Perfect iPhone 4s case. Will the search ever end?

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JMies419

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 24, 2006
340
0
I have had my iPhone 4s for a little over two weeks and have already went through 7 cases...SEVEN. I just can not seem to find a case that I can stay happy with. Here is what I have purchased so far, most of them have been sold or returned...

Otterbox Commuter
Incipio Feather
Incipio NGP (translucent grey and matte black)
Griffin Reveal
Case-Mate Barely There
Desmay Slight

The cases I still have are the matte black Incipio NGP, Case-Mate Barely There and the Desmay Slight. I rotate between the NGP and the Barely There but prefer the Barely There on the phone over the NGP even though I do worry about the protection that the Barely There provides. The face lip on the NGP builds up A LOT of lint on the screen which I hate. The Slight isnt all that I hoped it would be and that will probably end up in the marketplace once I reach my post limit and can start a thread.

Is anyone else in the same boat as me? Do you buy cases over and over and can never settle on one? I just want to find one case that I like enough to keep and stop thinking about it. I think I am going to order a Magpul Field since I have heard so many great things about it. I was also considering the Element Vapor Comp since I really do like the bumper idea although I have not tried just a bumper yet. Hopefully this will end soon, I am sick of buying cases. Lol. :eek:
 
C

chrisbetty

macrumors 6502
Feb 22, 2011
287
0
I know what your going through.I constantly buy cases in hopes to find the perfect one but I finally decided to just use iPhone with nothing but a front & back screen shield,What exactly are looking for out of a case maybe that'll narrow it down
 
J

JMies419

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 24, 2006
340
0
chrisbetty said:
I know what your going through.I constantly buy cases in hopes to find the perfect one but I finally decided to just use iPhone with nothing but a front & back screen shield,What exactly are looking for out of a case maybe that'll narrow it down
Click to expand...
To be honest, I really don't know. I just ordered power shield front and back crystal screens...so once I receive them at least my glass will be protected if I do go without a case. I keep wanting to try out a apple bumper but will not buy one until I get the power support installed. Anything that causes any kind of lint build up on the case or screen bothers me and I cant stand to use it. I like the NGP a lot but hate the way the lint builds up on screen around the corners where the case meets the glass. I do not have that problem with the Case-Mate but thats because the case does not come up over the glass.
 
guccigucci88

guccigucci88

macrumors 6502a
Dec 30, 2010
534
0
JMies419 said:
I have had my iPhone 4s for a little over two weeks and have already went through 7 cases...SEVEN. I just can not seem to find a case that I can stay happy with. Here is what I have purchased so far, most of them have been sold or returned...

Otterbox Commuter
Incipio Feather
Incipio NGP (translucent grey and matte black)
Griffin Reveal
Case-Mate Barely There
Desmay Slight

The cases I still have are the matte black Incipio NGP, Case-Mate Barely There and the Desmay Slight. I rotate between the NGP and the Barely There but prefer the Barely There on the phone over the NGP even though I do worry about the protection that the Barely There provides. The face lip on the NGP builds up A LOT of lint on the screen which I hate. The Slight isnt all that I hoped it would be and that will probably end up in the marketplace once I reach my post limit and can start a thread.

Is anyone else in the same boat as me? Do you buy cases over and over and can never settle on one? I just want to find one case that I like enough to keep and stop thinking about it. I think I am going to order a Magpul Field since I have heard so many great things about it. I was also considering the Element Vapor Comp since I really do like the bumper idea although I have not tried just a bumper yet. Hopefully this will end soon, I am sick of buying cases. Lol. :eek:
Click to expand...
I was like that with my 3gs... Over 50 cases lol. Now I have an iphone 4s and I know for the most part exactly what I want. I'm still under 10 cases right now and hopefully it will stay that way haha
 
C

chrisbetty

macrumors 6502
Feb 22, 2011
287
0
JMies419 said:
To be honest, I really don't know. I just ordered power shield front and back crystal screens...so once I receive them at least my glass will be protected if I do go without a case. I keep wanting to try out a apple bumper but will not buy one until I get the power support installed. Anything that causes any kind of lint build up on the case or screen bothers me and I cant stand to use it. I like the NGP a lot but hate the way the lint builds up on screen around the corners where the case meets the glass. I do not have that problem with the Case-Mate but thats because the case does not come up over the glass.
Click to expand...
If you do go without a case i suggest using Wrapsol body protectors,Those are by the best in my opinion,On another note i have a Element Case Vapor Pro White edition on the way to my house right now :) Cant wait to get it :)
 
viewfly

viewfly

macrumors 65816
May 1, 2009
1,263
22
JMies419 said:
I have had my iPhone 4s for a little over two weeks and have already went through 7 cases...SEVEN. I just can not seem to find a case that I can stay happy with. Here is what I have purchased so far, most of them have been sold or returned...

Otterbox Commuter
Incipio Feather
Incipio NGP (translucent grey and matte black)
Griffin Reveal
Case-Mate Barely There
Desmay Slight

The cases I still have are the matte black Incipio NGP, Case-Mate Barely There and the Desmay Slight. I rotate between the NGP and the Barely There but prefer the Barely There on the phone over the NGP even though I do worry about the protection that the Barely There provides. The face lip on the NGP builds up A LOT of lint on the screen which I hate. The Slight isnt all that I hoped it would be and that will probably end up in the marketplace once I reach my post limit and can start a thread.

Is anyone else in the same boat as me? Do you buy cases over and over and can never settle on one? I just want to find one case that I like enough to keep and stop thinking about it. I think I am going to order a Magpul Field since I have heard so many great things about it. I was also considering the Element Vapor Comp since I really do like the bumper idea although I have not tried just a bumper yet. Hopefully this will end soon, I am sick of buying cases. Lol. :eek:
Click to expand...
I hear ya. If you are getting the Magpul Field, save some postage and order the Exec Field too. Have both here, and both are great but if you lean to the case mate or feather you may like the Exec more. Slimmer case. IMHO black is the best color on a black iPhone. Frames the screen and photos better.
 
B

billycuth

macrumors 6502a
Jul 31, 2010
754
73
I had the apple bumper that came with my iphone 4 through the free case program. For me, it was the best case out there. The problem with it was that it damaged the band of the phone (I had lucky labs spectra wrap under it, but the bumper didn't allow my aux cord in my car to fit into the dock so I had to remove the bumper in the car - over time it caused the bottom piece of the spectra wrap to come off which is where the band got scuffed), and after over a year of use it really got scuzzy inside.

My wife has an otterbox defender, and there is no way I am going with that because it is too dang bulky. I just got an iP4s earlier in January, and I sold my iP4 with the bumper so I am looking for another case. Right now all I have on my phone is the lucky labs spectra wrap on the band, a phantom skinz matte back and a cheap screen protector. I purchased a cheapo Element Case Vapor Pro white knock off from caseswill.com and I am still waiting for it to come in. If I like the look but the case quality is unbearable I may go with a more expensive aluminum bumper case. Otherwise I may just go back to semi-naked and forget about protection altogether. I would go back to an Apple bumper, but I am not paying $30 for it. Especially when my car dock cord isn't compatible with it.

The reason for all this is that before I upgraded to the ip4s, I was quite happy with the apple bumper for over 18 months (even with the car dock issue), so I think it is possible to buy and stick with 1 case...
 
L

Leonard1818

macrumors 68020
Nov 15, 2011
2,459
393
I went thru about 4 cases in 3 days when I first got my iPhone. I settled on the Otterbox commuter. I know you said you already ruled that one out but for me, my time and effort are worth something too. Is there a better case out there? Maybe. Do I still read up on them looking for something else to possibly try? Yes. Will the search ever end? Probably not :)
 
Jmacman78

Jmacman78

macrumors 6502
Jan 7, 2007
391
109
Northwest, CT
PerplexShyt said:
those whom are never satisfied by a case were destined to go naked.
Click to expand...

I have the same dilemma, I go through so many cases and swap them out constantly. Right now I go back and forth with the Defender and a Magpul Exec case. I can just never stick with something for too long.

I went and ended up getting a full Wrapsol at one point and just used that, which was great, then I start worrying about dropping my phone. I think I am going to end up going back to a Wrapsol, its the closest I'll get to using the phone naked and still adds some protection.

I can just never be happy with one case for too long, no matter how great the case may be.
 
J

JMies419

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 24, 2006
340
0
Thanks for the replies everyone. Seems like I am not the only one with this problem...lol. It sucks, $10 here $20 there on cases. It is such a waste, at least they can be resold I guess. My power support screen protectors shipped today so I am going to see how I feel once them are on. Like I said before though I think I am going to try the magpul field, amazon has them for $13 with 2 day shipping. If I am not happy with that maybe try a Vapor Comp (what the heck its income tax time, lol).
 
VandyChem2009

VandyChem2009

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2011
528
0
Houston, Texas
I currently own 51 iPhone 4/4s cases. I can tell you from extensive experience that there is no such thing as a perfect case and your search will never end. You will literally spend a small fortune trying to find your "perfect" case. You should just pick whichever is your favorite of the ones you have and just stick with it or you will just end up like me.
 
K

KeroLu

macrumors newbie
Dec 30, 2011
28
0
Hahah. If my search for the perfect iphone case ended, I wouldn't be here. Every cases I buy, I promise myself this is it. But I still end up here looking at the newest bumpers/cases. It's an addiction.
 
J

JMies419

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 24, 2006
340
0
VandyChem2009 said:
I currently own 51 iPhone 4/4s cases. I can tell you from extensive experience that there is no such thing as a perfect case and your search will never end. You will literally spend a small fortune trying to find your "perfect" case. You should just pick whichever is your favorite of the ones you have and just stick with it or you will just end up like me.
Click to expand...
51 cases! WOW! That is insane! :eek:

----------
richxps said:
By the time you find the perfect case, you would of spend enough money to get a new iphone or atleast fix a broken one .. And by the time you find the case you will be upgrading to the iphone 5. LOL im in the same boat but i made my decision and will just go naked.

Here is a good read from Gizmodo
http://gizmodo.com/5880520/stop-ruining-your-phone-with-a-stupid-case
Click to expand...
Lol good read, thanks for the link. Get naked! Hahahaha.
 
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viewfly

viewfly

macrumors 65816
May 1, 2009
1,263
22
Like my wife says, you have to look at case like shoes or clothes...there never is only a single perfect one...you just need to change it when the mood or need fits.

Good advice. So I tend to look for cases that are easy to remove and don't get destroyed doing so.

But of course, every nice iPhone needs to have at least one little black case when it goes out at night ;)
 
J

JMies419

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 24, 2006
340
0
viewfly said:
Like my wife says, you have to look at case like shoes or clothes...there never is only a single perfect one...you just need to change it when the mood or need fits.

Good advice. So I tend to look for cases that are easy to remove and don't get destroyed doing so.

But of course, every nice iPhone needs to have at least one little black case when it goes out at night ;)
Click to expand...
Or in some peoples case, 51. Lol, I still can't believe that. I agree that owning a few is reasonable, some days you need more protection than others. For me it is just hard finding those cases I am happy with when there are so many on the market.
 
R

RolledUp20s

macrumors regular
Jun 14, 2011
243
0
Wrexham, North Wales
I could never find the right case. I have the white 4S, since launch. Decided i didnt want a fixed case. I bought a Bench pouch (thick sock type) i dont use a screen protector to maximise the retina. Not 1 mark on it. Its always in the pouch unless im using it....until now, i took it out about an hour ago & cant find the damn thing :rolleyes:

Thought id see what cases people were talking about these days. Ive had the 3GS, black 4, white 4s. Even with the black 4 i just left it naked in my pocket...even then it only had the slightest of wear on the sides.

Highly recommend the pouch though, just dont drop it...;)
 
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