I have been using the following three cases for Nexus 5 for about a week, namely, Spigen Slim Armor, Supcase Unicorn Beetle, and Tech21 Impact Snap Case and thought I would share my opinions on each of them. You can find more real-life™ pictures in each case’s dedicated thread linked below…
Notes:
- All three of them works fine with Meenova in case you wonder :silly:
- I'm using Spigen Crystal Clear screen protector and all three cases don’t interfere with it :good:
Spigen Slim Armor (dedicated thread)
This is one of the first cases I have an eye on. I love the design (especially the camera cutout) and protection it provides – with this case on, my Nexus 5 feels like a tank. However, it has to sacrifice in aspect of weight and shape. Being a 2-piece hybrid case, the Spigen Slim Armor adds a lot of weight to the phone. It also changes the shape of Nexus 5 into a “square brick” and is harder to hold than the naked phone. The button feedback was acceptable, and the price around $16 is quite good for me.
■■■■■ DESIGN
■■■□□ WEIGHT
■■■□□ SHAPE
■■■□□ FEEL
■■■■□ BUTTON FEEDBACK
■■■■■ PROTECTION
■■■■□ COST
Supcase Unicorn Beetle (dedicated thread)
This is the most compact case among the three. I like how it “hugs” to the sides of the Nexus 5. With plain and simple design, it adds minimal weight and makes the phone easier to hold, however the hard matte TPU on the sides could be uncomfortable from time to time. The frosted semi-transparent back is a nice addition to the design. However, I feel like it provides the least protection among the three cases because there is no “air cushion” or “shock absorbing molecules” whatsoever. The only thing that I don’t like is the button feedback, it’s really hard to press the buttons – the only way to know if the button is pressed is to look for feedback on the screen. Any way, the cost at around $10 is ideal.
■■■■□ DESIGN
■■■■■ WEIGHT
■■■■■ SHAPE
■■■■□ FEEL
■■■□□ BUTTON FEEDBACK
■■■□□ PROTECTION
■■■■■ COST
*** Modded Supcase Unicorn Beetle
Tech 21 Impact Snap Case (dedicated thread)
Bought this case out of curiosity because many people claim that it’s really good, and I’m glad I bought it. This is a very nice case with unique design. It feels great in hand and improves grip a lot. The button feedback is the best among the three, I can tell if the button is pressed without looking at the screen. I also love the clear back that shows the “nexus” logo. The open cutout at the bottom seems to follow the curve of the Nexus 5 perfectly and I like it. However, some people may concern about the protection at the bottom part. The only gripe is the price of the case – I think $30 is too expensive, even with a discount coupon it’s still expensive than the other two cases.
■■■■■ DESIGN
■■■■■ WEIGHT
■■■■□ SHAPE
■■■■■ FEEL
■■■■■ BUTTON FEEDBACK
■■■■□ PROTECTION
■■■□□ COST
TL;DR
So, in summary, I’d suggest:
- modded Supcase for the best price/performance ratio.
- Spigen for protection and look.
- Tech21 for protection, comfort, and overall aesthetics (of course, it’s subjective )
Notes:
- All three of them works fine with Meenova in case you wonder :silly:
- I'm using Spigen Crystal Clear screen protector and all three cases don’t interfere with it :good:
Spigen Slim Armor (dedicated thread)
This is one of the first cases I have an eye on. I love the design (especially the camera cutout) and protection it provides – with this case on, my Nexus 5 feels like a tank. However, it has to sacrifice in aspect of weight and shape. Being a 2-piece hybrid case, the Spigen Slim Armor adds a lot of weight to the phone. It also changes the shape of Nexus 5 into a “square brick” and is harder to hold than the naked phone. The button feedback was acceptable, and the price around $16 is quite good for me.
■■■■■ DESIGN
■■■□□ WEIGHT
■■■□□ SHAPE
■■■□□ FEEL
■■■■□ BUTTON FEEDBACK
■■■■■ PROTECTION
■■■■□ COST
Supcase Unicorn Beetle (dedicated thread)
This is the most compact case among the three. I like how it “hugs” to the sides of the Nexus 5. With plain and simple design, it adds minimal weight and makes the phone easier to hold, however the hard matte TPU on the sides could be uncomfortable from time to time. The frosted semi-transparent back is a nice addition to the design. However, I feel like it provides the least protection among the three cases because there is no “air cushion” or “shock absorbing molecules” whatsoever. The only thing that I don’t like is the button feedback, it’s really hard to press the buttons – the only way to know if the button is pressed is to look for feedback on the screen. Any way, the cost at around $10 is ideal.
■■■■□ DESIGN
■■■■■ WEIGHT
■■■■■ SHAPE
■■■■□ FEEL
■■■□□ BUTTON FEEDBACK
■■■□□ PROTECTION
■■■■■ COST
*** Modded Supcase Unicorn Beetle
There are people having the same problem with the button feedback and @dzaster89 came up with modifications to improve the button feedback. I gave it a try, and now the button feedback feels just like I’m using the naked Nexus 5 (better than the Tech21’s). So the ratings for the Supcase with modification would be the following:
■■■■□ DESIGN
■■■■■ WEIGHT
■■■■■ SHAPE
■■■■□ FEEL
■■■■■ BUTTON FEEDBACK
■■■□□ PROTECTION
■■■■■ COST
■■■■□ DESIGN
■■■■■ WEIGHT
■■■■■ SHAPE
■■■■□ FEEL
■■■■■ BUTTON FEEDBACK
■■■□□ PROTECTION
■■■■■ COST
Tech 21 Impact Snap Case (dedicated thread)
Bought this case out of curiosity because many people claim that it’s really good, and I’m glad I bought it. This is a very nice case with unique design. It feels great in hand and improves grip a lot. The button feedback is the best among the three, I can tell if the button is pressed without looking at the screen. I also love the clear back that shows the “nexus” logo. The open cutout at the bottom seems to follow the curve of the Nexus 5 perfectly and I like it. However, some people may concern about the protection at the bottom part. The only gripe is the price of the case – I think $30 is too expensive, even with a discount coupon it’s still expensive than the other two cases.
■■■■■ DESIGN
■■■■■ WEIGHT
■■■■□ SHAPE
■■■■■ FEEL
■■■■■ BUTTON FEEDBACK
■■■■□ PROTECTION
■■■□□ COST
TL;DR
So, in summary, I’d suggest:
- modded Supcase for the best price/performance ratio.
- Spigen for protection and look.
- Tech21 for protection, comfort, and overall aesthetics (of course, it’s subjective )