Windows Phone Central's Roundup of Skin Cases for the Nokia Lumia 900
Over the past few months, we've taken a look at a nice assortment of skin cases for the Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone. We had a request to roundup all these cases under one roof and felt like it would be a good detour from the apps and games.
So this week we'll take a break from our typical roundup to take a look at some of the better skin cases for the Nokia Lumia 900. Some of these cases offer a considerable amount of protection while others are more for cosmetics. Some are hard shells, some are gel skins, and others are a combination of the two. Next week we'll get back to the games and apps, but for now on with the accessories.
Otterbox Commuter: Like many of the cases in today's roundup, the Otterbox Commuter is a two piece shell of a case for your Lumia 900. The case consists of a rubber skin that wraps snugly around your Lumia 900 and a hard plastic shell that pops into place around the rubber skin. Rubber extensions cover the buttons and cutouts are present for the headphone jack, micro-usb port and speaker. A rubber flap is in place to cover the micro-usb port to protect it from grit and grime.
The Otterbox Commuter offers a decent amount of protection but (and we'll see this with all the cases) with noticeable bulk. The nice thing about the Commuter is that the added bulk is minimal, striking a nice balance. If you're looking for the most protection with the least amount of bulk, the Commuter might be the case for you.
The Otterbox Commuter is currently being offered here at the Windows Phone Central Accessory Store for $31.95 and comes in black and gray.
Amzer Shellster: The Amzer Shellster is one of the many one piece shells that wraps around your Lumia 900 to protect the body from bumps and scrapes. Additionally, the shell case is paired with a belt clip holder with a clip that can be propped open to create a stand.
The Lumia 900's buttons are exposed as is the camera. The Shellster has an open top to expose the headphone jack and micro-USB port and a cutout to the bottom exposes the speaker.
The Amzer Shellster doesn't add much bulk to the Lumia 900 but it also doesn't have much padding to protect the Lumia from drops. The interior of the belt clip is lined with felt to protect the screen but the main focus of protection is from scrapes.
The Amzer Shellster is currently running $9.95 through the end of the day here at the WPCentral Accessory Store. After which the case will return to its regularly scheduled price of $19.95.
Otterbox Defender: Where the Otterbox Commuter offers a nice level of protection with a manageable increase in bulk to the Lumia 900, the Defender offers maximum protection while adding the most bulk to the 900.
The Defender approaches things in reverse with a hard shell case that snaps into place around the Lumia 900 and then a rubber skin wraps around the hard plastic shell. A clear screen protects the screen of the Lumia 900 and the interior shell is padded. The entire case then snaps nicely into a belt holder.
Rubber extensions cover the side buttons, cut outs expose the speaker and camera with rubber flaps covering the micro USB and headphone jack. I can see the Defender come in handy when camping, working construction or any other dusty, damp, or otherwise risky environment.
The Otterbox Defender is currently available here at the Windows Phone Central Accessory Store for $39.95.
CaseMate Tough: The Case-Mate Tough is another two piece case that has a rubber skin that wraps around the Lumia 900 and a hard plastic shell wraps around the rubber skin.
As with the Otterbox series and other cases of this style the Tough case has rubber extensions to cover the buttons and cutouts for the camera, micro-USB, headphone jack and speaker. The micro-USB and headphone jack are exposed.
The Case-Mate Tough doesn't offer the amount of protection from drops (the rubber skin isn't as thick) as the Otterbox Commuter but comes close. The smoothness of the plastic shell helps to minimize the bulk the case adds to the Lumia 900.
Catch the Case-Mate Tough here at the WPCentral Accessory Store. It's currently running $29.95.
Nokia Gel Case and Bumper: When the Nokia Lumia 900 launched over at AT&T, Nokia let loose of two gel cases to give the 900 a little protection and color. You have the Nokia Gel Case which is a rubber skin case that wraps around the 900. Cutouts are present for the camera, headphone jack, micro-USB, and speaker. The 900's buttons are covered with rubber extensions.
The Bumper case is basically the Gel Case without a back. The Bumper wraps around the sides of the 900 leaving the screen and back exposed. You do have cutouts for the headphone jack, micro-USB port, and speaker. As with the Gel Case, the buttons are covered with the extensions.
While adding a touch of color to your Lumia 900, these cases offer minimal protection and bulk to the Windows Phone. The Bumper Case has a little loosey-goosey feel to it while the Gel Case fit rather nicely in place. If style is more your goal in a case and protection is riding backseat, the Nokia cases might be worth looking at.
Both are running around $10 online at AT&T's accessory store.
Ballistic Shell Gel Case: Ballistic has gotten their feet wet in offering cases for the iPhone and other smartphones. The Ballistic Shell Gel case is the companies first venture for the Lumia 900 and it's not too shabby.
As with other cases, the Shell Gel is a two piece design with a rubber skin that wraps around the Lumia 900 and a hard shell that wraps around the rubber skin. The rubber skin is built up around the corners and ends of the Lumia 900 to better protect the Windows Phone from drops. The hard shell also offers a decent amount of protection.
The downside to the Shell Gel is, as typical with most of the more protective cases, that it adds noticeable bulk to the Lumia 900's frame. Not as much as the Otterbox Defender but more than the Commuter.
If you want a little more protection than the Case-Mate Tough or Otterbox Commuter with less bulk than the Defender, the Ballistic might be your case. It is currently running $34.99 and you can pick it up directly through Ballistic.
For the most part these cases are all on even ground. The Otterbox Defender is the most protective of the bunch and being such, adds the most bulk to the Lumia 900. The Nokia Gel Case is the thinnest of the group and is more decorative than protective.
The Nokia Lumia 900 has become my primary Windows Phone and to pick just one of these cases is tough. They are all well built and vary in levels of protection and bulk. The thing that makes the choice so tough is that the Lumia 900 feels so good without a case and is rather durable on it's own. You've got Gorilla Glass and a solid, polycarbonate unibody design that can drive nails.
However, if push comes to shove and I was forced to pick just one of these cases it would be the Otterbox Commuter. I found the Commuter to have the best balance between protection and size. But it all boils down to your needs and taste. If you work in a harsh environment and want maximum protection, the Otterbox Defender may be your cup of tea. If you are a minimalist maybe the Nokia Gel Case.
If we've overlooked a case you like the best for your Nokia Lumia 900, feel free to chime in below on your recommendation.
