So you just bought that shiny new iPhone 4S. It has that smooth glass and looks really awesome. When the guy at the Apple store asks you if you want to buy insurance, you say, “No, I’m OK. I never drop my phone.”
This case offers the best of both worlds. Although it’s a really sleek case, the Neo Hybrid EX offers really good protection due to the fact that it has a soft inner layer that absorbs drops, while the plastic bumper that goes around it gives it grip and a nice tinge of color. If you want to have a slimmer case, you can go without the bumper option, which exposes the back. While it comes in at $30, it has a very high-quality screen shield to give your phone the most amount of protection possible inside.
Otterbox Reflex
Otterbox is notorious for providing ridiculously protective cases. For example, the Defender model is basically a tank, as it provides a plastic layer covered by a soft silicon layer, which supposedly offers maximum protection. From my experience, Otterbox’s cheaper Reflex case offers even more protection than its pricier sibling.
The Reflex is inspired by car bumpers. The rubber inserts seen on the back of the case absorb drop impact and crumple to bring the impact onto the case rather than on your phone. In addition, the case only touches the phone in two places, where the case comes together as well as the edges covering the top. It retails for $35 but can be picked up for much cheaper on Amazon.com.
Speck CandyShell
This is one of those overpriced cases that you find at the Apple store. If you can resist the urge to snag one off the shelf there, you can pick one up online for a fraction of the price.
In addition to looking really awesome, the case offers a very good amount of protection. It’s made out of hard plastic and a soft, absorbent silicon layer lines the inside of the case. The case offers a decent amount of protection while looking really awesome and giving your iPhone a cool, bright look. The CandyShell also comes in a variety of styles which offer everything: the capability to dock your iPhone, to use it as a stand to watch movies or to gain extra grip to make sure you don’t drop it carelessly. This can be picked up for $35 on Speck’s website.
SwitchEasy Eclipse
While this case may be the cheapest of the four, it is definitely my favorite. The Eclipse is a hybrid-style case that offers a good amount of protection, with a hard plastic back and a rubber bumper lining the edge. The two-tone design gives off a stylish yet professional look.
In addition to being quite protective, SwitchEasy also provides a variety of goodies that come with the case, including two screen protectors, dock protectors, dock adaptors and more. Coming in at just $20, this case is one of the best-rated cases online, along with being the one I keep on my iPhone most of the time.
Follow Joon on Twitter: @junoyeopTV
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Jessica Fang • Feb 8, 2012 at 6:36 pm
I bought a speck case and the case broke after a few times though.