Our OtterBox Defender for Galaxy Nexus review

[howard]

Here's our OtterBox Defender for the Galaxy Nexus review written by our very own Sabesh.



OtterBox Defenders are 3-piece extreme-protective cases designed to withstand moderate drops and spills. By general consensus, they are considered to be the best at what they do. Hence, I was happy to come into possession of this venerable case. There’s no mistaking that it’s a classic OtterBox Defender: 2 snap-on polycarbonate shells to enclose the Galaxy Nexus and a silicone outer layer enclosing the polycarbonate shells for secure protection. It comes in minimalistic packaging with pictorial instructions printed inside the box.


High-quality polycarbonate shell:

This is a two part polycarbonate shell which is fitted for the Galaxy Nexus. The top portion has a clear protective membrane touch screen that lays on top of the Galaxy Nexus’s AMOLED screen. The two shells snap together around the Galaxy Nexus. Snap-on points are located on both sides (2 lock-points each) & bottom (1 lock-point). The entire phone is now covered, protecting it from the elements.


Clear protective membrane touch screen:

This touchscreen is conductive and no loss of performance can be noted. It really is quite a remarkable technology. The membrane lays on top of the Galaxy Nexus's touchscreen and conveys all touches and gestures perfectly. The membrane helps seal the entire phone, which I think is a pioneering effort in this industry. This hard membrane also doubles up as protection for the AMOLED screen. Video calls can be made without removing the case, as the membrane is clear enough. That being said, the clarity of the membrane may not appeal to everyone: The membrane is grainy, much like a matte/anti-glare screen protector. If you love clear screen protectors, then this case isn't for you. However, I suspect that the membrane can be easily removed, as it appears to be lightly glued on to the interior edges of the polycarbonate shell (see picture below).


Durable silicone skin:

To add more protection and better grip, the flexible silicone skin covers the rear & edges of the Galaxy Nexus. Usability of the phone is further enhanced by the ergonomics of this skin. All ports and buttons are protected by silicone flaps & buttons, sealing the entire phone. The only openings are for the camera/flash, microphones & speakers.


Belt-clip holster:

This holster is made of a tough, polycarbonate material and looks as though it will never break. It's a swivel design and rotates in both directions, 360 degrees. The Galaxy Nexus can be holstered with screen out or in, making for a highly flexible design. Otterbox must be commended for the design of this exceptional holster.

Once everything is in place, the case provides access to the speakers, microphones, camera & volume/media buttons. I have no doubt about the toughness and durability of this case. It feels as if it can take a lickin’ n’ keep on tickin’! I would say that it is water resistant to some extent. Despite all this protection, it is a ruggedly handsome case. The only caveat is that the surrounding silicone layer is a dust magnet (as can be seen from the pictures).


Pros:

• Highly protective case tailor-made for the Galaxy Nexus, providing ultimate protection & functionality.
• Touch Membrane for the AMOLED screen for protection with no loss of performance.
• Easily accessible media & charging ports.
• Ports for speakers, microphones, camera.
• Belt-clip holster (durable and well-made).
• Fits perfectly with Samsung's official extended battery & cover.

Cons:

• Adds a bit of bulk and weight: Not a concern for repeat OtterBox buyers who expect this.
• Attracts some dust, but not as much as earlier OtterBox designs. I see that OtterBox has been improving their silicone to lessen dust attraction.
• Grainy image via the membrane / screen protector (clarity is the same as via a matte/anti-glare screen protector).

[HC - NO "i"]

Sabesh,

Surprised to find out it fits with the extended battery / cover

[DroogBC]

Bought this case immediately after purchasing my Galaxy Nexus. I work in construction and as a result my phones tend to take a bit of a beating, so since I paid full price for the handset I thought it best to protect it with the most rugged case on the market.

I came home from my first day of work with the new handset, dusted off the phone, and immediately saw small chunks of sawdust lodged between the screen protector and the screen. Popped the case apart and was shocked to find the hard plastic otterbox case just full of construction debris. Just tons of insulation dust, sawdust, and concrete particulate, stuck between the case and the phone quickly grinding away at my $700 chunk of plastic and glass. ... and that's with me being careful with my new toy.

Upon further examination, I found the edges of my new phone scuffed, marred, and pitted, and the damage has only gotten worse since then.

Considering Future Shop raped me to the tune of $80 for the case, frankly I'm not impressed.

For comparison's sake, I bought my Nexus S new, tossed it in my old HTC G1 pouch, and went to work everyday. The phone remained nearly flawless until I finally spiked it off of my kitchen floor out of frustration with Mobilicity's network.

Caveat Emptor - Let the Buyer Beware.

[DroogBC]

Another thing I thought I'd mention...

When the phone is in the holster, the headphone port is obscured and thus unusable. A little trimming of the holster with a dremel or the like would probably do the trick, but frankly at this price point I don't feel that you should have to be hacking away at anything with power tools to make it work properly.

[daddiorc]

droog works on a construction site, so it makes sense why he'd need a heavy duty case. for regular folk, i really don't get the appeal of these hideous otter cases. a simple hard gel skin would suffice... unless ur a total clutz. mind u, my sgs2x has taken a few spills on concrete and it's no worse for wear.

Sent from my SGH-T989D using HowardForums

[bubble.tea]

^ You should read about WIRC's htc one x fatality with a 1ft movie theatre drop. No extreme work conditions, no extreme sports., just bad luck.

If you have kids, or are clumsy, or just don't want to find yourself staring down the barrel of a $600 no-term cost replacement phone, $30-$50 (why would anybody by them retail from FS??? when you can buy them EVVVVVVVVVVVVVVERY where for far cheaper, is beyond me) is a no brainer investment. The GNex is already so slim though, it's almost a shame to put it in a big box.

I've had Defenders all along for my iphones., but the 4 and 4S, with the pretty glass back made it tough for me to hide it in a case, so I haven't. Thus far, no drops! .

[Mrmarchuk]

i freaking love the otterbox, yeah, it might be a little big but MAN does it save your phone! ever since the first iphone came out, i've had otterboxes on my iphones and android phones (i quickly switched over to android )