Tank on Your Wrist – Spigen Tough Armor Apple Watch Case Review [VIDEO]

Following the case of the ‘Mystery Scratch’ on the screen of my Apple Watch Sport, I decided it was time to try out a screen shield and case. Sadly, I’ve heard that screen shields for the Apple Watch aren’t very good because they don’t stay on well. That lead me to the Spigen Tough Armor case. Not only does it protect the watch casing from scratches and drops, it also has a built in screen shield. I’ve been testing it for nearly two weeks, and it does what it advertises. But is it worth your money?

YouTube video

Let me start with the positives. The Spigen Tough Armor case really does a nice job protecting the Apple Watch. I’ve bumped and dropped my new Apple Watch, and not a scratch on it. I’ve even managed to bump the screen on my car door and the granite counter top and not a scratch on it. So there is no doubt the Tough Armor case is doing its job.

Sadly the case itself looks like a tank. I can’t tell you the number of people who’ve asked what I’m wearing on my wrist when I’ve had it on. So many more than when I don’t have a case on the Apple Watch. Their reaction is always the same …

It looks like you are wearing a tank on your wrist.

The Spigen Tough Armor case is simple to put on and take off, but doing so on a regular basis opens you up to more potential issues. Because it is a built in screen shield, you really need to make sure there is no debris on your Apple Watch screen or the underside of the screen shield. If not, then you could get something underneath that could scratch the screen. While debris shouldn’t scratch the screen because of its hardness, you just never know.

Also, the underside of the screen shield is a bit tacky. So fingerprints or smudges will show through when you put it on. It’s not the easiest to clean. One extra thing I’ve found out after doing the review video, is water will get in between the screen and screen shield. This leaves an annoying water bubble, forcing you to remove the screen shield and let it dry off. You could also use a cloth or something to dry it off, but in my experience, doing so has left tiny life pieces of fuzz and such on the screen.

There is no denying, when it comes to protecting your Apple Watch, the Spigen Tough Armor case does a great job. If you want to keep your watch looking pristine or if you have a very active lifestyle where you are more at risk of damaging your watch, the Spigen Tough Armor case is a great choice. But remember, it does so at the cost of taking away from the look of your Apple Watch.

As for me, I will keep using the case when I’m at the gym, but otherwise it’ll remain on my desk at home. I’m just not a fan of the look, but I think I can safely say that for all the current Apple Watch cases on the market. Maybe over time there will be a more elegant solution.

Let me know what you think. Have you found a better solution for protecting your watch? Let me know in the comments.

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