OtterBox is all about protection, and the Impact series is one of the three cases available for the iPhone 4. It is an all out silicone case closely related in design to big brother Defender. It is easy to see the focus on protection in the Impact case, and less on convenience and style.
The Impact case is made from a single piece of soft, and flexible silicone. Inserting the phone is easy, and the case holds it quite tightly. It covers everything on the front around the screen, and all but the Apple logo on the back. Using the iPhone 4 in the case is not hard, but at the same time it feels overly clunky. It is lighter than the Defender case, but other than that the front feels the same.
The Impact case is excellent when it comes to protecting the iPhone. The soft silicone absorbs impact damage, and the only vulnerable point is the screen. As about 20 % of the front is covered there is a lot of bad luck needed to damage the screen. As the Impact case is the thickest silicone case I have used so far it better be good at protecting the phone, and it is. The thickness makes it feel like a small brick, and it is even thicker than the hybrid OtterBox Commuter. It also lacks the headphone socket protection, and charging socket protection found in both the Commuter and Defender.
The rubberized sides of the Impact case add a lot of grip when using the phone. It is also extremely prone to picking up dust, and grime whenever placed on a dirty surface or in a pocket. A quick rub cleans it up though. Talking on the phone is actually better using the case than naked or using most other cases. The soft silicone comes in contact with your ear, and face. This means that you won’t smudge the screen with your face and ear while talking.
The large cutout for the Apple logo on the back has always been a subject of interest. It leaves a part of the back open to damage. For the Impact the hole is still covered by silicone about 2 millimeters thick. You really need to drop the phone with the back down straight onto a stone to hit that vulnerable spot.
Albeit the silicone is rigid around the edges it is still flexible, and hence can feel a bit loose. This is a minor problem, and the Impact case is one of the silicone cases that still remain best at keeping the edges rigid. This is due to the sides being supported by the silicone covering the front.
I am not as impressed with the Impact as I have been with the Defender, and outstanding Commuter for the iPhone 4. If you are looking for rugged protection it is definitely a good choice, but considering that you get even better protection in a slimmer design using the Commuter instead there is littler reason to get an Impact case. The only reason is to save a couple of bucks, as the Impact comes at a much lower cost.
Final Rating
Impact Series at OtterBox.com $19.99
