1. SwitchEasy Capsule Rebel & RebelSerpent Cases for iPhone 3G
The SwitchEasy Capsule Rebel ($25) cases offer solid protection and good looks in a style that mixes a silicon inner casing with a hard plastic outer casing. Included with the cases are two screen protectors, covers for headphone and dock ports, a cleaning cloth, a squeegee for applying the screen protector, and an a mini-stand for propping the iPhone up for video watching.
Helpful links:
Official SwitchEasy Capsule Rebel website
Official SwitchEasy RebelSerpent website
Art of the iPhone RebelSerpent review
Amazon.com: SwitchEasy Capsule Rebel
Amazon.com: SwitchEasy Rebel Serpent
2. OtterBox Defender Series for iPhone 3G
The OtterBox Defender Series ($30) are rugged cases that offer excellent protection from the basic drops, spills, and scratches of everyday life. The case comes with an attachable belt clip that also doubles as a video stand for the iPhone.
Helpful links:
Official website for Otterbox Defender case.
Amazon.com: Otterbox Defender Semi-rugged case for iPhone 3G
3. Otterbx Hybrid Tough Case
The Otterbox Hybrid Tough Case ($20) offers two layers of protection, featuring a soft silicone inner layer reinforced with a hardshell outer layer. Overall, the case offers superb protection and excellent design that doesn’t get in the way of using the iPhone. The layers are available in several different colors, so you can mix and match.
Helpful links:
Official website for Ottherbox Hybrid Tough Case
Amazon.com: Otterbox Hybrid Tough Case
4. SwitchEasy Colors for iPhone 3G
SwitchEasy Colors ($15) are slick, affordable cases, and one of the best basic all-around cases in terms of looks, fit, and protection. They have a sleek, form-fitting style, and come with two screen protectors, covers for the dock connector and headphone port, a cleaning cloth, and squeegee for applying the screen protector. Not bad for $15.
Helpful links:
Switcheasy Colors official website
5. CaseCrown Polycarbonate Glider for iPhone 3G/3GS
The CaseCrown Polycarbonate Glider ($15) is a slim, well-designed, hard-shell slider case with a removable bottom for easy docking. The case has a soft, silicone-like surface that provides improved grip and a nice feel in the hand. Overall, the Glider is convenient, pocketable, maintains the iPhone’s svelteness at an affordable price with almost no design flaws. The case is available in black, white, pink, red, blue, and purple.
Helpful links:
Official website for CaseCrown Polycarbonate Glider
Amazon.com: CaseCrown Polycarbonate Glider $15
6. OtterBox Impact
The OtterBox Impact ($14) is a silicone rubber case that adds additional shock absoprtion via an extra X-shaped layer of silicone that covers the iPhone’s impact points. Despite the extra padding, the case is still quite pocketable, although not as slim or lightweight as most silicone case. A drawback is that the case cannot be used with most iPhone docks with the exception of the wider-mouth Universal docks. The Impact is available in black or white and comes with a screen protector and cleaning cloth.
Helpful links:
Official website for the OtterBox Impact
Amazon.com: OtterBox Impact $14
7. OtterBox Commuter TL for iPhone 3G/3GS
The OtterBox Commuter TL case ($22) walks the line between the two worlds of protection and slimness. It’s a two-part case featuring an inner soft rubber layer and a plastic hard-shell outer layer. The silicone layer is left exposed along the edges of the iPhone for superior grip and comfort. Despite the two layers of protection, the Commuter TL is surprisingly thin and pocketable. The Commuter TL comes with a clear screen protector and is available in black, blue, green, red, white, and yellow.
Helpful links:
Official website for OtterBox Commuter TL
Amazon.com: Otterbox Commuter TL $22
8. Trexta Leather Racing Series Case
The Trexta Leather Racing Series case ($30) for the iPhone 3G/3GS is a hard-shell case covered with stitched leather. The case is extremely stylish, decorated with racing stripes formed by separate pieces of stitched leather. In terms of protection, its thin shell is limited to basic protection from everyday scratches and bumps. The Trexta Racing Series cases are available in a variety of colors of racing stripes.
Helpful links:
Official Trexta Leather Racing Series case
Amazon.com: Trexta Leather Racing Series $30
9. Speck ToughSkin
The Speck ToughSkin ($19) is a thick and rugged silicone case that offers superior protection from drops and falls. The case is thickest at the points of impact. The bottom half of the case peels back, allowing it to be used in any iPhone dock. The Toughskin comes with a separate belt clip that the iPhone can snap into.
Helpful links:
Official website of the Speck ToughSkin
Amazon.com: ToughSkin case for iPhone 3G $19
10. Marware Sport Grip for iPhone 3G
The Marware Sport Grip ($15) is a clean-looking silicone rubber case that hugs the curves of the iPhone 3G and provides a better grip on the iPhone. Included with the case are a clear film screen protector and a cleaning cloth.
Helpful links:
Official website for Marware Sport Grip for iPhone 3G
Amazon.com: Marware Sport Grip
11. JAVOedge Cork Back Cover for iPhone 3G/3GS
The JAVOedge Cork Back Cover ($20) is an innovative rear case for the iPhone 3G and 3GS that crafts its unique look by affixing a layer of shredded cork to a hard-shell layer. The case offers better than usual protection from accidental drops and offers excellent access to all of the iPhone’s ports. But the main selling point is its love-it-or-hate-it style. Some downsides are that the cork does not offer uniform coverage—there are tiny gaps in the cork where the back of the iPhone peeps through. The case does not ship with any accessories.
Helpful links:
Official website for the JAVOedge Cork case
Amazon.com: JAVOedge Cork case $20
12. Griffin Clarifi Case with Built-in Close-Up Lens for iPhone 3G
The Griffin Clarifi Case ($25) is a “sliding” case, meaning the bottom half slides off allowing for worry free access to the dock port and speakerphone functionality. But its most distinguishing feature is a macro lens that, once slid in place, allows you to take clearer pictures of close-up objects (objects a few inches away). It also offers the best protection of any case for the iPhone’s camera lens, whose exposed location leaves it susceptible to scratches and fogging effects in pictures.
Helpful links:
Official website for the Griffin Clarifi
Amazon.com: Griffin Clarifi iPhone 3G Case
13. Griffin Nu Form Hard-Shell Case for iPhone 3G
The Griffin Nu Form ($15) is an affordable, all-plastic hard case. It’s a “slider” case, meaning the bottom half of the case slides off to allow for full access to the docking port as well as the speakerphone functionality. It comes with a clear plastic screen protector for the front as well as a black cleaning cloth.
Helpful Links:
Official website for the Griffin Nu Form
14. Contour Design iSee for iPhone 3G
The Contour Design iSee ($25) is a clear, hard plastic case that keeps the iPhone’s curvaceous body visible. Why hide it when you can flaunt it? The case is made of two pieces that snap together, encasing the iPhone. It does not come with a front screen protector–a minus or plus depending on who you ask. The clear case is a solid compromise for those wanting protection but also liking the original appearance of the iPhone.
Helpful links:
Official website for the Contour Design iSee
15. Contour Design Hardskin for iPhone 3G
The Contour Design Hardskin ($22) is a hard-shell case that, similar to the Countour Design iSee, has two pieces which snap together to form the outer casing. The Hardskin’s curves match those of the iPhone 3G’s body, so there is no loss in the iPhone’s form factor when covering it. However, those who aren’t a fan of the iPhone 3G’s glossy finish may like the matte black color of the Hardskin.
Helpful links:
Official website for the Contour Design Hardskin
16. iFrogz Treadz Case for iPhone 3G
The iFrogz Treadz Case ($16) is an affordable rubber case with the love-it-or-hate-it styling of a car tire. The case comes with a clear film screen protector. Its minimalistic style keeps the price down, making it one of the more affordable yet unique cases available.
Helpful links:
Official website for the iFrogz Treadz Case
17. Core Cases Aluminum Slider Case for iPhone 3G
The Core Aluminum Slider Case ($30) is a rare metal case for the iPhone–rare because metal can interfere with the iPhone’s cell reception. The case is made from aluminum, which doesn’t block signals as bad as some metals do. However, some do report a slight hit on their reception, so if weak signals are a problem for you, this might not be your case. Still the Core Aluminum case is one of the better looking cases out there (especially in silver).
Helpful links:
Hi. I was just wondering if anyone had the otterbox defender or switcheasy capsule rebel and what they thought of it. love the help.
– a friend
I have a switcheasy capsle rebelM for a iPhone 3gs and it is the best. I also suggest the vision clip2 it works great with the new capsle rebel
I had the defender and it was great. I dropped it many times and the phone was perfectly protected and it never got a scratch. I got rid of the case when I got rid of the iphone (stupid move). I now have a 3GS and will be getting the otterbox again.
Have a 3gs with the ottorbox. It does what it says – the iphone rep at AT&T sold me on it when he chucked his iphone against a wall in the store and had me pick it up and check it out. GREAT case. My only 2 complaints are that its bulk (thickness not weight) keep it from plugging into most aftermarket docks. I have to take it out of the case in order to use a backup battery pack for it. The regular sync/charge cable works just fine though. Also the silent switch on the side is easily turned off, but turning it back on requires me to use a ballpoint pen to flip it. Other than that it’s wonderful.
I have the 3GS and with that, the otterbox defender series. It is amazing, definitely holding up to it’s name. I dropped it in the mall parking lot, a vehicle had to stop for me to get it ( haha ). My iPhone did amazing flips on that pavement. I assumed the worst, but when I picked it up, there wasn’t not only nothing done to the phone, but even the case itself was flawless. My otterbox is white, so I thought it would at least discolor it( but it didn’t:) The only complaint I have would be the built-in screen protector which due to static causes the film to stick to the screen.
My 3yr old daughter has an iPod touch and we have had the Invisible shield by ZAGG on it since day one, which was about a year ago. On top of that case we put a swiss mobility plastic case, which isn’t made anymore. You can imagine what your phone would look like if you gave it to a 3yr old and her dog. The invisible shield and case have stood up against the many tough times it has been dropped AND chewed on by both my daughter and the dog.
I just sold my 2G iPhone which had a generic screen protector, did okay at keeping scratches off but the protector got nicked and scratched itself which was ugly. My daughters iPod screen protector still looks like the day I put it on.
I also had the Macally Hard leather case over the entire body of the phone. The case is CRAP!! There is still a way for dirt, sand, and other foreign objects to get in between the case and the phone and scratch it. The metal backing also started to come off, which to me proves that the case did nothing to protect my phone. It actually probably made it worse.
I am waiting for my new 3GS to come in the mail, meanwhile I’m going to order the ZAGG and possibly the otterbox defender.
The IvySkin Quattro-T1 is the best all around case I have used. It is one of the only cases that has a protective glass screen protector. Other than the obvious areas, it is almost completely covered and adds almost nothing to the dimensions. That case coupled with the belt clip accessory is by far my choice.
Who in the world would buy an iPod for a three yr old?
—- #9 by VEN on February 20th, 2010
—- Quote
—- Who in the world would buy an iPod for a three yr old?
Exactly what I was thinking…
LOL for real….What a waste of a new phone lol
I have the otter box it is the best case in the whole wide world nothing can beat it its great
Quote VEN–Who in the world would buy an iPod for a three yr old?
He didn’t say that at all….it’s an Itouch. And why should you care?
My two year old loves my iPod.
i have more apps on my iphone for my 3 yr old then me……
I totally agree, I had to buy an iPod Touch for my 5 and 2 year old so they would leave my iPhone alone. They have more apps than I do! (Educational ones, of course ;) )
I have had my otterbox defender for a while now. I do love that it protects it like it says it does. The only problem is that it makes the phone way to bulky. I also had the problem with the screen protector sticking. I switched from a regular screen protector to one that is non glare. That solved the problem and I loved this screen protector much betterType your comment here
I absolutely LOVE my Otterbox!!! I really liked my thin case I had because it wasn’t so bulky and was a lot lighter. But I am glad I switched back to my Otterbox. A few days after switching, I dropped my phone at least 5 times during the week chasing after a 2 year old! And I too, had the problem with “oil slicks” on my screen until I changed my screen protector to a non-glare type. It is so worth the money and a lot less than replacing my phone!
I personally own an otter box defender and although it is a great case the size is definitely a down fall. You can throw it drop it bump it slide it and it even allows your phone to come in contact with water for a short period of time, although I wouldn’t recommend it. Even though I love the otter box I am looking to buy the switcheasy neocapsule so any current owner feedback would be extremely helpful!
Has anyone had any problems with their cases that you cannot hear the ringtone, when someone calls me I cannot hear the ringtone or text messages, but if I take the case off I can hear it just fine
Make sure that the case doesn’t cover the speaker on the bottom of the iPhone and that your ring/mute switch isn’t set to mute.