We always have fun putting together the lists of our favourite cases for the latest smartphones, like we’ve done with cases for the Samsung Galaxy S4 in the past, but we thought we’d let you in on a little secret. Some of the dirt cheap cases on eBay work just as well.
In the photo above is a case that mimics the functionality of Samsung’s S-View case that we found on eBay. But rather than pay $54.95, like Samsung is charging, we bought this one for $6.49 — including delivery.
There are a few trade-offs we have spotted right away. The case didn’t fit perfectly when we received it. The flap on the side seemed a millimetre or so too short, so when the case was closed it would sit about halfway open. This is a problem considering that the light sensor on the front of the phone relies on the case closing properly to detect whether it should display the mini-clock screen, or not.
It turns out the case just needed some time to ‘wear in’. Now, a week on from receiving it, and the case shuts perfectly.
The design of the case replaces the back battery cover of the phone, rather than clipping the phone into the case, and the replacement back cover is much less attractive than the original cover on the S4. It also looks like it need a moustache trim in the photo above, though it doesn't look so bad in the flesh.
If you can get beyond these quibbles, we recommend you turn to eBay for a cheap S4 case. The S-View feature is nifty, and it shouldn’t cost nearly $60 get make use of it.
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