RoXolid Review- Spigen Slim Armor Case for the Samsung Galaxy S6

   

     You have a nice, new, shiny smart phone, you know, the kind with ALLLLLLL the bells and whistles? 47,000,000MP camera, 1.21 Gigawhat battery, a personal assistant that says "Hi" to you in that all too seductive way? You're not going to just run around with that thing naked all day, are you? Of course not, but you also don't want to have your ultra-thin smartphone as thick as your last-generation smartphone. In working on our upcoming review of the Samsung Galaxy S6 we wanted to make sure all that gorgeous glass and aluminum was protected. That's where the Spigen Slim Armor Kickstand case comes into play.



RoXolid Review Specs
Who Makes It - Spigen
What Is It - TPU and Polycarbonate Kickstand Case
Colors - Blue Topaz, Champagne Gold, Gunmetal, Mint, Shimmery White
MSRP - $29.99

RoXolid Overview
     I ended ordered two different colors of the Slim Armor cases, one in Gunmetal and one in Blue Topaz. Both arrived in days, actually a day earlier than anticipated and before the Galaxy S6 was released. I was a bit disappointed that the kickstand "nub" on the Gunmetal kickstand was actually broken out of the box. No worries though as a quick email to Spigen resulted in a replacement (actually 4) being sent out. That's great customer service!

   

 The Slim Armor Case is made up of two different components. The first is a soft, rubbery inner shroud made of TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) which is then surrounded by a hard molded piece. I was shocked when I pulled the TPU and the molded parts apart and the kickstand just fell out.



While it may appear that the kickstand snaps into the molded back it actually just rests there. When the phone is in the TPU and the back is on the pressure fit of the phone keeps the kickstand in-place. It seemed a bit odd but we'll see in-testing if it works or not.

Along the sides of the case Spigen has done some really nice design work. The volume up/down buttons and the power button are all nice and large. Often with TPU-style cases they are more worried about covering things than they are in maintaining functionality. With the Slim Armor it appears you will have the best of both worlds here.

Along the bottom of the case you have a generous opening for your headphone jack, USB and speaker. One of my biggest complaints about TPU cases I have bought online is that, while the earphone jack accommodates the stock headphones I can't plug in my good Sennheiser headphones in because the jack shielding has too large of an outer diameter. I'm pleased to report that should not be an issue here with the Slim Armor as the opening is pretty generous and should work with many headphones, not just your stock Sammy ones.  

RoXolid Testing

      There are a ton of ways to test a cell case. There are drop tests, scratch tests, throw your phone off the roof like an idiot test but for this test I thought "hey, why don't I just use it", so I did. Before I left the store with my shiney new precious I put the Slim Armor on it. The fit couldn't have been any better. It was snug enough that I didn't feel like the phone was going to fall out but I could also remove the phone if need be quickly and easily. I even discovered that I could remove the phone from the case without removing the molded backing in a pinch.
   
     The volume and power buttons on the Slim Armor are really one of the shining spots on this case. They protect the buttons without inhibiting your access to them. I could easily feel my way along the case to raise or lower the volume or turn the phone on or off without having to look and search for them on the phone. At least for the most part. Coming from a Note 3 the Galaxy S6's power button is in a different location so I find myself reaching higher on the phone to power it on or off, but that's me just having to get used to the phone versus a defect or problem in the case.

     The one area that I have to admit being a little less than sold on it is the kickstand itself. The design isn't bad, it's quite ingenious actually. It's just not as rock solid as the rest of the case feels. I've used other phones and cases with kickstands and they just feel more robust. This one feels like it's resting between a piece of TPU and molded composite which, frankly, it is. It's functional and I haven't had any issues using it, I just wish it felt more solid.

RoXolid Wrap-Up
     At the end of the day I would honestly recommend the Spigen Slim Armor Case to anyone, not only with a Galaxy S6 but with any phone that the company makes one for.It is a great blend of materials and functional design that doesn't leave you feeling like you've buried your phone in something hideous. While it was disappointing that one kickstand was broken out of the box I was very impressed by how well Spigen handled my issue and sent out not just one replacement but several. This was my first experience with Spigen and after this experience it won't be my last. At almost $30 on the Spigen site it may be a little much for a TPU-based case but there are deals to be had for the savvy shopper out there. You invest a lot of money in a smart phone, you should spend a little coin to protect it too and with the Spigen Slim Armor you definitely get what you pay for!

RoXolid Rating
Value - 7
Quality - 9
Performance - 9 
Overall - 9