Otterbox Defender iPhone 5 Case Review - Case Cafe

Otterbox Defender iPhone 5 Case Review

Otterbox has become well known for their rugged, durable, weather resistant iPhone cases. With the new Otterbox Defender iPhone 5 case, there are some small improvements in functionality over the iPhone 4s case. But at $49.99, is it worth the investment? (update: This case is on sale for $26.60 for a limited time!)

Otterbox Defender Series Features:

Otterbox Defender Series iPhone 5 Case Review

Otterbox’s Raised Buttons

The Otterbox Defender iPhone 5 case is an all-in-one package: you get a case, a holster and a screen protector in one package. It comes with its own raised buttons that fit on top of the iPhone’s power and volume buttons. This keeps dust and moisture from getting into your phone. The buttons work great when you’re working outside and wearing gloves. The only trouble is, if you’re doing anything other than turning the volume up or down, you need to use the touchscreen, which means taking off your gloves (unless you have gloves like these!).

The clear plastic film is integrated into the case, which means you don`t have to spend extra for a screen protector. Once it`s on, there`s no difference in sensitivity between having the screen and not having the screen. There is a common problem with moisture getting into the film which can create watermarks on your screen. It`s a common problem with Otterbox screens that has a simple workaround: apply an anti-glare film to the phone before installing. It does mean that you essentially have two screen protectors, but it will keep your screen watermark free.

The belt holster gives you the option of attaching your iPhone either front-facing or rear-facing. This is an improvement over previous Otterbox versions, which only had the option of rear-facing.

The Good:

Otterbox iPhone 5 Case - screen protectorThis case gives you the feeling that you could drive a car over it and still have your iPhone in perfect working order. For someone who works outdoors, or generally puts their phone through the ringer, the Otterbox is the definition of protection. It will keep your phone in good working order for a very long time. It can bounce around your jeep, withstand a rough camping trip, and generally take bumps and bruises like nothing else (I should mention that it’s not waterproof. For waterproof cases, click here).

Despite the added size, the case is still comfortable to use with one hand. You can get a good grip on it and still operate it without trying to stretch your thumb to reach the far corner of the screen.

The Bad:

The trade-off between protection and aesthetics tilts heavily towards protection. The case more than doubles the size of the iPhone 5, which is developing a reputation as a ridiculously light smartphone. The subtle design improvements are completely hidden from public view. The larger size is the only the indicator that you have an iPhone 5, instead of the 4S.

There is the aforementioned watermark issue, in which the workaround involves buying an anti-glare film.

The Takeaway:

What you`re getting with Otterbox is seriously heavy duty protection. If you want your phone to look cute and funky, then this case isn’t for you. If you want your phone to look good, but are going camping or taking your phone to a place where you`re worried about your phone getting damaged from dust or sand, then having the Otterbox as a standby case is  a great idea. If you have a job where you work outside and you need the best protective case possible, you can`’t go wrong with Otterbox.

Alternate Colors for Otterbox Defender iPhone 5 Case Available:

Otterbox Blush iPhone 5 case Otterbox Boom iPhone 5 case Otterbox Glacier iPhone 5 case Otterbox Nightsky Iphone 5 case


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