Otterbox vs Lifeproof: What’s the Best Case for Your iPhone 7

Otterbox vs Lifeproof

As we all know, a decent protective case can make a massive difference between a dead, useless iPhone, and an iPhone that is in your service for a lifetime. If you are wondering which iPhone case is better? Is it OTTERBOX or LIFEPROOF? There is no doubt that Lifeproof is way better than Otterbox when it comes to the iPhone 6.

The reason being the waterproof feature available in Lifeproof. However, there are a few changes that have been made in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which have started the debate over choosing the best case for the iPhone 7. It has a substantial level of water resistance, so clearly, it is necessary to review the Otterbox defender and the Lifeproof Fre. This is arguably the best cases in their respective brands.

We all know the significance of a good case that can help you protect your iPhone for a lifetime. Even if you are concerned with the software side and regular backups,  damaging the hardware could be very painful for you. If you happen to drop your iPhone in the water or crack its screen, then you are not only facing problems with time but also with the money.

When you compare Otterbox and Lifeproof, you will have some of the significant aspects which will help you identify the best case for your iPhone. When we talk about Otterbox, it is best known for its drop-proof protective feature, and it is widely used for the iPhone 8 and older model. On the other hand, Lifeproof is best known for rugged cases, boasting water drop, dust-protection and snow-protection as well. So, which is the best case for your iPhone?

In this article, we will review all the features of both the iPhone case and compare all the possible elements in terms of safety aspects. We will carry out the theoretical test to determine the best case for the respective iPhone. We will also evaluate which case from Otterbox and Lifeproof is best suitable for iPhone 7, 8, and older models.

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Otterbox vs Lifeproof: What’s the best case for your iPhone 7 or 8? 

The test criteria:

As we are carrying out the test to identify the best case for the iPhone 7 and 8, we have classified ten categories with each having 10 points for ratings. That implies that overall ratings will be scored out of 100. The following are 10 categories by which we will evaluate and score the case and determine the most suitable case for your iPhone 7.

1. Meet or exceed military-grade standards
2. Value
3. Slim Profile
4. Grip
5. Water Protection
6. Dirt Protection
7. Impact Protection
8. Ease of assembly
9. Touch screen Protector
10. Custom color choices

Let’s start with the Otterbox Defender! 

Price – $23.37

The Otterbox Defender is a quintessence when it comes to developing best protective cases. Apparently, Otterbox has successfully delivered some of the best cases for the iPhone. In addition to that, the newly developed case Defender is one of the most preferred and rugged cases available in the market.

What makes Otterbox so valuable amongst the protective industries. There are a few distinctive features that this Case consists of. If we talk about safety aspects, Otterbox includes a clear and built-in protective touchscreen cover. Besides, it has a protective touch ID-responsive rubber cover to safeguard your iPhone from unexpected fall. More importantly, it features a solidly reinforced polycarbonate shell with heavy rubber exterior to protect the iPhone.

The dense rubber exterior helps protect the ports and Ring/Silent switch. Apart from this, the dense rubber exterior covers important ports of your iPhone. This implies that your iPhone will always be protected from debris like dust or other harmful particles.

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On the other hand, the Otterbox defender leaves a significant portion of your iPhone exposed to some substances. Sadly, it is not made as a waterproof iPhone case, and this might make you think before purchasing it. As we know, iPhone 7 has an IP67 rating; this Case does not fully satisfy the expectation of the users who are looking for a waterproof case.

Otterbox not seemingly states how far you can drop your iPhone with the Defender on. However, there are a few daring YouTubers who have attempted to drop the iPhone from multi-story building in order to test the durability of the Case. The following link will lead you to the video of their attempt to drop iPhone 6 from a three-story building, and guess what? It turns out to be an impressive experiment in terms of testing the Defender.

Otterbox is bulkier than Lifeproof Fre, but all in all, this characteristic has come handy in protecting the iPhone. Just like Lifeproof Fre, Otterbox also provides in-built screen protection to safeguard against scratches and cracks!

Advantages of Otterbox

1. It has one of the most effective designs.
2. It is not excessively bulky when it comes to the protection feature.
3. Easy to grip, and more importantly you can easily grab it from your pocket.
4. Impressively shock and impact resistant
5. It offers great audio quality.
6. Protective shell increases the audio quality and improve sound quality.
7. Variety of collection available in different colour

Disadvantage of Otterbox. 

1. As we know, the Otterbox protects the buttons and ports but leaves a significant portion of the iPhone exposed. That means rear and front cameras are not perfectly secured.
2. The most debatable concern with the Defender is the touch screen protector. It does not fully sit with the iPhone’s glass screen. As observed, iPhone’s curved edge design makes it difficult for any protective Case to adjust. However, there are a few rugged cases available which perfectly sits with the curved design. Besides that, I have also observed that it somehow slows down the user interface and reduces the typing speed. In addition to that, it also decreases the overall responsiveness.

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Let’s observe Lifeproof Fre! 

Price – $49.99

If you are looking for a waterproof protective case, then Lifeproof Fre is a paragon in protective industry. It is quite slim and more reliable than Otterbox. It is designed considering the fact that there would not be any extra bulk available In the Fre case. On the other hand, if you compare Lifeproof with Otterbox in terms of drop protection, the later one is more reliable than Lifeproof Fre. However, if you live an active lifestyle and often go out, then Lifeproof Fre is the best option which protects your iPhone from various elements. It has very noteworthy features as it is snow-proof, dirt-proof, drop-proof, and waterproof. Therefore, such qualities make sure that your iPhone always remains protected from harmful elements.

The price difference between Otterbox and Lifeproof Fre is about 40m dollars, but when it comes to choosing a protective case for iPhone 8, you need to consider water resistance factor too. As we all know, the iPhone 8 has its own in-built water resistance feature. Hence you need to emphasize the fact that how much water iPhone 8 can resist. On the other hand, you have an iPhone 8 with the Lifeproof Fre case; you might want to compare both iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 with the Lifeproof Fre case! Okay, then let’s clear all your confusion in the next segment!

Apple launched the iPhone 8 with the most significant feature that is water-resistant. Having IP67 ratings, iPhone 8 has been designed in a way that it can withstand water up to 1 meter for thirty minutes. It is a certified waterproof device and fully protected from debris. On the other hand, iPhone 8 with Lifeproof Fre case can resist water up to 2 meters for one hour approximately.

If not the case where you are going swimming with your iPhone 8, you might consider both the Cases. As we know, iPhone 8 is capable of handling normal drops in water or fruit juice spreading over it is not an issue to worry more. Therefore, the question is obvious whether to select Otterbox or Lifeproof. Let’s narrow it down by assessing the pros and cons; this will also help us rate both the protective Cases considering the criteria mentioned earlier.

Just like Otterbox, Lifeproof Fre also has an in-built screen protector. Additionally, it has also passed the mandatory protection standards for drops and shocks. You can click on the link below to watch the video in which you can see the iPhone 6 with Lifeproof Fre case and the amazing performance it delivers. Note that, the video was made using iPhone 6, but you can compare it with the current model like iPhone 8.

Advantages of Lifeproof Fre

1. Your iPhone will be completely protected and sealed. It is made for carrying out more adventurous activities.
2. Touch Screen protector sits completely on the iPhone’s glass screen. It doesn’t affect the user interface with the phone’s touch screen.

Disadvantages of Lifeproof Fre

1. Audio quality gets distorted when your iPhone is in the Lifeproof compared to Otterbox.
2. As we all know Lifeproof is one of the most preferred protective waterproof iPhone cases, whereas Otterbox has its own significant features when it comes to the drop-proof iPhone case. The slip profile of Lifeproof turns out to be a drawback as it cannot withstand higher drips. But, there are a few instances where Lifeproof case breaks down but protects your iPhone.

The Final Scores: Otterbox vs Lifeproof Fre 

Otterbox Defender Scores:

1. Meet or exceed military -grade standards – 7
2. Value – 10
3. Slim profile – 9
4. Grip – 8
5. Water protection – 5
6. Dirt protection – 8
7. Impact protection – 10
8. Ease of assembly – 9
9. Touch screen protector – 5
10. Custom Colour Choices – 9

Lifeproof Fre Scores: 

1. Meet or exceed military -grade standards – 8
2. Value – 7
3. Slim profile – 9
4. Grip – 7
5. Water protection – 10
6. Dirt protection – 9
7. Impact protection – 7
8. Ease of assembly – 7
9. Touch screen protector – 9
10. Custom colour choices – 8

Total scores for each iPhone Cases.

Otterbox Defender – 80/100

Lifeproof Fre – 81/100

Conclusion: 

When I began to test both the cases, I was pretty sure that Lifeproof is going to beat the Otterbox. But, after doing research and watching YouTube videos regarding the same, I have found that Otterbox Defender has more reliability and exceeded the expectations. Besides this, I was surprised when I came to know that Lifeproof Fre has been criticized for long, rough drops.

However, Lifeproof has emerged as a winner here for two primary reasons. Firstly, the ability to protect the iPhone against water up to 2 metres for one hour and secondly, it offers effective screen receptivity. I believe, the screen receptivity is a most notable drawback of the Otterbox Defender. On the contrary, Otterbox has highly appreciated for drop protection. On the other hand, Lifeproof Fre focuses on safeguarding iPhone 8 from water.

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Finally, when you compare both cases, there are only a few standpoints that you can carry out. Both Cases offer exceptional protection. The cost difference is 40 dollars. Lifeproof is costlier than Otterbox. So, if your primary concern is drop protection and budget, then you can choose Otterbox Defender. On the other hand, if you are the person who tends to work around water, then you can select the Lifeproof Free Case, which is best known for a rugged lifestyle.

We hope this article will help you choose the best iPhone Case for your iPhone 7 and latest models. With the details mentioned above, we hope that you now know the significant difference between Otterbox Defender and Lifeproof Fre. If you have any queries regarding Android and iOS, you can reach out to us.

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