Is there a difference between the Commuter and the Defender series in the amount of protection or usability delivered?
789694
They both are great with amount of protection that they provide. The only difference is that the Defender Series comes with a built in screen protector.
789695
Not sure. All I know is I have heard that the defender series protects better. we have the commuter and it has protected our phones for over a year. Our phones have been dropped, thrown (by kids) and whatever else you can think of. The cases even still look great. All I can say is I highly recommend this case or the defender. Otterbox is a great product and well worth the money you pay. Hope that helps.
789696
The Defender has a built-in clear cover over the screen so there is no need for a screen protector and most of them come with a belt clip that the phone sits in. The Commuter is just a hard case that covers the back and the edges of the front of the phone. If your looking for something compact, go with the Commuter. If it doesn't matter to you how big your phone feels then, go with the Defender.
789697
The defender series is larger and offers more protection. The commuter series is more mobile but still offers a great deal of protection.
1982096
I found the commuter to be more slimline than the defender but both work the same in protecting my galaxy. I liked the defender more but it is bulkier ( I use a belt holster to house it)
1601826
On the Commuter the back cover is plastic with silicone corners. The front cover is actually a screen protector that you apply before you put the back cover on. On the Defender Series the plastic piece that covers the screen is actually part of the a two piece plastic protective sleeve, which is then wrapped in silicone. The Commuter series is sleeker and has no belt clip - more for pockets or purses.In response to Mr. Surratt's answer: Although I've never know a plastic tab to break on any of mine, I have called OtterBox about broken belt clips and they have cheerfully sent me a new one, gratis, every time. Thus I infer they might do the same for broken tabs. On the Commuter the back cover is plastic with silicone corners. The front cover is actually a screen protector that you apply before you put the back cover on. On the Defender Series the plastic piece that covers the screen is actually part of the a two piece plastic protective sleeve, which is then wrapped in silicone. The Commuter series is sleeker and has no belt clip - more for pockets or purses.In response to Mr. Surratt's answer: Although I've never know a plastic tab to break on any of mine, I have called OtterBox about broken belt clips and they have cheerfully sent me... » Read More On the Commuter the back cover is plastic with silicone corners. The front cover is actually a screen protector that you apply before you put the back cover on. On the Defender Series the plastic piece that covers the screen is actually part of the a two piece plastic protective sleeve, which is then wrapped in silicone. The Commuter series is sleeker and has no belt clip - more for pockets or purses.In response to Mr. Surratt's answer: Although I've never know a plastic tab to break on any of mine, I have called OtterBox about broken belt clips and they have cheerfully sent me a new one, gratis, every time. Thus I infer they might do the same for broken tabs. « Show Less
1650099
I have the defender, and it's fine, the commuter is thinner, so it will be OK, I also have the spigen neo hybrid, which is similar to the commuter, and it fits perfectly, so there shouldn't be a problem
1513128
Its better than an otterbox commuter but not as good as the defender series.
237166
The Commuter series is a 2 layer case which includes a screen protector as well as a belt clip. The Symmetry Series is slim and just fits your phone. You have to buy an additional screen protector. I actually had the Defender series which is a 3 layer protection. I found it overtime to be quite bulky that is why I bought the Symmetry. It's as slim as your phone and comes in different colors and patterns. Hope this helps. You can also see all the series on Otterbox's website.
18565
Outer box defender has the hard screen the commuter does not have hard screen
1552897
The Defender is very bulky and the Commuter is all I need to keep my phone safe. It has a soft inner case and a hard outer case. It keeps the screen off flat surfaces. If you are carrying it in your pocket the Defender will take up a lot of room. The Commuter comes with a screen protective film but there are better ones out there like Zagg.
668040
From the description, I assumed that the Defender is more for people who need heavy duty protection. The Costco sales person, which is where I got my phone, told me that he has the Commuter on his phone and that it gets dropped all the time in the store as he is showing customers various things on it. That info was good enough for me.
310424
The Commuter series is a bit thicker and has a screen protector that you place on the phone. The Commuter cases has more of a rubber material whereas the the Symmetry is more of a dense plastic.
264808
Commuter has a cruddy screen protector that is a separate piece that you'll throw away after a week and buy one from skinomi or zagg. The defender has a screen protector as part of the case permanently. It feels like a garbage bag. It's annoying. I'd get the commuter and a Skinomi or zagg.
1546114
Where did you buy it? I bought mine here on amazon with shipping for $24 but I got the second fastest shipping. And are you sure it's a commuter and not a defender.
1601821
Yes, My friend has the Defender and said the hard plastic cover made it difficult to make calls sometimes. That is why I bought the Commuter instead. I am very happy with my choice.
2191088
The main difference in my opinion is that the defender is more durable. The back side of the defender is textured and the commuter is very slick. The defender in my opinion protects your phone more so than the commuter and commuter doesn't stay in a shirt pocket like the defender. Yes it does protect against cracking. I hope this helps.
842742
They're like comparing apples & oranges. Both are good in their own right. Depends on your need. Defender is bulkier, more rugged. Could be dropped more. Not so, the commuter, which is slimmer & lighter, good for a pocket, etc. Also, the commuter lends itself to easily & quickly connecting to a charging dock, speakers, etc. I had to use a cable extender.
750452
Defender has more parts and belt clip. By more parts I mean is very well protected and has outside cover that is made of rubber so it doesn't slide and it has plastic cover in front. However it makes is bigger and doesn't fit well in locker due to the runner cover and the size. The commuter is very stylish and thin-has 2 parts: rubber on site and plastic outside. The cons are it slides vey far and slips out of hands where defender doesn't. So each one has pros and cons. I just bought commuter and I didn't like it much just because I've dropped it at least. 20 x I'm the last 3 days that I've had it. I'm really afraid one one day when it falls out of my hands or slips the screen will just crack. Defender has more parts and belt clip. By more parts I mean is very well protected and has outside cover that is made of rubber so it doesn't slide and it has plastic cover in front. However it makes is bigger and doesn't fit well in locker due to the runner cover and the size. The commuter is very stylish and thin-has 2 parts: rubber on site and plastic outside. The cons are it slides vey far and slips out of hands where defender doesn't. So each one has pros and cons. I just bought commuter and I didn't like it much just because I've dropped it at least. 20 x I'm the last 3 days that I've... » Read More Defender has more parts and belt clip. By more parts I mean is very well protected and has outside cover that is made of rubber so it doesn't slide and it has plastic cover in front. However it makes is bigger and doesn't fit well in locker due to the runner cover and the size. The commuter is very stylish and thin-has 2 parts: rubber on site and plastic outside. The cons are it slides vey far and slips out of hands where defender doesn't. So each one has pros and cons. I just bought commuter and I didn't like it much just because I've dropped it at least. 20 x I'm the last 3 days that I've had it. I'm really afraid one one day when it falls out of my hands or slips the screen will just crack. « Show Less
537699
My husband has a Defender and I think his case is actually easier to remove than the commuter case. However, it's a smaller case (by 1/8inch-ish in each dimension) and stays cleaner than the Defender so you may not have to take it off at all. The outside is hard plastic unlike the Defender which has the rubber on the outside so the commuter doesn't pick up dirt/dust. I've been using it for over a month and it still looks brand new. Hope this helps!