Review: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Flip Cover
Several accessories for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 have started to pop-up in various gadget shops in malls. One of the most popular is the Flip Cover which currently comes in either white or gray (to match the color of your Galaxy Note 2). It’s a bit pricey though. The average price for it in Greenhills is around Php1,900 but there are quite a lot of greedy stores selling it at crazy prices. The highest I saw in Greenhills yesterday was Php2,500.
Some people were lucky though since they got the cover for free since it was part of a bundle when they bought their Note 2. To those who didn’t get it for free and want to buy one, read on for our full review.
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Review
Looks good, feels great!
Just like the first flip cover for the original Galaxy Note, this one effortlessly clips on to the back of the Galaxy Note 2 (you remove the back cover and replace it with this one). Samsung also made a few improvements and addressed some of the complaints about the first Flip Cover.
This new model no longer has a rough interior that easily peels off. The Galaxy Note 2 Flip Cover has some sort of microfiber interior which not only protects the device but also keeps the screen clean. The exterior cover feels and looks like synthetic leather which just adds to the classy profile of the device when you have it on.
IMPORTANT: This Flip Cover has an NFC Chip
Make sure to check if the Flip Cover you got has the NFC chip inside the back plate. There should be metal pins there. It’s important to check since there are a lot of fake Flip Covers in the market already and sellers are saying they are “genuine”. Don’t get scammed and make sure you get the real deal.
Still room for improvement…
The Flip Cover still has a long way to go before becoming the perfect companion for the Galaxy Note 2. For example, they put a cut-out for the speakers at the front but there’s no cut-out for the LED notification. It would have been so easy to put a small hole for that one.
Also the cover is not a “Smart Cover”. It doesn’t attach itself to the screen (not magnetized) and it doesn’t automatically wake up or puts to sleep the Galaxy Note 2 when opened and closed. This as improvements we’d like to see in the next generation of Flip Covers from Samsung.
Verdict
If you can only buy it at Php2,000, don’t go for it. Wait for the prices to stabilize if you really want one. There will also be more cases to pick from once we see the usual brands come out with cases for the Galaxy Note 2 (Otterbox, SGP, etc).
By the way, don’t get fooled by the “Samsung Stores” in malls. Not all of them are actually 100% Samsung. They’re mostly franchises and there’s no standard pricing. The best example is the Samsung Store in Greenhills. They have crazy prices! Their Galaxy Note 2 Extra Battery Kit sells for a whopping Php3,000 (whuuuuut).
For the Flip Cover the best supplier we’ve seen is Widget City. They sell it for just Php1,200. We just confirmed that the Widget City Flip Cover is not the original one. The material is different and the NFC chip doesn’t seem to work.
