You just purchased a new smartphone and now what do you need to do protect it? There are so many choices and ways to protect your phone, what are the best ways or combinations to best protect your phone.   Let me just explain now – there is not a case or screen protector that will 100 percent protect your phone. Does this mean that you should not buy a case or spend the money on an Otterbox? No- what it means that every layer of protection just makes your phone that much safer. Protecting your smartphone with cases and other accessories are smart and could potentially save you hundreds on repairs. [caption id="attachment_6912" align="alignnone" width="689"] A stock photo of a man checking his banking details on a smartphone[/caption] First and foremost, I personally like tempered glass screen protector. Tempered glass is just that – a screen protector that is made of a very thin layer of tempered glass. The point behind the tempered glass is to take the shock of a fall and crack before your screen cracks. Plastic screen protectors are good for scratches on the screen but will not absorb the shock from a fall or break first. (http://lifehacker.com/are-glass-screen-protectors-better-than-plastic-ones-1611904544). When it comes to cases, each brand of cases offer protection for your smartphone but which one is the best? I believe that each one is good in its own way.   Lifeproof are good if you are trying to protect from water. You MUST test the case in order to determine if it is waterproof. Also, you have to make sure all the holes are covered and that the case is completely sealed. The cases could save your smartphone but in the same sense, you should approach the Lifeproof as water resistant.   Otterbox is a great case as well. Otterbox was one of the first smartphone protectors on the market. Otterbox did set the standard on cases and there are many designs to choose from as well as colors.   Ballistic cases are “made for those who drop” their smartphones. Ballistic has “bubbles” on the inside as shock absorbers and their corners are “chunky” since many times when devices fall, they hit the corners.   Trident Cases are a cross between otterbox and Ballistic. The Trident cases have been around a little while and do stand against the drop test as well as Urban Armor Gear or even the new Bodyglove styles.   With so many choices, how do you decide? I have a trident case and a tempered glass. I have dropped my phone plenty of times and have, “knock on wood,” not broken my screen (even with numerous drops onto tile flooring and on the concrete- even though I did replace my tempered glass). [caption id="attachment_6913" align="alignnone" width="689"] Young adult using a smart phone[/caption] With that being said, you should choose the case you like best not what other people are using, what someone else says you need but the one that suits you, your lifestyle and budget. BUT there are some guidelines to help you pick a protective case. First, make sure that the case wraps around your phone and is higher than your screen. This keeps your smartphone screen from taking the brunt of a fall. If you drop your phone a lot, then cases with built up corners is a good choice. The extra padding on the corners will absorb some of the impact. Lastly, I believe every smartphone will benefit from tempered glass. All my family has the tempered glass and we have yet to break a screen (knocking on wood again). Always remember, that nothing is going to 100 % protect your smartphone but you can increase the chances of limiting damage by adding layers of protection to your smartphone.