Otterbox Reflex Series iPhone case review
Anyone who owns an iPhone 4 knows they need a good case to protect the device, and stop the death grip that plagues iPhone’s signal strength. Otterbox’s Defender is already a great case, which provides maximum protection for a rugged lifestyle, but it can be a bit heavy at times. If you want a more lightweight case that still provides good protection, I’d recommend the Otterbox Reflex Series for the iPhone 4.
The Otterbox Reflex will be available for both AT&T and Verizon iPhones. They come in a variety of colors, including blue, black, green and pink. Each color has black accents that represent the reflex function of the case.
The case itself is made of a well-made Polycarbonate with rubber on the corners for impact dropping. The case is sleek, and feels great in the hands. Compared to the Defender, it is much lighter, yet still has a feeling of quality protection on the shell and rubber part. Carrying the iPhone in a reflex case is much easier than the Defender, because it is lighter, and fits into belt holsters much easier.
The buttons and ports are easy to get to, and you can sync to iTunes without taking the case apart. I love that there are no flaps that can get in the way of use as with other cases.
The Reflex is designed to take impact like a car, where it absorbs the impact, and then bounces back into of shape. The Reflex even stood up to a couple of drops on the back and corners of the case, with no damage to the case or iPhone. Even the death grip is mostly ineffective, as the signal hasn’t decreased on the AT&T iPhone.
Installing the case part of the Otterbox Reflex on the iPhone is a breeze. It snaps shut by simply pushing the two halves of the case together. The iPhone can be removed from the Reflex by simply pulling the case apart from both ends. This is a great feature if you have to dock your iPhone in an accessory like a speaker, which I couldn’t do with my external speaker, but could after pulling the case part. This is a huge step up from the Defender, which was like breaking into Fort Knox every time the case had to be opened or shut.
The only drawback to the Otterbox Reflex for the iPhone is the adhesive screen protector that came with the case. It obviously doesn’t have a built-in screen protector. As most screen protectors go, it is a horror show to put on. I was unable to get my screen protector on, and I’m pretty good at getting them on. Needless to day, you probably won’t make much use of the screen protector.
All in all, I like the Otterbox Reflex for both AT&T and Verizon iPhone users. It is a strong, durable case that provides good protection in everyday situations. I wouldn’t use it if I knew I were going to be somewhere with rough conditions like a construction site, but for just about anything else, the protection is fine, especially if Otterbox can come up with a better screen protector for the iPhone 4. It’s fairly expensive with a $45 price tag, but for 90% of all iPhone 4 users, it’s worth it because of the high, yet lightweight protection. Look for the Otterbox Reflex for the iPhone 4 to reach store and websites soon.
