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otterbox defender case or commuter case?

brounmoney

brounmoney

Android Enthusiast
OK so I would just like to see which of these two cases you guys like best.? I have the defender case and it is good, but not nearly as good as I thought it was going to be. The commuter case looks really good, but my only problem with it is that it has no screen guard built in. I know it comes with one to put on, but I am really not very good at putting those on. Please just give me your opinions I would love to hear what you guys think.
 
I have the commuter, its actually really good! I liked it. The screen protector is really easy to put it on, they have a step to step instruction how u can apply the protector. I prefer the commuter over the defender, its just way more slim, its looks a lot better without giving away too much protection .

Well, however, if u want extra protection and not too fuzzy about the style of ur phone, u should go with the defender, even though it looks a bit rough and thick. But sure get the job done, plus I believe it comes with a removable holster, very professional looking gear on ur belt.

So over all, if everyday use, get the commuter, if its for biz, or tough working environment, defender.

U decide
 
i have the defender. i like how it has 2 pieces that snap together and the top piece is a plastic screen protector. Much more durable then a normal one. now i have a normal one on my phone then the defenders top case which comes with a built on protector and i have no issues with screen sensitivty. my only complaint with the phone really is that if you take it off and on a lot eventually one othe corners will become worn i guess and start to have a little play in them.. so you can squeeze it and feel some give. but i have found if you call otterbox they send you a new one for free.

now some people dont like the size of the phone in the defender case but i like it just fun.. the back has a really nice grip to it. i put it on my lap while driving and forget about it cause it isnt going anywhere
 
The problem that I am having is dust and stuff getting behind the screen protector and have to take the case off to get it out. I do like the defended, but they should have covered the top part where is speakers and from facing camera are. I am kind of leaning on trying the commuter case too.
 
I have both the Defender and the Commuter, and I think the Commuter is exponentially better than the Defender. Slap an Invisishield on it and you're good to go. If you need the belt clip aspect of the Defender, the Seidio spring-clip holster fits great.
 
Bought the defender last week. I absolutely love it. I was afraid it was going to be extremely bulky and I wasn't going to get it, but I went with it anyways and it turned out great.
 
I've been using the Defender since day one. I knew right off the bat I was going to hate its bulk, but I've been living with it for -- what, three months now? -- and it's just not a big deal. I use the holster at work, but pocket it the rest of the time. Even with the added thickness, it's thinner than anything other than the caseless Blackberries I've owned, and certainly thinner than my wallet.

The only time I miss the thinness of the naked Nexus is when I remove it from the case, but I've found that I prefer the extra heft of the Defender to grab and hold for longer periods of time, such as when watching videos or playing games. It's just more comfortable for my large hands.

I don't work at a particularly abusive job, but with as much glass as this phone has exposed, I'm simply unwilling to take the chance of smashing this when I eventually drop it. Since I've owned it, I've only dropped it once, which is less frequently than how often I was dropping my previous phone. But I think that the extra grippy surface of the Defender case might have something to do with this (though this would likely hold true for the Commuter case, too).
 
I love my defender, even with the bulk. Ive only actually handled my phone with out it once. It made the phone feel tiny haha.
 
I work outside, so I got the defender case. Works well, but like others have said it does get a bit dirty inside. Haven't dropped it yet, but feels like I could throw it at a wall and it'd be fine.
 
I was split between the two also, and I went with the defender but I modified it. There is a major flaw with the screen shield that hovers over it, collecting grit that can scratch the screen. So, I heated the outer rim(built in screen shield) with a blow dryer to pop out the screen shield. Then I put a wet apply screen shield and filed down the inner edges of the rim so it lays nicely on top.

Its a pain to pay that much for a case and have to modify it but I have really liked the protection and feel of the defender. Great case. :thumbup:
 
mattbourge said:
I was split between the two also, and I went with the defender but I modified it. There is a major flaw with the screen shield that hovers over it, collecting grit that can scratch the screen. So, I heated the outer rim(built in screen shield) with a blow dryer to pop out the screen shield. Then I put a wet apply screen shield and filed down the inner edges of the rim so it lays nicely on top.

Its a pain to pay that much for a case and have to modify it but I have really liked the protection and feel of the defender. Great case. :thumbup:
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Well I am with you all the way. I got the phone and defender case a week ago and yesterday I notice that something had gotten behind the screen protector and scratched the screen. The scratch is not very big so I deal with it, but the otterbox is so much it really should work better.

I just received today from amazon the commuter case and already love it ten times more. Has any one used the screen protector that came with the commuter? I just did not know if it was any good.
 
brounmoney said:
Well I am with you all the way. I got the phone and defender case a week ago and yesterday I notice that something had gotten behind the screen protector and scratched the screen. The scratch is not very big so I deal with it, but the otterbox is so much it really should work better.

I just received today from amazon the commuter case and already love it ten times more. Has any one used the screen protector that came with the commuter? I just did not know if it was any good.
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Let me know how it holds up. I have thought about getting the commuter. How easy is it to take on and off? Like to use a spare battery...and also I have a "armor suit" screen shield which is a few bucks on amazon. Its an off brand zagg and I really have liked it on my tablet and GNex..
 
mattbourge said:
Let me know how it holds up. I have thought about getting the commuter. How easy is it to take on and off? Like to use a spare battery...and also I have a "armor suit" screen shield which is a few bucks on amazon. Its an off brand zagg and I really have liked it on my tablet and GNex..
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I will let you know how I like it and how it holds up. I can say it is very easy to take on and off.
 
What do you do for a living? The defender is for complete clutz' or people who have a high risk of damaging their phone at work. If you work outdoors or some kind of construction job I'd recommend the defender. If you're indoors or an office job, just get the commuter.

I will attest to the Defender though, I watched my friend drop his iphone from a 3 story roofing job onto a concrete floor and the phone didn't have a scratch/crack on it. Commuter offers decent protection from everyday whoops moments though.
 
I my case, I don't have an abusive job, but when I'm not in the office, I'm in and out of the vehicle frequently, and that's where a lot of the drops occur.

But I'd also disagree in that the Defender is no more overkill than shelling out a lot of bucks on insurance. Yeah, it's hella ugly compared to the clean lines of the bare phone, but practically speaking, I love the pace of mind.

In the end, it's a personal choice, and I think it's great there is such a wide selection to pick from.
 
I ended up coming with the Commuter as I have rarly dropped my phone over the past couple of years BUT did want some protection if I did.

I wanted to be able to easily take my phone out of the case and put it into an armband when I go running and that's what led me to the Otterbox brand.

Yesterday the worse case happened, I was on the treadmill and my towel got hooked on my phone and the phone went falling to the floor. On the way down, it hit the treadmill.

After cursing a few times, I inspected the phone and found no scratches or dings (this is also without the screen protector). Money well spent!

The one downside and it's a minor complaint: the phone does not slide into pocket (coat or pants) easily with the case. Not a big deal but you do have to make sure it goes all the way into your coat pocket before you let it go.
 
brounmoney said:
I will let you know how I like it and how it holds up. I can say it is very easy to take on and off.
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ok can the commuter case fit the phone with the extended battery on it? The defender barely can and the clasps around it break easily. Otterbox is great about sending replacements though.
 
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