Mobility Digest Review: Otterbox Commuter Series for Dell Venue Pro

As promised, here’s my review of the Otterbox case for the Dell Venue Pro.  Otterbox is one of the premier makers of handset cases.  We’re going to take a look at the Commuter Series so that you can better decide if it’s worth trading your hard earned cash for it.  Before using Otterbox I had only used cheap plastic and silicone cases purchased via eBay.  I can say that this case is without a doubt in a whole different class than those cheap plastic ones.  But this is what I’d expect from a case that costs 5-10 times more.  The Otterbox case retails for $34.95 on the Otterbox site and can also be found on the Dell website for $34.99. 

I can unequivocally say that it’s money well spent.  The case is great overall and provides excellent protection for the device.  Installation was simple and the case was a perfect fit for the phone.  All of the ports and buttons are protected while allowing full access.  This case coupled with the nearly impenetrable gorilla glass makes this device extremely sturdy and I would have no hesitation dropping this phone from waist level onto a solid surface like a hardwood floor.  The case does add a little bulk to the device, however it’s marginal at best, about 2mm.  What you will notice more than the bulk is the weight.  The case itself adds a few more ounces to the already heave Venue Pro.  This was not a problem for me, but with prolonged calling, your arm might get tired holding the device to your ear.

Since this is a full body case, you will not be able to see the chrome sides or the clean rear panel the Dell design team made, but the case does not make the phone look bad.  But I do find myself missing the elegant look of the phone itself now and again, but I am comforted by the knowledge that my phone will continue to stay in a pristine state indefinitely.  This case combined with the indestructible screen turns the phone into the toughest windows phone available.