Two Aluminum Bumper Case Reviews: Ridged Ebay Special and Zomgo

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superchi

Senior Member
Aug 8, 2010
78
21
Hello all, I've decided to do a review of two metal aluminum bumper cases I've tried. Unfortunately, as nice as they both looked, they both had issues that I feel need to be pointed out for those that may have come across these on ebay and are thinking about purchasing one.

The first one I tried was the version with the ridges on the sides and cutouts for the buttons which seems to be found pretty commonly on ebay (not the version with the buttons built into the case which also can be found ebay).

411cZNO6CxL._SS400_.jpg


IMG_7174-2.jpg

IMG_7181-2.jpg

IMG_7179-2.jpg

IMG_7184-2.jpg


The finish of the case is very nice, there aren't any rough spots in the aluminum save for a sharp corner at the cutout for the stylus. I believe that the aluminum is anodized, and so the color seems very durable and resistant to normal wear. The phone has no problem fitting inside the case, and even with a SGP Ultra Crystal screen protector, the front piece slides over without issue. There are slightly thick strips of tape that act as bumpers to prevent the case from scratching up the bezel of the phone.

The cutouts, while executed well enough, did not seem to be thought out well and are the source of my complaints. The cutout for the headphones is rectangular, which was weird off the bat. With the phone seated, the plug is lined up with an edge of the cutout, making it impossible to plug in the factory headphones, which already has a very thin plug. The cutout for the micro USB port barely allows the factory USB cable to be plugged in. There is some play with the thick strips of tape, so the phone can be manipulated to allow the plug to fit, but it is forced to sit at an angle. Given how thin the factory USB plug housing is, no other USB cable I've tried will fit properly. The button cutouts are generous at least, and do not hinder normal use very much.

I should note that the ridges on the side of the case do not provide any added grip to the phone, and in fact have made the phone feel more slippery in my hand and when trying to retrieve it from my pocket.

-------------------------------------------------------

The next one I tried was branded "Zomgo" and was ordered from ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/140878326463?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

T26Wu1XeJaXXXXXXXX_!!118581324.jpg


IMG_7191-2.jpg

IMG_7193-2.jpg

IMG_7200-2.jpg

IMG_7196-2.jpg

IMG_7198-2.jpg



Again, this case appeared to be very well finished. There don't seem to be any flaws in the machining or anodizing. The interior of the case has thicker foam strips, which appear to be much more substantial than the first case. Because of this, the phone fits very snug in the case, and also has a bit more play if forced to move inside the case.

The cutouts in the case again are well executed, but not well thought out. The headphone jack cutout is round, and was the only cutout (aside from the microphone cutouts) that worked properly using the factory headphones. The main problem is the USB port cutout. Although it appears to have a more generous cutout than the previous case, the plug cannot fit properly without manipulating the phone inside the case. The foam provides play and the plug can be forced in, but it also sits at an angle like the first case. Although in both cases, the plug can fully seat this way, it does not seem ideal and may damage the plug or port. That said, both cases will most likely not work at all with any other USB plugs that have thicker housings than the factory one. The cutouts for the buttons are smaller and deeper than the first case, causing more difficulty in accessing the buttons.

It should be noted that both of these cases offer no type of rear protection when laying the phone on the table. Most of the back cover actually sits further out than the edge of the case, and so I've gotten in the habit of laying the phone face down to take advantage of the lip on the front.

I will attempt to fix the second case by removing the thicker foam strips and replacing it with something thinner like the tape inside the first case or similar (possibly electrical tape). Hopefully this will allow the phone to be positioned inside the case where the USB port lines up properly with the case cutout.
 

nerys71

Senior Member
May 13, 2008
2,107
422
I got this simply stunning bumper case for my S3. combined with the custom battery back its amazing.

its 2 part and 4 "screws" hold it together. I am not a fan of the "look" of these slide together ones. has anyone see a case like this

370668252902

but for the Note II ?
 
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superchi

Senior Member
Aug 8, 2010
78
21
Thank you all for the compliments and for reading. I've since tried to modify the Zomgo case with electrical tape to no avail. Leaving enough tape to allow the USB cable to be plugged in allows the phone to move around inside the case; adding too much tape brought me back to square one. I've abandoned both cases as I enjoy charging my phone and using my headphones too much without having to mess around with a case.

Looks like the search goes on for a minimalistic case.

Did you notice any signal loss issues with either bumper?

I do notice with each case I lose about a bar of signal.

I got this simply stunning bumper case for my S3. combined with the custom battery back its amazing.

its 2 part and 4 "screws" hold it together. I am not a fan of the "look" of these slide together ones. has anyone see a case like this

370668252902

but for the Note II ?

I really liked that type of case and had wanted to buy one when I had my GS3. I've not been able to find a similar one for the Note 2,
 
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JLneonhug

Senior Member
Sep 5, 2009
209
9
London
Thanks for the review, nearly bought one to try but went for another cheapo thin style case, arriving soon so should be fun. Will put a short review too soon when I have the time.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk 2
 

superchi

Senior Member
Aug 8, 2010
78
21
The one with buttons included in the best, the buttons feel good, all the cutouts are good, except the headpone one that doesn't fit a few number of headphones with thick plastic, but most headphone and jacks 90% of them fit very well or else add an extending cord that's slimmer.

I did a review of the black one. http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=34153454#post34153454


I think I might end up going with the one you reviewed, I had actually preferred a case without the buttons but yours and other reviews have said the case buttons were good to go. If the headphone port would fit the factory headphones, I'd be happy with that.
 

epicfailguy2

Senior Member
Jan 3, 2009
242
53
I think I might end up going with the one you reviewed, I had actually preferred a case without the buttons but yours and other reviews have said the case buttons were good to go. If the headphone port would fit the factory headphones, I'd be happy with that.

I had a black ridged one before too, overall the engineering feels worse on the ridged one, it's now sitting in a box unused...
For the button bumper : Factory headphones fit very well. However it is a paint job and not anodizing , there is silver aluminium at one spot where I scratched the case pretty hard, but seeing how cheap theses are it's not really an issue, but if it is I recommend you take the pure silver one.
 
Last edited:

superchi

Senior Member
Aug 8, 2010
78
21
The one with buttons included in the best, the buttons feel good, all the cutouts are good, except the headpone one that doesn't fit a few number of headphones with thick plastic, but most headphone and jacks 90% of them fit very well or else add an extending cord that's slimmer.

I did a review of the black one. http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=34153454#post34153454

I like the 2nd style better, is it less bulky or the same?
Found this which is slightly cheaper.
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=281021558358

However I can't find one of this style which have buttons.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk 2

They are very similar in size. In terms of feel, the 2nd style (Zomgo) feels less bulky because it has rounded edges and an overall smoother design. I would have really liked it more than the first one I posted if not for the problems with the USB cutout.

The bumper case that has buttons is the one mentioned above by epicfailguy2 who did a review of it as well. Here's a link I found on ebay (not sure if this is the cheapest price though).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Metal...743692?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item2c68bc7acc
 

INCREMENTAL

Senior Member
Nov 4, 2012
314
88
My Aluminum bumper case killed my Note 2s signal. Bought it from ebay and couldnt stand the signal issues. I dont recommend one.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda app-developers app
 

SweetRedVoice

Senior Member
Feb 16, 2012
62
7
Silver Zomgo Bumper Aluminum Battery Cover

I got the Zomgo Bumper with an Aluminum Cover. I had mine on order before reading the review ugh! and sure enough the original USB cable can not be used at all with the bumper I purchased! When it arrived I complained to the seller who gave me a $5 refund. I wanted to keep it as I really like the look. I purchased a cheapo 2.0 cable and filed down the plastic with a dremel. Works great!

The Zomgo Bumper on its own does not appear to cause any signal degradation, however the Aluminum Cover most definitely does. I will be swapping out the Aluminum Battery cover for a Silver carbon fiber one as the LTE data signal drops from 30mps to 9mps with it on :(

Thought I would reply to this if you really like the look of the Zomgo Bumper, but do not want to remove it to charge it!

GN2_Silver_Alum_Zomgo_10.jpg


GN2_Silver_Alum_Zomgo_08.jpg


GN2_Silver_Alum_Zomgo_07.jpg
 

sunny507

Member
Jan 26, 2008
10
0
I got this simply stunning bumper case for my S3. combined with the custom battery back its amazing.

its 2 part and 4 "screws" hold it together. I am not a fan of the "look" of these slide together ones. has anyone see a case like this

370668252902

but for the Note II ?

I too am looking for the none slide case that screws together. Any idea if these are available from anywhere?
 

Vince_cnc

Member
Jan 15, 2013
17
2
Terrebonne
Nice review! It's very helpful thanks!

I've ordered the zumgo bumper couple weeks ago. I'll receive it soon I hope..

Could you post a picture of your case with the usb cable? I wanna see where the plug touch the case to see if I can modify it.



Sent from my SGH-I317M using xda premium
 

Ghost_1

Senior Member
Oct 8, 2007
226
78
I recently took a gamble on the ZOMGO case myself. I figured it's got to be better than my EBAY bumper and I have a Dremel if I need it. I was pleasantly surprised when I put it on and the OEM charger fit in perfectly... I mean it's not snug or loose, it's perfect. I don't have pic of the charger plugged in but you should be able to see in the pics below. Might be the setup I have too.

Here are some pics to show my setup which works great. MIME SP, ZOMGO gunmetal bumper, Anker battery, Gunmetal Carbon Fiber Look 3M Vinyl, Spiegen Home Button.
Sorry for the huge pictures... :(
topside_zpsb0c90b1a.jpg

volumesidw_zps384d975e.jpg

Powerside_zps9fe4e03d.jpg

Front_zps0890786c.jpg

frontover_zpsa6c3886f.jpg

Bottomside_zps5cf21f5a.jpg

back_zps14fdc540.jpg
 

xgrind

Senior Member
May 7, 2007
148
22
Singapore
Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro
How about Capdase Alumor Duo frame? I've ordered this from taobao (Chinese eBay equivalent). Looks much better than the 2 cases. I try to give a review when I get it within these 2 days.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2
 

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  • 12
    Hello all, I've decided to do a review of two metal aluminum bumper cases I've tried. Unfortunately, as nice as they both looked, they both had issues that I feel need to be pointed out for those that may have come across these on ebay and are thinking about purchasing one.

    The first one I tried was the version with the ridges on the sides and cutouts for the buttons which seems to be found pretty commonly on ebay (not the version with the buttons built into the case which also can be found ebay).

    411cZNO6CxL._SS400_.jpg


    IMG_7174-2.jpg

    IMG_7181-2.jpg

    IMG_7179-2.jpg

    IMG_7184-2.jpg


    The finish of the case is very nice, there aren't any rough spots in the aluminum save for a sharp corner at the cutout for the stylus. I believe that the aluminum is anodized, and so the color seems very durable and resistant to normal wear. The phone has no problem fitting inside the case, and even with a SGP Ultra Crystal screen protector, the front piece slides over without issue. There are slightly thick strips of tape that act as bumpers to prevent the case from scratching up the bezel of the phone.

    The cutouts, while executed well enough, did not seem to be thought out well and are the source of my complaints. The cutout for the headphones is rectangular, which was weird off the bat. With the phone seated, the plug is lined up with an edge of the cutout, making it impossible to plug in the factory headphones, which already has a very thin plug. The cutout for the micro USB port barely allows the factory USB cable to be plugged in. There is some play with the thick strips of tape, so the phone can be manipulated to allow the plug to fit, but it is forced to sit at an angle. Given how thin the factory USB plug housing is, no other USB cable I've tried will fit properly. The button cutouts are generous at least, and do not hinder normal use very much.

    I should note that the ridges on the side of the case do not provide any added grip to the phone, and in fact have made the phone feel more slippery in my hand and when trying to retrieve it from my pocket.

    -------------------------------------------------------

    The next one I tried was branded "Zomgo" and was ordered from ebay:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/140878326463?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

    T26Wu1XeJaXXXXXXXX_!!118581324.jpg


    IMG_7191-2.jpg

    IMG_7193-2.jpg

    IMG_7200-2.jpg

    IMG_7196-2.jpg

    IMG_7198-2.jpg



    Again, this case appeared to be very well finished. There don't seem to be any flaws in the machining or anodizing. The interior of the case has thicker foam strips, which appear to be much more substantial than the first case. Because of this, the phone fits very snug in the case, and also has a bit more play if forced to move inside the case.

    The cutouts in the case again are well executed, but not well thought out. The headphone jack cutout is round, and was the only cutout (aside from the microphone cutouts) that worked properly using the factory headphones. The main problem is the USB port cutout. Although it appears to have a more generous cutout than the previous case, the plug cannot fit properly without manipulating the phone inside the case. The foam provides play and the plug can be forced in, but it also sits at an angle like the first case. Although in both cases, the plug can fully seat this way, it does not seem ideal and may damage the plug or port. That said, both cases will most likely not work at all with any other USB plugs that have thicker housings than the factory one. The cutouts for the buttons are smaller and deeper than the first case, causing more difficulty in accessing the buttons.

    It should be noted that both of these cases offer no type of rear protection when laying the phone on the table. Most of the back cover actually sits further out than the edge of the case, and so I've gotten in the habit of laying the phone face down to take advantage of the lip on the front.

    I will attempt to fix the second case by removing the thicker foam strips and replacing it with something thinner like the tape inside the first case or similar (possibly electrical tape). Hopefully this will allow the phone to be positioned inside the case where the USB port lines up properly with the case cutout.
    3
    I recently took a gamble on the ZOMGO case myself. I figured it's got to be better than my EBAY bumper and I have a Dremel if I need it. I was pleasantly surprised when I put it on and the OEM charger fit in perfectly... I mean it's not snug or loose, it's perfect. I don't have pic of the charger plugged in but you should be able to see in the pics below. Might be the setup I have too.

    Here are some pics to show my setup which works great. MIME SP, ZOMGO gunmetal bumper, Anker battery, Gunmetal Carbon Fiber Look 3M Vinyl, Spiegen Home Button.
    Sorry for the huge pictures... :(
    topside_zpsb0c90b1a.jpg

    volumesidw_zps384d975e.jpg

    Powerside_zps9fe4e03d.jpg

    Front_zps0890786c.jpg

    frontover_zpsa6c3886f.jpg

    Bottomside_zps5cf21f5a.jpg

    back_zps14fdc540.jpg
    1
    I got this simply stunning bumper case for my S3. combined with the custom battery back its amazing.

    its 2 part and 4 "screws" hold it together. I am not a fan of the "look" of these slide together ones. has anyone see a case like this

    370668252902

    but for the Note II ?
    1
    Thank you all for the compliments and for reading. I've since tried to modify the Zomgo case with electrical tape to no avail. Leaving enough tape to allow the USB cable to be plugged in allows the phone to move around inside the case; adding too much tape brought me back to square one. I've abandoned both cases as I enjoy charging my phone and using my headphones too much without having to mess around with a case.

    Looks like the search goes on for a minimalistic case.

    Did you notice any signal loss issues with either bumper?

    I do notice with each case I lose about a bar of signal.

    I got this simply stunning bumper case for my S3. combined with the custom battery back its amazing.

    its 2 part and 4 "screws" hold it together. I am not a fan of the "look" of these slide together ones. has anyone see a case like this

    370668252902

    but for the Note II ?

    I really liked that type of case and had wanted to buy one when I had my GS3. I've not been able to find a similar one for the Note 2,
    1
    This one also looks very good. There's a version for the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S4 - if only there was one for the Note 2.

    Do a google search for draco case note 2 ;)

    Send from my GN2