OtterBox Defender for iPhone 5 Review

The OtterBox Defender is one of the best known, if not the best known, case from OtterBox. We could say it is their flagship case for the iPhone. It was the first case I saw a couple of weeks ago when the iPhone 5 launched and I've been using it for the last week to give you my impressions.

The overall design has changed a bit, but it has retain most of the main design. The polycarbonate shell that seals in the iPhone has been redesigned. It now snaps in every corner, in addition to where it already snapped in the middle at the sides.

OtterBox Defender for iPhone 5 (left) - for iPhone 4S (right)

The shell, which is composed of two parts, just like the previous design, now are completely separate; the bottom of the front part doesn't go all the way to the back as the iPhone 4S version did.

The rubber slipcover that wraps around the shell is now a little bit thicker, more resistant and snaps in place much like the Defender for the iPad does. For example the front part of the rubber slipcover wraps around the home button, instead of being a line covering 3/4 of it. 

The camera hole is different, not rounded anymore. The bottom part of the case protects the Lightning connector and the relocated headphone jack, also giving way to the speaker and microphone.

It still protects the screen with the built-in screen protector; the same goes to the hole in the back that lets you see the Apple logo.

The holster has been redesigned. It is now slimmer in profile and the bottom part is not continuous. The belt clip rotates smoother and it doesn't have the space for the iPhone volume buttons, which means that you can place the iPhone in whatever position you like, even with the screen facing outward.

As much as I like the new Defender and its holster, I'm not a fan of bulky cases. The case itself with the holster make it a little heavy, which can be a harsh for many. But the case meets my expectations on protection and the new holster is a great change.

In my opinion the Defender is the ultimate protection for your iPhone 5 as off today. For more information go to OtterBox's website.