OtterBox iPhone Defender Review

OtterBox iPhone Defender Review

Most iPhone cases are more about style than protection, which is fine if you don’t mind busting your iPhone the first time you drop it. OtterBox puts protection first with the iPhone Defender and it’s the only iPhone case I recommend if you’re a clutz or keeping your iPhone in pristine condition is important to you.

I bought an iPhone the day Apple’s first phone launched and have gone through a half-dozen cases so far and have played with many, many more.

So what makes the iPhone Defender different? OtterBox designs cases primarily to protect gadgets, putting function before form.

Instead of relying on one method of protection, it has three. The iPhone Defender consists of a two-part Polycarbonate shell, a clear Polycarbonate membrane and a silicon skin. A belt holster is also included. All of this material wraps the iPhone in a cocoon that can stand up to the elements.



Check out this Video of the iPhone Defender from OtterBox

The clear membrane is pretty thick and you’d have to try pretty hard to scratch you iPhone’s screen when it’s in this case. When I tested the iPhone Defender the membrane did have a couple of small bubbles, which was annoying. OtterBox suggests users rub the iPhone’s screen with the palm of your hand before installation. The oils from your hands actually prevents these bubbles from appearing.

The interlocking shell is the heart of the case and acts as a roll cage for the iPhone. It is very rigid and feels tough as nails. You actually have to pry at it to open it up. The material is thicker than other hard cases I’ve seen and I really like that it’s impossible to open it accidentally by dropping it.

To top it all, the silicon skin wraps around the shell. The skin is designed to absorb shock and seals off the iPhone’s docking port, ear piece and headphone jack. There are little flaps that open up so you can still access the headphone jack and docking port, but unfortunately you can’t toggle the ring/vibrate switch without removing the entire case.

I used this case for two weeks and can say without a doubt that the iPhone Defender is the most protective case I’ve come across so far. I dropped my iPhone accidentally from about waist level onto asphalt. The iPhone Defender performed as expected and absolutely nothing happened.

I’ve faced similar situations and the results weren’t so good. Last winter I dropped my iPhone while encased in an Agent 18 case onto pavement from a short distances and watched in horror as the case just split in two, dumping my iPhone onto the ground and resulting in serious dents and scratches.

The belt holster was substantial, and I like that it has a tab at the top that locks your iPhone into place. Like every other component, the belt holster is much more rugged than your average iPhone case.

I highly recommend those that work or play in rougher environments to consider the iPhone defender. If you work in emergency services, on a construction site or outdoors the iPhone is a must-have.

To get all of his protection you do have to deal with some negative aspects of the iPhone Defender. The most annoying feature is not being able to toggle into silent mode quickly. Cleaning the iPhone Defender can also be a chore when dust sneaks into the case and gets between the membrane and the screen. The raised bezel can make typing on the iPhone more difficult for those of us with big fat fingers.

The audio quality is also impacted by this case, with the earpiece being slightly muffled. When I first started using the iPhone Defender, people complained of an echo, which was caused by sound from the earpiece reaching the microphone via the hard shell case. I eliminated this problem by reducing the volume or using my headset.

I don’t recommend this case for iPhone users who are concerned about appearances. The iPhone Defender is bulkier than most other cases, and its bright yellow or plain black won’t win you any style points. It’s also more difficult to shove your iPhone in your bag or pocket with such a bulky case.

Those of you that are obsessed with keeping your iPhone flawless should also consider the iPhone Defender. It’s a little bulky and there are some minor inconveniences, but this is the only iPhone case I’ve used that can keep your iPhone in perfect shape for the long term.

The iPhone Defender is available direct from OtterBox for $49.95. To order visit the OtterBox

(Via notebooks.com.)