Otterbox is well-known for building solid cases for a large variety of mobile devices, including several Symbian-powered smartphones. They’re well known for quality, but I wanted to see how the actual case fit the phone and worked in a real-world setting, so the kind folks at Otterbox sent me one of their brand-new Commuter cases for my Nokia N97 to review.
Overview
The Commuter series of cases are designed by Otterbox to protect your phone against shock and other damages associated with the occasional drop, but aren’t waterproof or anything heavy-duty. The case comes in 3 pieces – one snaps onto the top part of the N97, while the other covers the bottom part of the phone, including the sides and various ports. The third piece is a screen protector that is custom-cut for the Nokia N97′s entire front area – including the space above and below the actual display.
The snap-on pieces are made of thick, slightly textured, semi-gloss black polycarbonate – black is the only color available, too. The polycarbonate (known for its temperature and impact resistance) is roughly 2mm thick, which is quite a bit when you’re covering a cell phone. The top piece is simply a frame that covers the chrome-plated edges of the top piece of the N97, with a special notch cut around the ‘Nokia’ logo. It fits well and features a raised ridge around the device, to further protect the display from getting scratched.
The bottom part of the Otterbox Commuter case for the Nokia N97 is where the real protection comes in, though. This piece is the same thick black plastic, but also has a rubber layer inside to offer additional protection. This rubber layer sits inside the case, to protect your N97′s backplate from getting scratched up from debris that could lodge inside. This layer also stretches up the sides of the case and becomes the protective flaps to cover the 3.5mm audio port and microUSB charging port – a nice touch that the N97 lacks on its own. The rubber covers the other buttons, including the power button, volume rocker, and dedicated camera button, but has an open area to provide access to the slide-lock mechanism.
Both parts of the Otterbox Commuter case for the Nokia N97 attach separately to the device by way of a series of small tabs around the edge. Given the thickness of the case itself, it clearly adds noticeable bulk to the already large Nokia N97, which some might find off-putting. Fortunately, the tabs holding the case onto the phone are extremely small, so there’s no (noticeable) gap when the phone is closed.
Conclusion
I’ve had a cellphone for over 10 years and this is, honestly, the first time I’ve put a case on any of my phones, ever. I’d just prefer to have the phone safe in my pocket than in a holster or with additional coverings all over it. That being said, I’m quite impressed with the Otterbox Commuter case. The case fits the phone exceptionally snug, with no odd movement or loose-ness, and has those handy little rubber coverings for your connections – this can be important if you use your phone in dirty environments. The included screen protector was super easy to install and doesn’t seem to affect visibility or the sensitivity of the screen, which is good. If you’re looking for a solid case that doesn’t get in the way, and you don’t mind a little bit of bulk added to your phone, the Otterbox Commuter cases are most definitely something you should look at.
Have you ever used an Otterbox case on your phone? Do you prefer a different brand/type of case?
