Slim and Tough and 2 layers? This is our favourite 2-piece tough iPhone case (that’s still slim)
[toggle title=”Watch our Griffin Survivor Slim Review on YouTube!”]
Today we’re going to do a review of the Griffin Survivor Slim. This is considered a slim iPhone case and out of all the two piece, silicone + polycarbonate cases that we’ve reviewed, this is the best one in our opinion.
The Survivor Slim is a multi-layered case that provides your iPhone with drop protection of up to 6.6 ft or 2 m. We really like the design of the case as it is quite unique and it provides a lot of texture so the iPhone won’t slip out of your hands as easily. We don’t have many bad things to say about this case other than a couple of minor issues with 3rd party screen protection and dust protection.
Now it’s always surprising to us when a larger than average case manufacturer makes a decent product. Griffin Technology is fairly large company and their Survivor Core and Slim are really good products unlike Otterbox whose cases have been sub-par so far for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
Based on the time we spent for this Griffins Survivor Slim Review, we gave the Survivor Slim a score of 4.3 Eh’s out of 5. This is a higher rated case and falls a little short of one of our favourite cases the Griffin Survivor Core and Thule Atmos x3. Cases that are similar in terms of design include the Ballistic Tough Jacket and Otterbox Commuter and this case blows them both out of the water. If you’re wondering how this case fares against other cases, check out our comparison tool!
[komper pid=38 category=1 compareform=yes]
Design – A bit bulky but the texture is nice
In terms of design, the Slim armor is a bulky case so it will make your sleek iPhone 6 quite bulky. The build quality of the case is quite nice as the case generally fits together if you use their screen protector and the case doesn’t show excessive wear and tear. However, we dinged the case a bit for the fit as a thicker screen protector will result in the case not fitting 100%.
Speaking of the fit, the thing we are most impressed with is how the case sticks together. Unlike other two part cases, the iPhone sits in a hardshell and then is wrapped around with the rubbery/silicone part. I was a little apprehensive but Griffin’s design ensures that the edges of the silicon stick to the hard shell which is something I haven’t seen yet. Really neat.
[divider][/divider]
Protection – Our favorite toughest slim case that we’ve reviewed
In terms of protection, the case is drop rated to military specification 810G and is droppable from 6.6 ft no problem. There’s decent screen clearance from the edges of the case and from our perspective, its pretty much one of the toughest slim cases that we’ve reviewed. The only grip that we have with the protection is that if you use a slightly thicker screen protector the case outer layer doesn’t sit quite flush on the face of the iPhone.
We do have to poke fun at the screen protector that is included with the case as Griffin says it is scratch resistant which is fine but it only covers most of the iPhone’s touchscreen. Not all of it which some people may find very frustrating.
[divider][/divider]
Functionality – Getting to your iPhone is a cinch in this case
During our time with the case for this Griffin Survivor Slim Review we discovered that the case doesn’t get in the way of accessing your iPhone. The buttons on the case go through the silicone quite easily and doesn’t need to be worked in like the survivor core. The cutouts at the bottom of the case are large enough to handle larger than Apple accessories.
The only thing I have to mention has to deal with the screen protector again as the case will allow you to install any sized screen protector but if its thick, the case isn’t going to fit well together. During our review period, we had a Spigen GlassTR on the iPhone and the bottom and top parts of the case had a gap that we were not comfortable with.
[divider][/divider]
Have questions about our Griffin Survivor Slim Review for the iPhone 6/6 Plus? Please ask them on our Google+ page or on our Facebook page.
Michael Kiermeier
February 12, 2015 at 9:00 pm
Hello Aaron,
You have always very Great Reviews! But, my favorite Case is the Speck MightyShell for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus , in Clear/Slate Grey/Clear, oder the Version in Carrot Orange/Slate Grey/Speck Blue is also great!
It has the following specs ( based on the website details from the Speck MightyShell)
Wow, 2x military-grade protection
Meets double the requirements for MIL-STD-810G military-grade drop tested protection standards.
3 layers harnessed into only 0.18″ for surprising protection in a slim profile.
Perimeter bumper provides superior control and comfort for quick calls and fast fingers.
Bezel rises above phone screen to provide ultra protection against drops, while grippy texture of bezel prevents sliding on smooth surfaces.
Please make a Reviews about this awesome Case from Speck!
Best Regards,
Michael Kiermeier
GER – Lower Bavaria
Ian
February 14, 2015 at 3:53 am
Just need to say that I find the name deceiving. I don’t consider this case “slim” at all! When I think of a slim iPhone case, I think of something like the basic Tech21 offerings. This case felt cheap on my phone with the loose silicone that moves around when you bump it sliding your finger across the screen, and attracts pocket lint (mine was the black version of the case) like crazy! Was too bulky and strange-feeling for me to like it.
Travis
May 27, 2015 at 5:48 am
Hey Aaron, after watching nearly all your reviews, which are awesome by the way! I came to the decision of getting the Griffin survivor slim for my iPhone 6 based on your video review, after seeing almost all of what you had to offer in case reviews and rating it high I am confident in buying this case, thanks!
Aaron Ho
May 27, 2015 at 6:08 pm
Glad I could help!
Gerald
November 13, 2015 at 12:12 am
Is this case better than the Otterbox Defender?
Al
December 2, 2015 at 12:26 pm
After watching your great review, I am decided on the survivor slim – however, I have an iphone 6s – have you tried a 6s in this particular case? does it fit, I know its only fractions of a mm larger than the 6, but I’m just not sure how exact it needs to fit. many thanks!
Aaron Ho
December 4, 2015 at 3:20 pm
If you do get it, make sure you get one that has the 6s branding on it. The original 6 doesn’t fit terribly well with the 6s because of the added thickness.
Dave
September 7, 2016 at 3:24 pm
It his is a great cass. In disagree about using a third party screen protector. This case really shines when using a tempered glass screen protector. Once you go glass, you will never go back to plastic. A twenty dollar case from Walmart plus 10 more bucks for the glass screen protector. Throw away the one that comes with it.
Dave
September 7, 2016 at 3:25 pm
It his is a great case I disagree about using a third party screen protector. This case really shines when using a tempered glass screen protector. Once you go glass, you will never go back to plastic. A twenty dollar case from Walmart plus 10 more bucks for the glass screen protector. Throw away the one that comes with it.
Jacob
February 8, 2017 at 1:18 am
Hey Aaron, what Screen protector would you recommend with this case ?
Aaron Ho
February 9, 2017 at 2:20 pm
My personal favourite is the ITG Silicate glass. The Belkin screen protector from Apple is also very good.