Customer Reviews

OtterBox Impact Case for iPhone 3G/3GS - Black

5 star:		(397)
4 star:		(145)
3 star:		(58)
2 star:		(44)
1 star:		(46)

 

 

I'm about as happy as I could be with the Impact case. Carrying around a slippery, glass-fronted device, I was primarily looking for a case that would provide good energy dissipation in the inevitable event that I drop-kick it across a room when fumbling for keys. As such, an unyielding hardshell case just wasn't ideal. The fitment, bracing, and silicone material of the Impact are a well-thought-out means of limiting shock intensity (although I thankfully haven't tested it to any considerable extent).
The Impact fits the phone snugly, provides a good textured grip for the hand, and doesn't drown out the mic and earpiece like poorly-fitted units. All slides and buttons are easily accessible - perhaps even more so than without case since my hand isn't slipping all over the glossy shell. Relatedly, the Impact adds very little size to the phone and weighs next to nothing.
The included screen protector works great too - I'd heard of rainbow refractions and a slightly-milky appearance, but cleaning the surface well beforehand and working carefully resulted in a crystal-clear application. Can't tell it's even in place. No complaints on that front.
I could do without the circular port on the back of the case, but it does nothing to harm structural integrity and it displays my MS sticker effectively. ;) It will certainly do the same for the Apple logo, however! The thickness of the silicone protects it from most direct scratchin' contact.
My second option in terms of cases was the Otterbox Defender, but I felt the Impact would suffice for day-to-day protection, and thus far this has certainly proven to be true.

After about 3 months of fairly light usage this case stretched just enough to cover the proximity sensor of the iPhone. This prevents the phone from lighting up when you pull the phone away from your face after you are done talking, which means you don't see the "end call" button. We thought it was the phone dying at first until doing some research to find out the cheaper cases were doing this. Took the case off and phone works perfectly fine.

There are far better cases for an extra $5 like the iSkin. Or if you can go $30, the Defender (made by same company) has served me well other than the belt clip.

I work for the Fire Department and was looking for a rugged case that could stand up to the abuse I was expecting to put it through. After purchasing this product, I am confident my phone is fully protected from the elements. I will say, it does make the product a little bulky, I tend to put my phone in my pocket and not wear it on a belt clip. It's bulky but doable. It was a good purchase and I'm glad I bought it. One thing I will mention about it, is that it didn't come with instructions on how to put it in the case, and it literally took me about 15mins. to figure it out. Also, after market car charges and docking stations will not work with this case because the connection is too deep in the case. Knowing those two things, I would still buy it.

Case is light weight but gives a good hand grip. It's a real solid case. I dropped my phone from a subway platform to the track 5-ft below. When the maintenance worker retrieved it back for me, the phone didn't even have a single scratch and still works like normal. If you're looking for case to really protect your iPhone, this is it!

I got this case after another case I bought, from [...], turned out to be a complete dud. After extensive research I found this case to be the absolute best in terms of style and protection in its price point. I received the product and the packaging was really easy to open, no scissors required. This is really appreciated as one of the worst things in buying something new is trying to open sealed plastic boxes.

The package came with the silicone case as pictured and a clear screen protector. Putting on the screen protector was really easy but I think more written instructions would have been helpful (only pictured instruction were provided.) Although there are many YouTube videos demonstrating the correct procedure to accomplish this. After viewing a video on YouTube I knew exactly what to do. Without the video I would have been a bit confused since there are two outside layers sandwiching the clear case within. These two outside layers are there so you don't accidentally touch the actual screen protector until after it is laid on top of your iPhone's screen. If this sounds confusing, make sure you view a demonstration video prior to trying to put it on.

Anyways the actual case itself looks great, looks just as good in person as it does online. All the cut out holes fit the phone perfectly at first. Although, I started to have light sensor problems and problems with the camera hole being obstructed after a few months. Its easy to access or push all the buttons. It provides the perfect grip for holding the phone while talking. There is extra silicone in the corners as advertised to protect against a fall. The case is also very easy to put on and is easy to take off, no headaches there. I am very pleased with this product, minus the two failings previously mentioned. The one other thing to note is that if you are an aggressive scroller the side of the case may snag your finger and flap back into place. This doesn't damage the case and is very minor. This is something I knew about prior to buying the case but I have found it to not be a big deal at all.

Although I really loved this case after a few months the case has stretched a bit I suppose because the cutouts are no longer as precise as the used to be. The light sensor on the front can get obstructed which makes getting the screen to turn back on after a call a pain. Also the camera hole no longer perfectly fits the lens and photos are sometimes obstructed. This is a real shame because it is a really great case design minus these two flaws. I have since purchased the OtterBox Commuter TL Case for iPhone 3G, 3G S (White) as a replacement. I still went with Otterbox because despite the problems with this case I think they make quality products overall and I was impressed enough with the first case to stick with them.

It is durable, grippy (won't slip out of your front pocket) and does soften the impact from a casual drop BUT it does stretch which which makes me pause before recommending it. It goes on super tight fitting but after only a couple months is sloppy... to the point where it was partially obstructing the camera lens and ear speaker. The opening for the headphone plug works for apple headphones but if the jack is a larger diameter (think of the "high end" gold plugs you see) you need to remove the cover to fully seat the plug.

Updated 9/8/10: This case has gotten so baggy I have given up on it. It lasted me around 4 months and was "useful" for only around 2 of them. Don't bother with it.

I really liked this case at first. I got suckered in by the great reviews. I'd be interested to know if people still like the case after using it for an extended period of time. As I said, at first the case was great. You can read other reviews to see how it fits/feels. However, after 2 weeks, the rubber has lost its elasticity. It doesn't hold the phone tight enough. Worst part is, the cutout for the ear speaker doesn't line up with the speaker hole anymore, so when I hold the case and talk on the phone, the speaker is muffled by the rubber from the case, since they no longer line up. Sad.

As many recent reviews have noted, this thing stretched out for me after about a month and now no longer aligns properly with the earpiece, sensors, and buttons. It is not as sticky as some other rubberized cases I have used/seen but, still gets stuck in your pocket and covered with a fair amount of lint. I stopped using mine and went back to the the Marware Sport Grip case which can get really linty but holds the phone nice and snug. The Otter is a "Don't Buy".

I have had this product for 4 days. My initial feedback is the following: Pros: Easy slip on/off case. Good for me when needing to place iphone in armband for running/gym. Durable. I never have to worry about dropping my iphone. Unfortunately, the Cons outweigh the Pros and is reflected in my rating. First, this case makes the iphone look like a brick or a Mot Droid or one of the original PDAs from the early 2000s (e.g. Dell Axim). Second, it no longer easily slips into my pocket, front or back due to the bulkiness and stickiness of the case. Third, it collects dust and hair like crazy. This is not an attractive feature when you set it next to you at dinner. Lastly, the sides slip over the front by 3mm causing difficulty when typing emails/texts and using the letters near the edge. Not only is it now cumbersome to type quickly (in portrait mode), but it is down right annoying. Switching to Landscape to type messages works fine. Overall, this product doesn't trap out moisture or water so don't be misled by its durability. I'm ordering another case for now.

I, like anyone else who is reading these reviews, was in search of a case and screen protector for my iPhone. I originally bought the thick, rugged Otter case; but it was extrememly bulky and uncomfortable in my pants pocket; yes, I know it came with a belt clip, but as someone who uses the ipod a lot, it wasn't convenient for me. After the thick Otter case finally broke down, I searched for two months for a suitable replacement. I finally came across this slimmed down version and decided to give it a try. Boy, am I glad I did! This is a great value as it comes with a nice, smooth, durable protective layer and a screen protector that is easy to apply without leaving air bubbles! The case leaves easy access to the vibrate on/off switch and it accents the power and volume buttons as well. The speakers and connection area are left uncovered for easy listening and access. I got to test it's durability during a recent trip to Palm Springs. I dropped my phone from my third floor balcony and it survived the fall without a scratch! Overall, I highlly recommend this product to anyone looking for a protective case that's not bulky!