I love the iPhone 5s design. It’s lightweight, simple and has a premium feel. That’s why when I see iPhones adorned with heavy, bulky cases such as an Otterbox I’m astounded. At the same time, seeing so many iPhones without cases adorned with numerous dents and broken glass screens also baffles me.

A smartphone is an expensive investment. While most people don’t require the excessive protection of an Otterbox, there are great looking, light cases that don’t sacrifice protection.

One of the top features I was looking for in a case was a built-in screen protector (putting on screen protectors are a hassle, and can be expensive for higher quality glass ones), and an exposed home button so I could take advantage of the iPhone 5s’s fingerprint scanner. The problem was the top phone case manufacturers had designs that were bulky, ugly, and plain expensive. So, I turned to Amazon.

I typed “iPhone 5s case built-in screen protector” into Amazon’s search box and immediately I was bombarded with surprisingly good-looking, generic, and affordable cases. These generic iPhone 5/5s cases came under many names such as Gearonic, Dream Wireless and Luxmo, and all look the same.

Once I received mine, I found the installation to be dead simple and one of my main worries — the hinge of the screen protector — was dispelled when I found out how large and flexible the hinge is. The case is sleek, has a comfortable grip and is made from a hard, yet flexible thermoplastic polyurethane material that will survive minor drops just fine.

However, as much as I praise this case, it wasn’t perfect.

The screen protector protects well against scratches, but it may take a little getting used to, as you will have to push down on the screen with slightly more pressure. The beautiful sharpness and saturation of the screen also becomes slightly diminished with the screen protectorm although most won’t notice.

Another problem with the case is that it seems the screen protector often interferes with the proximity sensor on the phone, which detects when your phone is close to your ear.

The issues are a little annoying but not a deal breaker. And although they’re not name brand, these cases can definitely hold their own.

Rating: B