OtterBox Nokia N8 Impact and Commuter Case Comparison

I have already covered the protection the OtterBox Impact Series case offers over the Nokia silicone sleeve, but how does the Polycarbonate Commuter series stand up against the honeycomb rubberised interior of the Impact series.  Read on to find out.

The first thing you notice about the Commuter series of any OtterBox product is that it comes in two parts: the inner rubberised sleeve you tuck your phone into, and the outer polycarbonate shell that engulfs the silicone sleeve.

For those of us who purchased the Impact case and have decided to get a Commuter, understand that the Impact series case is not compatible with the polycarbonate shell.  You must use the Commuter silicone sleeve only.


You'll also notice that the silicone sleeve is very thin when compared to the Impact series cases and it does not have any honeycombing in the silicone to absorb shock. You might think that because the silicone is so thin, it offers you less protection from drop impact.  What's important to understand here is that the polycarbonate shell forms an integral part of the Commuter protection factor.  It acts as a shock absorbing layer by taking the direct hits to the device, and dissipating the impact force across the silicone inner sleeve.

In comparison, the Impact case contains honeycombing on the impact sides (back, sides, corners) which is designed to dissipate impacts without the aide of the polycarbonate shell.

Compared to the Impact series, the rubberised buttons are a factor easier to press compared to the heavy rubberised protection the Impact series is forced to offer. You will find pressing the N8's camera button much easier, and it will result in steadier shots as you press-hold the button to lock the scene and auto-focus on the device's camera.

Another advantage the Commuter series range offers over Impact series variants is that you get dust-covers for the major ports your handset has.  On the N8 Commuter, you get dust-covers for the headphone socket, MicroUSB socket, and the 2.5mm power socket. Keeping dust and lint out of these ports can only be beneficial for the continued reliability of these sockets.

When you install the sleeved phone into the polycarbonate shell, do not be afraid to put a bit of force behind it.  The polycarbonate shell is incredibly tough, and can easily take the bending and contortion required to get the shell into position.

Once your phone is safely armored, you'll notice that the feel is very different to the Impact case.  The phone feels less bulky encased in the Commuter series.  The polycarbonate shell gives a smooth texture to the phone, which makes removing it from your jeans pocket or mobile phone pouch effortless compared to the somewhat "grabby" feel of the 100% rubberised texture of the Impact series.

So after reading how awesome the Commuter series case is, why would you consider purchasing an Impact series case? Well, one factor is the price: Impact series cases are about $15 cheaper than the commuter series cases.

If your money is tight, you won't be disappointed if you invest in a Impact series. It is better than any other silicone sleeve-style case on the market.  If you do have the extra $15, I would personally recommend forking out the extra and getting a Commuter case. The extra attention to detail with dust covers, and the way the two halves fit together so perfectly show the case designers pay extra attention to getting things just right.

Whichever way you choose to go, just *get* an OtterBox. When you accidentally drop your device on a hard surface and  your friends wince, you'll be confident that you can pick your device off the ground and it will still work.

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