David Lumm is a professional programmer and all round geek with a passion for making technology simple.
This review of the Barbour Samsung Galaxy S3 Case is the first of two reviews of cases supplied by the device protection experts at Proporta.co.uk.
I’ve never used a folio case before I started reviewing this particular model, in fact as I thought about that fact it occurred to me that I’ve never really protected a phone quite as much as I feel the need to now. I reckon I’ve owned a mobile phone for the last 12/13 years; and whilst some of those early models were adorned with the “leather”-edged, plastic-fronted and elastic-sided type cases that were the norm as the time, most have lived in my pocket without any additional protection. The S3 I’m currently using started out unprotected, but I found it made me feel nervous much more than any previous phone had done.
Given all of that, I started this review not expecting to be blown away by the product. It didn’t matter to me much that it was a brand name either. I did not expect to find myself actually liking it.
So let’s start from the beginning; I was really pleased with how the case arrived. It was well packed and in a good quality Barbour branded display box. But what really pleased me was the inclusion of a little gift of tea. I’d imagine the gift itself wouldn’t be up everybody’s street, but the fact it was included, even with a product for review, adds a personal touch which is welcome.
The case itself appears to have been made to a high standard, including real-leather panels and a style that wouldn’t look at all out of place on any of Barbour’s famous jackets. The inside is trimmed with a Barbour exclusive material.
At first I found the magnetic closure a little confusing, but this may be due to my inexperience with this type of case; it connects at the back of the phone rather than the front. Presumably this is so you can attempt to hold and open the case with one hand, but for me a phone this size is nearly always a two handed device.
Having now used the case for about two weeks I’ve found myself getting quite fond of it, not least because it impresses people. I’m genuinely impressed by the level of protection it offers, I’ve dropped the phone at least twice onto pretty hard surfaces and had no problems.
What I’ve also enjoyed is the fact that I tend to take the phone out of the case more, admittedly that is more to do with the type of case than this particular model, but it’s become a bit of a selling point to me. I generally take it out at work to place on my desktop stand and also at night, so that I don’t have to fiddle with the case if it goes off. What this means is that I get to enjoy the S3 as designed occasionally, whilst also getting the protection I require the majority of the time.
Even though I take the phone out at least twice most days, the case seems to be holding up well. I have seen some cheap cases start to show the strain after just a couple of attempts of taking a phone out and putting it back in again.
Overall I found myself really impressed with the quality and design of the case, in a fashion sense (something I’m not at all motivated by) it seems this would go with most outfits for most occasions. Some gel cases and the like can leave your top of the range phone looking a bit naff, not so with this premium product from a premium brand.
This wasn’t really a product I expected to like, not that I didn’t expect it to be high quality, but I wasn’t sure I would like the form factor. However I was pleasantly surprised and I’m a convert!
Guest author: Brian Kane
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