No matter what level of protection you need for your iPhone 4 OtterBox has you covered. The company realizes that all iPhone users are different and use their phones in different environments. It’s because of this that they offer three different levels of protective cases for the iPhone 4. Their Defender series offers the maximum amount, followed by the Commuter which offers a mid-range level of protection followed by the case we’ll look at today, the Impact series.
The Impact series case is a slim fitting, silicone based case that is meant to protect your device from life’s bumps, scratches and other run-ins while keeping your device relatively sleek. It contains OtterBox’s unique inner coring which works to keep the danger of shock from impact away.
Inside the packaging you’ll find a screen protection kit. This includes one crystal clear silicone based screen shield, an installation card and a cleaning cloth. OtterBox’s screen shields are of very good quality. They are easy to install and easy to remove.
The inside of this case feature’s the company’s inner coring which looks like a waffle pattern. This special pattern helps the case to absorb the impact of bumps and drops when the occur.
Slipping the case on your iPhone is done with minimal effort. The silicone is stretchy and is easily pulled over the iPhone. There’s no right or wrong way to put it on – just make sure once it is on you’ve got all the ports and buttons line up the right way.
On the back of the case there’s a large cut out for the camera lens and LED flash. There’s also a circular cutout which allows the Apple logo to shine through. If you’re worried about scratching your Apple logo you may want to invest in a screen shield for the back of your iPhone 4. I wish OtterBox would include a circular logo protector with their cases that include this cutout.
On the side you’ll find a nice sized cutout for access to the vibrate switch. The volume buttons get covered by the case but do have little nubs which offer nice feedback when you press them.
Along the top there’s cutout for the headset jack and secondary microphone. The sleep/awake button gets covered by the case but has a nice raised nub which gives good feedback when pressed.
The bottom features offers one large cutout for access to the 30-pin dock connector, speaker and main microphone.
The Impact series case rings in at only $19.95 making it, in my opinion, a great deal. With the included screen shield kit it’s a great “throw-away” case. A case that requires a minimal investment but one that’s always there when you need it ready to offer a large amount of shock and impact protection for your iPhone 4. It’s not a slim as some cases but if you need more protection that a thin snap-on-back-cover this type of case is worth checking out.
As with most silicone case the Impact does seem to attract some dust but it’s also easily brushed off and away.
You can learn more about the OtterBox Impact Series case for the iPhone 4 by visiting the OtterBox web site here.
MSRP: $19.95
What I like: Inexpensive, good shock and impact protection.
What Needs Improvement: Apple logo exposed, attracts dust.