Most protective cases and accessories for iPhone 3GS?
December 17, 2009 9:17 AM Subscribe
I'm a clutz, so my iPhone needs protection. What are the best cases for shielding an Iphone 3GS from drops and spills? Do I need other accessories, too, like screen protectors - and if so which ones?
I actually use a very cheep case for my phone, but its the best one I've ever found. Its this one, from Japan, that I get through JList. The prime reason I love it is the wrist strap, which keeps me from dropping my phone quite often.
I use the screen protectors and back protector it comes with, and have never had a problem other than dust getting under the edges. It takes serious falls well, from height, onto stone / concrete / sidewalks, with no damage to the phone yet.
posted by strixus at 9:36 AM on December 17, 2009
I use the screen protectors and back protector it comes with, and have never had a problem other than dust getting under the edges. It takes serious falls well, from height, onto stone / concrete / sidewalks, with no damage to the phone yet.
posted by strixus at 9:36 AM on December 17, 2009
I just bought an Otterbox Defender as well, so far it's awesome. Short of something seriously enclosing (some sort of snap case that covers everything and has to be opened) I can't imagine something better. You can get them off Amazon most of the time for just under $30.
posted by pupdog at 9:37 AM on December 17, 2009
posted by pupdog at 9:37 AM on December 17, 2009
Thirding the otterbox. It's the only one I found that covers and protects the jacks. It is a little bulky though.
posted by princelyfox at 9:54 AM on December 17, 2009
posted by princelyfox at 9:54 AM on December 17, 2009
I have an Otterbox Impact, which is a third of the price of the Defender and the right level of protection for my purposes. I've got a screen protector as well - it's been on for about six months and I'm only just starting to think about replacing it.
posted by elsietheeel at 9:55 AM on December 17, 2009
posted by elsietheeel at 9:55 AM on December 17, 2009
I love my Brando Ultra Clear screen protector for my 3GS. It may take a few minutes to get it positioned just right (hint: use the top 'hole' to help align it, the rest will flow into place).
Because I'm an Evangelion fan, I use the NERV iPhone Mighty Guard case. It's a bit of a pain to take the case off and on to put the phone into the charging cradle, but it's highly protective of the back of the phone and doesn't add very much to the phone's overall profile.
posted by willmize at 9:55 AM on December 17, 2009
Because I'm an Evangelion fan, I use the NERV iPhone Mighty Guard case. It's a bit of a pain to take the case off and on to put the phone into the charging cradle, but it's highly protective of the back of the phone and doesn't add very much to the phone's overall profile.
posted by willmize at 9:55 AM on December 17, 2009
Have you seen this thread?
I adore my SwitchEasy case. I have a CapsuleRebel, and it's very durable while being easy to use. I got my dad one, too, and he's had similar results.
posted by Madamina at 10:07 AM on December 17, 2009
I adore my SwitchEasy case. I have a CapsuleRebel, and it's very durable while being easy to use. I got my dad one, too, and he's had similar results.
posted by Madamina at 10:07 AM on December 17, 2009
Screen protectors are a pain in the ass, IMHO. Incase Design cases are terrible, don't waste your money. Some great ones here here. I have one like the Ultra Slim, it includes removable plugs for the headphone jack and dock connector.
posted by fixedgear at 10:19 AM on December 17, 2009
posted by fixedgear at 10:19 AM on December 17, 2009
I'm a huge fan of Speck's ToughSkin. It is some industrial strength shit, I'll tell you now, but it never slips from your grasp, you can place it on smooth surfaces and it'll hold, and it absorbs shock and protects the screen. I use one for my Zune.
posted by disillusioned at 10:26 AM on December 17, 2009
posted by disillusioned at 10:26 AM on December 17, 2009
I may have dropped my iPhone. More than once. On concrete.
All I have protecting it is this skin from Gela Skins; I've had no problems thus far. I've tried more robust cases but got frustrated with the bulk and non-slip coating, which made it more difficult to remove from my pocket in a timely manner.
posted by Aleen at 10:57 AM on December 17, 2009
All I have protecting it is this skin from Gela Skins; I've had no problems thus far. I've tried more robust cases but got frustrated with the bulk and non-slip coating, which made it more difficult to remove from my pocket in a timely manner.
posted by Aleen at 10:57 AM on December 17, 2009
Maybe you don't need a case. They add weight, bulk, and ugly to your iPhone. And for the price of the Otterbox Defender, you can get a refurbished iPhone 3G from AT&T ($49 for 8GB, $99 for 16GB). So if worse comes to worse, if you totally mess up your phone, you can get a last generation replacement very cheap. And iPhones are damn tough. I've owned iPhones since they were released, and keep them in my front pants pocket for at least 12 hrs a day, sometimes with keys and spare change. They're in close-to-perfect shape - a few small scratches you only notice when the screen is turned off.
posted by centerweight at 11:04 AM on December 17, 2009
posted by centerweight at 11:04 AM on December 17, 2009
To protect the screen and the back of the phone, I can't recommend bestskinsever.com enough. They're cheap, hold up well, and aren't too much of a pain to apply (depending on how anal-retentive you want to be, anyway). I've had my iPhone for a year and half, and I'm only on my second skin. I'll be getting a third soon however; keys in the same backpack pocket and my phone, with the backpack thrown around considerably, scratched up the skin. The phone's totally fine though, which means the skin did exactly what is was supposed to do.
I also recently accidentally sprayed cooking spray all over my iPhone. (Yes, I'm an idiot). It just wiped off, no harm, no foul.
Those skins are the best $8 I've ever spent.
posted by cgg at 11:44 AM on December 17, 2009
I also recently accidentally sprayed cooking spray all over my iPhone. (Yes, I'm an idiot). It just wiped off, no harm, no foul.
Those skins are the best $8 I've ever spent.
posted by cgg at 11:44 AM on December 17, 2009
I second the switcheasy products. I have a RebelSerpent and have dropped my iphone well over a dozen times from as high as 5 feet up in all orientations, with absolutely no problems at all. And it looks great and barely adds to the size of the iphone.
posted by googly at 11:49 AM on December 17, 2009
posted by googly at 11:49 AM on December 17, 2009
Switcheasy products are pretty good, I had a CapsuleRebel and liked i. But the iPhone isn't that dainty; I used mine sans case for a few months. It collected lots of scratches that, while they take away from the "jewel-like" quality of the iPhone, don't affect its function.
However, you need a case because since it's all glossy, you will continually drop it. I have a super-thin non-protective case just for that reason.
The one thing that will kill any iPhone is water, and no case is going to help.
Screen protectors are kind of stupid, and I admit to having them. I've had big scratches on my glass screen, which are quite ugly when the phone is off, but when the screen is on they're unnoticeable. And a screen protector is even softer and more scratch-prone, so they're going to collect more scratches than the actual glass screen.
posted by meowzilla at 1:03 PM on December 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
However, you need a case because since it's all glossy, you will continually drop it. I have a super-thin non-protective case just for that reason.
The one thing that will kill any iPhone is water, and no case is going to help.
Screen protectors are kind of stupid, and I admit to having them. I've had big scratches on my glass screen, which are quite ugly when the phone is off, but when the screen is on they're unnoticeable. And a screen protector is even softer and more scratch-prone, so they're going to collect more scratches than the actual glass screen.
posted by meowzilla at 1:03 PM on December 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
Sorry to disagree with centerweight, but I had a case ON my iPhone and dropped it once and, although it stills works great and is going to my youngest son this year now that I have my new 3GS, it has a big scratch along the side of the glass from that one incident.
So I'd nth the Otterbox cases, as they really will protect your iPhone from anything.
posted by misha at 1:24 PM on December 17, 2009
So I'd nth the Otterbox cases, as they really will protect your iPhone from anything.
posted by misha at 1:24 PM on December 17, 2009
Note that that refurb price is for new contracts. You're going to pay considerably more (the unsubsidized price) for those phones.
My brother works in an AT&T store and recommends otterboxes to everyone who says they're klutzy and need a bombproof case.
posted by squorch at 1:42 PM on December 17, 2009
My brother works in an AT&T store and recommends otterboxes to everyone who says they're klutzy and need a bombproof case.
posted by squorch at 1:42 PM on December 17, 2009
Are you trying to protect it from impact forces (that break it), or from scratches?
If you're trying to protect it from impact, you'll need a big, bulky, squishy case. I can't offer you an suggestions, though, as I don't have an iPhone. However, I can tell you that those thin silicone cases do not improve drop resistance.
On the other hand, if you're trying to prevent scratches, I strongly recommend the InvisibleShield. It's working just great on my Moto Droid since I installed it a few weeks ago.
posted by Netzapper at 2:25 PM on December 17, 2009
If you're trying to protect it from impact, you'll need a big, bulky, squishy case. I can't offer you an suggestions, though, as I don't have an iPhone. However, I can tell you that those thin silicone cases do not improve drop resistance.
On the other hand, if you're trying to prevent scratches, I strongly recommend the InvisibleShield. It's working just great on my Moto Droid since I installed it a few weeks ago.
posted by Netzapper at 2:25 PM on December 17, 2009
I have had my 3GS for 6 months with the incase slider case. I chose the black one because when I bought it (in the apple store), it was the only color that didn't have the plastic-y feel. I am a SUPER klutz- I drop my iphone at least once a week, and this case has helped it survive drops on concrete from about 4 feet up. There aren't any scratches or marks anywhere on the phone, with the exception of some wear on the top and bottom edges, but as that is always covered by the case anyhow, it doesn't really bother me.
posted by jouir at 3:12 PM on December 17, 2009
posted by jouir at 3:12 PM on December 17, 2009
If you are considering a few different cases, iLounge has excellent reviews.
posted by cwhitfcd at 4:25 PM on December 17, 2009
posted by cwhitfcd at 4:25 PM on December 17, 2009
Zagg.com makes a great screen protector.
I use their products on all my electronics. My phone is entirely wrapped in the product, which is the same plastic used on the leading wing edges of fighter jets! My phone is a few years old, but looks like new under the skin!
I also put their screen protector on my DS and my G9 screens. They're like new and well protected!
posted by Jinx of the 2nd Law at 4:50 AM on December 18, 2009
I use their products on all my electronics. My phone is entirely wrapped in the product, which is the same plastic used on the leading wing edges of fighter jets! My phone is a few years old, but looks like new under the skin!
I also put their screen protector on my DS and my G9 screens. They're like new and well protected!
posted by Jinx of the 2nd Law at 4:50 AM on December 18, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
I am counting on it to protect my phone from my one year old. And from me.
posted by artychoke at 9:22 AM on December 17, 2009