Stopped buying expensive phone cases after my $5 AliExpress one survived 3 drops

I used to drop $40 on OtterBox cases thinking they were the only thing that would save my phone. Last month I gambled on a $5 clear case from AliExpress just to try it out. It's survived three hard drops onto concrete in the parking lot at my gym without a scratch on the phone. Why are we paying so much for brand names when the cheap stuff does the same job? Has anyone else had a cheap case last longer than you expected?

3 comments

3 Comments

hayden_butler2719d ago

Get a cheap case with raised edges around the screen, that's the real life saver.

felixramirez19d ago

Ngl, I kinda see it the other way. That $5 case might protect from a drop or two but the material feels flimsy and the buttons are always stiff. My old Spigen cost $15 and lasted two years without yellowing or cracking. The cheap ones work for a bit but they don't hold up long term.

the_nina19d ago

Don't you think it's more about the drop angle and luck than the brand though? I mean, @hayden_butler27 mentioned raised edges and that's really the key... even a cheap case with those lips around the screen will save you from a face-down drop. The material thing felixramirez brought up is real too, my last cheap case got this weird sticky film on the back after a few months in the sun. But honestly, if I can get three solid drops out of a 5 dollar case before it starts looking rough, that's still way better than paying 40 bucks for the same protection. I'd rather replace a cheap case every year than cry over one cracked screen from a so-called premium case that didn't even do its job.