The Lab: LifeProof FRE Smartphone Case Long Term Review
If you can tolerate minor inconveniences in operating comfort, the sleek Lifeproof FRE case offers the best protection for your iPhone.
Two copies of the LifeProof FRE Case have been with us for a while now and kept our expensive smartphones safe from rain, snow, mud, and countless drops.
Due to its enclosed protection, operating comfort suffers a little though. The touch ID sometimes doesn’t work straightaway, the display loses a little of its touch sensitivity and crispness, the speaker sound is a bit damped, and if you want to use headphones then the provided adaptor is mandatory. However, our focus was on a fully outdoor-compliant case with maximum protection (which is delivered), so those are reasonable compromises to us that plead for the LifeProof FRE Case.
Testers: Jim Buchanan, Andreas Maschke
Price: € 80
Test period: 10 months each
You can find further information on the Lifeproof website.
Words: Jim Buchanan and Andreas Maschke Photos: Christoph Bayer