First of all, the Impact is a great case and worth the money. No question, my iPhone would survive being dropped while wearing this case. In that aspect of the mission, OtterBox has succeeded. Great shock absorption and drop protection.
But this case has the same issue practically every other full-body silicone or 'candy-shell' silicone case has: it traps heat like crazy. Your iPhone gets hot while it's charging and warm while doing any serious web stuff or even a long phone conversation.
Heat kills.
I went back to the bumper because of this--I'm in a two-year commitment with AT&T with this phone, and I need the battery to last the whole two years. Read the fine print, and you'll see Apple recommends you charge your iPhone out of the case. Why do they do this? Because they know the state-of-the-art li-po battery they make for this phone will die a slow, painful death if subjected to too much heat over a sustained period.
They have built circuitry into your phone to stop charging when the batt is topped off, to keep this crucial component safe.
I suggest you get a case that has heatsink properties, or has plenty of cooling airflow between the gadget and the case--or remove your iphone for charging.
Fatal flaw number 2: this thing is FAT FAT FAT. Now, if that's the look you are going for, more power to ya. I'd rather just use AppleCare as my "case" and go naked with nothing more than front and back skins than use most of the cases out there. I use the bumper for impact protection, and it has saved my bacon already a couple times. Combined with AppleCare my phone is well protected, and I'm willing to risk AppleCare service to my phone rather than carry this case. IT DOUBLES THE SIZE OF THE PHONE, FOR GOD'S SAKE.
If you don't mind carrying twice as much phone as you bargained for, and are willing to remove your phone for charging, this could be the everyday case for you.
All that said, I'm keeping this case. I don't need this much protection every day, but at the airport, geocaching, etc. there are situations where the Impact is just fabulous and if you need that kind of occasional protection, this case will get you there! OtterBox Impact Case for AT&T and Verizon iPhone 4 - Black
Greetings. I ordered this case because I wanted maximum protection with minimum bulk, as I have a nice Evo belt case that fits the iPhone 4 with clear plastic cases. This OtterBox Impact case does indeed offer excellent protection, since the sides and back are covered with solid rubber, and the front home button and top areas (with appropriate cutouts for speaker and proximity sensor) also are protected. The rear camera/flash cutout is extra large, so that it will not interfere with flash output. Very nice! The only real improvement I might suggest is that the sides are not exactly a "snug" fit. They still offer protection, but a finger can easily move the sides out a millimeter, just enough to see the edge of the iPhone. I think that if the case were just .5 mm narrower, that might make for a better fit side to side. I do like the thickness of the rubber around the front display, as a drop onto a flat surface would likely not damage the iPhone's display. One other point...The included screen protector does not have a cutout for the proximity sensor! I was assured by OtterBox that all their other cases have a similar screen protector with no adverse effects, but more than one Apple rep has told me that all problems they've heard regarding the proximity sensor involve screen protectors with no cutout! Being a photographer and familiar with optics and light, I can believe that there may be some slight internal reflection with a screen protector over the proximity sensor that interferes with its proper function. Who knows. I say get a screen protector WITH a cutout for the proximity sensor, and you surely won't have an issue. Overall though, a Quality case that gives one a secure feeling that the device is well-protected! Now to find a good belt case to accept this OtterBox Impact case!
The otterbox case is great!!! It adds a little to the size of the phone because of the thickness of the rubber used...yes it is like car rubber not silicone, which tears easily. It gives the phone a non slip feel since it is lightly textured. All ports are easily accessible, the front screen is given lots of protection in case it fall face first. Camera and flash port exposed enough but also protected.
Otterbox def let me down. This case has a horrible fit. I bought this case for my 3g and it was excellent! Great fit, and protection. The best silicone case you could buy for $20. So now I get the iphone 4 version, and what a disappointment. The fit is the biggest issue. I want the cover to fit like a wetsuit. My iphone actually rattles around in the case! It should feel like it's part of the device, keeping dust, dirt, moisture etc. out. I'll be forwarding my gripe to Otterbox as many others have.
The Otterbox Impact case is a great case for the money. The most important feature I liked the best was that this case covered the home button on your iPhone. I use this case in conjunction with Skinomi's full body skin and this combo offers great protection. I've used the Griffin case which is great on the edges, but didn't offer the protection on the face of the phone. Also, the Griffin along with other bumper cases I've used peel up the edges of my iPhone's face skin and allowed dust to get under the screen protector. With the Otterbox Impact I get the protection I need without adding too much bulk. Because of the silicone (like all silicone cases) it will attract dust, but nothing that can't be rinsed off and air dried. Four stars instead of five because it could be a tad snugger on the phone. Don't get me wrong, it does wrap around all sides and flexibility is required to get it on. - Iphone 4 - Iphone 4 Case - Iphone 4g Cases - Case'
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