Review: Incipio OtterBox and 3Sixt cases for the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

Incipio Octane Pure Translucent Impact Absorbing Case

Our test unit was for an S7. It fit’s on the phone like a silicone glove and the translucent natures give the effect of a green (Teal) glow around the sides. There are cutaways around the sides over all holes and ports and no screen protector is given.

This actually turned out to be our favourite cover. You can see the expensive phone through it but the without hiding the fact you’ve invested quite heavily in a nice device. Most importantly of all, it made the slippery phone much easier to grip and less prone to sliding on surfaces and out of pockets.

The box says it’s been drop tested to 1.8m (6ft) but we weren’t prepared to test that.

Ultimately, it doesn’t add any significant bulk to the phone, the soft nature of the cover keeps all buttons easily press-able and it makes it less slippery. Win!

Rating: 5/5

Price $25 | Colours: Teal, Pink, Clear, Black

3SIXT Slim Folio for Samsung Galaxy S7

This actually felt a lot like Incipio’s Octane cover – but with a flappy cover. There are two credit card-sized pockets on the inside of the cover. The rear of enveloping part of the cover also folds in half leaving the silicone rear half exposed and to help act as a stand for the phone. There is a rear cutaway in both the silicone and the enveloping cover to keep the camera free.

It feels a bit cheaper than the Octane but that’s irrelevant when the silicone exists primarily to hold the phone in place behind the folio protector. Personally we find flappy covers get in the way, but other people prefer them. At $10 less than the Octane it does very well for value.

Rating 4.5/5

Price $25 | Colours: Dark blue, Black

3SIXT PureFlex for Samsung Galaxy S7

This is basically a slightly thinner version of Incipio’s Octane. It’s thinner so offers less protection. It’s only available in Clear and Black too. It provides as much grip as the Octane but five bucks less. Useful if you just want better grip but we’d pay more for the Octane.

Rating 4/5

Price $20 | Colours: Black, Clear

Otterbox Commuter Series for Samsung Galaxy S7

The Otterbox is a different beast. It offers substantially more protection than the other cases but this comes at the cost of ease of use. The case is very solid – noticeably-harder silicone and plastic. The result is certainly sturdier but means buttons are a bit harder to press. There are flaps covering the USB port and headphone jack but the microphones are still open to the elements. A screen protector is included but this is more about preventing scratches than protecting from impact.

It’s not on the level of jungle-adventure protection, but for a commuter who is used to throwing their phone into a bag with keys and all manner of scratchy and heavy items.

Otterbox has its own extensive suite of drop tests and we’re confident it’s the toughest case here. You can create your own colour combinations which include pink, black, grey, white burgundy and light blue. If you have a history of treating your phone badly, but don’t want it in a rugged mountaineering adventure case, this is the case you should get.

Rating 4/5

Price $35 | Colours Pink, Black, Grey, White Burgundy, Light blue

Incipio Twill Block Flexible Impact-Resistant Case for Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

The Twill Block doesn’t just win for its name it genuinely enhances the S7 Edge that we tested it with. While the Edge is a good phone, the curved sides aren’t for everyone – they can be slippery and hard to grip. The Twill Block case, however, gives good protection to the edges while making it much less slippery. Like the Octane, it also is rated to 1.8m (6ft) drop resistance although the screen is not protected. At $20 this is our overall winner as it genuinely enhances the phone.

Rating 5/5

Price $20 | Colours Pink, Black