Lightweight protection for when you drop your expensive phone
When it comes to choosing a case for your smartphone, you're normally spoilt for choice. But they're not always of the highest quality. We’ve seen some examples in the past that follow the original design of the phone but are next to useless when dropped or exposed to liquids. On the other hand, we’ve also seen phone cases that shroud the device in military grade combat gear, with extra toughened and rubberised areas.
While good, these more extreme cases do leave the device looking like a World War 2 field radio, rather than a high-end, modern smartphone.
Thankfully there lies in the middle ground a phone case that manages to keep your phone looking good, while still protecting it from damage. The ShieldX2 is a transparent case made from a mixture of toughened silicone and 9H tempered glass, so it’s lightweight and thin. The case reviewed here is for a Samsung Note 4. A front and back silicone cover sits over the rear and edges of the phone, while still providing access to the various ports, camera and buttons. And a toughened glass section covers the phone screen (curved screens come with a PET foil screen protector too).
You also get an alcohol wipe, a set of alignment stickers and a dust removal sticker, as well as the fitting instructions and an activation code for the ShieldX2 Protection Promise. Fitting the case took mere minutes, with the alignment of the screen taking the longest portion of that time; it included wiping the screen with the alcohol wipe and removing the dust first.
After fitting the screen, we braved a few tests where we dropped the phone on a tiled surface from a height of around four foot. Thankfully, there was no damage to the phone, and surprisingly little damage to the silicon case too.
We also tried to score the screen with a screwdriver, and thanks to the toughened glass, the phone’s original screen was left undamaged. It’s also worth noting that the ShieldX2’s replacement glass screen was undamaged too, and with a quick wipe of a cloth, any blemishes were quickly removed.
The ShieldX2 comes with a 12-month Protection Promise, where any physical damage will be repaired for a small processing fee of £20 plus postage and packaging, and returned within 72 hours. This includes damage to the headphone port, touchscreen or buttons, as well as warping of the device and water damage. More details are available from the ShieldX2 site, and you’ll need to make sure you register the case within 30 days of the purchase to qualify for the Protection Promise.
The ShieldX2 is a great protective case for virtually any phone available. Whether it’s an Apple device, HTC, Samsung or Sony, there’s a case designed for the model and with it a sense of relief that your precious device is protected. The Note 4 case we had for testing cost just £59.95, which is pretty good value considering the cost of the phone it’s protecting. David Hayward
Well-priced, and peace of mind for your phone.