Review: SEIDIO OBEX Case, aims to keep your Galaxy S III safe, even in the Water

Have you ever been pushed into a pool by one of your evil friends who thought it would be funny? While others maybe laughing and as you’re getting out of the water the laughter has stopped, you suddenly realize, “I had my phone in my pocket”, that is the moment of complete and utter terror. You reach for your phone, lo and behold, your phone is fine thanks to the waterproof SEIDIO OBEX case you put on your Samsung Galaxy S3 the night before and you breathe a sigh of relief. Isn’t that a great ending? Well that was actually my own story and boy was I lucky I got that case from SEIDIO or else my S3 would have been done for. Now time for the review.

This is what you get out of the box:

• The SEIDIO OBEX Case (for me the S3 variant)
• Some extra rubber water blockers
• A screen protector

There isn’t much else except for cardboard so let’s move on to the breakdown .

Product Breakdown:

The case itself is pretty big and does add some considerable bulk to the slim form factor that is the S3. If you are using the case for the purpose it was designed for, the size should not bother you too much. The additional included rubber covers for the case as well are great to have just in case. They add in a screen protector that you can ad to your device if you want to, but I do not really see much use for since the case already has a pretty heavy-duty screen protector. It is a freebie with the case purchase, so I won’t complain about it.

As far as the technology behind keeping all water and dirt away from your precious SGS3, it is all pretty simple and amazing. The Seidio OBEX case is IP68 tested and certified to protect your devices from dust and water. It will protect your device in continuous submersion in two meters or water. It is also offers MIL-STD-810G drop protection. That exceeds military grade protection guys. There is a 4H rated screen cover in place that protects the screen from scratches, and all other aspects mentioned of course. Water proof membranes allow for sound to enter and exit but keeps water and dust out.  The back uses anti-reflective glass to cover your camera and flash to still allow for amazing photos.

TESTING:

Now comes the good part the water submersion test. Now when you first get the case it has this big warning statement (see photo below) which states “STOP, Please read through the manual and conduct a waterproof test before using this product”. I recommend you heed this warning and make sure you fully understand the case, the plugs and how the seals work and line up. Because, no I didn’t do that the first time and just tossed my phone in the case and headed to some water with it. Long story short, had to make an insurance claim. This was before the pool problem where my phone was actually protected this time.

Now back to testing:

Step 1: Do not open the case leave it as is when you take it out of the box.

Step 2: Find something to fill up with water, for me a plastic tub and submerge the case.

 Step 3:  After about 5 minutes take your OBEX case out of the water and dry it.

Step 4: Open up the case (Using a dime makes it easier as you don’t want to damage the plastic around the edge) and make sure the paper and plastic bag of extra plugs are dry and there you go you have a working fully waterproof case. As you see in image below, my Galaxy S III was in the case along with the warning paper. Both are free from any liquid damage.

Now you are all clear to put your S3 in the case and throw your phone into the pool. Just don’t make the mistake I did and make sure to check that the case is secure and all rubber ports are covered.

• Protection:5/5
• Size: 3/5

Pros:

• Great Protection
• Waterproof
• Dirt Proof

Cons:

• Adds bulk
• Price is a bit high
• Touchscreen loses responsiveness underwater (Duh) 

Conclusion: All in all the case does accomplish what it set out to do, provide heavy-duty protection for your smart phone. While it does add some considerable bulk it is necessary to achieve that type of dirt and water protection. I would recommend this case for people who have extreme work environments or just like to do some rigorous outdoor activities. So if you have $80 to spend hit up the link below to SEIDIO’s online store, also check out Amazon where they go for anywhere between $55-$62 and used for $35. You can also take your chances and enter SEIDIO’s month-long contest in which they are giving free OBEX cases for the S3 and iPhone 5.

SEIDIO/Amazon