My search for the ultimate iPhone case is over: This one keeps it protected no matter what

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A popular clickbait headline that has been around for so long it feels like it’s been around forever is the “X hates this,” where “X” can be your doctor, dentist, mechanic, hairdresser, lawyer, or veterinarian. While I don’t think that Apple CEO Tim Cook hates the fact that I put my iPhone into a phone case, I’m a firm believer that a phone case is the best way to protect your investment. 

Phones are expensive, and it makes sense to protect them. And I know firsthand the difference a simple phone case makes to resale value (those cosmetic scratches and chips can slash hundreds off the value of a handset that’s a couple of years old). 

Also: This overlooked phone accessory gave me a greater sense of security – and it’s not a case

So I still put my iPhone into a case, but this time around it’s been quite a journey finding the best of the best — the Otterbox Defender Pro Series — and I spent a lot of time testing ones that ended up not making the grade. 

First off, I think the Camera Control button needs protection (because if you break it and don’t have coverage for your handset, you’ll have to buy a new one). I’ve handled a lot of great cases that didn’t offer this button any protection, so they didn’t make the cut. 

A note on the Camera Control button — I found that I had disabled the button from opening the Camera app (Settings > Camera > Camera Control) and had only allowed it to work within the app, as I was turning the camera on every time I picked up the phone. 

I had another promising case that had a weird, sharp ridge around each of the buttons that tore at the skin and pockets. 

Nope. 

Another had a really strong MagSafe ring on it, the strongest I’ve come across. Out of the box, that seemed like a great idea, right up until I pulled my wireless charging station off my nightstand and had to pry the headset off my MagSafe car charger. 

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It turns out that adding more power to the magnet is a bad idea. 

So that was a nope. 

Another case had a metal frame around the cameras on the back. That was great until the first chip made it sharp enough to slice my finger.

Another nope. 

Another had a cool ring/stand built into the MagSafe ring in the back. But that wore loose after a few days, making it a nuisance. 

Nope again. 

Yes, the Otterbox Defender Pro Series is thick. Yes, it’s quite bulky. And yes, it turns what is quite a svelte handset into quite a unit. However, it’s a proven design — both to me in the past and to countless other users — and is built to be highly reliable and offer excellent protection. 

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And that hasn’t changed with this latest incarnation. The corners are well protected against knocks and drops, and the raised lip around the display offers excellent screen protection, even when the handset is dropped on uneven or rough surfaces. 

The cameras at the back are surrounded by a combination of hard and soft polymer. The camera area on the Pro and Pro Max handsets is huge, very vulnerable, and tricky to protect. 

The buttons are also covered in a way that not only protects them from bumps and knocks, but also from dirt and water ingress. 

And there’s a big cover over the USB-C port, protecting that from all manner of schmoo from getting into that vulnerable spot. 

And as a bonus, I can still fit my custom tether tag to secure my iPhone. 

As far as the case in use, while it adds some bulk, all the buttons — even the Camera Control button — offer positive feedback and work well, which is quite a feat of engineering for such a beefy case. 

It’s a great case, and it’s been on my handset 24/7 now for a few weeks, and I’ve now forgotten about the extra bulk it adds, and I just see the positives it offers. My iPhone has been dropped and banged and soaked, and covered in a sheet of icy from a hailstorm, and the case has done its job. 

Also: This anti-theft tech bag foiled a pickpocket attempt live – here’s how it did it

It also fits the handset well, unlike a lot of other cases I’ve tested, and it doesn’t seem to allow much dust or dirt to get between it and the case (that debris might seem harmless, but it can work its way into buttons and jam them up, and also abrade the surface finish badly). 

Don’t use an iPhone? Don’t worry, Otterbox — and I — got you covered, and the company makes cases for a whole range of smartphones and tablets. 

ZDNET’s buying advice

I paid around $80 for the Otterbox Defender Pro Series case, but you can currently pick one up for under $50. I don’t regret paying what I did for this case, but at this current price, it’s an absolute steal, and the best way for anyone who takes their iPhone into tough situations to protect their eye-wateringly expensive glass slab.