Hands-on: Six cases for the Huawei Mate 9 that cover all the bases

The Huawei Mate 9 was one of the best smartphone values of 2016, and after its US release in January, we believed it to be the best alternative at the time to the Google Pixel. Here are five cases that we’ve taken a look at over the last few months, ranging from straight protection from bumps and scratches all the way to a case that’s waterproof…

UAG Plasma Series

The UAG Plasma Series case for the Mate 9 is one that many will recognize. Offering an industrial look and all-around protection, this UAG case looks good without being too thick. The case’s backing is mostly made of a transparent plastic so that you can still see your handset inside, with hard black plastic around the edges to make sure nothing gets damaged while adding a bit of style. As long as you are a fan of its look, it is hard to say no to this fantastic case.

Purchase the UAG Plasma Series case for the Mate 9 from Amazon for $30 shipped.

Spigen Rugged Armor

Spigen is unfortunately only offering one case for the Huawei Mate 9, but that doesn’t mean that it’s any less capable of protecting your device. Made with a flexible TPU material, this case is both easy to apply and adds extra protection to something that Spigen calls “Air Cushion Technology.” On top of that, Spigen adds to the Mate 9’s design by adding a touch of carbon fiber and a faux-window around the camera and fingerprint sensors.

Purchase the Spigen Rugged Armor case for the Mate 9 from Amazon for $13 shipped.

Olixar FlexiShield

The next two cases are somewhat similar, but this one adds a bit of “color” to the mix. The FlexiShielf from Olixar is the ideal “cheap” case. Made with a simple design, this case is crafted out of a thin TPU material that will provide very basic protection. If you’re on a budget and you just need something that keeps the display off of the ground and has a little something protecting the edges of the Mate 9, the Olixar FlexiShield is for you.

Purchase the Olixar FlexiShield case for the Mate 9 from MobileFun for $7 with $3 for shipping.

Olixar Ultra-Thin

As mentioned above, this Olixar Ultra-Thin case is practically the same case as the Flexishield. The only differences are that this model offers see-through plastic as compared to the dark gray and is a dollar more expensive. While it does allow you to still see and admire the Mate 9’s metallic design, it doesn’t do much in the face of protecting it from major drops. But hey, at least it is something.

Purchase the Olixar Ultra-Thin case for the Mate 9 from MobileFun for $8 with $3 for shipping.

Olixar X-Duo

The Olixar X-Duo is one of the few cases available for the Huawei Mate 9 that actually adds a bit of style to the handset. First, this case is made out of a combination of two pieces: an inner thin TPU shell that encases the entire device, and a tiny piece of hardened plastic that covers the edges of the Mate 9 and the top and bottom of the phone. While the X-Duo does add a bit of pizazz to the Mate 9, it might not fare well from potential drops.

Purchase the Olixar X-Duo case for the Mate 9 from MobileFun for $21 with $3 for shipping.

Love Mei Powerful

Lastly, we have the Love Mei Powerful case. When people usually think of a case that offers the best protection from drops, water, or a tank rolling over their phone, they think of LifeProof. The Love Mei is LifeProof on steroids. Made out of a mostly metal exterior and thick protective TPU within, the Powerful will protect your phone from almost any damage. The downside is that it makes the already large Mate 9 even bigger and doubles its weight.

Purchase the Love Mei Powerful case for the Mate 9 from MobileFun for $42 with $3 for shipping.