Macenstein

My transition from an iPhone 5S to an iPhone 6 Plus has gone relatively smoothly – I would say it took about 5 days to become so accustomed to its larger size that my old 5S now seems toylike in my hand. However, while I may be used to its size, that doesn’t mean it’s dainty, and the thought of placing it inside a giant hunk of rubber to protect its giant screen from breaking wasn’t really something I was looking forward to. Luckily our good friends at Griffin sent us a care package with their first round of iPhone 6 Plus cases, so let’s see how they stack up.

I suppose as a bt of a disclaimer, I should mention that I got the silver/white iPhone 6 Plus (my first white iPhone) and I did not specify that to Griffin, so many of the cases they sent me had black trim which aesthetically did not look all that great, at least to my eye, but I will try to rate the cases on protection and functionality versus how they look don MY iPhone.

Griffin Reveal

Perhaps Griffin’s most simple case, the Reveal is a one-piece case, and is essentially a rubber bumper with a hard clear plastic back. Available in White, Black, and Hot Pink, Griffin claims it is rated for protection from a 3 foot drop. There is no included screen protector, but I like this case because it is thin, adds some much needed grip to the iPhone 6 plus, and provides just enough drop protection/key scratch protection (to the rear) to provide a little piece of mind. As I mentioned, I was sent the black one, which looked horrible on a white iPhone, but the photos online of the white and even the pink models look much better. Priced at only $19.99 it is cheaper than most cases and does not take away from the look of your iPhone. It also adds minimal bulk, which is a huge thing, although it provides some of the least drop protection. My main issue with this case was that the volume buttons were hard to press through the rubber bumper.
Rating: 8/10

Griffin Survivor CORE
Almost identical to Reveal, the distinguishing characteristic of the Survivor Core is that it has a slightly different grip pattern on the corners of the rubber bumper. They jut out a bit more, have grooves in them and feel like they might add a bit more drop protection. Indeed, Griffin rates it for twice the drop height of the Reveal, a full 6 feet. Available in Black, white, and a purple option which has a purple transparent back instead of the clear that the black and white have, the Survivor core also costs $10 more than the Reveal – $29.99.

I found I didn’t love the extra padded corners, as they made it a little more difficult to slide the already large 6 Plus in and out of my pocket. I also didn’t love the look, although again, I got a black version which didn’t look great. Also, like the Reveal, the Survivor Core had the same hard to press volume keys.
Rating: 7/10

Griffin Survivor All-terrain
Clocking in at $60, the Griffin Survivor All-terrain case provides the most protection of any of these cases, but also the most bulk. Available in 4 color combos (black, lime, pink and Blue) the All-terrain features a foam lined inner shell with a shock absorbing silicon outer layer that will protect from all but the most unlikely of fall heights (although it is rated at 6 feet, the same as the Survivor Core). While expensive, the case also has a built-in screen protector, as well as covered ports to help keep out dust, rain, and sand. There is also a removable belt clip, which I have a love/hate relationship with. On the one hand I hate belt clips in general, and for the iPhone 6 Plus and with this large case in particular, I could never see myself wearing my device on my hip – it would just get in the way and look super dorky. On the other hand, it DOES rotate and lock to make a wonderful video viewing stand. So it’s a nice option to have, but odds are I would throw the clip in a drawer and never find it if I wanted to use it.

The only real issue I had with the Griffin Survivor All-terrain (aside from making the already large iPhone 6 Plus feel like an iPad) was that the built in screen protector makes the screen noticeably less sharp looking, but you DO get used to it eventually. Also, while all the ports are fully accessible, be aware that you may need a thinner audio cable to fit through the hole. Most lightning cables should work fine though.
Rating: 9/10

Survivor Slim
The Survivor Slim is a 2-piece case, consisting of a hard plastic shell, wrapped inside a flexible silicone sleeve to cushion against drops of up to 6 feet. While in theory this case should have been the closest to a simple rubber case, it was one of my least favorite, mainly due to the texture of the silicone. I would imagine it is designed to add some much needed grip to the iPhone 6 Plus, but I actually found it to be slipperier than having no case at all. Also, I do not personally like the look of this case’s “dog bone” design, despite I think being sent the one sample that should have looked OK on a white iPhone. It seems like a case designed for a child for some reason. On the plus side the Slim comes with a screen protector sticker, but still feels a bit overpriced at $45. It is available in turquoise, mineral blue/clear, and black.
Rating: 6/10

Griffin Identity
Out of the 5 cases, the Griffin Identity is (to my mind) the clear winner. Pun intended. This case clear really lets the design of your iPhone 6 plus shine through, and still offers 4 foot drop protection. The 2-piece design consists of a hard plastic back, and a rubber bumper which combine to protect against drops and scrapes. Well, to the back of your phone, there is no included screen protector sticker with this $30 case. In theory you can swap out the back plate for other colors, although at the moment the Griffin site does not show other color options other than clear.

My only issue with this case is the decision to add a black rubber border around the camera hole, detracting from an otherwise clean look for the case. I will assume this might be designed to minimize glare back into the camera which COULD happen if sun hit a clear plastic edge at the right angle, but I think choosing a clearish rubber would have probably worked almost as well, and looked better.
Rating: 9/10