Griffin Survivor Clear Case for iPhone X and XS REVIEW

See through drop protection that’s ready for anything. 

As the cost of owning a smartphone has increased, I have seen fewer and fewer people with unadorned iPhones.  I love the form and feel of a naked iPhone, but it is simply too costly to leave au naturel.  A case can pose a difficult consumer choice, as there are a plethora of options available.  Do you want a thin shell to protect from scuffs/drops/bumps, do you want a wallet style case, do you want a modular case, or are you looking for Arthurian Knight level protection?  With so many options available, how do you choose which case is right for you?  It seems that I have tested hundreds of cases, from multiple companies, and have found a few brands that I trust.  If you are looking for a case that can add basic protection to your phone, without all of the bells and whistles getting in the way, look to the Griffin Survivor Clear case. 

The Griffin Survivor Clear case for iPhone X and XS arrived in a 4 3/4 inches wide by 7 inches tall by 7/8 inches thick retail package with orange product hanging tab.  The visually appealing cover listed information about the 4 foot/1.2M drop protection, scratch resistance and ultra-slim design along the side.  Atop the panel, I was pleased to find a brilliant shimmering metallic “Survivor” title and orange colored “CLEAR.”  The showcase, however, was the glossy, slightly raised, 1 7/8 inches wide by 5 inches tall image of the phone case. The left and right panels listed “SURVIVOR” in metallic silver and “CLEAR” in orange, similar to the cover.  The back panel provided diagramed images of the left/right/front and reverse faces of the phone case.  The panel proved to be educational, detailing the single piece hardshell case design, non-slip grip, anti-yellowing material, slim-low profile design, easy installation, and wireless charging capability.  Lifting the front magnetic cover away from the case, the internal panel listed 5 icons: Drop tested on concrete, One year warranty, 6H hardness, 810G military Standard drop rating and impact dispersion shock distributing material.

To the right of the inner flap, Griffin provided an open portal for easy access to the phone case.  Instead of relying upon images, the company let their device advertise itself.  There was no plastic screen, nor was there a small portal to view the product.  Instead, there was a 3 3/16 inches wide by 6 1/2 inches tall doorway with direct access to the device.  I removed the 3-inches wide by 5 3/4 inches tall by 3/8 inches thick, 0.95-ounce device from the portal and evaluated the craftsmanship.  The cutout for the vertical camera was well placed and matched the camera of the iPhone X well.  In addition to the camera cutout, there were precision cutouts for the volume toggle, a generous 1/8 inches thick by 1/2 inches wide lightning port cutout and dual speaker cutouts.  The power button and volume up/down buttons were rubberized and were a little less sensitive than some other cases that chose to use metallic buttons.  To install the case, I pressed the volume toggle side of the phone into the case and then walked my fingers around the top, left, and bottom edges of the phone.  With a reassuring click, the phone case was easily installed. 

When installed, the iPhone X/Survivor case combo weighed 6.49 ounces.  Thanks to the black, rubberized side, top and bottom panels, the case had a pleasing tactile feel.  The rubberized material worked well for the sides but did not work as well for the buttons.  The rubberized material felt a little squishy and lacked the responsiveness of metallic buttons.  The solid clear rear panel felt sturdy but the material attracted fingerprints and scuff marks.  Despite the scuffs, they were not permanent and wiped off easily. I appreciated the 6H hardness and noted that it was very difficult to scratch. Overall the case will provide the minimal level of needed protection.  Most cases have an 8-9 foot drop rating, but the Survivor Clear case was only rated for a 4-foot drop. I did not experience any accidental drops, stumbles, or near misses, but I did test it on my hardwood floor from waist high (~4 feet).  I dropped the case onto the lightning port twice and found no damage to the phone.  I did not want to purposefully drop my phone onto the screen or onto the back panel, so I used a dummy phone. I dropped the case, from a height of four feet, onto each of the edges, as well as the front/back. I was pleased to find no damage to the case or to the dummy phone. I believe the case lived up to the promises of the packaging. 

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