Zenphone-5 Case

[dddave]

A note to Zenphone-5 users regarding case. I purchased the case offerred by LAZADA for the Zenphone-5..B499. I paid over the counter at 7-11 and it was delivered in 3 days (Bangkok), B565 total including delivery and counter-pay charge.

Pretty cheap appearing...more like a B300 case, entirely molded plastic with a slight velvety texture. The round window has no clear screen. At first I could not get the phone to fit, case seemed too small until I realized (duh) that the case back cover REPLACED the original back cover...doing that it fit very snugly.

Then I noticed I had no power or volume buttons. They are an integral part of the back cover, not the phone and all I saw now were empty slots. I wondered if I was supposed to somehow remove the original one and re-install it. Luckily, I happened to notice a tiny strip of plastic on the floor near where I opened the package and that turned out to be the missing buttons. You are supposed to insert this button strip into the slot before you insert the phone. Be careful when you open the cover package because this essential piece is just loosly in the box, no seperate wrap to make it easier to notice.

I noticed that every time I opened the phone case after, that strip would pop out...very easy to loose. I've tried a few dabs of glue on the ends...I hope that will keep it in place.

For the money, I'd suggest waiting until some better selections hit the market. With the popularity of this model, there should be more out soon.

[dddave]

Zenphone 5 case; Part 2.

I wrote the original post. I had ordered another case for the Zenphone 5 from AliExpress but was impatient to wait the 3-4 weeks delivery time, that is why i purchased the NORTH case I reported on previously.

The 2nd case arrived yesterday. It is also an aftermarket case manufactured by ZHUDIAO (China) I paid US$ 5.50 w/free shipping. It took 13 days to be delivered in Thailand from China.

This case is different from the NORTH case in that the whole phone with back cover snaps into the case mount. With the North case, the case back cover replaced the phone back cover.

Also, the circular window on the front flap of this case has a clear plastic film attached so the entire phone display is protected when the phone is in your pocket. The touch screen seemed to work normally when using the window.

The material is textured plastic with a good grippy feel and construction quality was good. Because the phone sits in a fairly thick plastic cradle, both the POWER & VOLUME buttons are recessed somewhat in their respective slots, a bit awkward to access them quickly or find them by touch.

The only real downside to this case is that the weight difference between this and the other case is really noticeable. The added plastic of the cradle and essentially 2 back covers combine to make it much heavier. I like to listen to music when on Public Transport and usually put my phone in my shirt pocket when doing so. The phone using the original case did not weigh the pocket down much at all but with the Zhudiao case, the pocket strained.

For the money, not a bad case. It cost a little more than half of the previous one. Which one will become the default case? Probably the NORTH case because of the weight factor but I will probably attach some clear plastic to the window.