LifeProof has been protecting the iPhone from bumps, drops, and the environment for several years now. When Apple releases a new phone, LifeProof designs a new case, and we nice ask them to send us one so we can test it out. It’s never been any trouble to find a volunteer willing to let us drop their phone over and over, or dunk it in water, in the name of product testing. That’s due to the reputation of the brand, not just because our friends trust us.
The nüüd gets its name from the fact that it surrounds the edges and back of the iPhone 6, but leaves the screen uncovered. This is so that it does not affect the tactile or visual experience of your phone, but it is still protected from the elements. Your Retina display looks the same, your Touch ID still works too. On the back, LifeProof added their own optical glass lens with anti-reflective coating, so there is no loss of image quality for the Apple camera lens. All the buttons work well through their sealed rubber covers too. On the bottom is a little door for the charger, and the headphone port has a threaded plug with a gasket. LifeProof includes a little pigtail adapter so you can plug in your headphones, but still be waterproof.
Every LifeProof nüüd case gets a water test from the factory. Before you put your phone in it, you are advised to do a water test at home as well, and LifeProof provides instructions and an insert to make this easy (see image below). After we tested the case, we put the iPhone in it and gave it another short dunk. No bubbles, no worries. The nüüd also meets the Military Standard 810G-516.6 shock test, which is a very good indicator that your $600+ phone will survive in the real world, even if you are a bit clumsy. Finally, the nüüd is rated IP-68. Ingress Protection ratings define how well something can resist solids and liquids. Do you take your phone when you are out in dust, dirt, mud, and snow? Your nüüd case can withstand circulating talc for 8 hours, and should not leak, even if dropped into water up to 6.6 feet deep, and left there for an hour. So go ahead and play hard, your phone can take it.
Our tester for the LifeProof nüüd case for the iPhone 6 was probably not a fair choice. During the week, he repairs machinery for a large manufacturing company, and does automotive maintenance. On weekends, he gets away from it all by hiking, camping, and fishing. He is far more likely than the rest of us to smack that phone against something several times each day, or expose it to water, chemicals, and all sorts of abrasive materials. Yet after two weeks, his phone is still in one piece, despite the daily knocks. It’s not his first LifeProof case, so he knew what to expect, and thanks to their tough design, he can rely on it to protect his phone. There was only one complaint: non-OEM chargers may not fit in the narrow port designed for the Apple charger. Other than that, it works flawless. At $89.99, the LifeProof nüüd is not cheap. But it’s cheap insurance for a phone that costs $649 outright. LifeProof also makes cases for most of the Apple line, plus some Samsung and Motorola products. Check them out at LifeProof.com.
– Brian