Manufacturer: OtterBox

Model: Commuter Series

Device: Apple iPhone 4

Type: Hard plastic and silicone case

Website: www.otterbox.com

Price: $35

Weight: 30g

Size: 120.9mm x 63.5mm x 14.3mm

Pros: Excellent protection

Cons: Thick and heavy

Rating:

Colorado-based Otterbox is well known for their rugged mobile device cases. Currently, the company offers three cases for the Apple iPhone 4. In this review, we take a look at the company’s Commuter Series case. You can read our review of OtterBox’s Defender Series case here.

Appearance:

The Commuter Series case consists of a soft, inner silicone skin and a hard plastic external shell. The hard plastic shell covers most of the back of the case, as well as much of the case’s sides. The silicone skin is uncovered on the case’s corners.

The combination of hard plastic and silicone gives the Commuter Series case a rugged, industrial look and feel. The case does have a cut out on its back that keeps the Apple logo visible – a nice touch.

The Commuter Series case feels substantial, and at 30 grams it’s one of the heavier cases that we’ve reviewed for the iPhone 4. The case adds between 5 and 6mm of thickness to the phone.

The Commuter Series case is only available in black.

Durability:

The Commuter Series case’s silicone skin is thin and a bit flimsy. This isn’t a big issue in terms of durability, however, since most of the silicone skin is protected by the case’s hard plastic shell. The hard plastic shell is solid, and we are confident that it will hold up well over time.

Usability:

To install the Commuter Series case you first slip the silicone skin over the iPhone 4 then snap on the hard plastic shell. The silicone skin has two flaps for the iPhone 4’s power port and headphone jack, and it does take a few seconds to get these flaps properly situated underneath the hard plastic shell.

Once installed, the hard plastic shell fits snugly over the iPhone 4. However, the areas of uncovered silicone do peel off the iPhone 4 easily. The hard plastic shell does ensure that the sides of the case do not peel off entirely, but we found the loose fitting silicone skin somewhat annoying.

The hard plastic shell has a slick exterior that doesn’t provide much of a grip, although the areas of exposed silicone do provide a bit of “stickiness.” The case also has a ledge around the iPhone 4’s screen which makes it easy to hold the device with one hand.

The Commuter Series covers the iPhone 4’s volume and hold buttons, although these were easy to press through the silicone skin. As previously mentioned, the case also has flaps that cover the headphone jack and charging port on the phone, and these flaps take a couple of seconds to open. The Commuter Series doesn’t leave much room around the iPhone 4’s camera and flash, but we had no problems taking flash pictures with the case installed.

Protection:

The Commuter Series case does a good job of covering nearly all of the sides of the iPhone 4, as well as the back of the device (with the exception of the Apple logo). The combination of a silicone skin and hard plastic shell provides protection from scratches, scrapes and punctures, as well as cushioning from falls. The Commuter Series is also one of the few cases that cover the headphone and charging ports on the iPhone 4 – a nice feature for dusty environments.

The case also has a ledge around the screen and camera on the phone. This protects these elements from coming into contact with neighboring surfaces. Additionally, the case comes with a free screen protector.

Overall:

As with most OtterBox cases, the Commuter Series case for the iPhone 4 provides excellent protection. The combination of a silicone skin and a hard plastic shell provides cushioning from falls and the case also protects the phone’s headphone jack and charging port from the elements with silicone flaps.

The downside of this excellent protection is heft. The Commuter Series weighs 30 grams and adds between 5 and 6mm of thickness to the phone, making it a poor choice for users that want a thin and light case for their phone.

At $35, the Commuter Series is also more expensive than most iPhone 4 cases. However, this added cost is well worth it if you are rough on your phone.

Overall, we recommend the Commuter Series case highly if you’re in the market for a rugged case for the iPhone 4, and we give the case a solid 4 star rating.

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