Database Develop

Metal frame ?

Who knows what the silver color frame is made of.
It seems to be some kind of metal "cap" on a plastic frame.
But what metal ?
What do you think/know about it ?
Calico

its just sprayed plastic, probably a polycarbonate

jaqx said:
its just sprayed plastic, probably a polycarbonate
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Then they have changed their production process: on some review, when the backplate is removed and they zoomed on the interior, you can clearly see the side edge of solid metal, or at least a .5 mm thick metal cap.
If you are sure of that, together with report of no-so-solid impression in hand, and comments on yellowish not so sharp screen (while the reviewers invariably praise the screen which seems bluish on all the TD2 pics posted), makes me think maybe there is 2 atches of TD2 out there.
One solid one, send to reviewers
and one shaky one, available for buy....
Scary....
...and completely unacceptable, if it is true and the devices are SO different, HTC is in deep trouble, class action is virtually certain...
EDIT: looking again at the review pictures, i am not so sure about the metal front anymore, it could well be polycarbonate with a nice metallic paint job....Disappointing, such paints usually do not age nicely, after a year or two you usually start to see the plastic under at points where u have friction (corners). And if they have a bad batch, it can even crack and peel off...I liked the metallic front for durability, but if it is just painting, I would prefer the MDA V design :-(. I can not wait till this one is out though, I'll report on the build quality when I get my TD2 next week...

[Q] Who said the Note feels cheap?

This is my first Samsung phone ever. I have always had HTC phones and they usually are made like bricks!
I was always concerned about buying a Samsung because I would hear people complain about how they are cheap and plastic.
This phone feels really solid to me..Its made of plastic I know or at least whats left of the phone minus the screen but it feels really solid to me and not cheap at all..
I can't figure out why people call Samsung phones cheap..I really wouldnt want this thing made a metal and dropping one side of my pants down

Yeah I agree samsungs feel really nice in your hand and really light, and they look slick as fook!! Plus cause they are light if you drop them they don't shatter into a million pieces like iphones do.

It's the plastic back that people notice the most. I guess they wanted the back cover to be more secure than just using your fingernail and prying it off.

I think the build quality is a quite good too.
Admittedly when I saw the back cover being taken off in an unboxing video, I did cringe a bit when I saw it bend, but it's really not that bad.
I've been tempted to replaced the battery cover with one of the metal ones that have been posted in the accessories forum, but I worry that replacing the plastic with metal might effect the phones ability to withstand a fall. The plastic is probably designed to absorb impact, where as the metal might absorb the impact less, and therefore damage the rest of the phone.

purple zebra said:
I think the build quality is a quite good too.
Admittedly when I saw the back cover being taken off in an unboxing video, I did cringe a bit when I saw it bend, but it's really not that bad.
I've been tempted to replaced the battery cover with one of the metal ones that have been posted in the accessories forum, but I worry that replacing the plastic with metal might effect the phones ability to withstand a fall. The plastic is probably designed to absorb impact, where as the metal might absorb the impact less, and therefore damage the rest of the phone.
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The metal backing is essentially the same as the plastic, it will protect your phone but where the plastic would bounce back to original flatness, the metal will dent slighty. that is unless you are throwing your phone into rocks.
the main concern is gps signal. I have lost all gps signal with a metal back piece on... so..

1xinfusion said:
The metal backing is essentially the same as the plastic, it will protect your phone but where the plastic would bounce back to original flatness, the metal will dent slighty. that is unless you are throwing your phone into rocks.
the main concern is gps signal. I have lost all gps signal with a metal back piece on... so..
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and you will get worse WiFi and phone signal, which will reduce battery life.

It's cheap.My Note made some strange noises if I press it a little more on the back.My previous phone was Motorola Milestone,all from metal and rubbed backplate,so that's why I feel that SGN is cheap.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk

zviki said:
It's cheap.My Note made some strange noises if I press it a little more on the back.My previous phone was Motorola Milestone,all from metal and rubbed backplate,so that's why I feel that SGN is cheap.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk
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I dont have any squeeks or anything no matter where i press.

Polished chamfered edge

Nice to see Samsung going with a premium metal finish and it does look stunning when new but 2 weeks down the line and it is covered in tiny scratches etc...
I look after my phones, tbh I'm a little bit OCD but even still the edge is looking tatty.
I then got a TPU case to try and protect it... 2 days later, it is scratched to hell! Just the case alone touching the chamfered edge is enough to scuff it...
what did Samsung make it out of? Cheese? A soft cheese at that!
I love my note 4 but...

I have the same experience. Maybe if it gets too bad I'll try the method used in this video.
http://youtu.be/EZuYzQrIHjA
Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Free mobile app

MadfishGTB said:
Nice to see Samsung going with a premium metal finish and it does look stunning when new but 2 weeks down the line and it is covered in tiny scratches etc...
I look after my phones, tbh I'm a little bit OCD but even still the edge is looking tatty.
I then got a TPU case to try and protect it... 2 days later, it is scratched to hell! Just the case alone touching the chamfered edge is enough to scuff it...
what did Samsung make it out of? Cheese? A soft cheese at that!
I love my note 4 but...
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Is this the white or black version you are talking about?

I've got the Ringke Slim on mine and it covers the edges. No scratches on mine.

It's the black one I have...
the coloured part is immaculate still but the polished section looks a mess
My note 2 seemed to fair much better in terms of durability.
Also, the camera lens cover is very exposed on these, I hope it can be replaced somehow in the future (although no scratches yet)

Same here with the white one. Got scratches on the chamfered edge from being in a pants pocket for gods sake. Anybody know to go about buffing them out?

Sorry to hear that you are having those problems. I am not trying to burst your bubble but the "metal" finish around the Note 4 is NOT metal. I have have read a post on this forum of another person saying the same thing and so I went down to my nearest BB to check it out. I am now convinced that he was right.
Here is the test I carried out to prove the point. I found a Galaxy Alpha and examined the similar finish and that is truly metal. With the AC in Best Buy I was able to put the Alpha to my cheek and you can feel the coldness of the metal. I then walked over to the Samsung store in BB and did the same with ALL the Note 4s on display and they were all just at reasonable temp. Also on the Alpha it will be noticed that the headphone jack and the charging port is covered in plastic or rubber inside of the metal cutout. Take a look at he N4 slot for the pen or the headphone jack and you will see that the white plastic is just covered by the " metal" finish.
That my friend is why you are having scuff marks already on your new device. It is JUST a "METAL" finish on the outside. Now if there is a metal frame it is on the inside, not on the outside like the Alpha. Can't wait to see a teardown from folks like IFIXIT to confirm. I could be wrong but until proven wrong I will stand by my cheek test.

No, it is metal (aluminium I believe ) but it is very thin. When you look at the headphone jack port like you say there is plastic but there is still a thin metal part of the frame...
Samsung wouldn't have needed to add the spacers in the frame (small white blocks top and bottom) if it was metal effect. These are there for the antennas to work properly in the metal.
Aluminium is a very soft metal, perhaps if they chose a more sturdy, harder metal like titanium for example then we wouldn't be having this problem but then we would have paid more for the already expensive phone.
For me I'll just end up keeping the TPU case on, it feels better in the hand and against the ear (metal frame has quite sharp edges) and offers some protection without adding much bulk to the device. Maybe once the phone has been used a while I'll look into customising the frame with either plastidip or hydroprint.

Yeah it would be made of aluminium. People wanting that "premium" look and feel. Just like the iPhone and any other phone made of an alloy, looks awesome out of the box but after a while scratches will appear. Plastic resists much much better, that's just the way it is.
Also it would have been hilarious watching you going around touching the bezels with your face

remove the back cover and look at the frame closely: you can see that the whole frame is definitely NOT metal. it is plastic with metal coating or layer and some metal inlays.

I highly doubt that the frame only has a metal coating. If you check the YouTube video of the guy bending the ip6p, note 3 and 4 you will see the note 3 bend and bounce back because it's plastic. Alloy on the other hand bends and stays bent. Looking at you note 4.
Of course I could be wrong.

It does seem to be a thin metal covering over a plastic frame...
gives the look of a premium device but the protection and flexibility of a plastic device

The frame is made of metals collected from the moon and the back cover leather is made from the skin of puppies.
Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk

Whether its a thin metal strip on the top or solid metal, the nature of being aluminium is that it will scratch easily. It is the same with the HTC One that also has a chamfered edge. I have read many reports of it getting scratched too easily. If you look closely at the edge you will see that at the very least it is a metal strip. Thickness has nothing to do with scratch resistance. So we can argue whether it's solid or not, but the relevance to the initial poster's issue that it scratches easily is zero!
Everyone complained about Samsung's cheap looking plastic bezel. Now we are complaining about the upmarket stylish metal one! I guess a finish like the edges of an iPhone 6 are the only option that will satisfy everyone's needs. Incidentally I do remember reports of people with the bumper case on an iphone 4...took it off, to find that the little imperfection nodules of plastic on the inside of the bumper were enough to rub and wear the metal surround of the phone!

And if they had anodized it, it would have prevented scratches (like Nokia n8),but would have caused the frame to crack more easily, unless they used more surface, or thicker pieces of aluminum, which in turn would affect other things. So pointless.
Sent from my SM-N910W8

Even if it was made of adamantium people would still complain.

eddhard said:
Even if it was made of adamantium people would still complain.
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Couldn't agree more!
Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk

you do know that aluminium and metal phones get scratched up this easy i dont know why ya'll are surprised

hello00 said:
you do know that aluminium and metal phones get scratched up this easy i dont know why ya'll are surprised
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Even in manufacturing these metals are impossible to keep pristine. I had an iPhone 4 with a small nick in the metal band out of the box. I had an HTC One with a couple of little nicks and microscratches in the band out of the box. And my note 4 also has a few imperfections. But then it's best not to study these phones under a spotlight because you will just find things you don't want to see!

I think/hope the issue lies with TPU cases simply because they, as all cases trap dirt under them but because they are TPU they have more movement.... the dirt gets ground against the polished edges. Hard cases like the Ringke do not have this movement...
Would be helpful to others if people who are experiencing this issue state which cases they have used.
Thanks.

Review-Poetic Note 5 revolution case

I have been searching for a protective case for the note 5 and having tried a few I can say that the Poetic revolution is the best one I have tried so far.
It's not ungodly heavy like some of the other ones, it does add some heft but more in line with what I would expect.
It offers full body pritection, including a plastic screen protector. I have a love hate relation with them honestly, they ultimately end up scratched up and I remove them in time. I put the phone in the case with my tempered glass protector still in place so that is probably the reason but this one I have yet to decide if I like it, it's crystal clear but slightly impedes touch sensitivity and does not sit flush against the glass, requiring you to tap just a bit harder. That's actually a plus tho because on some other cases, the screen protector sits right on the glass and you end up with watermarking. Like I said tho, I kept my glass one on so that's my own doing. The cut outs for the home button, speaker and camera are dead on.
The corners are squared off which should distribute the force of an impact over a larger area, hoping to protect better. The sides are pliable while the back is hard.
I like the volume buttons, having 2 buttons instead of like a slider deal allows easy adjusting with no guessing. The ports are all covered with flaps, it looks to be a tight fit for larger headphones although the stock ones fit fine. The s-pen, I don't know...I am 6'4 and have larger hands but I can not access it. It sits too deep, a key or something you could pop it out I am sure, depending how often you use it, it might be an issue. I think if you need a protective case that's a minor annoyance, just worth noting.
The kickstand works well, mainly in landscape. It's easy to pop out and close, doesn't rattle and stays put rather well.
The only real downside to this case is wireless charging does not work for me. I have a Spigen 3 coil charger and placing the phone on it I get nada. Most likely due to the metal kickstand I would guess.
Depending what's important to you in a case will ultimately determine if this one's for you. I work in construction and welding, I need reliable protection and will use this case when working. Weekends, etc I'll put on a less protective case. Personally, glad to have this one as an option and if you are looking for a good quality, protective case, keep this on your short list.

More pictures

Couple more

My review of the Poetic Revolution case
Disclaimer: I got this case free in exchange for this review. I have previously recieved and reviewed Poetic's Affinity case, a slim case which I like so much it has become my daily driver. How will I like a big case such as this one after using the featherweight, unobtrusive Affinity? Well, let's see....
The case arrived quickly. It was plainly packed in what appeared to be a non-retail plastic envelope. I don't know if the retail package ships with instructions, but mine didn't.
The case looks very sharp. It is big and blocky, with a somewhat military look. It consists of two pieces. There is a black plastic front, which features a built-in clear plastic screen protector with cut outs for the front camera, speaker and home button.. And then there is the back piece. Like the other Poetic case I have reviewed, this one is a seamless combination of hard plastic and rigid rubber. The plastic parts are black, and the rubber is a military drab greenish brown that suits the look of the case. The plastic and rubber meet in a combination of ridges and bumpers that are aesthetically sound. An aluminum kickstand sits squarely in the back. The top right corner of the case has a squared off rubber "loop" which is maybe for hanging the phone on something? I can kind of see the appeal of such a feature, but it adds bulk to an already big case without feeling substantial enough that you want your device hanging from it. There are also some "screws" and "rivets" which seem to be purely cosmetic and just molded into the plastic. Inside the back there is some kimd of texture that looks like it is designed to distribute force and further protect the device in case of a drop or other impact.
The ports line up perfectly. There are covers for the charging port, headphone jack, and even the S-pen. I like the complete protection (and this is the best S-Pen protection I've seen), but I will say that the S-Pen port is kind of hard to squeeze your finger into.
The front part of the case is supposed to snap on. Normally, I do not care for cases that are rigid inside, as I feel they jack up the phone's finish. While this may have been true of Samsung's previous chromed plastic bodies, I have no such concern about the aluminum edges of the Note 5.
Like the poster above, I tried to leave my glass screen protector on when first installing this case. It is obviously not designed for this. No fault of the manufacturer. My results were the same: a bowed out, unresponsive, mushy feeling screen cover. In addition, the convex fit made an easy access point around the camera, speaker and home button for dust and lint, which soon began to accumulate. So, I took off my glass. After doing this, the front of the case snapped on snugly with a satisfying "click". The screen protector, which is visibly thicker than that of the Otterbox Defender, sat flush and tight on the surface of my phone. Two days after taking off the glass(which I left on for two days), I see nothing accumulating under the screen at all. I am seeing some very fine scratches, but nothing visible.during normal use. And, for the record, I only clean my phone's screen/screen protector with lens cleaning wipes. Never dry. And my phone is usually in my pocket when not in use. I work indoors in clean dry conditions.
The front of the case goes on easily (once you remove your glass lol). The back, like most rubber over plastic cases, stretches slightly over the back and hugs a lip on the front of the case. It fits snugly and well, ....except for one part. The lower left. Not a huge deal, but it just doesn't seem to sit flush like the rest of the case, no matter what I do. There is a pic of this corner attatched. But, aside from that small quibble (well, small to me, YMMV), the fit is good and solid. Even the part that isn't 100% flush doesn't feel loose or mushy.
The case is bulky, no doubt. Either you like the way that feels in the hand or you don't. The back of the case is hard plastic with some rubber ridges. The sides are rubber with a barely visible micro texturing that seems to add a nice grip. The phone is not slippery in the hand. Nor is it slippery on a table, whether laid on its front or back. Though big, the phone feels good in the hand, not slippery or slimy. If you use your phone in landscape mode a lot, you need to be mindful of the "loop" on the top left corner. It may get in your way, prompting you to flip your device over to play your game or watch your video.
The lip around the screen has a nice angle to it, so you don't feel like you have to worry about hitting the screen anywhere. It doesn't interfere with the function at all. Can't really say the same for the port around the camera. It's deep and plenty protective, but it doesn't have any kind of bezel or anything like I've seen on some Note 5 cases. This can make it feel like you're "digging" for the heart rate monitor, which is kind of a pain.
The buttons are perfectly covered. But they do feel a little spongy. In addition, the sides of the case are angled inward, kind of under the top, almost like a saucer, get me? This angle has the effect of making the button pushes feel slightly awkward.
The hole around the speaker is deep (the rubber here is very thick) and more tube like than funnel shaped. This has the effect of changing the sound from the bottom speaker somewhat. Making it kind of "canned" sounding.
The kickstand is good and solid. It sets the phone at a good angle for viewing/gaming in landscape mode (but again, you have to be mindful of where the loop is). It works in portrait mode as well, but I dont know if it is intended to be used that way
The case is kind of a bear to take on and off. I put my phone into an armband when I run, so I take mine out of the case a lot. I found a workaround (jamming the thing case and all into my old Note 3 armband lol).
Lastly, as the previous reviewer noted, wireless charging does not work with this case. I must say, as common as wireless charging is becoming, this seems like a grave oversight.
At the end of the day, the phone offers good, solid protection, looking very good while doing it. But it does seem to sacrifice form in favor of function. For those who require, or just like, like solid protection, don't mind bulk, and don't need the case to slip on and off like butter, this may be the case for you. It certainly is substantial and protective. But it isn't terribly user friendly in some respects, maybe even less so than other cases of its type. In any event, even though I generally prefer a slimmer case, I am.in no hurry to switchn and will probably continue to use this one until the next time I absolutely have to charge wirelessly or wear skinny jeans. I don't see it as a daily driver for me. Partially because I just prefer smaller cases (which is no reflection on the product or manufacturer)n and partly because this case does seem to have a few drawbacks. I can definitely see myself using this for occasions when I am traveling or feel the need for extra protection. Ultimately, I have mixed feelings about the case. It has its strengths and weaknesses.
Pros: solid, offers complete coverage and protection, dual-layer (plastic/rubber), thick, and snug screen protector, covered ports, kickstand, nice grip, good looking, great value for the price (around $20)
Cons: S-Pen difficult to reach, difficult heart rate monitor access, bulky, loop adds bulk and reduces ease of use, buttons mushy and slightly awkward, no wireless charging, case affects speaker sound

More pics

ArmadilloTek Vanguard case for Samsung Note20 Ultra (no screen protector) Review

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Disclaimers:
This review is just the ramblings of a crazy man. These are just my opinions after two weeks of usage so take all comments with a grain of salt.
The cost of the case was re-imbursed from the vendor for an un-biased review.
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The two piece case design seems to make the phone ‘float’ in the corners of the outer case. Not tested but I imagine this will help prevent damage when dropped as advertised. Due to this design though, the phone is wider than the Samsung Metal case and not as convenient when using the phone one handed. This can be an issue for people with smaller hands but the trade off is better protection IMO. I also like the grip design on the side of the phone case, it helps prevent the phone slipping in your hand.
The camera hump is well recessed in the case and there are no worries when laying on a flat surface. That being said, this is a $1400 phone and I have a glass camera screen protector on the hump.
The kickstand is something else that is better than the Samsung case. The Samsung kickstand is so “delicate”, that the kickstand pops off whenever pressing on the volume buttons. The Armadillo Vanguard case doesn’t have this issue and stands strong.
The only nuisance for me was the protruding square nub on the power port cover. The problem I had was that the nub had sharp corners that would dig into my pinky finger when holding the phone one handed. My home remedy solution was sandpaper the corners/edges.
Final thoughts: I am impressed with the quality of the case and its potential protection. This is especially true for the price (~$18) when compared to the Samsung Metal case with kickstand (!$40) which I also own.