Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Spigen Rugged Armor Designed for Google Pixel Case (2016)

Top positive review

My current top case pick for Pixel owners

Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2016

A premium phone like the Pixel needs a well-designed case to keep it safe and clean. Spigen has done just that with the Rugged Armor, and it ticks all the right boxes in the "rugged" department, but what has impressed me most with this case is the aesthetic. Personally, one of my favorite aspects of the new Pixel phones is the simplified industrial design and look of the back. Most cases tend to add their own design elements based on the manufacturer, but Spigen has been able to pay homage to the wonderful design of the Pixel while still adding their own flair and functionality.

Being an avid TPU case user, the feel in-hand is the best I've felt for a phone case in a long time. The matte TPU material Spigen has implemented feels great, and as someone who frequently removes the phone's case, the flexibility of the material is wonderful. There is almost no additional heft or thickness added to phone, only enough to give you a good sense of security that the edges and screen are well-protected. It's really the small details with this case that I love. Everything from the chamfered edges to the textured power button to the material accents on the back remind me of why I love the design of the phone itself. And, of course, it fits like a glove.

Most of the other Pixel case designs I've seen so far on Amazon have been fairly formulaic or otherwise bland. Spigen really won me over with this iteration, and I hope to see more like this for other current and future phones.

17 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

Brian T.

Small camera and autofocus cutouts trap dust and cause them to fail

Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2016

The case is really nice except for one critical flaw. There are two small separate cutouts for the camera and autofocus instead of one larger cutout. What ends up happening is dust gets trapped in the small cutouts and eventually causes the autofocus for the camera to stop working. There's no easy way to clean it without completely removing the phone from the case.

Otherwise this is a very nice case. The feel is good, the power and volume buttons have a nice tactile element to the them, and the power button is ribbed. The headphone and USB-C port cutouts are adequate for thick cables and the lip of the case suspends the front of the phone from whatever surface you rest it on. If they re-issued this case with a modified camera cutout I'd consider it again.

16 people found this helpful

2,312 total ratings, 1,501 with reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From the United States

David R.

My current top case pick for Pixel owners

Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2016

Verified Purchase

17 people found this helpful

Helpful

Only case you need.

Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2016

Verified Purchase

By far the best case for the Pixel. First it fits the phone perfectly, the black suits the Pixel black, it's easy to grip so no slips will be occuring. Not only that, the design is perfect, easy access to the fingerprint scanner, perfect camera cutouts, no issues, and you have easy access to all your ports. 3.5mm and charger.

Any type of headphones or charger can be used with this case. I have sideways pointing headphones instead of vertical, and it fits just fine. Music sounds perfect out of this, no case clouding at all. Will be the first & last case I use on my Pixel, won't be taking this one off. Would definitely recommend to anyone who wants a secure & scratch proof case that doesn't make it the size of a brick.

Helpful

Good feel, not bulky, looks great, and holds up well

Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2017

Verified Purchase

I've used this case over 3 months now. I love it! Looks like it belongs on this phone, not like a tacky afterthought. None of the coloring has come off and I don't think it's possible for it to. The hole for the fingerprint sensor is well placed and perfectly sized. The light texture (lines) on the upper rear is pleasant. Doesn't feel like plastic. The case is thin and doesn't add bulk, charger and headphone ports are easy to access, and buttons maintain good feel.
Note: I don't drop the phone often or from high heights. It has protected from everything I've thrown at it though.

Only con: the lower rear panel of the case (starting just below the fingerprint scanner and taking up about 2/3 of the back) slightly shows scratches. Picture what leather looks like if you scrape it with a fingernail (slight color change, but not permanent damage). You have to look closely to notice this.

Helpful

Wyatt Tauber

Great case, pretty detailed and holding up well!

Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2017

Verified Purchase

Great case for a great phone. I'm reviewing the normal (non-XL) version of the Pixel. This case makes the phone slightly more bulky, but if you usually use cases then it won't be a deal-killer (even if you don't usually use cases, it's still not, in my opinion). Spigen pays quite a bit of attention to detail, and this case has held up for several months. The case moves up around the bezels of the phone so they don't look so large compared to newer phones with the bezel-less trend (expected to be resolved with the Pixel 2) and so the phone sits slightly off the ground to prevent screen scratches. As there isn't a camera bump, the same goes for the back. I also like how they specifically made the power button serrated so that you can tell the difference between it and volume up/down. The design on the back marks the area of the Pixel that is made out of glass, and it looks pretty nice. There's also a checkered-pattern on the bottom that makes the case a bit more interesting.

I haven't dropped my phone yet (yay!), but I have no doubt that this will protect it. Of course, I also use it with a screen protector and Gorilla Glass is pretty resistant anyway. The case does feel a bit flimsy when you take it out of the box but feels pretty solid as soon as you put it on the phone. There's also a bit of a gap between the corners of the case and the phone, I would assume that is to transfer some of the stress to the sides where it will be more resistant.

My only disappointment is that Spigen didn't go for a more detailed camera cutout. There's quite a bit of dust and stuff that accumulates there between the flash and camera, and it would be nice if they had separate holes like on some other cases. I hope they change this with their next cases for the Pixel.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Olivier

Rugged Armor design still the best for me

Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2016

Verified Purchase

I've used many cases in the past on my Nexus 6P (Matte, 64GB) and always seem to return to using the Spigen Rugged Armor. I really like the feel and look of it. It doesn't add much bulk and does exactly what it's supposed to do, protect the phone. My girlfriend uses one on her Galaxy S7 (Black Onyx, 32GB) and both our phones look as good as the day they came out of their factory boxes. Neither of us use screen protectors so I cannot comment on how well those would fit when used in addition to the case.

When I ordered my 5" Pixel (Quite Black, 128GB) I immediately went onto Amazon and ordered a Spigen Rugged Armor for it. Got the case a week before I got the phone (Google Play listed shipping delays) and the case went on as soon as I put in my SIM card. It keeps the small size of the phone and provides great, discreet protection from drops. I tend to prefer this black design to the clear cases (Spigen or other manufacturers) as it hides fingerprint smudges and blends better with the black bezels of the phone. It adds extra grip without attracting lint from my pockets. The ports are perfect and the buttons feel great and responsive.

I currently see no reason for me to try other cases as thinner models (whether Spigen or others) would compromise the protection and the thicker ones add too much bulk and make the phone less attractive.

14 people found this helpful

Helpful

haven

Feels like you'd think Batman's cowl would feel like

Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2016

Verified Purchase

I am very impressed with this case. It fits my Pixel very well and adds just the right amount of protection. Overall it doesn't add much to the size of the phone and has a good size front bezel/lip to protect the screen. The material is a hard rubbery-plastic feel. Very smooth but not slippery or overly grippy. It slides in and out of pockets easily without lint or debris clinging to it. My hands are usually sweaty and I've had no problems with slipping or excessive oil or residue build up.

All phone functions, ports, and buttons are easily accessible and work.

Bottom line: good, cheap, everyday case.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Nick Carletta

Among the Best Initial Cases for the Pixel

Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2016

Verified Purchase

This case has exceeded my exceptions, especially since it is so much more affordable than the official Google cases. The case fits the Pixel well with all of the cutouts in the right locations and more importantly the buttons feel great. The power button on the case even has a texture on it similar to the phone itself. I also liked the fact the the case tried to look the the Pixel itself. I personally really like the design of the phone and I'm glad the cases tries to replicate the Pixel's design. The case is not slippery so I have not dropped my phone yet to test its protection but it looks and feels solid. The only downside for me is that it is not a small case and if you are looking for a thin and light case you should look elsewhere. This struck the right balance between protection and size for me.

Bottom line, it is still very early in the Pixel's life as a product and there are not many case options out there yet. With the current options it is hard to do better than the Spigen Rugged Armor.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful