Over the years, Otter Box has produced some quality cases for iPhones and other devices. Recently, I had the opportunity to test out both the Defender and Commuter Series of cases for the iPhone 4. Did these new product lines developed for the newest addition to the Apple orchard deliver the goods? Read on to discover if you should wrap your precious in one of these protective blankets.
THE DEFENDER SERIES
Our great MyMac reviewer, Mike Breed, has written a review for the Defender Series iPhone 4 Case. Please take a look at his review for a more in-depth review of this fine product from Otter Box.
As with all Otter Box products, the Defender is a well designed and manufactured product. The form and finish continue the high quality standards which have become synonymous with Otter Box. There are many layers that must be assembled when incasing the iPhone into this protective cocoon. This could have been a problem when snapping the whole thing together. I had no problems assembling or disassembling the Defender. Well done Otter Box. I did find the Defender to be a little bulky and cumbersome for my taste. I tend to lean towards less protection and more sex appeal when choosing a covering for my little slice of Apple silicone pie. Thus, I would not be the target demographic for this product. Plain and simple, the Defender is all about protection and to this end, Otter Box has scored a win IMHO.MyMac.com Review Rating:
I will agree with Mike’s conclusions. The product affords the user the highest level of protection for the iPhone 4. This protection does come at a cost. The thickness of this case will be a deterrent to some who are more inclined to use a case which shows off the iPhone 4’s svelte and sexy lines. I am awarding the Otter Box iPhone 4 Defender Series a well deserved 8 out of 9 in our MyMac Rating System.
IPHONE 4 COMMUTER SERIES
Design: As a user of earlier version of this same design for the iPhone 3Gs, I was looking forward to testing out the Commuter Series on my newly minted iPhone 4. The Commuter Series is kind of a hybrid if you will, incorporating the soft and svelte feel of a silicone skin with the rigid protection of an outer molded polycarbonate shell. In actuality, the Commuter Series is designed with three layers or levels of protection: a self-adhering clear protective film for the screen, a silicone skin for the case, and that polycarbonate outer shell for an extra added protection of the case. For additional information and specs, please see the product page PDF
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MAKING A GOOD PRODUCT EVEN BETTER
A little more refinement to the manufacturing process will no doubt remove any rough edges and improve upon a great design.
MyMac.com Review Rating:
The iPhone 4 Commuter Series case from Otter Box is a well designed and manufactured product and deserves to be on your short list of cases for your precious iPhone 4. Aside from a slight tooling rework to remove the slight burr on the outer shell, this is a product that is definitely ready for prime time. Accordingly, I am awarding this product a rating of 8 out of 10 in our MyMac.com Rating System.