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I think the whole bumper vs. full case is backwards to most things. You usually pay more for better protection. But with this scenario, your paying more for less protection. As a bumper won't protect your phone as good as a lifeproof or otterbox. That's why i don't see how those analogies make sense in this particular instance.

yes but those cases look terrible on the phone.
 
Well of course you pay for more for more protection on a PROTECTION PLAN lol. Come on bro, please tell me you understand what I'm trying to say.

This is not the case for every type of purchase. I provided what I think is a prime example by asking why you don't buy full protective clothing. Well, it's my assumption that you don't. You'd probably be on YouTube by now if you were walking around in a full-body suit.

Yes, if you are looking strictly at protective cases, generally you look to pay more for more protection. What I'm saying is, not ALL cases are designed for full protection. Some cases are just purely for looks.

Bumpers are in fact mainly to preserve the look of the phone. If you are comparing strictly bumper type cases, the aluminum ones will provide better protection. That is, if they are in fact quality construction.

It's all in the purpose for you purchase. I am one of those that want to preserve the look of my phone or make it look better. I definitely want to keep the slim profile. I wouldn't buy a $150 case. Maybe if I had money to blow then yea, I might. For now, I'm happy buying skins and bumpers or Chinese knock-offs lol.

I will not put an Otterbox on my lovely White iPhone. I bought an extended Apple Care warranty in case of drops. I just want something that will protect it from scratches and minor bumps and drops.

I see what you're saying man, I do agree. I also won't put an otterbox or any other bulky cases on my white iphone. While I can justify paying $60-80 for a sexy looking bumper, I personally don't see myself paying $150 for a case which is half the price I paid for the phone haha.

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yes but those cases look terrible on the phone.
haha i agree
 
I see what you're saying man, I do agree. I also won't put an otterbox or any other bulky cases on my white iphone. While I can justify paying $60-80 for a sexy looking bumper, I personally don't see myself paying $150 for a case which is half the price I paid for the phone haha.

Yea, that's the reason why I won't spend that much on one case. I just might end up spending that much or more throughout the lifetime of my phone for multiple cases and skins though hahaha.

This may not apply to you, but if I were rich, I admit that I would buy a few of these expensive exotic cases. Until then, I'll be buying a few cheap ones a little at a time haha.
 
Just curious- can you clarify on how it's more than a watch? I don't deny it, just wondering what my 4k Rolex can do over the $50 Seiko I had when I was younger, because as far as I can tell they both only tell me the date and time :p

It's about the craftsmanship. The price increases with additional functions very difficult to do mechanically.
 
I see what you're saying man, I do agree. I also won't put an otterbox or any other bulky cases on my white iphone. While I can justify paying $60-80 for a sexy looking bumper, I personally don't see myself paying $150 for a case which is half the price I paid for the phone haha.

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haha i agree


if anyone wants a vapor case, just get a fake one, seriously. the differences are minimal and it is a fraction of the price.
 
Yea, that's the reason why I won't spend that much on one case. I just might end up spending that much or more throughout the lifetime of my phone for multiple cases and skins though hahaha.

This may not apply to you, but if I were rich, I admit that I would buy a few of these expensive exotic cases. Until then, I'll be buying a few cheap ones a little at a time haha.

Agreed man. If I had the funds, I would get a couple different higher end bumpers...however I don't haha. So I'll settle for 1 moderate priced bumper :cool:
 
a friend of mine bought about 5 different Rolex knockoff from Mexico for $50 each LOL.... It does look real from the naked eyes...however, the main difference was the thickness of the front screen.... The knockoff one was thin while the real one was thick. I don't know if his knockoff is still working until this day....probably dead already. I believe hard-core Rolex fan can spot a fake one miles away though :)

I'm glad I got the real one...bought it from a local Authorized Rolex dealer :)

You just mentioned one of the best ways to differentiate an authentic Rolex from a knock-off. Authentic Rolex's will be much heavier the majority of the time. Most likely due to the quality of the full metal throughout a real Rolex.
 
We are talking about REAL not FAKE chinese crap!!

i think you will find they are not crap, see the fake vapor thread for reference. Some are OEM quality.

e8d2d5ea.jpg
 
I understand they are overpriced but we should respect their innovative ideas...

either we can't afford it or get the real one!! hate the fake stuff even they are good quality fake
 
a friend of mine bought about 5 different Rolex knockoff from Mexico for $50 each LOL.... It does look real from the naked eyes...however, the main difference was the thickness of the front screen.... The knockoff one was thin while the real one was thick. I don't know if his knockoff is still working until this day....probably dead already. I believe hard-core Rolex fan can spot a fake one miles away though :)

I'm glad I got the real one...bought it from a local Authorized Rolex dealer :)

Yea, no doubt the FauxLex's can look very real. Did you get a chance to feel your friend's Fauxlex? The real one is much heavier right? That's the dead giveaway.
 
That was like 10+ years ago :) I don't recall the weight of the fake one, but he would wear them to clubs, bars, etc.

And he tells me that occasionally, he'll get compliment from girls hahaha. One time, he just met this materialistic girl who asked him for the time and she would grab his hand just to look at the watch to see the brand LOL.

I gotta admit...people do notice you more if you have a Rolex :)

I can spot out a fake LV purse. Next time you see someone holding a LV purse...look at the pattern of the edge. The fake one doesn't waste money by using every bit of material they have...so therefore, a fake one you see the pattern cutting the L or V logo in half or any of the symbol. I see so many people carrying fake LV purses...just too funny :)



Yea, no doubt the FauxLex's can look very real. Did you get a chance to feel your friend's Fauxlex? The real one is much heavier right? That's the dead giveaway.


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don't take it personal...

remember, your iPhone is from China :)

We are talking about REAL not FAKE chinese crap!!
 
We are talking about REAL not FAKE chinese crap!!

Might want to go back and re-read the ORIGINAL POST....

I'll remind you..

i still dont quite get the hype surrounding element (or fake element) cases?
it doesnt seem to provide much protection and appearance wise looks like nothing more than a bumper?

many of the element vapor cases ive seen do not really change the appearance of the phone nor enhance it. it just seems to add more bulk on the bumper and a dash of color. is that worth the 150 dollars?

am i missing something?
 
I understand they are overpriced but we should respect their innovative ideas...

either we can't afford it or get the real one!! hate the fake stuff even they are good quality fake

There's a grey area with this... Most of the time I am on the side of not buying knock-offs. Like I will never get a pirated song. I buy my albums or singles legitimately to support the artist I like.

I do the same for some big companies as well. When it comes to a market like accessories, that's when the line gets blurred for me.

I look at Element as a company that sells really nice cases. However, when I look at the price and see the materials they use, I cannot find justification for it. They are aluminum cases. All of their competitors sell aluminum cases for under $100 with some exceptions like limited editions. I can get an authentic carbon fiber case for cheaper than the Vapor Pro. Carbon Fiber is much more exotic and much harder to work with than aluminum. I see titanium bumpers for a bit more which makes sense as it is a superior metal to aluminum.
 
i still dont quite get the hype surrounding element (or fake element) cases?
Ok. Why are you worried about this? Just move on on focus on the things that you do get.

is that worth the 150 dollars?

am i missing something?
You're missing that worth is always highly subjective -- no matter what the topic is.

The people that think it's worth it buy it. Those that don't do not.

i want to be convinced to buy this case i want to love it but from what ive seen it just looks so common.
Why? You should be considering cases that you get and consider to be worth paying for. If you're questioning the worth then why are you trying to convince yourself otherwise? If it seems common then why are you fixated on this one option when there are less costly options? Do you always buy things that you don't get, don't need and think are overpriced? If so, you might want to seriously reconsider your shopping strategies.

We can't give you a reason to buy it. That's something that you need to determine on your own. I don't understand why you're so set on this case for all the counter arguments you're offering. For some, brand is enough. For some, build quality is what matters. For some, aesthetics are what matters. For some it's yet another reason I haven't listed. Others use some sort of combination of reasons. Whether any of those reasons justify the cost is a personal call.

I do the same for some big companies as well.
Interesting. To me, the big companies can more easily absorb losses from knock offs. That's subjectivity for you. Most of the "points" in this thread are all subjective matters. Everyone draws the line at a different point based on differing preferences/needs/etc.
 
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I think most who's in the market for an element type case will agree protection against drops is not the deciding factor. If you are looking for protection, get a cheap rubber lifeproof case.
 
I already posted it in the other Vapor Pro thread, so I'll just copy and paste most of it:

The small criticisms I have of the Vapor range all stem from one and the same thing.
- Pricing is borderline nuts, with most cases costing $99 - $150, plus shipping and taxes where applies.
- And because of the pricing, at 150 dollars per pop, one would expect NASA levels of precision and finish. But the product is actually not that precise.

Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t rattle and it’s not loose or anything, but in my book, for the money I expected it to be super precise and to fit like it was part of factory design. I expected the bumper to go all the way to the screen, all around the phone, few microns short of being like a watertight gasket. I certainly did not expect to see any part of the metal strip.

Partially because tolerances are too big, and partially because the whole assembly relies on rather low rent rubber padding inside the bumper the gaps around are fraction of a mm uneven which spoils the effect just a bit. On my Black Ops the padding is ever so slightly visible in the corners. Because tolerance was overshot by a mm or so, the more you line up the bumper to one side of the phone, the more gap you create and more of a silver strip you see on the other. If you lift your phone in the case up to the light, you'll see the light leaking through holes where the measurements are just slightly off.

Screen shield, although a mere freebie, is actually slightly too small. And then we have the back plates. Rather than it being proper back plate that is held by the edges of the bumper, the back plate in Pro versions is just a sticker, for the back, so with imprecise fit of the bumper itself it doesn’t cover ridges between back panel and bumper walls and dust and **** gets in there and is impossible to clean after couple of weeks.

Finally, for a case maker that demands wooden case prices for alloy bumper they seriously don't understand accessorising. They make a case that will not fit in almost any powered car cradle, will not charge in almost any desk dock and due to unusual, asymmetric design you will have one hell of a time trying to find poches, belt holsters or wallets to fit it. And yet the manufacturer, despite the initial investment, do not produce any accessories to make everyday life with the bumper any easier or simpler, so we can use their cases in cars and on our tables without forcing them into docks and cradles not designed for the purpose.

Before you get wrong impression - it’s really good case, and the fit is very good by any regular standards. But we are not dealing with regular standards. If the vapor was 50 bucks I would give it 10 out of 5 starts for quality, but because it’s 150 bucks I'm sorry but I expect it to fit like a nano component on the motherboard of USS Enterprise. End of. Call me OCD, but the product, as it is now, just doesn't.

So all I can say is - it’s worth gettng only if you try to find one at fraction of the price on ebay, being sold by some guy who bought it for his Verizon phone just to discover it doesn’t fit. 50-70 bucks is the max this thing should cost.

To those of you questioning the sanity of company asking $150 for a bumper - the answer is relatively simple - at some point between their $50 case and $80 case they discovered that with the iphone crowd, it is easier for them to sell one $150 very desirable "limited edition" (with unlimited run) case than three $50 cases. This sale model always works. In an imaginary world where everyone in the office gets company toyota, you will always have the douche who never stopped to be "cool kid" and will pay twice the price for what is, in essence, just a regular, round the mill Japanese Toyota Altezza as long as it has Lexus IS logo, and stands out on a parking lot full of Camry. And that guy is more likely to pay $150 for the Black Ops Vapor 4 than any three of his office mates are likely to buy $59 worth of Formula 4's.

And I'm the guy who bought Black Ops Vapor. ;)
 
So for someone about to take delivery of the authentic element case black ops case, do you find the suede backing stick on piece difficult to keep clean and lint free and looking like new?
 
Watches do the same thing in the end, but their is differences like an expensive watch will last longer, have expensive metals in it or even diamonds
 
So for someone about to take delivery of the authentic element case black ops case, do you find the suede backing stick on piece difficult to keep clean and lint free and looking like new?

I had the black suede backing with just the griffin reveal frame. It's pretty easy to keep clean, just run a couple fingers over the back to get hair/lint off. I've got 3 cats and 2 dogs, constant rotation of hair in my house and no major issues with keeping the suede clean.
 
You just mentioned one of the best ways to differentiate an authentic Rolex from a knock-off. Authentic Rolex's will be much heavier the majority of the time. Most likely due to the quality of the full metal throughout a real Rolex.

The easiest way to tell if a Rolex is fake by not even touching it is by looking at the second hand. If it ticks at every second it's fake (called a quartz movement) a real Rolex second has will just have a smooth continuous movement.

As far as the case, I has an el13ctron which killed my signal. I hope for $150 this one doesn't.
 
The easiest way to tell if a Rolex is fake by not even touching it is by looking at the second hand. If it ticks at every second it's fake (called a quartz movement) a real Rolex second has will just have a smooth continuous movement.

As far as the case, I has an el13ctron which killed my signal. I hope for $150 this one doesn't.

Actually alot of fakes nowadays are automatic. Even the cheaper fakes.

for 150 bucks i assume your talking about the vapor pro? I think your chances are pretty good.
 
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