[Review] Otterbox Defender Casing for Galaxy S7 edge

Samsung’s Galaxy S7 edge is easily one of the best looking phones of 2016 with its curved QHD Super AMOLED display and sensuously svelte metal and glass construction. As a primary carry phone, it’s seen service as a highly capable productivity device with the ability to take great pictures and jot down text with equal facility and as an excellent gaming device.

We previously tested the Otterbox Commuter case which also offers excellent protection all around,  ensuring that the S7 edge is able to survive almost any impact. Unfortunately the Commuter casing doesn’t offer any protection to the touchscreen.You can however opt for their Alpha Glass tempered glass screen protector which is compatible with the Commuter case and which protects against scratches and dings without compromising tactility.

Another option is this –  the armoured behemoth that is the Otterbox Defender casing. We’ve used variations of it before over the years to protect a host of other phones and it has never failed to protect its charge from dents, dings and drops.

Build Quality

Each Otterbox Defender casing is specifically made for a particular phone model; they’re not interchangeable as it is moulded to the exact dimensions of a phone and in the case of the Galaxy S7 edge, its unique curved touchscreen

Out of the box, the Defender casing came with a huge chunky plastic holster that snaps onto the casing with the option to mount the phone with a Defender casing face forwards or face inwards. Each corner of the holster latches on securely to the phone and it requires a solid yank to get it out. The back of the holster also comes with a rotatable clip that latches onto your pants or belt. There’s also a notch in the rear – if you press hard enough it’ll lock securely open so you can use the holster as a stand for watching movies and the like.

The casing itself consists of a heavily armoured plastic shell that snaps onto the front and rear of the phone with cutaways for the rear camera, audio port and microUSB charging port along with a plate of transparent plastic up front to protect the touchscreen from scratches and impacts. Unfortunately there are no cutaways for the hybrid SIM card slot up top of the phone so you’ll have to take the casing apart if you want to swap SIM cards. Layered over this armoured plastic sandwich is a shock absorbing layer of rubber that snaps onto the armoured plastic sheathe like a glove.

Taking the whole thing apart to mount the S7 edge took a bit of persistence but wasn’t otherwise too difficult. Everything fit snugly like once fully mounted. To access the microUSB charging port or the audio jack, you’ll have to open up a rubber flap. That aside, the rest of the phone is unaffected and it was able to accept wireless charging without problems even with the thickness of the casing.

In the Field – Price & Conclusion
The Galaxy S7 edge with a Defender casing is markedly heavier and bulkier than an unarmoured phone or conventional vanity casings but what you trade off in slimness you more than make up for in peace of mind. Whereas most other casings require you to get a separate set of tempered glass or a screen protector for the front display, the Defender protects the entirety of the phone including the touchscreen with its integrated transparent plate of plastic protecting the display.

There wasn’t any noticeable loss of responsiveness or tactility with the plastic protector on the S7 edge display even with games that require pixel perfect precision like Clash Royale. Colours and viewing angles were not compromised nor was the usual responsiveness of the touchscreen. The rear camera was also recessed deep enough into the casing that it was almost impossible to damage bar deliberate malice or miraculous misfortune. Over the course of a couple of weeks, we found the holster somewhat cumbersome to use and relegated it as a phone stand in the office.

Call quality wasn’t compromised with the casing on nor was functionality impeded barring adjusting for the added bulk of the casing. The added girth makes it somewhat of a challenge to pocket but it’s not an insurmountable obstacle. As you’d expect from Murply’s Law, our writer botched the mere act of removing the S7 edge from his pockets and the phone made a nosedive straight into the hardened concrete floor. If not for the Defender, he’d be chunking out the substantial repair cost out of his pay. The S7 edge wasn’t even damaged at all.

Removing the phone out of the casing was somewhat difficult on account of the snug nature of the casing; fortunately it’s not something that you’ll have to do often. The biggest quibble with the Defender is alas its hefty weight and bulk. If you aim for something slimmer, you can opt for the Otterbox Commuter casing which we reviewed a while back though you’ll need to get the Alpha Glass screen protector if you want to cover your bases. As the Defender has an integrated plastic front plate, it’s not compatible with the aforementioned Alpha Glass screen protector. If you need something slimmer that’s easier to remove, you can opt for a Commuter augmented by the Alpha Glass for all-round protection though both do a fine job protecting the phone so it simply falls down to personal preference.

WHAT WE LIKED Incredibly tough, front protective plate for the touchscreen display
WHAT WE DIDN’T Inordinately hard to remove the casing, a bit on the heavy side
WHAT WE SAY If you need absolute peace of mind and the ultimate protection for your smartphone from drops and dents, this is it. It may cost a pretty penny but it’s money saved from chunking out for repairs.
PRICE RM219
*Review unit courtesy of Otterbox Asia. For sales inquiries or purchases please logon to the official distributor site at www.kws.my.