Otterbox iPhone 5 Commuter Series Review
With the purchase of a new phone, comes the need for a new case. Fortunately, Otterbox has you covered for a wide variety of phone models and offers a few options when it comes to the level of protection that you desire and your lifestyle requires. With the role out of the iPhone 5, I jumped ship from the Droid platform and needed a new set up to protect my investment. Otterbox graciously provided a Commuter Series for me to test out and I have been putting it to the test for the past 2 months.
The Commuter Series falls somewhere between the beefy Defender Series that many of you may think of when you hear the brand Otterbox. The Commuter Series provides many of the same benefits as the Defender Series, however in a much sleeker design. The Commuter features 2- layer construction with a silicone liner that is directly in contact with your phone to prevent scratches and provide some shock absorption. The outer layer is composed of sturdy plastic to prevent cracks to your phone if dropped. Fortunately, my iPhone has not sustained to many major drops, but I have tossed the phone around within various packs (which have been dropped) and taken the phone trail running and hiking, with some spills taken along the trail. The plastic outer layer has cut-outs to provide full access to your phones many features. For instance, the silent button, camera, and speakers are “open to air” or not covered by the silicone inner layer.
The volume button, power button, headphone jack, and power port feature silicone covering for added protection. The power port and headphone jack covers are able to flap open when you need to use them and stick back in “protection mode” when not in use. I really liked this feature to keep these areas clean from debris and ensures that the phone is more likely to work properly in the days/years to come. The case is not compatible with most docking stations and a second tester informed me that to use the docking converter you need to remove the silicone flap for it to work properly. Another con is that the power button is pretty stiff and hard to push with the silicone covering, which may be annoying over time. The Otterbox Commuter Series case also comes with a self-adhesive screen protector to help keep your screen scratch-free. The lip of the case comes up a few mm higher than the phone itself, which keeps the screen from making contact with many surfaces if placed face down, a feature I liked.
As for the size of the case, I found it to be still small enough to put in my pocket (female pocket that is) and didn’t find that it added too much to the size of the phone, unlike the Defender Series cases. The Commuter Series Case for the iPhone 5 is available in 7 two-toned color combos and solid black. I tested out the White/Gunmetal Gray combo and found that the white on the case has remained reasonably clean, as it is the hard plastic material. The plastic is also easy to clean as well. I have heard from other consumers that some of the color combos are not as true to color when compared to the online or stock photos. However, I do not have first-hand experience with this issue and found the White/Gunmetal Gray combo to be identical to the stock photo. The case is also pretty easy to put on and take off- simply slip on the inner silicone layer and then start at the bottom and slide it into the harder plastic layer.
The Otterbox iPhone 5 Commuter Series Case retails for $34.95 and I feel that is a pretty fair price with regards to the complete coverage and decent protection that it provides. If you are in the market for a new case, you may want to check out this case and some of the other offerings that Otterbox has to provide for your iPhone, iPad, and other non-Apple products.
Specifications
Weight: 1.32 oz / 37.3 g
Dimensions: 5.12 in x 2.57 in x 0.56 in / 129.7 mm x 65.3 mm x 14.1 mm
