Caseology Parallax and Vault for LG G6 hands-on: Outstanding $20 cases offer protection and style

The LG G6 was just announced earlier this week and still doesn't yet have a release date. However, I've been using a non-final eval unit and the folks at Caseology sent a couple cases to test out with this new phone.

The two cases have distinctly different back designs, but both provide an ample opening for the dual cameras and a frame that makes activating the fingerprint scanner much easier.

The Vault case for the LG G6 is a single piece case made of TPU material. It has a host of interesting textures to provide protection and style, on the inside and outside.

The inside back panel has patterns of lines in various orientations that look to offer shock absorption during a fall. All four edges are fully enclosed to offer bump and drop protection, along with improvement in grip of the LG G6. The edges rise above the cool 18:9 display too so you can set your phone down on a table and relax knowing the display is not resting on the tablet top.

An area around the dual cameras contains laser-etched carbon fiber patterns to highlight the dual cameras on the LG G6 and offer a bit of style to the case.

The Caseology Vault is priced at just $19.99 and is currently available in black. I'm very impressed with the style and additional protection, especially at just $20.

The LG G6 glass back means that it is an active fingerprint magnet that needs to be wiped down regularly. The back of the Vault case has fine horizontal lines etched into it to give it some style and also eliminate any fingerprints on the case. The bottom inch or less is smooth matte material.

There are only two buttons on the LG G6 that control the volume on the left side. These areas are raised on the case and offer easy manipulation of the volume.

There are generous openings for the USB Type-C port, speaker, headphone jack, microphone, rear fingerprint scanner, and dual cameras. I actually prefer to use the LG G6 in a case like this since it helps me easily find and activate the fingerprint scanner.

The Parallax case is also currently available for just $19.99 and available in black. We have seen this style case offered in other colors before, including navy blue and gold, and I understand we will eventually see more color options for the LG G6 in the future.

Unlike the single piece design of the Vault, the Parallax is a two part case with a TPU inner shell and hard plastic frame that extends up and around the back a bit. It has a smooth matte finish that contrasts nicely with the black honeycomb back panel.

Similar to the Vault case, the Parallax case has some lines in the back that look to help spread the shock of a drop.

The fingerprint scanner and dual camera openings are surrounded by glossy black frames, which again highlights the dual cameras and makes it even easier to activate the rear fingerprint scanner.

The Parallax case is popular thanks in large part to the interesting geometric honeycomb design found on most of the back panel. It offers a cool look and a nice feel to the hand.

The same openings and buttons as seen on the Vault case are present on the Parallax case too.

Embedded on one side is the logo for the case manufacturer.

The Parallax is a great looking case that adds some corner and side protection, along with display protection thanks to the raised edge around the front screen.