Anyone else prefer plastic to metal or glass in smartphones?

[desura]

Plastic is light and it resists damage and scratches better than metal. It does not shatter like glass. When it is damaged, it isn't such a big deal.

Like, if you ever look at used devices, the iphone with its metal and glass always looks worse for wear than equivalent devices.

 

[Lat]

Glass can shatter easily.
Metal can act as a little Faraday cage for your wireless reception.

Polycarbonate is great. Impact resistant, not as heavy as glass or metal, and ultra durable. There's a reason I'm still using my SGS4.

 

[Eug]

I prefer the look and feel of metal to plastic.

I prefer the look and feel of glass to plastic as well, but its being shatter prone scares me.

P.S. The iPhone 5c (polycarbonate) weighs 18% more than the iPhone 5 (aluminum). However, part of that is likely due to the battery.

 

[lopri]

I am waiting for flexible glass.

 

[Midwayman]

Plastic is really better other than looking pretty. My phone is in a case anyways. Who cares.

 

[Red Storm]

I do prefer it, as long as it's good plastic. Bad plastic like the Galaxy S4 or LG G2? Hell no!

The Nexus 5's plastic back is probably the best I've ever felt in my opinion, out of all phones and materials.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I honestly don't care. Every single phone I have had lives in a plastic shell case. Currently I have an M8 and I would never use it without the case because I would be terrified I will break it.

 

[zerocool84]

If you've ever felt the plastic on the Nexus 5/7 your agree that plastic doesn't always have to feel cheap. The plastic on this Nexus devices feels real good.

 

[PokerGuy]

In my experience the plastic feels and looks cheaper and less "high end", but from a performance standpoint I don't think it makes much of a difference. Weight and durability are probably very similar. Either way, I prefer the feel of metal, but I'm ok either way.

 

[Trombe]

Soft touch plastic.

 

[Oyeve]

My co-worker just dropped his 4 hour old iphone 6 64gb 1.5 feet to the floor. It looks like a bus ran over the glass. Its totalled. I didnt even have a chance to put VZW total protection package on it, thats how new it was. Me, I always have all my phones in some type of minimal case. I usually order the case before the phones. Mostly use Spigen Hybrids.

 

[Zaap]

I don't like cheap plastic, otherwise, I don't much care. Just looking at my Note 3 for example- the front of it is indistinguishable under the glass whether it plastic, metal or whatever. There's not a bit of difference that matters. The silver band around the edge is the thing I hate- it's cheap, crappy plastic that scrapes easily revealing black underneath. I'm so glad Samsung ditched that awfulness on the Note 4 which to me is nearly perfect, materials wise.

The back I actually prefer being plastic- it feels great, looks okay, and is easily interchangeable anyway.

The best looking metal phones I like a lot, like the HTC One and the new iPhones.

I hate phones that just look cheap- shiny black plastic is the worst IMO.

 

[Bubbleawsome]

My co-worker just dropped his 4 hour old iphone 6 64gb 1.5 feet to the floor. It looks like a bus ran over the glass. Its totalled. I didnt even have a chance to put VZW total protection package on it, thats how new it was. Me, I always have all my phones in some type of minimal case. I usually order the case before the phones. Mostly use Spigen Hybrids.

See, it's pretty random. I dropped my iphone 6 feet onto tile and the metal is a bit bent and the upper left glass is a bit broken, but only a little.

Aesthetically I like the glass on the front and the back the most like on the iphone 4/s. Otherwise I'd like metal because it stays cool. Much more comfortable to hold.

 

[thilanliyan]

I like the metal build of my HTC M7.
I really DO NOT like the soft touch plastic that is so pervasive these days. The plastic Nokia uses is much nicer IMO.

 

[Phokus]

prefer plastic only because qi charging doesn't work with metal.

 

[cronos]

As long as it looks pretty, I really don't mind. Although I'd rather not have glass.

 

[cronos]

Otherwise I'd like metal because it stays cool. Much more comfortable to hold.

I think you're mistaken. Metal makes heat dissipate better through the body, so it actually feels a little hotter to us (although it gets cool faster after that, too). My M7 is like that.

 

[Obsy]

Nope, metal or glass all the way. Besides feeling premium, they're also much easier to clean. And, contrary to the OP, my metal/glass phones always look better than my plastic ones when it's time for me to sell them.

 

[Kaido]

Plastic is light and it resists damage and scratches better than metal. It does not shatter like glass. When it is damaged, it isn't such a big deal.

Like, if you ever look at used devices, the iphone with its metal and glass always looks worse for wear than equivalent devices.

Yes, I like the feel of the iPhone 5C way more than my 5S. But I have a plastic case on my 5S, so it doesn't really matter.

 

[Ramses]

Yeah don't care, going in a big case anyway. They can be thicker and cheaper with better guts while I'm wishing upon stars too, don't care how thin if it's under half an inch.

 

[techthis]

I prefer plastic (not cheap plastic). Metal feels cold.

 

[openwheel]

Nothing beats kevlar.

 

[Roland00Address]

I prefer the look and feel of metal to plastic.

I prefer the look and feel of glass to plastic as well, but its being shatter prone scares me.

P.S. The iPhone 5c (polycarbonate) weighs 18% more than the iPhone 5 (aluminum). However, part of that is likely due to the battery.

Part of that is they use a steel frame on the iPhone 5c then put plastic around it.

http://iphone-developers.com/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-iphone-5c/

 

[TiredEngineer]

I think the Nexus 5 has the best feel of any phone I have owned (2 iPhones, GN2, and the N5).

 

[lxskllr]

Yeah don't care, going in a big case anyway. They can be thicker and cheaper with better guts while I'm wishing upon stars too, don't care how thin if it's under half an inch.

Add user replaceable parts, and I'll sign on to your platform.

I like plastic cause it's durable, but my phone's in a case. I don't care about resell value cause I have no intention of selling it. If it's worth something to someone else, it's worth something to me. and I'll be using it.