Review: Otterbox Defender & Commuter Cases for iPhone 4

Otterbox cases are synonymous with protection. Ask anybody in the know what case to get to protect their expensive phone and it's likely they will reply with "Otterbox". They sent me their Commuter and Defender cases for the iPhone 4, and I've had a few weeks to use them both.

Otterbox iPhone 4 Commuter

The Commuter is the smaller of the two cases. It's made to offer protection, yet do it in a case that is slender as possible, yet still offering the protection that Otterbox is famous for. 

It offers three layers of protection: screen protector, silicone shell, and a hard polycarbonate outer shell.  

Some people prefer not to use a screen protector, and I am one of them. Although, I am quickly becoming a convert, as I've recently found two scratches on the front glass of my iPhone 4. I quickly went searching for the screen protector that came in the Otterbox case and applied it. Pretty simple, clean the screen with the enclosed soft cloth, line up the protector, peel and stick, and smooth out any bubbles.  

Typically, I am not a fan of silicone shells by themselves. They are difficult to get in and out of jeans, and usually they are lint magnets. I spend more time cleaning off the phone than using it. The good news with the Otterbox is the polycarbonate hard shell that goes over the silicone shell, which eliminates almost all of the problems. It offers a solid feel and gives the phone the extra distance needed from the iPhone 4's antenna, so you won't suffer from the weakened signal when you 'hold it wrong'.  

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Review: OtterBox Commuter & Commuter TL iPhone Cases

Updated on Monday, November 9, 2009 at 10:55AM by jcost

After almost losing my iPhone to pouring rain at a football game, I decided it was time to look for a case that provided full coverage. 'Full' meaning all of the open holes to the case are covered. The OtterBox Commuter and Commuter TL series accomplish this very well.

The Commuter TL:

This case is the thickest of the two, offering a 3 layer system.  First you attach the typical screen film, then slide on the silicone skin around your device, and finally attach the outer polycarbonate shield that goes the top, rear, and bottom of the case. 

 The quality of the screen film was better than most that you typically receive with iPhone cases. However, even after following all of the instructions, I still wasn't able to completely remove the bubbles from the screen. I tried and tried, but to no avail. This is pretty typical of these films and not a big issue when the screen is on. However, when the screen is off, it makes the iPhone look less than beautiful. On the plus side, these particular films actually stayed on, as opposed to the last ones I tested by another vendor.

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