What is the most protective iPhone 8 Plus case?

October 16, 2020 11:24 AM

I had a small crack on the back on my iPhone that I tried to epoxy- it came out a little weird??? But I just now dropped my phone and now the whole back is cracked. Can I just put a screen protector over the back? Or what other case is the best to keep my phone working? I think what I have isn’t enough and I would like this phone to continue to work for another 2-3 years. Sigh.
posted by pairofshades to Computers & Internet (11 answers total)

I’ve had a super thin case covering the extremely smashed glass back of my iPhone X for over a year now and everything has been working just fine. I think I went with the Wirecutter’s best minimalist case recommendation and it’s pretty much a thin form fitting piece of plastic. No bulk and no extra protection and so far, so good.
posted by MadamM at 12:02 PM on October 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

The otterbox defender series is about the best I've seen in terms of protecting the phone, but they are pricy and bulky, and generally overkill. They're a rubber liner inside a polycarbonate shell that keeps the phone recessed from the lip of the case, plus they have integrated rubber plugs in the liner that go in the phone's various ports to keep dust and such out. I had one on a phone for a while and eventually ditched it for making a slim phone into a brick, but damn if the phone wasn't entirely pristine, despite a few drops.
posted by mrgoat at 12:06 PM on October 16, 2020 [2 favorites]

I do not use a case on my phones, but my son in the US Army who tests the limits of his phone almost daily and NEEDS the phone for his job, uses an Otterbox. I do not know which one, but it cost me about $75. It takes a beating or as the commercial for Timex used to say, "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking."

As mtgoat said, they are pricey, but I disagree with their assessment of overkill. Depends on what you are doing with your phone. Dropping it a lot, using it at a construction site, tank commander, etc. it is the standard.

If you just want to keep the glass in place, a screen protector and maybe some crazy glue will suffice. A thin case as MadameM mentions would work too especially if you never take it out of the case.
posted by AugustWest at 1:00 PM on October 16, 2020

I use Otterbox Defender on my phone - yes it turns my phone into a brick, but it is a well protected brick.
posted by Julnyes at 1:33 PM on October 16, 2020

I'll clarify, AugustWest is right. When I say it's overkill, I meant for most people with something like an office job. It's the absolute go-to for people on a construction site or worse.
posted by mrgoat at 1:40 PM on October 16, 2020

Best answer: You should be able to get a case cheaply online and make sure the back is totally covered by the case, with no hole to show off the logo. You just want one hole for the camera. Then I would use some packing tape to reinforce the back, spending lots of time getting it flat and trimmed close to the edge. Depending on the thickness of the tape, maybe do two layers. Then put on the case and avoid removing it if possible.

Since the 8 is an older model, you may be able to get an otterbox or similar pricey case for less money. I always get a low profile case for my iphone that is a hard outside with a fabric or rubber inside that surrounds edges of the phone and has a lip above the screen. Target and the like usually carry them for 20-25 dollars, but they may not carry ones for the 8 anymore.
posted by soelo at 1:58 PM on October 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

I swear by Speck products. Candyshell Grip is a great case that isn't very bulky. (Presidio is good too, the other Speck Candyshell cases are too slippery and slippery means more drops)
posted by mookoz at 2:43 PM on October 16, 2020

Seconding Soleo’s approach; as long as you don’t drop it too many more times, packing tape should hold things together just fine.

From the iPhone 6 on, I have protected my phones with a case that helps prevent drops rather than one that tries to mitigate the damage they cause. I have been using Loopy cases.

The silicone bit works well without adding as much bulk as other cases/attachments; because the loop is squishy, it doesn’t make the phone harder to pocket. It even made Plus-sized iPhones safely usable with one hand the way the smaller ones were.

The only time it got a bit tricky was when I stepped onto black ice while looking at my phone. Because my phone was strapped to my hand, when I started to fall I had to make sure my shoulder took the brunt on that side of my body rather than that hand.
posted by FallibleHuman at 4:48 PM on October 16, 2020

When you're looking for cases, the new SE is the same size as the 8.
posted by kathrynm at 6:38 PM on October 16, 2020 [1 favorite]

You should be able to order the back glass on eBay for about ten bucks. You should probably replace that before you hide the phone in a case, but watch some YouTube first to make sure it is a process you are comfortable with, as I have no idea what that process looks like for that particular model.
posted by oceanjesse at 6:56 PM on October 16, 2020

Otterbox to protect in the future. Right now, get a Bondic starter kit, use a screen-protector applicator to smoosh the liquid into the cracks, and turn on the light to cure (or take it outside in bright sunlight). Shit's magic.
posted by notsnot at 8:47 PM on October 16, 2020 [1 favorite]