Category: iPhone

The Speck CandyShell ($16) is a glossy, dual-layer case for the iPhone 4 whose surface we found to be so easily scratched and scuffed, it took on a look of several years of wear in just one week of our testing. The case’s durability issues are a shame too, because the case provides otherwise excellent protection for the iPhone 4. But in the end, we can’t recommend this case, even at a bargain price.

The CandyShell had major durability issues.

The CandyShell is the type of case that greatly benefits from glammed-up marketing photos, with its glossy surface and smooth curves. But in real-life usage, we found the case too easily became scratched and scuffed from basic actions like laying it on a table or storing it in pockets. In fact, as if foreshadowing its durability issues, our CandyShell case came “pre-installed” with numerous lines of scratches on its glossy black exterior, right out of the packaging.

If the case could stand up to regular wear and tear, it’d be a good-looking case. Its exterior matches the iPhone 4’s gloss note for note, and the case has stylish trim made of silicone rubber. The silicone rubber also lines the interior of the case to prevent the hard plastic exterior from scratching the iPhone. The silicone peaks through the hard plastic exterior on the corners of the iPhone as well as sticking up a millimeter above the edges iPhone’s screen, adding some protection for the front glass should the iPhone land on that side.

Unfortunately for the CandyShell, it has another disastorous design flaw beyond its durability issues: the case makes the iPhone’s ringer switch nearly impossible to access. I had to jam my fingernail into the narrow opening the case provides to access the switch. And despite my effort (and some pain), I could still just barely flip the switch. When we experience a design element like this, we wonder if some of these manufacturers ever actually use their own cases.

The CandyShell does excel in at least one area: protection. It’s a dual-layer case that combes an interior silicone layer with an exterior hard-plastic layer. We think Speck has achieved the perfect thickness for the necessary compromise between protection and maintaining the iPhone 4’s thinness. Overall, the case offers exellent shock absorption. And, the case has a silicone rubber rim that sticks up a quarter of an inch above the iPhone’s screen, taking on some impact should the iPhone drop on that side.

Conclusion

The Speck CandyShell‘s ($16) glossy hard-plastic exterior is simply the most scratchable surface we’ve seen in an iPhone case. After just a few days of use, the case looked like it had been dragged down the highyway—the amount of scratches and scuffs it gathered from storing it in pockets and on tables was astonishing. Combine that with a major design flaw that limits access to the iPhone’s ringer switch, and even the case’s excellent dual-layer protection can’t lead us to recommend this case. We rate the CandyShell a 4.0 out of 10.

The Otterbox Impact iPhone 4 case ($12) is one of the thickest silicone rubber cases we’ve reviewed, and while all that rubber may not give it stylish looks, it does offer superb protection and shock absorption. Overall, we found the Impact to be a solid all-around case, and one of the better protective choices for the iPhone.

The Impact is one of the thicker silicone cases we’ve seen for the iPhone 4, but that thickness is partly deceiving due to some clever design on the inside of the case. The case has two layers of silicone. The outer layer is solid rubber, but the inside layer is honeycombed. With less material, the case weighs less while retaining some of the shock absorption of a double-layer case.

The biggest benefit of all that rubber is impressive protection, particularly in the area of shock absorption. Otterbox has become known for its protective cases (see our reviews for their Defender and the Commuter cases), and the Impact maintains the reputation, offering some of the best protection we’ve seen out of a silicone case. The impact points of the iPhone (the four corners) are well padded, and a rim around the front screen sticks up about a quarter of an inch and should absorb some shock should the iPhone fall on that side. Overall, the case gives your iPhone an excellent chance of survival if you accidentally drop it.

In the area of accessibility, the Impact scores well, with all ports and buttons accessible and working as expected. The case leaves openings for the headphone and docking port as well as the ringer switch, back camera and LED flash, front camera, and light sensor. The case covers up the iPhone’s volume, sleep, and home buttons with its own simulated rubber buttons, but all work accurately when pressed. The buttons also have a nice soft feel that I’ve always appreciated when silicone buttons are done right.

The Impact offers a much improved grip over what you’d get with a naked iPhone. Besides the inherent grippiness of silicone, that case’s sides are textured to offer provide friction for your fingertips. The only downside in this area is the case’s thickness that small hands may find difficult to wrap around.

Otterbox’s protection-focused cases aren’t particular known for their looks, and the Impact is no different. But I wouldn’t call it ugly either. It’s a functional design, with a matte black color, textured sides, and a tasteful Otterbox logo stamped into the rubber on the back. The only aesthetic feature I disliked is the big round porthole on the back that shows off the iPhone’s Apple logo.

There is one minor flaw worth mentioning: a loose fit for the narrow strips of rubber that frame the right and left sides of the iPhone’s screen. These areas tend to bend and stretch with the slightest pressure. It’s a minor flaw that doesn’t affect use of the iPhone, but it gives the case a strange feel at times.

Conclusion

The Otterbox Impact for iPhone 4 ($12) is one of the thickest silicone cases we’ve reviewed and also one of the best designed and most protective. While it may not win points for style, the case is a highly functional case that won’t stand in the way of using the iPhone. We rate the Impact an 8.9 out of 10, highly recommended.

Links:

Official website for Otterbox Impact for iPhone 4

Amazon.com: Otterbox Impact $12

Otterbox has become known for its rugged, protective iPhone cases, and the Otterbox Commuter for iPhone 4 ($19), a dual-layer case made of silicone and hard plastic, continues the tradition. A superbly designed case and some of the best protection you can get for the iPhone, the Commuter’s only flaws are its bulk and less convenient access to the iPhone’s headphone and docking ports.

The Commuter is a slightly slimmer version of the Otterbox Defender (review), a tank of a case we reviewed recently and found to be the gold standard for protective iPhone cases. The Commuter does away with the Defender’s built-in screen protector, but the overall design is much the same. It’s composed of two separate sections: a soft silicone rubber interior sleeve that you wrap around the iPhone, and a hard-plastic shell you place over it. The case requires some effort to put together and is not ideal for those who frequently take their case off and on. But once together, the case offers impressive protection, much better, even, than similar dual-layer cases.

Most of the case’s protection comes from the thick silicone rubber layer that makes up the bulk of the case. The rubber is exposed at the impact points (the four corners of the iPhone) and offers superb shock absorption for accidental drops. The silicone also supplies a thick rim that sticks up a quarter of an inch around the iPhone’s front screen and protects it should the iPhone land on that side. The outer hard plastic layer is much thinner than the silicone layer and seems mostly there for rigidity and dirt restistance, as hard plastic doesn’t attract dirt and grim the way some silicone materials can.

The case has a few drawbacks in the area of accessibility to its features. Silicone plugs that fit into the iPhone headphone and docking ports make accessing those areas more of a hassle. If you want to use headphones, you must first remove the plug, then replace it when finished. We found this process slightly annoying, but not a dealbreaker. And these plugs do have a purpose: preventing dirt and other potentially harmful substances from entering those sensitive areas.

The case covers the iPhone’s volume and sleep buttons with raised areas of silicone that simulate buttons. We tend to like this approach when the buttons work accurately, which they do with the Commuter. The home button is uncovered, as is the ringer switch, offering normal access.

The Commuter’s main flaw is its bulky size. I could still fit it in my pocket, but those with tighter pockets or smaller hands might not like the increased girth the case adds to the iPhone.

In terms of style, the case has a basic, utilitarian look to it. Lines are visible where the silicone and hard plastic layers meet and add a function-focused design element that we found neither ugly nor attractive. The case is only available in matte black, so anyone looking to match their case with their outfit will have to look elsewhere. The hard plastic back has a slight rough texture to it to help improve grip, and the case generally feels nice to hold—if you can get your hands around it. And there is a porthole on the back to display the iPhone’s Apple logo through, a design touch I’ve never really liked in iPhone cases in general, but some may find it useful to show off their fancy Apple product.

Conclusion

The Otterbox Commuter for iPhone 4 ($19) is a rugged, well-designed dual-layer case that offers superb protection for the iPhone 4. With its only drawback being added bulk, we nevertheless find it one of the best iPhone 4 cases available. We rate it a 9.0 out of 10, highly recommend.

Helpful links:

Official site for the Otterbox Commuter iPhone 4 Case

Amazon.com: Otterbox Commuter iPhone 4 Case $19

For the previous two generations of the iPhone, there was really only one choice of a case for getting the most protection possible while still being able to use the iPhone: the Otterbox Defender ($25). And with the new version of the Defender for the iPhone 4 , Otterbox once again impresses us with its attention to detail and solid industrial design. But the Defender’s superb protection comes at a price, chiefly added bulk (lots of added bulk) and crippled access to the iPhone’s ports. But after testing the case for the past three weeks, we were surprised with how little the case got in the way of using the major features of the iPhone. Simply put, the case is the most protection you can get for the iPhone and still be able to use the iPhone. *Update* Otterbox recently redesigned to Defender to fit both versions of the iPhone 4 (Verizon and AT&T)

To create its turtle shell-like protection, the Defender offers up three different materials: a clear plastic screen protector, which is permanently attached to the case and covers the iPhone’s front glass screen; a hard-shell polycarbonate plastic that serves as the case’s bone structure and makes up the majority of the case’s bulk; and a soft-silicone rubber that slips over the hard-shell layer and offers shock absorption and improved grip thanks to its textured surface.

Assembling and disassembling the three sections of the case around the iPhone takes some work. There are numerous grooves and slots that the pieces must fit into in order to come together properly. The silicone layer is particularly troublesome in that the edges and tabs occasionally come undone if not put together properly and must be tucked in or neatened. I developed quite a habit of constantly fidgeting with the case. But once familiar with how the tabs stay fastened, the case generally becomes less bothersome.

For protection, the case combines silicone rubber’s shock absorption with the rigid strength of polycarbonate hard plastic. Its thickness combined with the dual-materials makes it a tank, preventing damage to the precious iPhone 4 inside. The case’s clear screen protector helps prevents scratches to the iPhone’s screen. Although we should note the iPhone’s Gorilla glass is more scratch-proof than the case’s plastic, the case is cheaper to replace than the iPhone’s screen. One thing we didn’t like about the case’s screen protector is that it attracts finger grease way more than the iPhone’s screen, even though Otterbox claims improved finger-print resistance.

Most impressive to us about the Defender is that it generally doesn’t get in the way of everyday use of the iPhone. The buttons all work as expected despite being buried underneath all those layers of silicone and plastic. The case covers the home, sleep, and volume buttons with its own raised areas of silicone that create simulated buttons, and which worked accurately when pressed.

The case protects the openings for the docking port, ringer switch, and headphone jack with silicone tabs. To access those areas, you must peel back the tabs and then insert the headphone jack or USB cord. When you’re finished with the ports, you must close up the tabs else they’ll flap about. It’s a bit tedious in the long run, and we’re not sure the tabs are needed at all as the case is in no way waterproof.

The general drawbacks to the Defender lie in the area of accessibility, or should we say, convenience of accessibility. All the features of the iPhone are accessible, just much less so. For example, you won’t be able to simply flip the ringer switch, you must first open the tab, dig down with your finger, flip it, then reapply the tab when you’re finished.

Another area that suffers from loss of accessibility are the edges of the iPhone’s screen. The case has a thick rim that sticks up a quarter of an inch above the iPhone’s screen and offers excellent protection should the iPhone land on that side. Unfortunately, the rim interferes with touching the extreme sides of the screen, for example, when typing letters like P and Q on the iPhone’s keyboard. It doesn’t so much prevent your finger from touching those areas as makes it uncomfortable when part of your finger bumps up against it.

If you like the idea of owning the “world’s thinnest smartphone,” you can forget about it with the Defender. The case adds considerable weight (2.08 ounces) and expands the iPhone 4’s dimensions to 4.85 inches long by 2.67 inches wide by 0.66 inches thick (from the iPhone 4’s original dimensions of 4.5 x 2.31 X 0.37 inches, respectively). This takes the iPhone from feeling like a half a deck of playing cards to a full deck of children’s flash cards.

If you’re the type who likes a fashionable case, the Defender probably isn’t for you, as it’s all function and very little form. It’s currently available in one color, matte black (previous generations added white, pink, and yellow). The matte color does, to its credit, help camouflage all the unsightly angles and crevices created by the case’s various tabs and openings. The case has a clear-plastic porthole opening on its back that displays the Apple logo, in case you need to show the world that you do, indeed, own an iPhone.

In terms of feel, the case is generally pleasant to hold, mostly thanks to its soft, textured silicone surface. This same texture also helps improve grip—improve it, that is, if you can still wrap your hands around the case’s bulky structure. But to be fair, my hands are not large by most standards, and I was still able to hold the case comfortably.

The Defender is too thick to fit in any iPhone dock we’ve seen, it won’t even fit n the widest-mouthed universal docks like the Griffin Simplifi or Apple’s Universal dock. You’ll have to resort the iPhone’s USB cable in order sync and charge your iPhone 4.

Included with the case is a separate belt-clip case holder that is rather bulky itself. The Defender snaps into the case and is tightly held—no bouncing around while walking.