speaker is covered by the cases shell muffling it, and honestly making the speaker very hard to hear. I don’t know what Incipio was thinking when they designed this particular part because it is nothing short of idiotic.

The case is rated to handle 12[ft] drops which I can see being true despite how mixed feelings about its design. I wish Incipio stayed with their Level 3 design (not just the looks) because it was significantly better. With all of that aside, the included holster functions well and is nice. I prefer this holster design (since you put the phone in vertically) over the way SUPCase has their Beetle Pro holster. It has a hefty belt clip that again isn’t as thick as the SUPCase, but it seems to accommodate larger belts. Another quick point: The Level 3 case will fit in this holster despite being ever so slightly loose, so I wouldn’t use it in the horizontal position.

Lastly, wireless charging only works with some of my chargers using this case. It works just fine with the official Samsung Fast Wireless charger, and the Choetech 10W Fast Wireless Charger. The phone will not charge with my Meenova wireless charger at all for whatever reason. This is still a single coil charger just like my other two, so maybe it has to do with the chargers design, or the distance between coils (the coil in the Meenova might be further away than the other two, thus not allowing it to charge using this case).

Ports: The micro USB port has no issues fitting cables. If you have large ‘studio’ style headphones with a massive aux cable you won’t be happy with the normal sized cutout for headphones, but it works fine with my Bose QC 20’s, Freestyles, OE’s, Samsung headphones, and some others I’ve tried.

Volume/Power buttons: I’ll start by saying their function is questionable at times. The power button seems to click fine with a nice tactile response, yet the volume rockers do not share this same sentiment. I’ve found that if I click them and miss the center of the button, then it will push the screen protector up which is not a good thing obviously.

Overall: 7.5/10 With every nice feature/additional this case offers it also has a drawback. The added drop protection comes at the cost of mediocre buttons, and a muffled speaker. An included holster is a nice thing, yet the $18 SUPCase also has one, and seems to function better in some key areas. I cannot recommend this case currently unless Incipio addresses some of these major issues; I would stick with the tried and true Level 3 case over this one any day of the week.

Incipio Performance Level 4:

Level 3 vs 4 Quick look

Level 4 Case unboxing