You can see my other reviews to know that I buy A LOT of cases - it has became an addiction of sorts. With that said, I have often found Otterbox products to be the best of the best. (See my 5 star Otterbox iPhone 4 Defender review for proof!)
I received this item last Monday and I was anxiously awaiting installing it and giving it a go. Unfortunately my excitement quickly subsided. I hate to sound negative but this case leaves a lot to be desired. Below I will give you my unbiased thoughts on the case and its pros/cons.
Pros:
Much thinner than the Defender case
All ports are easily accessible
Lightweight
Cons:
The screen protector that it comes with is very sub-par, I've purchased several screen protectors in the past for both my iPhone(s) and other models, the one that came with the Otterbox ranks near (or at) the bottom of the list as far as quality build and ease of installation in avoiding air bubbles etc.
The case doesn't quite fit "right" sometimes the silicon case will come loose from around the lip of the phone and it will in turn cause the polycarbonate shell to shift and not only fit awkward but look horrible as well.
The cover for the audio out jack (headphone jack etc.) should have been designed better. It often protrudes from the case and just looks awkward.
In conclusion I would state that though the case isn't the worse (and 2 stars may be harsh) due to the price and quality expected from Otterbox it came up well short of expectations.
I will try to post pictures later showing this case next to a bare iPhone 4 and also next to the Defender case. OtterBox Commuter Series Hybrid Case for AT&T and Verizon iPhone 4 (Purple/White)
Hi, I just got this case yesterday. It's the third one I've tried with my iPhone 4. Otterbox makes fine cases so I expected something nice and was not disappointed. I also had the Commuter and Defender cases for my iPhone 3Gs.
Here are some notes for you:
- The case provides the best protection of the three I've tried. The Apple bumper case is nice but the open back leaves a lot of glass exposed. This one gets the job done while not being too bulky.
- Compared to the iPhone 3Gs Commuter case this one exposes more of the hard plastic surface and less of the rubber. The plastic is textured nicely so gripping is still secure. In all fairness I think I do prefer the design of the 3G/3Gs version.
- The phone will connect (Yeah!) to my Magellan car mount and B&W speakers with this case. It would not connect with the thicker Apple bumper case. I'm also able to get other cables to connect to it that would not connect with the bumper case. The opening for the thirty pin connector is larger on the Otterbox case.
- Putting the screen protector on can be frustrating but I was mostly successful this time. Dust must be avoided at all cost while applying it. Hey Intel, can I use your clean room for a few minutes?
It's a good compromise between protection and bulk. If you had the 3G version you might be a little disappointed because the fit on this one doesn't seem quite as good.
Update (9/2/2010): The reviewer(s) that said the case can be uncomfortable on your ear while making calls was right. If you make a lot of calls this could be rather annoying. I'll post a picture or two of the offending sharp edge. I filed the edge on mine with my Leatherman to smooth it out. That helped a lot.
Regards,
John
This case exceeded my expectations i had after reading some of these peoples reviews. First of all, the fit is perfect. i dont know if maybe some of these people didnt put it on right (it takes a while to get it right) but mine fits snugly.second, It does not feel cheap. The plastic is not very thick but it doesnt need to be thick to protect, it is only there to hold the shape of the silicone. It is the perfect balance of protection and bulkiness.. I had a defender series for my 3gs and that thing felt like a brick.. this one feels just right, not to mention its a lot cheaper than the defender. If youre gonna be rock climbing or working at construction site, then theres no reson why you would want the defender over this case. The screen protector is pretty cool, i dont really see the point of it because the case sits in such way that your screen will not get scratched. i still put mine on and cant even tell its there.. I would highly recomend this case, and no i dont work for otterbox, im just a regular guy that really liked this product and i dont think the reviews on it are very accurate. Thanks!
Sadly, this is the first review I've written, because I've had such a bad experience with this case. I'm a big OtterBox fan, I had a Commuter on my previous 3GS, and a Defender for my old 3G which is now on my wife's S. Both of those cases are great and I don't have a negative thing to say about them.
I had such a good experience with the previous version of the Commuter, that I got one for my Iphone 4. Unlike other reviewers, I think the screen protector is great, the only reason I gave this case 2 stars instead of one. I've had several screen protectors in the past, and they've mostly been all the same. The OtterBox protector seems to be of higher quality, and its the first case I've gotten on with absolutely no bubbles. Also, while trying to get the bubbles out on other protectors, you end up scratching the protector with the credit card. OtterBox solved that issue by putting an extra layer on the protector, and once you have worked all the bubbles out, you peel off the outer layer, leaving a pristine screen protector. I honestly can't tell that it's even there. Unfortunately that's where the good stops.
The silicone on the Iphone 4 commuter seems cheap, and doesn't fit the phone as well as in previous versions. The corners and parts that aren't covered by the outer shell constantly move and don't hug the phone as tightly as on the last version.
The hard protective shell is a complete failure on my case. When you initially take it out of the case, you can tell that the plastic is of cheaper construction than previous models. It is significantly thinner than the last, which is nice from a size perspective, but it just feels cheap in your hands, like it is going to break at the slightest stress. Also, the worst thing about mine is that it just doesn't fit the phone. It is too big for the phone, leaving gaps around all 4 sides. On 2 sides, the gap is small enough as to be almost not noticeable, but on 2 it's very obvious, and its so far from the silicone that the whole case flexes in your hand. On my particular case, it's obvious that the protective shell was machined too large for the silicone. No matter how much massaging and fiddling you so with the case, it won't fit the phone properly. As I've said before, on my 3GS, once you snap the outer case on, it's bombproof.
I bought the case direct from OtterBox the day it became available, and Amazon's price is now significantly cheaper. Still, this case isn't worth the cheaper price.
-Update
Otterbox customer service replied, and are sending out a replacement case. Their customer service was very friendly. I'll write another update when the new case arrives.
-Update 2
Customer service promptly sent out a replacement case. The 2nd case definitely fits better, it fits the phone correctly, but there isn't the tight, solid feel of previous versions. As other reviews have noted, the outer case can be uncomfortable against your ear. There are better cases out there for less money, for example, the 'free' case I got through Apple. I got a Griffin Reveal Etch through the free case program, which doesn't offer as much protection, but the case feels solid and fits the phone much tighter than the Otterbox. I still think they make great products, but this one was a failure. At least they've dropped the price since I ordered mine. - Otterbox - Purple'
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