How does your phone look after a year?

[Sensamic]

I'm curious to see what your phones look like after a year and more of use, mainly because my next phone must stay in better shape than my current SGS3, which after a year and a half it looks like sh**, even though it has always been inside a case and with screen protector since day one.

I take very very good care of my devices (after all, they do cost a lot of money). I keep my phone for the 2 year contract period, so I don't change until then, so I would like that my next phone doesn't end up looking so bad after just a year.

Even my old iPhone 4 broke after just a year (the home button).

I just bough a new back cover for my SGS3 because the original one broke. And let me tell you something... the phone has never fallen out of my hands, onto the floor, etc.

It's got some scratches (because plastic scratches easily I guess) around the bezels only, but it does look like a 5 year old phone... and it doesn't have 2 years yet!

So people with phones from more than a year, how do they look? What's the best materials for long periods of time? The aluminum of the iPhone 5S and HTC One? The glass of the Nexus 4 and Z2? The plastic of the Nexus 5 or Moto X/G?

Thanks.

 

[sleek881]

I have a Slate iPhone 5 and it still look brand new.

 

[Lloydbm41]

I have a Slate iPhone 5 and it still look brand new.

My Nexus 5, HTC One and Nexus 4 look brand new still. My SGS3, not so much. Take that for what it is worth.

 

[rui no onna]

I don't know what case you use but my iPhones look like brand new despite drops onto concrete and I've always just kept them inside Speck CandyShell cases. That said, if you don't use a case, I've found textured plastic (e.g. Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus) tends to be more forgiving when it comes to scratches. Mind, the back on the Moto G is replaceable so a new clam shell plus screen protector would go a long way keeping the Moto G looking like new.

 

[penplotter]

"How does your phone look after a year?"

With exceeding difficulty; it has no eyes.

 

[Savor]

My daily driver is technically 10 months old but it still looks new. No screen protector or silicon case. I have a holster case that protects it as I hate putting the phone in my pocket as it can easily slip out. Only some light dirt marks on the white plastic strips on the back which can easily with Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. And the volume buttons are no longer silver but off white smooth finish.

Been very careful with my phones since 2010. Never really dropped any of them in my 30's. During my 20's before 2010, different story. I dropped the first gen iPhone several times on concrete. My old Nokia 3360 and 3595 as well. Dropped my RAZR V3. But I haven't really damaged a phone in five years.

My next phone might be the black Nexus 5. That soft rubberized back is great at preventing scruff marks. Read it was one of the most durable smartphones out there. Metal dents and can get uglier faster. Plastic is plastic. Scratches and feels cheap. But a soft touch plastic back is probably the best at drops. Only worry of oily fingerprint marks. But scratches, shatter, and dents don't exist.

 

[Jessica Lares]

"How does your phone look after a year?"

With exceeding difficulty; it has no eyes.

I laughed more than I should have.

My S2 didn't look THAT bad. It had a lot of the paint on the sides all chipped off the side, you would have to look pretty close at it to notice though.

The nice thing about the Lumia 520, is that the display wasn't really prone to wear and tear, but your buttons and cover were. But then you could just buy a new one for less than $20 and throw the old one out. Make it look brand new again.

I've only wear and teared the first iPhone. The bezel was a mess, the metal was losing its color, and the bottom plastic part came off. Other than when I dropped it two years later, my iPhone 4 looked brand new.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Mine looks pretty good. No scratches.

 

[maflynn]

My iPhone 5 which is going on 2 years looks pristine, thanks to the Ghost armor and the case.

 

[CausticSoda]

Gggggggggggggggreat! Thanks to basic care and common sense. I don't use a "full time" case. I use a slide in and slide out wallet, and just look after the thing!

 

[Shrink]

My bought-at-release iPhone 5 is out of the box pristine. I use a Sena Ultra Slim case when out of the house, and a Just Mobile Lounge stand at home.

Keeps the phone free of all cosmetic harm.

 

[Tsuchiya]

My S4 looks fine, but it's been in a case most of it's life. A friend of mine kept his without one and well...the casing shows age.

 

[JaySoul]

My S4 is only 5 months old actually.

But it's the first time in my life I'm not using a screen protector OR a case. And it's holding up incredibly well.

I've dropped it 5 times and only one drop cause a bit of denting in the frame.

 

[TacticalDesire]

My phones usually end up looking pretty decent. I don't beat the crap out of them but I don't baby them either. I just use them like any other appliance or tool that I have. I also rarely use a case.

 

[Hastings101]

For every phone I've owned, iPhones/Blackberry/Android, just a couple of scratches on the screen and back. The only exception to this is the HTC ONE X+ I had as the power/display on button died within a few months lol. Besides that terrible phone's fluke I've never had a phone break unless I dropped it.

 

[F123D]

The last phone I had for a year was the Note II. It was in a slim TPU case with no screen protector and looked brand new when I sold it.

Currently using a Nexus 5 with a case and so far, so good.

 

[Stuntman06]

I'm curious to see what your phones look like after a year and more of use, mainly because my next phone must stay in better shape than my current SGS3, which after a year and a half it looks like sh**, even though it has always been inside a case and with screen protector since day one.

I take very very good care of my devices (after all, they do cost a lot of money). I keep my phone for the 2 year contract period, so I don't change until then, so I would like that my next phone doesn't end up looking so bad after just a year.

Even my old iPhone 4 broke after just a year (the home button).

I just bough a new back cover for my SGS3 because the original one broke. And let me tell you something... the phone has never fallen out of my hands, onto the floor, etc.

It's got some scratches (because plastic scratches easily I guess) around the bezels only, but it does look like a 5 year old phone... and it doesn't have 2 years yet!

So people with phones from more than a year, how do they look? What's the best materials for long periods of time? The aluminum of the iPhone 5S and HTC One? The glass of the Nexus 4 and Z2? The plastic of the Nexus 5 or Moto X/G?

Thanks.

That's very interesting. After more than a year and a half, my SGS3 still looks pretty good. I don't use a case, but keep it in a holster on my belt when out and about. On the back, there are a few scuff marks on the bottom corner of the back panel. The front has a very slight scratch on the bottom right corner that I think was caused by someone else handling it and dropping it. The scratch is not noticeable because it is very close to the corner of the screen. I do have a little crack on the stop side above the power button. I don't know how this happened. All of these minor imperfections are barely noticeable and you have to really be looking to see it.

About a month ago, I bought a case and belt clip for it because my original holster muffles the speaker. I found it sometimes difficult to hear the phone ring or any of the audible notifications I have set. The new case has a clip that allows the back speaker to not be obstructed making the phone louder when it is clipped to my belt.

 

[penplotter]

Here's how my daily driver looks after quite a few years of service:

 

[Gav2k]

My 4s (launch day exchanged 2 days later) was perfect up till I sold it in January this year. No scratches or scuffs and always kept naked!

My ld 5s is also spotless however I have an apple case on it.

 

[cuzo]

My S4 looks fine, but it's been in a case most of it's life. A friend of mine kept his without one and well...the casing shows age.

I dropped mine in a case, a wallet case to be exact and I see why the s4 gets bashed lol, I got some bug dents in it.

 

[Technarchy]

New basically. Case and screen protector does wonders

 

[three]

I've had my HTC One for a little under a year and it's in good condition. It has had a Best Skins Ever full body skin on it for most of it's lifetime. I did accidentally drop it right before I put the skin on it mad and that caused a few tiny (but very noticeable) chips exposing the metal right above the front facing camera.

I would say the plastic backs of phones such as the Nexus 5 would be the most forgiving in terms of scratches / dings, drops, etc.

 

[Savor]

I would say the plastic backs of phones such as the Nexus 5 would be the most forgiving in terms of scratches / dings, drops, etc.

Agreed.

Black Nexus 5, Sony Xperia ZR, Moto G, and Moto X with woven black probably have the resistance to dings/scratches. They are considered plastic but a soft touch plastic I much prefer over metal or glass backs. Less premium feeling in design but more practical and comfortable to hold without a case.

 

[My Name is URL]

Black iPhone 5 since launch day and it has a few dings, scuffs and scratches in it. Couldn't really care still works.

 

[koerk]

could some of you maybe underline their posts with pictures. Speaking for myself, I am curious how these devices actually look like.

Thank you.

Here is my iPhone 5 which was replaced in december 2013 and actually looks as good as new. Sorry, photos were taken with my MBA's Facetime camera