Review: OtterBox iPhone 3G Defender Case

The iPhone 3G is a stylish little device, but it’s glass display is prone to breaking and unfortunately AT&T doesn’t offer insurance on it. Drop it, and you’ll be on the hook for $499 to replace a 16GB iPhone 3G and $399 for an 8GB iPhone 3G. Enter the OtterBox iPhone 3G Defender, a case that offers up serious protection and that feels nearly indestructible.

Visit any Apple store and you’ll see row after row of flimsy iPhone 3G cases. The thin silicone and stylish plastic cases will protect the iPhone 3G’s case from minor scratches and scuffs, but they aren’t much help against more serious foes like drops and hard impacts.

Otterbox sent me an iPhone 3G Defender to review and after using it for two weeks I can’t imagine switching back to any other iPhone case. I reviewed Otterbox’s original iPhone Defender case earlier this year, but there were a few flaws in it. I ran into audio quality problems and it was annoying that the ring/vibrate switch was inaccessible. Some dust also worked itself into the case after a couple of days of use.

The engineers at OtterBox have improved on the original design and the new iPhone 3G Defender case is almost perfect. Calls are just as clear with the case on as they are without it and the ring/vibrate toggle switch can be toggled by pulling back a small flap.

The OtterBox iPhone 3G Defender case has several layers of protection. A hard polycarbonate shell snaps around the iPhone 3G, completely enveloping it in a very sturdy cocoon. On the front half of the shell is a plastic membrane that protects the display. A silicon skin wraps it all together to absorb impact. The whole mess slips into a rigid holster that has a rotating belt clip.

If that sounds like a lot of material, that’s because it is. The iPhone 3G weighs 4.7 ounces and the case adds 2.9 ounces. Using the iPhone 3G defender makes your slim and pretty iPhone much less attractive, but if you care more about appearances this isn’t the case for you.

There’s a small window on the back of the iPhone 3G Defender case so you can still show off that you have an iPhone, so aesthetics haven’t been completely ignored.

OtterBox claims that this case can protect your iPhone from drops of up to three feet onto plywood on top of concrete. I tried dropping the case three times directly onto my driveway and there wasn’t a single mark on the case.

It does take more time than usual to install or uninstall the iPhone 3G Defender case compared to simpler cases. The only reason I had to do this more than once was because the first tme I installed it there were some bubbles betwen the iPhone’s display and the protective membrane. I emailed OtterBox abot the problem and got the following suggestion which solved the problem.

Before you put your iPhone in the case, rub your palm across the screen. It’s the natural oils of the skin that keep the plastic from sticking to the screen of the iPhone. You want your hands to be clean but you don’t want to wash your hands just before doing it. You can also try wiping it along your cheek to pick up the oils from your face.

The advice was practical, but hardly elegant- just like the company’s products.

My wife and several of our female friends who have iPhones snickered at my case and call it ugly. But I don’t mind the chunky look. I also have big hands so the extra thickness actually makes it easier for me to talk on the phone and handle it.

My only real complaint is that the case fits a little too tightly into the holster, making it difficult to whip the iPhone out quickly when someone’s calling. After using it for an extended amount of time I think the holster will loosen its grip to make this easier. The raised bezel can also make it tougher to touch the extreme edges of the iPhone’s display, but this is something that rarely bugs me after getting used to it.

This is the only iPhone 3G case I know of that can keep your iPhone 3G pristine no matter how roughly you handle it. The iPhone 3G Defender case is available for $49.95 in black now and will be available in more colors soon.

Pros:
*Extremely durable
*Drop resistant

Cons
*Most people won’t notice you’re talking on an iPhone (if you care about impressing people).
*Holster is too rigid, hard to get phone out of it quickly.

OtterBox Defender Product Page

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