Worth the wait., July 29, 2012

By 

C. Campbell –

  

Otterbox was slow getting these out to the suppliers but it was worth the wait. I have been carrying my phone around for two weeks worried every moment about dropping the thing. I received the Otterbox Defender case yesterday and couldn’t be happier with the product. It fits perfectly and looks great. All of the ports and buttons work well. The touch screen is responsive and clear. I especially love the way it feels in my hand. Before the phone felt thin and fragile, now with the cover on it feels very solid and strong. I am a business traveler and I am also pleased with the belt clip. I will be using the belt clip extensively as go through airports and security lines. I have researched all of the competing phone covers at the big box stores and online, it is pretty clear that Otterbox sets the standard that everybody else tries to live up to.

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Good phone case; great fit, solid protection, but…, September 10, 2012

By 

Dean Buzzell (Jacksonville, FL) –

  

I just purchased a Galaxy S3, and wanted the cover that offered the best protection for my device. My kids have Otterbox Defenders for their iPhones; my sons is really beat up and literally falling to pieces, but the phone it protects is in excellent shape, without a scratch or mark. I chose this case because my last phone – a Blackberry Bold 9650 – got a deep scratch on the case and the screen the first month I had it, and it drove me crazy for two years. A good Otterbox cover like the Defender would have prevented both.

PROs
1. The cover DOES provide a very high degree of drop protection for my device. The hard inner shell has a soft inner cushion that stabilizes the device and increases the shock resistance slghtly.
2. The rubber-like outer covering fits snugly around the inner shell, and dramatically increases shock resistance.
3. The earbud and mini-USB ports at the top and bottom of the phone are covered by flexible ‘tabs’ that protect the device from dirt/dust/gunk intrusion.
4. The volume rocker and power button are completely encased. It takes just a bit more effort to press the buttons, but it is NOT difficult.
5. The cover comes with a built-in screen protector. It is a rigid plastic that does not adhere to the device screen like soft plastic does. This doesn’t seem to affect the touch-screen sensitivity, though. Tip: be really careful to thoroughly clean the inside of the rigid screen protector. Check it before closing to ensure there are no particles adhered to it from static cling – these will leave noticable ‘bumps’ on your screen, and they COULD scratch the inner face of the screen protector or even your device screen. Have a can of compressed air handy and give both the screen protector and device screen a shot before closing it up.
6. The manufacturer tells you the included belt clip can double as a kick stand that can be adjusted to a variety of viewing angles. This is true, after you lock the clip into the open position. Be careful, though – the ‘notch’ that holds the clip in the open position is light plastic. It’s not very easy to pry the plastic notch up to release the clip, and one could actually break it or the belt clip itself with a little too much force. If the kickstand thing is something you really want, consider purchasing a case with a REAL kick stand.
7. The case is designed to fit into the belt clip with the screen turned in toward your body, but will let the phone be inserted with the screen turned out if you choose.

CONs
1. VERY limited color choices; way fewer than the less expensive Commuter series covers.
2. The case is somewhat bulky. You consciously choose the high degree of protection over the ability to slip the device easily and inconspicuously into your pocket with this case.
3. The rubber tabs that cover the top and bottom ports (ear jack on top, mini-usb port on the bottom) are VERY difficult to open. I can predict with a high degree of certainty that they won’t make it a year without being ripped off the cover. It’s nice that they fit so snugly, but they are recessed so that one must use a tool to pry them out to access the port within. Let your thumbnail grow out a bit and you’ll be all set.
4. Once inserted into the shell, the whole thing snaps into the belt clip with an audible ‘CLICK’. This snap-in feature makes it just a little difficult to quickly remove the device from the clip to answer a call. Practice your quick-draw with the case in the belt clip.

The Otterbox Defender fits my Samsung Galaxy S3 like a glove. Everything lines up precisely, and, with the port covers closed, it offers an extremely high degree of protection for my device.

I’m not particularly pleased with the available color choices for the Defender series. I have the blue SGS3, and don’t understand why I can’t simply get a blue cover to match the phone. The closest I could get is the ‘Atomic’ color scheme – dark blue with neon green highlights. Yay. I don’t like how difficult it is to open the ear jack port and mini-usb port covers; I firmly believe these will be torn off in six months or less from struggling to open them each time I want to recharge the phone or use ear buds. Once that occurs this case will allow dirt/gunk to accumulate inside the case on the phone or in the phone jacks it is supposed to protect. This is my biggest dislike of an otherwise excellent cover.

Based on the degree of shock resistance from this cover, the incredibly good fit, and precise alignment of holes and bumps, I give 5 stars. Due to the difficulty in opening the port covers and limited color availability, the cover is dinged 1 star. As long as you understand this cover is BULKY, and are REALLY careful and patient with the port covers you won’t be disappointed.

Dean Buzzell

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