OtterBox Reflex Series for iPad 2 Review

We loved the OtterBox Reflex Series on the iPhone and iPod touch but the one device we really wanted it to come to was the iPad. And it has.

Despite that one thing we all really liked about the Reflex Series is the colors it comes in. This only comes in black at the moment and is a real shame, we only hope that more color options are added in the future. Having said that the case looks great in black. The case is made out of a polycarbonate shell will rubber corners. The Reflex for the iPad 2 is so thin and feels very comfortable when in use.

To get your iPad 2 into the case you simply slide it into either half of the case and then slip the other half on and your done. It isn't too tight but fits on very securely, plus it's lined in a very soft fabric preventing scratches and damage to your iPad. The bezel isn't covered by the case and that's very a good thing when using certain Apps but it just makes your iPad more enjoyable to use too.

Your iPads buttons are all covered by artificial ones built into the case sitting on top of the real things. They all feel nice to press, responsive and they don't stick which is prone to happen in cases which cover buttons for protection. Cut outs are included for the audio jack, mute switch, microphone and 30 pin dock connector. The 30 pin dock connector cut out isn't big enough for many accessories to go into but as the case is so easy to slide apart, whenever you need to use a bigger accessory you can simply slide the bottom half off the iPad. One of my major concerns when first using the case on my iPad was that the speaker was entirely covered by the rear of the case. But OtterBox have thought of this and have built into the case what they call 'Audio Reuters', these basically direct the sound towards you and that makes it sound slightly louder and have a tad more bass as well.

A touch screen shield which attaches itself to the front of your iPad and hooks onto the Reflex via four silicone corners is designed to prop your iPad up into multiple angles. The mechanism on this is most definitely the smartest OtterBox have got to with their stands, we were very impressed with the upgrade from the Defender for the iPad 1 to the iPad 2 but this blows them out of the water. To get the screen shield to extrude itself so you can use it in two different angles you simply push down on the middle section and then it will hook itself upright. The two angles give a choice from a typing position and an angle which is perfect for watching movies or viewing photos.

The protection is the best going for the cases dimensions compared against it's competitors. The slimness and lightness is something I really enjoy but the solid protection amongst all that is just awesome! Crumple zones like you get on cars are located on all corners of the case, most people drop iPhones and iPads onto surfaces the devices nearly always have the corners touch ground. The Crumple Zone will apply impact to itself leaving the iPad safe. Big drops to small this will easily protect your iPad. Plus the front is covered by the touch screen shield which also doubles as a stand meaning your iPad is protected front and back and it also means you don't have to worry about your device.