It was a big struggle to get the OtterGrip Symmetry Series onto my iPhone 14, so I have to admit I was dreading taking it off again (and when I did it really hurt my fingers), but once on, at least in theory, you shouldn’t need to remove it again—these days the only reason to remove a case tends to be to charge via MagSafe and this case snaps into place with MagSafe, so that’s not a concern.
Once in the case all buttons are accessible and work as expected. The important part is how well the case protects the iPhone inside, and the good news is that this case is very protective. It has raised edges to protect both the camera and screen, here it’s more about protection than being slim, so those raised edges jut out a bit—but that will ensure your iPhone screen and camera lenses are safe. In addition to that protection, OtterBox claims to have drop tested this with three times as drops as are required by the military standard (MIL-STD-810G 516.6).
Hopefully you won’t be dropping it in the first place, because the case is also grippy to hold, so you shouldn’t find it slipping out of your hand.
It’s not the lightest or thinnest case we’ve held. Measuring 6.02 x 3.11 x 0.53 / 152.95 x 79.10 x 13.36 mm and weighing 0.11 lbs | 51.26 g.
As is the case with a number of OtterBox cases, this case features antimicrobial technology that protect the case from common bacteria, such as MSRA. It uses silver phosphate glass for this purpose, although the case is made from polycarbonate and synthetic rubber.
We were sent a black/blue model called Blue Storm. It’s one of a collection available in the U.S. that includes various variegated designs like Peaches (Orange), Poppies by the Sea (Blue), as well as the solid colours of Made Me Blush (Pink), Chill Out (Green) and Black options while the U.K. only has the pink, green and black options. We are amused by the creative naming conventions here.
The main selling point of this case is the handy integrated grip feature on the back. It takes a bit of effort to get out, but once it is out you can rotate it and use it to hold your iPhone comfortably and securely—there might even be some ergonomic benefits. We’re not really sure it’s a feature we’d use, but some might find it useful. This grip presses flat so you can still put it in your pocket and use it with MagSafe.
You could also use the grip to prop your iPhone in portrait of landscape, however it is not intended to be used as a stand, OtterBox recommends other cases that have an integrated stand for that purpose, or you could buy a Pop Up MagSafe stand that attaches to the MagSafe magnets to act as a stand and costs $24.95/£20.99.
Available for iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max:
MagSafe compatible? Yes.
