Hands-on: Spigen’s entire case lineup for the Google Pixel [VIDEO]
If you were of the many who threw down 700 hundred of your hard earned dollars on a Google Pixel or Pixel XL, you probably want to protect that investment the best way you can. The easiest way to do that is with a high quality case. There are plenty of cases you can find online, but few that offer the level quality you’ll find from Spigen.
If you haven’t picked one up already, we’re sure at least a few of these cases have probably caught your eye at some point. Spigen offers a good range of sizes, finishes, and designs, so there’s a little something here for everyone. To give you a better idea of what your money will get you, we wanted to show off Spigen’s case lineup for the Pixel and Pixel XL, all in an effort to help you make a more informed purchase.
Even though I’ll be showing off the XL versions exclusively in my hands on, you can smaller versions of these for the regular Pixel as well. It’s also worth noting that in almost every case, the regular Pixel versions come in about $1 cheaper than their XL counterparts. Either way, I’ll provide links to both so everyone is covered. Take a look.
Liquid Crystal ($12)
The Liquid Crystal is a wonderfully thin TPU case for the Pixel. The back has a nice textured pattern to it to keep dust and debris from scratching up against your phone. Although it may seem like your run of the mill clear TPU case, the case is cut perfectly around the chamfered edges, fitting around the phone like a glove. There’s just a level of quality here you don’t normal see in other TPU cases.
Buy Spigen Liquid Crystal: Google Pixel | Pixel XL
Ultra Hybrid ($13)
The Ultra Hybrid is the next level up in protection from the Liquid Crystal. You have a thicker TPU wrapping around the edges of the phone and a clear hard plastic back. To keep the hard plastic back from getting scratched up on tables or other rough surfaces, the corners of the back are slightly raised. It’s very subtle, but just enough protection to keep your case looking like new longer.
Ultra Hybrid: Google Pixel | Pixel XL
Crystal Shell ($25)
The Crystal Shell is the most rugged of Spigen’s clear cases. Like the Ultra Hybrid, you have the clear plastic back — complete with raised corners to prevent the back from getting scratched — and flexible TPU along the sides. It’s on the outside corner where you’ll find reinforced bumpers, little air pockets to help dampen the fall when dropped.
Crystal Shell: Google Pixel | Pixel XL
Neo Hybrid ($17)
The Neo Hybrid is one of Spigen’s most popular cases. It’s a TPU case that features a colored plastic bumper that wraps around the sides. It’s mostly for looks, although I supposed it could help absorb impact when dropped. The back has a nice triangle design etched on the top half, perfectly matching the Pixel’s glass section.
Again, the precision and attention to detail is what separates Spigen from other manufacturers and this is probably no more apparent than with the Neo Hybrid.
Buy Spigen Neo Hybrid: Google Pixel XL
Rugged Armor ($12)
Spigen’s Rugged Armor case is definitely one of our favorites on this list. Don’t let the name fool you. Although you’d think that with the word “rugged” in the name, you’d be getting something along the lines of a thick OtterBox — not the case. Instead, you have a wonderfully practical, solid TPU case that doesn’t provide much bulk.
The back window portion (covering where the glass would be on the Pixel) has a nice ridged design, with a small carbon fiber pattern along the bottom. The inner corners have small pockets of air to help dampen falls and like with the rest of their cases, the Rugged Armor is chiseled, precision cut, and feels fantastic on the Pixel.
Rugged Armor: Google Pixel | Pixel XL
Slim Armor ($30)
Spigen’s Slim Armor case is by far the most expensive of the bunch. It’s very similar to Spigen’s Tough Armor in that the case is made of TPU, with a plastic shell that snaps on the back and covers the sides. However, the plastic shell only covers the bottom half of phone. The black version we have features a rubbery, soft touch finish that provides awesome grip. The inside corners of the case also have tiny air pockets to protect the corners from drops.
Easily the case’s standout feature is the kickstand that can prop your phone up at the perfect viewing angle. It definitely works as intended, but it’s a little flimsy and can fall off if you’re too rough with it. Thankfully, it’s super easy to re-attach, but make sure you don’t lose it.
Slim Armor: Google Pixel | Pixel XL
Tough Armor ($16)
The Tough Armor case is by far the most rugged of the whole bunch. It surrounds the Pixel in super thick TPU, a hard plastic shell that covers most of the back, and has a kickstand for comfortable media consumption. The inside of the case features Spigen’s “air cushion” technology, with pockets in the corners to protect the Pixel from falls.
One of the most interesting features of the phone is a unique air channel covering the bottom firing speaker. It actually channels the audio and shoots it to the front of the device, eliminating the need to cup the phone in noisy environments. The case is definitely rugged, but still looks great and screams quality throughout.
Tough Armor: Google Pixel | Pixel XL