Material
— Plastic. The most popular material for mobile cases today. On the one hand, plastic is cheap and easy to process, it can be produced in almost any colour, with original patterns and various surface textures, which provides a wide variety of models. On the other hand, it is quite durable, waterproof, and tolerates temperature extremes well. Among the shortcomings, it is worth noting the tendency of
plastic covers to get scratches, which gradually leads to the loss of the neat look. At the same time, for everyday use, its durability is quite enough.
— Textile. Used in bags, cases and sports cases (see "Type"), a fairly common material among these types. The fabric has many varieties, ranging from soft and thin to reinforced rigid, comparable in strength and protection to plastic. However, the latter option is relatively rare, mainly in sports cases. The fabric can be natural, synthetic or a combination (the composition should be taken into account when cleaning and washing fabric covers). Among the advantages of
fabric covers are low cost, pleasant to the touch and attractive appearance — a wide variety of patterns and colours can be applied. Among the disadvantages are a relatively low degree of protection against impacts, close-to-zero water protection, as well as sensitivity to a number of contaminants (for example, it is quite difficult to remove a fat stain from a fabric).
— Silicon
...e. Soft and fairly elastic polymer material. Thanks to its elasticity, it provides good protection against impacts; in addition, it is resistant to scratches, temperature extremes and also does not allow moisture to pass through. Silicone cases can also have a wide range of colours.
— Leather. Stylish and top-notch class material. Leather cases look very eye-catching, thanks to which such a product can not only protect a mobile phone from adverse effects, but also emphasize the status of the owner. Physical specs are also quite worthy: this material is durable, waterproof, resistant to temperature extremes and scratches. Among the shortcomings, in addition to the high price, one can note the exactingness of care: the skin must be treated with special means and rather strict rules for cleaning and drying must be maintained, otherwise it may deform or crack, and the product will lose its main advantage — a signature appearance.
— Leatherette. An artificial material used to simulate leather (see above). To date, many types of leather substitutes are used, their quality and appearance, usually, directly depends on the price. At the same time, even the most expensive options are usually cheaper than genuine leather, but they can look no worse — at least if you do not look at the leatherette case at extremely close range. Another advantage is ease of care. The main disadvantage, specific for all leather substitutes, is the lower resistance to various factors: they are less durable than genuine leather, more prone to scuffs and sensitive to temperature changes.
— Metal. This material can be classified as advanced. It is waterproof, scratch resistant and one of the most durable cell phone cases available today. Another advantage of metal is the overall impression of reliability, both in appearance and to the touch. On the other hand, due to the high thermal conductivity, the metal noticeably “cools” hands in the cold, and also poorly protects the phone from the cold itself (which can adversely affect the battery). However, if you do not have to be outdoors for hours, this drawback can hardly be called critical. Of the varieties of metal, various aluminium alloys are most often used; this material, in addition to the above, has one more advantage — low weight.
— Carbon. Another name is carbon fiber. It is a composite based on carbon fiber, which provides very impressive specs: for example, the strength of carbon can be even higher than that of metal. Other properties can be judged at least by the fact that carbon is used in various fields where one has to deal with difficult conditions — up to aviation and space technology. At the same time, carbon is much lighter than metal, thus an important advantage of this material is also low thermal conductivity and, accordingly, good thermal insulation (for more details on the importance of this spec, see above, in the "Metal" section). Among the shortcomings, in addition to a rather high price, one can note a tendency to burn out in the sun.
— Rubber. The material is close in its properties to silicone, but unlike the latter, it provides higher protection against mechanical damage. Rubber absorbs shock and vibration properly, working as a kind of bump/shock absorber. Such protection is almost always shockproof. For this reason, rubber covers have a fairly massive design. On the other hand, such material is not well suited to emphasize the subtlety and elegance of a mobile device.
— Wood. Almost all cases made of wood are presented in the form of a protective cover with a bumper. The cover protects the back panel and sides of the phone properly. Wood has high aesthetic and decorative qualities, such a cover looks really attractive. In addition, solid wood provides a pleasant tactile sensation. But the wood also has its drawbacks. Natural wood requires careful handling. Cover surfaces will need to be cleaned regularly. The wood is sensitive to the moisture, if such a cover is wetted, it can swell and darken.
— Polyurethane. It occupies an intermediate position between plastic and silicone. This material is not as malleable as silicone, but not as rough as plastic. Cases of all types and modifications are made of polyurethane : pads, bumpers, books, etc. On the basis of polyurethane, you can create both an elegant case that can emphasize the beauty of an ultra-thin case, and shock-resistant protection, which is distinguished by a massive texture.
— Polycarbonate. Has many properties of plastic. It is practical and aesthetic, reliable and durable, but at the same time surpasses traditional plastic in strength. Cases made of polycarbonate are less prone to various abrasions and scratches, polycarbonate exhibits increased resistance to mechanical stress. One of the main properties of polycarbonate is high resistance to the damaging effects of sun exposure — polycarbonate covers do not fade and do not become cloudy over time.MIL-STD-810
Cases with MIL-STD-810 protection allow you to safely use your mobile device in extreme conditions. Such models are distinguished by excellent shockproof properties, significantly increase the resistance of the phone to the negative effects of moisture, low and high temperatures, various kinds of vibration and other mechanical effects. Initially, the MIL-STD-810 standard was developed for the military, who use radio communications in the field.
Thickness
This parameter directly depends on the material of the cover. Cases based on silicone can have the smallest wall thickness — the average silicone case has a wall thickness of only 0.5 mm. The greatest wall thicknesses belong to cases made of rubber and wood. Additionally, the form factor of a case can also affect the thickness of the case walls. Shockproof covers always have a massive texture — the thickness of the walls in shockproof cases can be over 3 mm.
Weight
The weight of the case is determined by its material, as well as the form factor. Shockproof pads, as well as book cases, have the biggest weight. Heavy materials include metal, polyurethane and rubber. By reducing the weight of the case, the overall level of aesthetics of the mobile device improves.
