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Scaling down from Otterbox Defender - Now what?

N

nycmacgirl

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 24, 2012
1
0
I've had an Otterbox Defender for maybe four months. I'm definitely someone who drops my phone periodically, and sometimes outside on pavement, but it's not a daily, or even weekly occurrence.

The Defender is humungous and so heavy. The few times I did actually take the phone out in the last four months I've been sad about how much bulk I add. It doesn't go in my pocket all day, but still, so annoying!

I've been doing a ton of research and am really just overwhelmed. Amazon Prime has this very well rated Acase Superleggera PRO that is not really discussed on here. Has anyone tried it? It only seems to come in black and my 4S is white.

I'm looking for...
- comes with screen protector or plays nice with one since I'll toss my phone in a handbag that also has keys, pens, etc. floating around in it.
- not completely waterproof, but can handle a drizzle
- slim
- drop proof on pavement from maybe 4 or 5 feet
- looks nice with white iPhone 4S
- Wears well, would rather not have to get yet another one in 4 months.
- grips in hand but not sticky in pocket

Have been looking at:
- Otterbox Commuter or Reflex (but both have mediocre reviews?)
- Incipio NGP
- Acase Superleggera Pro
- Speck Candyskin even though my friend's is littered with scratches

Anything else I should be looking at? I'm leaning towards incipio or Acase if I can find it in white
 
All Otterbox cases seem really bulky to me. But then again, I prefer bumper-style cases, so I guess compared to those everything seems bulky. The trade-off, of course, is that you know your phone is protected.

The Incipio NGP that you're looking at seems like a good option. It looks like it's thick enough to provide some shock absorption but doesn't add a whole lot of bulk. I think the matte red would look really nice on a white iPhone. I believe this case also comes with a front screen protector.

I've heard that the Speck Candyshell Satin is better at resisting scratches than the regular Candyshell because it's a matte finish instead of gloss. I've also heard that Speck cases are notoriously difficult to take off. Personally I think $35 is a little overpriced for what you get.

Oh and the Superleggera does come in white: http://www.amazon.com/Acase-iPhone-...8RMS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1327480219&sr=8-4.

Magpul cases have also been getting a lot of press on these boards. I don't have one myself, but from what I've seen and read they are very slim-fitting but sturdy. The design also gives you great grip on the case. Plus they'll only set you back $10. They don't have a ton of color choices though, unfortunately.

Overall, I'd probably go with the Incipio or the Magpul. You should also check out case reviews on Youtube; I used Larry Greenberg's videos a lot while I was scoping out cases: http://www.youtube.com/user/larrygreenberg/videos
 
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The Incipio NGP is a awesome case! I have it in matte black and the mercury greyish color that walmart sells.
 
wow, because of threads like this, I finally started looking at the lifeproof case. I keep seeing it in threads and thinking that it would be great for my dad and my father-in-law who are both pretty hard on phones (though my dad finally got an otterbox defender).

Anyway, after reading this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1240571/

I'll stick with my Otterbox commuter and cheap-o verizon screen protector. I'm personally not too tough on my phones (I thought I was till my dad got an iPhone) so a commuter seems to suit me just fine until I find something better.
 
magpul field, also downgraded from a defender. Went with the ngp for a while, but the field has been the best so far. My only gripe is the flash washout but i may dremel the cut out more.
 
Another vote for the LifeProof. Some have had negative experiences, but others have had very positive ones. Don't discount it. It's slim, looks like there's nothing on the front, and has excellent protection.
 
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