OtterBox Motorola Droid Commuter Case Review
OtterBox is best known for its rugged and waterproof cases, but the company also offers a commuter series of cases designed to offer protection for on-the-go users without the traditional bulk or weight of a waterproof design. The Motorola Droid Commuter case from OtterBox is an example of this protective, yet usable in everyday settings, design.
OtterBox was nice enough to send over one of the new Droid Commuter Series cases for us to use for the past few weeks. While you read this review keep in mind that I typically carry my droid without any protection on it and it is always in my front pocket, screen facing in.
The OtterBox Commuter case for the Motorola Droid offers 3 pieces of protection for $34.95. The first is a screen protector that installs with ease, it’s actually one of the easiest I have ever put on and enjoy that you cannot tell by sight or touch that it is there. Second is a snap on cover for the top part of the phone that fits around the display. Finally, there is the back of the case which adds most of the protection.
With all of this protection you’d expect to add a lot of weight and bulk to the phone, but while I found both of these factors to be noticeable they weren’t significant. Basically I could tell the case was on, but never found myself wishing I had left it off.
I really liked the rubber covers for power, volume and the camera button; which made all of them much easier to use as well as the plugs for the USB port and headphone jack. The case still allows access to the camera and speaker and is quickly removed to swap in a second battery or use with an accessory like the Motorola media dock.
One downside is that you cannot clip the Droid into the Motorola car mount with the front cover on. Unlike the back of the case the front cover is harder, but not impossible, to remove which makes this a minor issue.
Conclusion:
The OtterBox is an excellent case option for Droid users who want protection without feeling like they are carrying around a brick in their pocket. The small touches, like the quick removable back and usable top row of keys, really make this case stand out. Hopefully a future model will allow the case to click into the Motorola car dock without removing the top case.
Pros:
- Easy on and off
- Works with multimedia dock for charging
- Rubber covers make button finding easier
Cons:
- Doesn’t work with Motorola car dock
- Occasional sqeak when typing fast on hard keyboard
Category: Accessory Reviews, Featured, News, Reviews
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Thank you very much for your review. I wasn't able to find one this thorough or pictures with this many angles of view. Helped me quite a bit when deciding what case to get (likely this one!).
My experience with otterbox was very very bad considering i just got it. because the top layer is thin, it snapped easily on low impact. i was very disappointed if you guys understood how it had happened. let me explain, i had folded a basket full of clothes. placed the phone on top of the clothes and headed up stairs. because the basket was tilted gravity forced the phone to slide down but had only the rim of the basket towards my body. of course with a low impact like that i was not worried about any damages i have an otterbox. but when i picked up the phone the bottom left corner had snapped.
GRRRRR
If anyone knows how i can replace the top layer, i would be a happy otterboxer again.
Thanks for your time.
My Otterbox top has broken twice now (without impact at all). Otterbox sent me a new case first, now I’m trying to get my money back.
the same thing has happened to me TWICE! I bought it, had it for 5 days and flipped the frontscreen open and it snapped. Returned it for another thinking it was a default item and two days later, I set my phone down on my couch arm and it snapped again! I can't imagine the protection had I actually dropped it. Never doing Otterbox again!
Will this work for the droid 2
no… the 2 have a slightly different design. the front fully covers the bottom on 2 but not on 1… i've been looking for one for my droid 2
Well.. here’s the thing, I’ve tried a few different Droid cases and they have ALL broken in the same spot.. it’s not just the case really.. it’s the way the phone was designed that they need to design the case around.. every case I’ve had always breaks on the right side toward the middle, whether it be those little things that clip onto the phone, or the frame, it always breaks there.