Hard Plastic Cell Phone Cases

We know phone cases are made in all shapes and sizes. But if you're looking for a good, protective phone case on a budget then a hard plastic cell phone case might be the right pick for you. 

Of course, every case has its drawback, so we'll go into the pros and cons of this material.

Does Hard Plastic Make a Good Phone Case?

Hard plastic cases are good for protecting your phone against knocks and scratches. 

These phone cases are not bulky. Instead, they are lite and thin making them easy to carry around. They are also cost-effective so if they do damage quickly, it won't break your bank account to get a new one.

We also like that the hard plastic phone case is not absorbent so if you accidentally spill something over your phone, it won't soak through. This is really resourceful especially if your phone is not water-resistant. 

And best of all, the hard plastic phone cases can clean very easily. Just a quick wipe down or soapy rinse under running water and you’re done. 

These cases are made out of polycarbonate which is a strong plastic, also known as PC plastic. This hard plastic is one of the best phone case materials on the market.  

What are the Drawbacks of a Hard Plastic Phone Case?

Although durable, hard plastics are likely to damage when dropped. The corners of the cover may break if they’re hit on impact. This is due to the lack of bounce in a hard plastic case.

While they may protect your device from direct sunlight or icy weather, it also acts as an insulator trapping heat generated from your phone. The heat will damage your phone and drain your battery.

It is also bad for the environment. Why are phone cases toxic? Yes, they are, especially the hard plastic phone cases. When they burn, harmful chemicals are released into our ozone layer. 

If you don’t know what to do with old phone cases perhaps try to upcycle them instead of throwing them away. Online you will find numerous hacks that you might find very resourceful. Or you could donate your old case perhaps to an old age home.

How do Silicone and Hard Cases Differ?

Hard phone cases are not only visibly different from silicone cases, but they also serve a slightly different purpose.

The hard cases have a smooth finish. This provides a better finish for adhesive vinyl applications which is great to customize your case. Although silicone grip is better, hard case manufacturers add special features to their plastic cases like tangible edges. 

We also love that the hard plastic phone case can be purchased as transparent. This feature is great if you would like to show off the design of your brand new phone. 

Do silicone phone cases work?  Yes, they do. These rubber phone cases are shock absorbent so no chips on this phone case. You can also get a good grip on the rubber cases and it has great flexibility. The silicone case will however stretch eventually. 

On the market, you might also come across a hybrid phone case. What is a hybrid cell phone case? The Hybrid case is a phone case that is hard plastic on the inside and over the hard case goes the soft silicone cover. 

What is a TPU phone case? TPU is a type of plastic that is used to make phone cases. 

You can say it falls in between plastic and rubber. It is not as flexible as silicone and not as hard as plastic making it a perfect combination of both materials.

Silicone cases are great and certainly serve a purpose, but the hard phone cases are way more durable which makes it the better choice out of the two options. 

Do Hard Plastic Cases Have other Names?

Hard plastic cases come in a variety of different styles so their names will differ with each brand. Before you shop for your new hard plastic phone case, familiarise yourself with the materials and names before making a decision. 

A good example of this would be the Zero-Gravity phone case. What is a zero-gravity phone case? A zero gravity phone case is also known as an anti-gravity phone case. 

It is a hard plastic case that has Nano suction material mounted to the back of the case. 

This Nano suction enables the phone case to stick to multiple smooth surfaces. 

Conclusion

So now we know that hard plastic cell phone cases are hard-wearing, light-weight, cost-effective, and highly durable. All this combined is great protection for your phone.

Hard plastic cell phones cases have been around for as long as we can remember. The fact that people still buy them is a clear indication that these cases do the job very well.

We must however bear in mind that even though the hard plastic material is the best protection for our phones, it is not the best choice for our environment. So if you do need to purchase a new case let’s try to repurpose the old plastic cases.  

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• Can I put my credit card in my phone case?
• How much do phone cases cost?
• Clean a phone case
• Clean a silicone phone case
• Clean plastic phone case
• Why do clear phone cases turn yellow?
• How to remove scratches from a clear phone case
• How to disinfect a phone case
• How to get permanent marker off a phone case