OtterBox Commuter Series Case for Motorola Moto G Review: the best protection without Compromise

The OtterBox brand of cases is pretty much synonymous with incredible smartphone protection. Their range of products provides protection in multiple degrees of intensity and which one you need will depend on what kind of hell you intend to put your phone through. The Commuter Series is on the lower end of that scale, not quite offering the zero-tolerance Defender Series, but still giving you the piece of mind that minor mistakes aren’t going to detrimentally affect your devices. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the OtterBox Commuter Series Case for Moto G.

What’s in the box Unlike the more hardcore OtterBox cases, the Commuter does not come with a mounting harness with a clip for your belt. It’s definitely more of a daily use case and its inclusions speak to this. In the box, you’ll get the Commuter case, a screen protector, a cleaning cloth, a small branded card for applying your screen protector, and your standard manual/instructions and warranty. While we got the Commuter Series in the Glacier style, there are another 4 styles to get your case in, including Black, Steel Blue, Lavender and Lilac.The Commuter is far less complicated to put on than its more heavy-duty brethren; the Commuter only has 2 layers, a synthetic rubber inner layer with a hard polycarbonate shell on the outside. While it looks like simple plastic, the outer shell can take a pretty hard beating and is more than enough for your daily shenanigans. Since the outer layer is also quite smooth, the inner layer serves as a nice counter to give the Commuter grip overall.

How does it perform? I’ve used the Commuter for just over a week now and I can safely say that for average daily use, it has more than enough protection to survive what your day can throw at it. Even without a screen protector, it provides ample protection of your screen, and indeed, every other face of your phone too. Its meaty feel also gives you quite a lot of confidence in what your device will be able to survive while inside this case.The dual-layer format provides superior protection in all the vital areas and there is ample protection for your audio jack, micro-USB port and side buttons, though it is interesting that there is no real protection for the mic ports or speaker. And added plus, though; while the Commuter isn’t technically rated as waterproof, the Moto G itself has been suggested to possess a nano-coating that does give it some level of water resistance. Pretty well covered from all bases then.

What I like about the OtterBox Commuter Series Case for Moto G OtterBox cases tend to be quite large which is usually a result of the layers of protection. I like that the Commuter is much less bulky than its more traditional predecessors and really doesn’t appear to add too much unnecessary bulk to an otherwise sleek Moto G. I would personally prefer the Commuter over the other Otterbox cases mainly because it still gives you access to the screen of the device; in fact, during my review of this case, I still haven’t applied the screen protector because the Gorilla Glass 3 feels so nice and gives me enough confidence that it can survive through anything. As we’ve come to expect from OtterBox, the Commuter appears to provide the right level of protection without being excessive. And because of this, it comes in at a much more reasonable price. $34.95 may still be considered a tall order for a case, but you definitely know you’re getting your money’s worth if you’re in the market for an ultra-protective case.

What I don’t like about the OtterBox Commuter Series Case for Moto G The absence of a built in screen protector actually has some drawbacks. Where a built in screen protector would normally deny dust access to the inside of the case, the Commuter unfortunately accumulates dust under the silicon lip around the screen. This isn’t so much an issue if you keep the case on, but as you are constantly wiping dust away from the screen, the dust does have to go somewhere and unfortunately this is inside the case. One other peeve that I had with the Commuter Series is the process for putting the case on. While I did mention that the case is theoretically simpler with only two layers, I found putting it on a bit more challenging than it might appear. Chief among my frustrations is the fact that the audio jack/micro-USB jack flaps are actually inside the case; what this means is while the rubber inner layer is easy enough to put on, putting the harder, outer layer is actually quite fiddly and getting everything to line up really isn’t that straightforward.

The side buttons don’t win too many points with me either; while the buttons do line up and are functional, they feel very soft and non-tactile, which means you’ll have to do a fair amount of trial and error before you know how much effort is required to press the hold/volume button.

Final Thoughts The OtterBox Commuter Series for Motorola Moto G does exactly what you’d expect it to; it’s a highly protective case for your beloved Moto G that is a little less intense than the Defender series (probably one of the most protective available), yet still giving you the freedom to enjoy that amazing screen. It’s not the sleekest case around and it has some pitfalls, but if you need the assurance that your phone isn’t going to be maimed during your daily activities, it’s hard to look beyond the Commuter Series.

If you want to know more about the Commuter Series for Motorola Moto G, you can check out the product page on the OtterBox website here, or if you want to see what else OtterBox has to offer, you can visit their main website here. If you are interested in picking up the case and want a good deal, Amazon currently has the Commuter Series with a 20% discount, which brings it down from the MSRP of $34.95 to $27.95 USD; if that takes your fancy, an Amazon link can be found below:

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