Review - Wooden Phone Case for Galaxy Note 3

VWTech Co Ltd are yet another company out of Shenzen, China, selling weird and wonderful gadgets at knockdown prices.

I decided to treat myself to one of their "Unique Real Handmade Natural Wood Wooden Hard Bamboo Shockproof Case For Samsung Galaxy Note 3"

It promised to be a laser-cut and engraved, bamboo case for my Note 3. For £10, I thought it was worth a punt. After waiting a week for delivery, it arrived smothered in bubble wrap and looking gorgeous!

The case comes in two halves - about a 60/40 split.

The inside is lined with felt - to further cushion and protect your device.

It's a snug fit - it's a little tough to get the phone into the case - but that keeps it from rattling around.

The back of the case is laser etched. There are a variety of designs to choose from, including compasses, trees, stripes - and various colours of wood as well.

The case is light - but does as considerable bulk to the device. While it helps it feel solid, you may have difficulty fitting it in existing car kits, etc.

The ports are all fairly recessed. I found a few USB cables were tight to get in and out - although headphone cables didn't seem to be a problem.

The power and volume buttons are a little too well protected for my liking. Whereas before I could jab my thumb in their general direction and get a response, now I have to precisely alight my fingertip with the hole to activate them. I'm not sure how much that will bother me in the long term.

Finally, how does the device feel in the hand?

Amazing! The texture of the wood feels delightful - very tactile. The case is cool to the touch and doesn't have the shabby feel of Samsung's cheap plastic backing. It has attracted admiring looks whenever I've got my phone out.

It does add a little girth to an already chunky phone - luckily my hands can easily accommodate it. My car kit can stretch far enough to hold it steady when I'm using the phone for navigation. The wood doesn't seem to cause any signal deterioration - the phone can still read NFC chips - although I haven't seen how well it works with Wireless Charging.

Really, the only other disadvantage is that it's very tight and, consequently, quite hard to take the case off. If you're always swapping your SIM, MicroSD card, or battery, this isn't the case for you.

I've removed the Note's back cover which makes it a lot easier to slide the wooden case on and off. It has the minor disadvantage of making the wooden case a fraction too loose - but means I can swap cases more easily.

Currently, these wooden cases are a tenner on Amazon.

Personally, I think that's a bargain. The cases are strong, durable, feel fantastic, and look absolutely beautiful.