Today I'll be reviewing the Otterbox Defender series case for the iPhone 4s. Apologies in advance for the poor quality photos: I can't find the card adaptor for my camera, so I'll be using Photo Booth to take pictures.
There's no denying it: The Otterbox Defender is a padded brick. This is not a sleek, stylish case to show off the modern lines of your new device. On the other hand, the Defender does a very good job of what it was designed to do: Turn your mostly glass device into a pocket-sized Sherman Tank.
(Also pictured: my wicked awesome pyjama pants, and a stylish pair of old kicks.)
The Otterbox Defender covers your audio out:
Your sync/charge cable:
...And mute switch with a silicone flap that snaps closed. As shown, it's a bit of a tight fit, but the headphone port is still accessible with the case attached to the belt clip. I would rather have seen the silicone flap hinge on the opposite side to minimize stress on the headphone plug, but it seems to be fine as is, and unlike the case on my iPod Touch, it actually allows you to plug in headphones with a larger jack than the Apple provided ones. You'd think this would be a no-brainer, but cases like the PowerMat actually require you to use a flimsy adaptor cord that will eventually fail.
The case comes in 3 pieces: a top level with attached screen protector, a bottom panel with a window for the Apple logo, and a silicone sleeve that slides over the entire assembly.
The hard plastic interior case snaps together with a slide-clip like a TV remote, and 3 snap-on clips:
And the entire assembly slides into the silicone sleeve as shown:
Overall, the case is solid, and while it adds significant bulk to the device, it doesn't sacrifice function. The touchscreen still works perfectly even through the fairly thick, and fingerprint resistant attached screen protector. You have the option of removing the screen protector and leaving the screen nude, or covering it with a plastic film of your choice.
I left the integrated screen protector on, since it doesn't seem to affect touchscreen accuracy, and keeps spills on the outside of the case. I've already spilled coffee on my phone, and although some of it seeped part way under the plastic rim of the case, no liquid made it to the phone. I've already scratched the screen protector a couple of times at work, and was pleasantly surprised to find them invisible with the screen on.
Another pleasant surprise: the multi-position belt clip functions well as an adjustable kickstand, something I haven't seen mentioned in any other review I've read.
The molded belt case (I believe it's ABS) attaches to the exposed areas of the interior hard case with a solid click. The only part of your phone not covered are the camera and flash, but they're recessed far enough to prevent damage. I would have preferred the option of plastic layer over the camera as well, but I'm sure my photos wouldn't.
Overall, the Otterbox Defender is a well made, rough-use case. It's not the prettiest case on the market, unless you're a fan of military/industrial design, like I am. The Defender case is not be for every iPhone user, but I find it suits my purposes well.
Drop test:
...Just kidding. Try it on your own phone, I'm not intentionally dropping my 2-week old device!
There's no denying it: The Otterbox Defender is a padded brick. This is not a sleek, stylish case to show off the modern lines of your new device. On the other hand, the Defender does a very good job of what it was designed to do: Turn your mostly glass device into a pocket-sized Sherman Tank.
(Also pictured: my wicked awesome pyjama pants, and a stylish pair of old kicks.)
The Otterbox Defender covers your audio out:
Your sync/charge cable:
...And mute switch with a silicone flap that snaps closed. As shown, it's a bit of a tight fit, but the headphone port is still accessible with the case attached to the belt clip. I would rather have seen the silicone flap hinge on the opposite side to minimize stress on the headphone plug, but it seems to be fine as is, and unlike the case on my iPod Touch, it actually allows you to plug in headphones with a larger jack than the Apple provided ones. You'd think this would be a no-brainer, but cases like the PowerMat actually require you to use a flimsy adaptor cord that will eventually fail.
The case comes in 3 pieces: a top level with attached screen protector, a bottom panel with a window for the Apple logo, and a silicone sleeve that slides over the entire assembly.
The hard plastic interior case snaps together with a slide-clip like a TV remote, and 3 snap-on clips:
And the entire assembly slides into the silicone sleeve as shown:
Overall, the case is solid, and while it adds significant bulk to the device, it doesn't sacrifice function. The touchscreen still works perfectly even through the fairly thick, and fingerprint resistant attached screen protector. You have the option of removing the screen protector and leaving the screen nude, or covering it with a plastic film of your choice.
I left the integrated screen protector on, since it doesn't seem to affect touchscreen accuracy, and keeps spills on the outside of the case. I've already spilled coffee on my phone, and although some of it seeped part way under the plastic rim of the case, no liquid made it to the phone. I've already scratched the screen protector a couple of times at work, and was pleasantly surprised to find them invisible with the screen on.
Another pleasant surprise: the multi-position belt clip functions well as an adjustable kickstand, something I haven't seen mentioned in any other review I've read.
The molded belt case (I believe it's ABS) attaches to the exposed areas of the interior hard case with a solid click. The only part of your phone not covered are the camera and flash, but they're recessed far enough to prevent damage. I would have preferred the option of plastic layer over the camera as well, but I'm sure my photos wouldn't.
Overall, the Otterbox Defender is a well made, rough-use case. It's not the prettiest case on the market, unless you're a fan of military/industrial design, like I am. The Defender case is not be for every iPhone user, but I find it suits my purposes well.
Drop test:
...Just kidding. Try it on your own phone, I'm not intentionally dropping my 2-week old device!
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Great review btw!
