Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsNot The Same As Older Models
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2024
I have been using Otterbox Defenders on all my phones going back to the iPhone 7. They have always been the same design, which is extremely rugged, and provides unparalleled protection for your phone. All the guys in my department at work use the Defender, and I don’t think it was planned. All the guys in my department are skilled professionals, or engineers, so it’s a group of intelligent and experienced individuals. If it’s a requirement for all of us, I think that speaks volumes to the utility of the Defender case. I hit a deer on my motorcycle going 70 mph. The phone had a Defender case on, it was ejected from my phone mount, and launched into a field. A concerned witness miraculously managed to track it down for me while I was waiting for the ambulance. It was completely undamaged.
The Defender case is a beast, and I won’t use any other case. That being said, I ordered this case assuming I’d be getting the case I am accustomed to. The design has changed a bit. It’s easier to assemble and more durable. Mine have always broken in the same way. The brittle plastic always cracks. I don’t think that is as much of a concern with this design.
My only concern with this case is it the boarder around the screen has always protruded out a fair distance, to provide your screen with superior protection in the event of an accidental drop. This cases height above the screen is no better than your average cheap case with no thought or engineering in the design. That one is aspect is the most important element of the Defender line. I was very disappointed when I noticed it, which was immediately obvious. I do use a screen protector, which is even more essential with this inferior design. I have dropped my phone directly on the screen and fortunately there was no damage.
There are a few Defender series models for the 15 Pro Max, maybe I bought the wrong one. So for now I’m using this case. The soft exterior material is the other essential feature of this case that makes them so good. They absorb shock very well when dropped, compared to hard shell cases. I don’t trust hard shell cases. It doesn’t take a degree in physics to understand a softer material is better for absorbing shock than a rigid material if dropped.
The case is fine for now, but I’m going to see if I can get the case I’m accustomed to, the case I trust. Because I do not trust this case fully.