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Accessory Review: Otterbox Commuter case for the BlackBerry Bold 9900

By on August 29, 2011 at 4:09pm in Mobile News, Reviews - Manufacturer

Otterbox has been around for a few years, outfitting cutting edge phones with protective gear that keeps them better protected than the average bargain-basement silicone skin. Though they are priced a bit higher than their competitors, the quality of the materials that goes into each case, in this case the Commuter series for the BlackBerry Bold 9900, is outstanding.

The Commuter series of cases is a three-part system: the inner silicone shell to protect the device from impact; the outer shell, made of a hard plastic; and a screen protector cut for the specific handset. Since the Bold 9900 is a sleek device, it was a nice surprise to see that when installed the Commuter case added very little bulk to the device — less than 2mm, in fact.

Though the combination soft-hard combination does cover up the gorgeous metal band around the edges, as well as the stylish translucent battery cover of the Bold 9900, the Otterbox looks pretty stylish on its own. The silicone layer increases the surface area of the power button, as well as the volume buttons and convenience key, allowing for easy access when in the pocket.

The two ports on the left hand side — namely the microUSB and headphone — are covered up by little flaps to prevent dust or debris from getting inside. Unlike other Otterbox cases we’ve used, the flaps were not difficult to remove and did not resist when we had headphones plugged in.

Because of the smooth matte hard shell, holding the phone is actually more enjoyable with the case on. Typing was not obscured at all, and the case adds very little extra weight, so it does not change the natural typing experience.

The only part of the kit we’d like to see improved is the quality of the screen protector, which, unlike those you buy from Zagg or Protech are low-quality and actually affect screen vibrancy and touch input. While these screen protectors are certainly more expensive to include, for $34.95 or thereabouts one would expect a decent addition to go with the excellent body protection.

We easily recommend the Otterbox Commuter case for the BlackBerry Bold 9900. It is available for around $35 from various retailers.

Related posts:

  1. OtterBox announces 3 upcoming cases for the BlackBerry Bold 9900
  2. OtterBox intros Milestone Commuter Series Case
  3. OtterBox releases BlackBerry Bold 9700 Defender Series Case
  4. OtterBox launches Commuter Series cases for BlackBerry devices

Discussion

18 comments for “Accessory Review: Otterbox Commuter case for the BlackBerry Bold 9900”

  1. Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 19

    Posted by Nigel H | August 29, 2011, 4:27 pm
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    • People want to protect their phones from the everyday use. The back of a phone can scratch from sliding on a table, a simple foot drop can scratch the screen or dent a corner. I like keeping my phones in perfect condition for highest resale value. Lot’s of reasons people buy cases other than them falling for marketing/sales. It’s like buying warranty on a product, you get it for the extra sense of security.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3

      Posted by Andrei | August 29, 2011, 4:40 pm

    • Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 13

      Posted by Nigel H | August 29, 2011, 6:14 pm

  2. Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 25

    Posted by Todd | August 29, 2011, 5:02 pm
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  3. Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 20

    Posted by FACT FINDER | August 29, 2011, 5:04 pm
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  4. Really Fact Finder?

    Your posts are annoying and have no intellectual value.

    Fact of the matter is, if you do not like the BBs then dont get one. Who cares if the keyboard is bigger than the screen.

    You are a numbtee!!!

    Stop with your useless posts. Thanks.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 8

    Posted by sp | August 29, 2011, 5:27 pm
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  5. Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 15

    Posted by Admin | August 29, 2011, 5:56 pm
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    • I thought you warned “fact finder’ to stop with these useless post or he’d get banned. Still waiting on that.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

      Posted by Kin | August 30, 2011, 8:56 am

    • @admin

      this was not a personal attack but fact that the posts that he puts up are useless and of no intellectual value.

      that is true what Kin said, i did notice that you had said you would ban him for useless posts.

      im sorry if that came across as a personal attack but it was intended to show that there is absolutely no value to the comment of “the keyboard is bigger than the screen” … its like saying the “charger hole is bigger than the headphone jack”

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0

      Posted by sp | August 30, 2011, 2:57 pm

  6. Don’t buy this case, it is junk. I used this case on my 9900 and it broke in 3 days. Plus, why cover up such a nice device with a piece of crap condom like this

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 11

    Posted by Guy | August 29, 2011, 5:56 pm
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  7. Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 13

    Posted by ewen | August 29, 2011, 6:24 pm
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  8. useless case. dont bother buying. get a skin or hard shell somewhere else. i bought this style case for my curve and it fell apart in 2 weeks. colours suck for this case

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 10

    Posted by brandi | August 29, 2011, 6:27 pm
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    • You knew the colour before you bought it… FAAAAK! I thought it was only intelligent people who have blackberrys!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

      Posted by iphones4fags | April 4, 2012, 10:53 pm

  9. Best cases in the world by far, just amazing quality and they look great too!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 2

    Posted by sdk | August 29, 2011, 6:50 pm
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  10. I disagree with some of the posters above… I strongly recommend Otterbox cases. Have had multiple versions and they’re rock solid

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 2

    Posted by Jaymmer | August 29, 2011, 7:48 pm
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  11. I’ve had otterbox cases for my 9700, 9800 and iPhone 4. All commuter series and all did great with the exception to the 9800 being meh. I prefer the pocket case for the blackberry’s to the Otterbox because I like the phone with no case on it.

    @sp. Don’t get too pissed. The guy is a forum troll. He just looks for topics and post things that piss of that specific group of people. You say Black he says White. Think about what an awesome life that super cool guy has.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1

    Posted by Fordo | August 30, 2011, 3:03 am
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  12. I’ve had an otter on all my phones over the past 3 years. I cant tell you the number of times it has saved my phone. My girlfriend drenched me with water while I was on my phone the other day actually. Otter had every port covered and the only part that got wet was the screen.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1

    Posted by Matthew | August 30, 2011, 8:52 am
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  13. had one for my wifes dext. makes it super thick but works. only drawback is that the back diamond pattern plastic on the back of the device gets worn off.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1

    Posted by BM | August 30, 2011, 10:25 am
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