Lifeproof has truly revolutionized the market with the release of the Nüüd line in my opinion. Releasing a very rugged phone case, adding the fact that it is waterproof PLUS you don't lose touch sensitivity? What else could anybody ask for? The case claims that it can protect against drops up to 6.6 feet, submersion in water up to 6.6 feet as well as protection against dust, sand and snow.
The Lifeproof Nüüd case has remarkable build quality and is undoubtably one of the best i've seen. The front face of the case is a matte polycarbonate that feels and looks outstanding, we will come back to this later in the review.
The back half of the case is a new design that varies quite a bit from Lifeproof's Frē case. Instead of the back window that would only display the apple logo on the Frē, the Nüüd is one large clear window so you can see the majority of the iPhone which I really like. There was a lot of attention to detail with this design as the perimeter of the back panel is a frosted material so it does not pick up scuffs and scratches when set down screen side up. The clear portion of the back panel is recessed below the frosted rim so it shouldn't get scuffed.
The camera is covered by anti-reflective glass and does not degrade photos at all.
The sides of the case are comprised of a hard rubber material that provides plenty of grip. On the left side, the volume buttons are covered by this material as well as the slider for the silent switch. On top we have a simple rubberized button for the sleep/wake button, feedback is not bad. Around the bottom, we have the Lifeproof typical "screw-in" jack for the headphone jack that now has a tether attached to it so it does not get lost. The lightning port is covered by a hinged door with a seal that works perfect, I wouldn't expect anything different.
Getting back to the front faceplate. There is a lot going on here but it all works perfectly. You are probably wondering how the case can be waterproof while still allowing the bare screen to be used. Underneath the faceplate, there is a gasket around the perimeter which squishes against the phone screen providing a waterproof seal. The bezel comes right up against the touch screen that can sometimes cause issues using the controls in iOS7 but it's just a minor complaint as they are still usable.
One of the new features in the Nüüd is that the home button is a separate piece now that makes use feel like you are actually pressing the home button. It is somewhat loose fitting and I think that can be corrected but it is not an issue.
Sound quality is another thing i'd like to touch on. As you would probably expect, sound quality is skewed while using a waterproof case. Sound travels into the back plate of the case and resonates there to help elevate the volume while still coming out of the bottom port making it sound tinny. I feel it is improved over the Frē case though. Call quality is not degraded with the Nüüd.
This case is offered for $89.99 available in 2 colors, black and white at this time.
