So when my friend first turned me on to Galaxy phones, I had an S2 and was like, “Dude, this is the best phone. I can have all these apps open and it still runs like nothing.”
So I went and got a Galaxy S3 with an OtterBox case and a tempered-glass screen protector.
I feel like OtterBox’s case quality has dropped quite a bit since then. They fall apart faster, and the design forces too much of the phone to be exposed because of the edge-screen buttons.
I had that S3 for four years before the screen finally cracked — which was my fault, because I took it out of the case right before it hit the tile.
But with the newer Galaxy phones, in my experience the back glass is always the first thing to crack, even when you’re using an OtterBox.
Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with a metal back, and I’d much rather have the edges of the screen protected instead of intentionally left exposed for those edge-screen features.
It’d be great if Samsung released a Galaxy phone just as powerful as the flagship model, but built in a shell that actually works with a well-designed case and tempered-glass screen protector.
People in the trades would appreciate being able to climb through crawl spaces and maneuver in attics while keeping their phone on them — being able to communicate without constantly worrying about destroying the thing.
Personally haven't broken a phone in many years (last phone screen I cracked was an HTC Desire HD, if that tells you anything) and I've been quite pleased with the durability.
Sounds like you need a device that can withstand your particular usage. You may want to consider Samsung's XCover devices instead of the S series.
