[Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Accessories] Pilz:
Otterbox Symmetry:

I’ve never owned an Otterbox before because I couldn’t get over their clunky design that hindered the user experience. The Symmetry series is their thinnest least intrusive case from my understanding. Otterbox used a 2 material molded design which allowed the case to be 1 piece for ease of use. This design leads to the case having a different structure than your conventional hybrid which is usually a TPU/silicon bumper with a polycarbonate/acrylic back. Here the case has a hard plastic (not sure what type) back half with a high density silicon/TPU front half and core. The pictures below will show a better representation of what I’m referring to. Like many heavy duty cases this one doesn’t provide a lot of grip for some absurd reason. Now, make no mistake this case is still quite large and clunky, but in a more mild mannered way than its bigger sibling the Commuter (or for some other phones the Defender). There is a subtle texture on the back that all Otterbox cases seem to feature, but as I mentioned don’t expect a lot of grip from it. I enjoy the feel of this case, even its large size aside from a big downfall that I will talk about below.

Ports: The micro USB port has no issues fitting cables from any of these manufacturers: Tronsmart, Choetech, Samsung, 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. Since Otterbox is the so called ‘king’ of rugged cases they have huge cutouts to match their reputation. I can see more accessories potentially working with this case due to the large openings which I appreciate. There is a little loss of rigidity on the bottom due to the number and size of the cutouts, but it shouldn’t hinder the protection it provides.

Volume/Power buttons: I still don’t know why manufacturers especially big names like Otterbox can’t make tactile feeling buttons! A lot of companies like Speck (their Candyshell), or even UAG seemed to have mastered this area despite not being as well known. I can’t make excuses for the ‘buttons’ on this case; they are so hard to press the whole side of the case physically moves a large amount just to press any of them. I was really looking forward to using this case when I go hiking due to its rugged nature in a slimmer profile, but not with buttons that need the Hulk to move. This one area is what will make or break a case, and it certainly ruined the case for me. I ended up returning it to BestBuy because I couldn’t deal with this kind of disregard on a $45 case.

Overall: 7/10I truly enjoyed every part of this case, but the most important part of it was a letdown: the buttons. Otterbox knows how to make an excellent case, yet they don’t know what a tactile feeling button is, or how to even ensure they function easily. If you can get over that big drawback I see no reason not to buy this case because it was set to be one of my favorites alongside the Tech 21.

Otterbox Symmetry:

Disclaimer: I was sent these cases in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.

Poetic Affinity: I first encountered Poetic’s cases back when I had my Nexus 7 (2013) with their folio case. Since then Poetic has added a lot of cases, styles and generally changed their lineup. I was also send their Affinity case for my Nexus 6P earlier, which was later revised after other reviewers and myself brought up some concerns about the design/logos. Poetic doesn’t seem to have any of those issues with their S7 Edge Affinity case (they covered part of the Nexus logo on their 6P case). One thing I really enjoy about the Poetic case is how they kept the “grippy” angled ridges along the case sides. These ridges provide great grip along with giving the case a more “rugged” look.

Along the back you will find ridges to keep the case’s clear section from directly touching any flat surface you put your phone on. This is particularly important because the clear area itself doesn’t seem to be overly scratch resistant, so every little detail like this matters. Each corner is also reinforced with added material to aide in the event of a drop or impact. I haven’t dropped my S7 Edge in this case, but I feel like it would handle most moderate drops as well as other cases in its class.

Poetic sent me both color options to give me (and everyone else) a better idea of what they will look like, and how the differences look. For starters, the black accented case features a glossy top/bottom alongside the regular ridged black polycarbonate ridges. I like the look the black accented case gives because it uniquely offsets the clear sections while still giving the case an appealing look. The clear case handles things a little differently; there are no true glossy sections as seen on the black accented case. The clear one still maintains the exact size, dimension etc of the other color, but everything is clear of course. I think this option would look the best with the black S7 Edge, and the titanium silver which is the one I own.

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: I haven’t been disappointed with the Affinity case’s buttons for any device as of yet, and the same remains true here. All of the buttons are tactile, easy to locate and generally pleasing to use. I will note that the use of a skin/wrap such as SlickWraps or dbrand will make the buttons slightly less response. This won’t impact the cases feel to any meaning extent based on my usage so far, but I will update this note if anything changes.

Overall: 9/10 Overall Poetic did a good job maintaining their design language while also making a solid case for the S7 Edge. I think the rugged style look will appeal to some people more than others, but there are no real major flaws in this case. My only concerns are with the clear area picking up scratches (I did notice a few after using it for a day, although none were really noticeable unless you went looking for them).

Poetic Affinity Black/Clear:

Poetic Affinity Clear/Clear:

Ringke Fusion:

Ringke is known for their sleek low profile cases which include their Fusion and slim fit lines. I opted for the Fusion in clear because it's nice to be able to see your phone while still protecting it. The Ringke Fusion comes with a clear film to place over the back of your phone so it doesn't have the rainbow effect that most polycarbonate clear cases suffer from. I accidentally installed the film in a rush and ruined it, but that's okay. You will notice that rainbow effect in the pictures because of this, but don't let that steer you away from this case. The back of the case has tiny feet on each corner to help keep your clear back scratch free along with its scratch resistant (not scratch proof) coating to ensure it stays good looking longer. I'm not sure if it's just my case or not, but I've noticed a bit of scratching on the back already. I've only used the case a few times since it arrived, so I hope it doesn't get worse at this rate. I know some of you might ask about yellowing because this is a clear case, but I own the same one for my Nexus 6P (since it was released) and haven't seen any discoloration at all ~5 months later. Any clear case can yellow it just depends on certain conditions which comes with the territory. The case is a gigantic dust magnet like any other clear case. I had a can of air next to my while taking the pictures along with a microfiber cloth. I can't count the number of times I wiped the phone off and blew away the dust then put it in the case only to see more dirt and dust that magically got in there.

Ports: The micro USB port has no issues fitting cables from any of these manufacturers: Tronsmart, Choetech, Samsung, 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; all microphone cutouts are also present. Ringke opted to have port covers to keep dust out of the headphone jack and micro USB port. Although this isn't a big deal because the S7/S7E are both water resistant therefore also dust resistant, it's a nice touch to have on a non-bulky case.

Volume/Power buttons: Ringke always has excellent buttons, but these are easier to accidentally push unlike the Tech 21. Their feel is identical to my LUVVITT case in a good way. You won't be disappointed here.

Overall: 8.5/10 Ringke should have opted for a better way to avoid the notorious rain-bowing effect that's present on this case instead of including 1 film to install on the back of your phone. I know other manufacturers have found a better way to address this, so it makes using the case without a skin on my phone hard due to that. I've also noticed some scratching on the back already after using the case a handful of times which I hope doesn't get worse in a short period of time.

Ringke Fusion

Ringke Onyx: Ringke made some bold claims on their product page for this case, so I decided to give it a chance. In the usual Ringke style you will find port covers (not really necessary for the S7/S7 Edge due to their IP68 rating), and a generally slim profile. I was very surprised to open my Amazon box and see a case that was shaped more for a banana phone. The case arrived so bent I was waiting for curious George to take it away. Despite this rather interesting situation I found myself in, I decided to write my review of this case ignoring that issue in the overall rating. (it might not be Ringke’s fault the case arrived damaged even though it was in an undamaged box with plenty of air pockets) I want to note how Ringke’s claim that this case will give you a better grip is completely false unless you count the sharp edges digging into your hand “better grip”. Yes, all of the edges on this case are sharp enough to shave with since Ringke must want this to be a true utilitarian item with its rugged design. Aside from the bad puns I’ve been adding in here the case has a different design that you typically find out there. Ringke did opt for the brushed metal TPU look, but with a catch. There are little dots recessed into the TPU like a dot view case giving it an interesting look. I don’t know how I personally feel about them, but nonetheless they’re going to stare at you every time you put down the phone. I do appreciate the case of a raised bevel to protect the camera like I first saw on their Fusion Air case. This should also help protect that area in general from other impacts which is a plus.

Ports: The micro USB port has no issues fitting cables from any of these manufacturers: Tronsmart, Choetech, Samsung, 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: If I ignore how the banana case was sitting on my phone, the buttons would click just fine, and in fact were identical to Ringke’s others two cases I have in terms of feel. It’s not every day that a company’s cases will have this type of consistency in at least one area.

Overall: 6/10 I’m not quite sure what Ringke had in mind when they decided to make this case. It does not provide any additional grip from what I can tell using it, the edges are essentially razors, and the port covers are a little over the top. I do like how the buttons still have a consistent feel, but other than that and the raised camera lip the case is more of a flop.

Ringke Onyx:

Here you can see the nice banana-like shape it has

Ringke Fusion Air: Ringke decided to make a case that is a different take on their normal yet popular Fusion line. The Ringke Fusion Air is a slightly thinner 100% TPU version of the standard version from what I can tell with a few small changes. First, Ringke added in a dot matrix to the inside of the case to prevent the watermarking I first noticed on my Fusion. Next, they added in a slightly raised “U-Shaped” camera bevel to help better protect the sensor. Other than those small changes everything else largely remained the same; however, since the TPU is very thin, the sides are easy to pull from the edge which is concerning to me.

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 same as the normal Fusion: “Ringke always has excellent buttons, but these are easier to accidentally push unlike the Tech 21. Their feel is identical to my LUVVITT case in a good way. You won't be disappointed here.”

Overall: 7/10 Ringke made a rather compelling slim TPU case that addressed many of the issues with its larger sibling, but it also an issue. The sides of the case were abnormally loose due to the thinness of the TPU. This makes it very hard to fully recommend the case because it could cause issues during normal use.

Ringke Fusion Air:

Speck Candyshell:

I really liked my Speck Candyshell for my Nexus 6P, so I wanted to also get one for my S7 Edge. The first Speck I bought for this phone was their Oynx black ‘clear’ case. It was horrible, with buttons that did not move at all (maybe it was defective) either way I sent it back. Today I saw the white Candyshell in the store, so I decided to buy it because it’s the same color as my other one that I have. Speck has the best grip out of any case I’ve used period. If you drop this case then your hands are probably covered in oil/butter/soap because it’s that good. The reason I bought the white one over the black Candyshell is because for better or worse the plastic back scratches relatively easily, thus the white one would show the scratches less. Speck’s case is a hybrid with a plastic back wrapped around a TPU core that is Mil-Spec drop test rated for added confidence. I think Speck nailed it with this case compared to the Otterbox equivalent.

I’m going to repeat some things here because there is only so much you can say about the port/headphone cutouts

Ports: The micro USB port has no issues fitting cables from any of these manufacturers: Tronsmart, Choetech, Samsung, 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. Speck’s headphone and micro USB port are oversized, so most if not all cables should work just fine.

Volume/Power buttons: This case has the best buttons hands down as of [3/11] when writing this. They are tactile, easy to find, and just overall perfect! I don’t know how they could get better other than to have a texture on the vol+ and power buttons to help quickly identify them. I will be surprised to find better feeling buttons on a case.

Overall: 9.5/10 Speck has the best overall case so far with their super ‘grippy’ back, superb buttons, and Mil-Spec drop test rating this is the case if you need just 1. (I will update this if I find a better one.)

Speck Candyshell:

Incipio Performance Level 3: I was intrigued by Incipio when they first announced their Performance series earlier this year; I wasn’t sure what to expect from the bold claims they made until I received this one the other day. First let me state how this case is very reminiscent of a thinner Otterbox in terms of feel, but with a significantly improved profile and button design. I haven’t tried to hide the hit and miss experience encountered with Incipio’s cases as of lately. I do appreciate their general desire to fix issues when they occur. According to the box, this case can handle 9[ft] drops (their level 4 case apparently handles 12[ft] ones when it gets released. This means you shouldn’t have to worry about your phone breaking during a hard fall just like the Tech 21, or Speck Candyshell. I dropped my phone earlier today in this case after washing my hands, and it fell about 6[ft] down a step. I wasn’t as worried given the cases ‘rated drop protection’; thankfully I was proven right and the phone/case came out 100% undamaged without even the smallest mark!

Make no mistake, this case is not a TPU style, in fact I’m not quite sure what you would call the material. Incipio calls this particular case a “tri-molded design” featuring a polycarbonate back that certainly doesn’t scratch easily. The case has a unique inverse ridge (the cyan colored section for the black case I have) that is a different material than the back, or bumper judging by the language used on their website. I think the design is very interesting, and it feels great. While the case may be a little slippery, it’s no more so than a conventional TPU case in my experience. Overall it still beats the oil slick Tech 21 Evo Frame. I appreciate the use of a subtle texturing throughout the case that I’m sure helps prevent scratches in some capacity.

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. The ports might not be aligned 100% perfectly on this case, but that’s more a common issue among S7 Edge cases that I have seen. It doesn’t present any issues in terms of the functionality of the case, but it will bother some people.

Volume/Power buttons: Generally speaking, I’ve never been fond of flat styled volume or power buttons on a case; Incipio has made me reconsider that viewpoint. I think they did an exceptional job making the flush buttons work well unlike the ones on Spigen’s Tough Armor. Finding the buttons is easy due the inverted cyan ridge that runs around the cases frame. These buttons are also every bit as tactile as my Speck, or any other case that has good buttons.

Overall: 9.5/10For the first time I think I’ve found a case that walks the fine line between excellent protection, thin form, and durability. It’s slightly bigger than the Tech 21, but still smaller than my large Speck while still offering a balance between those two in terms of grip and other aspects. I Plan to use this case as my new DD for the reasons mentioned.

Incipio Performance Level 3: