Survivor Strong Case Review: Great protection and good value

Survivor Strong is an excellent name for this iPhone 12 Pro Max case that I received in the Lilac colorway. It is indeed quite strong, holding up beautifully under quite a few drops and falls. I'm rough on my iPhones, so it doesn't take me long to test out whether or not an iPhone case is protective or not. This one is not showing any scratches or dents so far (and neither is my iPhone!), so it is definitely a durable case.

This one also comes with a lifetime guarantee in case it doesn't perform as expected, which is always a nice bit of insurance when you buy a case. For the level of protection it offers, I consider the price to be quite reasonable. I'm not a big fan of the Lilac colorway, which does not look exactly as pictured on the website, but this could be due to the color calibration on my computer monitor. Either way, there are several other colors to choose from, so most buyers will likely find a good color match. Below I've listed some other pros and cons to consider.

Making a Strong case

Survivor Strong Case: What I like

My overall conclusion of the Survivor Strong is that it's an excellent protective case for the price. I've dropped the iPhone several times in this case, in my usual clumsy fashion, and there's not a scratch to be seen on the phone or the case. The product description claims 360º military-grade drop protection up to falls of 10 feet, and I believe it. The TPU construction is solid and feels like a quality, rigid material. You can also see by the raised edges around the screen and the camera that the handset will be protected no matter which side it falls on. This level of protection is rarely seen at this price point, so I think it's a good value for the cost.

On that note, this case also seems to be more scratch-resistant than the Survivor Endurance Case I tried before. That one did show some wear and tear after some rough treatment on my part, but the Survivor Strong doesn't have a mark on it. I'm not sure why, but the Survivor Strong is advertised as "scratch-resistant," so I guess this is something they built into the case material.

Although this case is undoubtedly on the thicker side, it's still a bit slimmer than the Survivor Endurance Case and feels a little more lightweight. It still has a bit of an industrial feel in the lines and design, but this aspect is more subtle in the Strong Case. My favorite part of the design is the clear backing that lends some color but allows the Apple logo to show through. This is unique among heavy-duty cases and an attractive design feature. I was not a big fan of the Lilac colorway, however, but I'll get into that in the next section.

Color clash concerns

Survivor Strong Case: What I don't like

As I mentioned before, I don't love the Lilac colorway of this case, and there are several reasons for that. One is that purple just doesn't go well with Pacific Blue, which I can't really blame on the manufacturer. It would probably look a lot more attractive on a lighter silver or gold iPhone 12 Pro. Another thing is that the color does not precisely match the shade on the website. The Lilac shade on the website looks a little more subtle, almost a purple-gray shade. Again, this could be my monitor, but I just don't think this color looks good on my Pacific Blue iPhone 12 Pro Max. If you have a Pacific Blue iPhone, choose a different shade of the Survivor Strong Case.

The other thing that gets on my nerves is that this case is pretty challenging to remove. Installation is not that hard; you just have to apply pressure in the right spot to pop the iPhone into the case. But when it comes time to take it off, a great wrestling match ensues. I was afraid that the struggle would damage my iPhone, but thankfully I removed the iPhone intact. Just plan on leaving this case on your iPhone long-term, and it shouldn't be a problem.

The competition

There aren't a lot of cases that offer this level of drop protection at this price, but Case-Mate does have a good contender. The Case-Mate Tough is another similar case with a full 10 feet of drop protection and raised edges to keep every surface of the iPhone safe. This one comes in several colorways, including clear, and it's offered at about the same price point. The look is a little different, and if you enjoy a more industrial design, you might prefer the Survivor Strong. Both of these are good cases for the price, however, and either one will provide excellent protection for the iPhone 12 Pro.

Survivor Strong Case: Should you buy

You need a good protective case for drops and falls.

If there's one thing that I can say with certainty, it's that the Survivor Strong Case will protect your iPhone 12 Pro Max. This case offers military-grade protection for drops of up to 10 feet, and so far, it has held up to these claims.

You like to show off that Apple logo.

The clear backing is a refreshing design feature that you don't always see in highly protective cases. The Apple logo shows through clearly.

You enjoy a good warranty.

The Survivor Brand provides a lifetime guarantee for this case, so if anything goes wrong, you can always get it replaced.

You have a Pacific Blue iPhone.

The Lilac colorway of the Survivor Strong Case is not a good match for a Pacific Blue iPhone. I think the black or clear variation would work much better with the iPhone 12 Pro in the Pacific Blue color.

You switch cases a lot.

The Survivor Strong Case is NOT easy to remove, so this might not be the right choice if you like to switch cases a lot.

The Survivor Strong Case offers good value for the price with heavy-duty drop protection, a robust scratch-resistant surface, and a cool design with a transparent backing. You can rest assured that your iPhone will be safe in this case, and, especially if you appreciate a subtle industrial look, the design is pretty cool too. The Lilac might not be the best choice of colorways for a Pacific Blue iPhone 12 Pro, but there are several other case colors to choose from. For a midline case that offers adequate protection at a reasonable price, the Survivor Strong is a good choice for the iPhone 12.