Product Review: LifeProof iPhone Case
by Tommy Ly
June 5, 2012
Summer is right around the corner, and what better way to document your summer shenanigans than with your iPhone? If you aren't careful, all your fun can be ruined if some prankster decides to push you into a pool and you still have your iPhone in your pocket. Fortunately, the LifeProof iPhone Case will protect your iPhone from water, dust, drops, and anything else life throws at you.
The LifeProof iPhone Case is two pieces that, when snapped together, create a water, air, and life proof seal around your iPhone. This includes covering the headphone jack, charging port, and speakers. The LifeProof iPhone Case promises some big features, including:
ProtectionWe had an opportunity to spend some time to test the LifeProof case. After a few weeks of use, let's see how well it held up. The Good The LifeProof case isn't one of those "now you can run your phone over with a truck" type of cases. As such, the case doesn't add much bulk to your iPhone, but does over full front and back protection. Your iPhone will retain its slim profile in this case, instead of looking like a brick. After a few showers and a short swim with the LifeProof case, I'm happy to say that the waterproofing is superb. Being able to text or read the news in the shower changes everything. Taking videos and photos underwater with your iPhone is almost surreal. Despite my better judgement telling me not to, I performed a few drop tests with the LifeProof case. Luckily, survived several drop tests from "normal," everyday heights (three to five feet). My iPhone still functions as normal and the case protected it from scratches or shattering during the falls. The Bad After the drop tests, the seal around the iPhone sometimes became undone in some spots. Although you can reseal the case without a problem, it may cause some accidents if you don't catch it right away. With the LifeProof case, I noticed I had to tap much harder on the iPhone's screen to register any input, especially underwater. It's easy to get used to, but caused me to miss some split-second photo opportunities. Many third-party charging cables may not fit in the area provided by the LifeProof case. The official Apple cable just barely makes it. This may be a personal issue, but the LifeProof case isn't very comfortable to hold. Even with it's slightly rubberized finish, it just doesn't sit well in my hand. Verdict The LifeProof iPhone Case does everything it promises without a hitch. As long as you make sure its seal is properly closed, you shouldn't have to worry about water, dirt, or dust harming your phone. With LifeProof's case-compatible accessories, you'll be able to include your iPhone in even more aspects of your life. Let's just hope they release an updated version for the next generation iPhone! The price is a bit steep, but you can get a LifeProof iPhone Case for $79.99 (direct from LifeProof), although some are much less expensive on Amazon. The case is available in black, purple, white, and pink.Freedom
- Protects against every-day hazards—full IP-68 rating against water and dust, and designed to Military Specifications
- High degree of shock and impact protection—tested to Military Specifications MIL-STD-810F-516.5 (2 meters/6.6ft drop on all surfaces and edges. 26 tests)
- Fully sealed protection against minute dust particles
- Double AR-coated optical glass lenses provide unprecedented crystal-clear photo and video quality
- All phone features are operational while maintaining a high level of protection
- Improves the bass and mid-frequency speaker response by utilizing the back of the case as a sub-woofer for a richer, fuller sound.