Hi there, this is my first post. I've been using these forums to read reviews about the various cases, and I thought that since this thread is not yet matured, it was the right time to register and contribute!
I am a poor student who saved up for a long time before I splurged on an iPhone 5, my first ever smart phone (because I had an iPad, and I trust the Apple ecosystem). So it's understandable that I want to keep it safe. However, I'm a little fashion conscious and I like having many different styles and colours for my cases. Therefore, the most I am willing to spend on a case is maybe around $30USD. I would love the really expensive cases but it's simply not feasible, given that the official cases seem to stain easily. So I can deal with a product that might be lower quality, in exchange for a cheaper price and more frequent swaps between cases.
I didn't find these apple style cases on ebay, but off AliExpress.com. Similar to ebay, sellers have ratings and it is important to only deal with trustworthy ones with good reviews. I went on the website and typed in "iphone 5 cover TPU official style", then sorted by the seller rating and it appeared as one of the top options. Incidentally, when you use that search, official style iPhone 5c covers also appear.
So this was a sale for a lot of 10 cases, for a total of around 24USD. That means each case would be around $2.40. Not so bad, as I could get all of the colours, and then gift some to friends if they looked reasonably good. Shipping from China was free, but it does take quite a while. There are options for quick delivery but since I didn't even know if the seller was reliable, I stuck with the cheapest option. I received the cases today, and I ordered on November 25th.
Since I got these for such a good price, I have no need to lie, and I do not believe I am suffering from cognitive dissonance. There are good things and bad things about the cases, and I'll put up a few photos now (incidentally, does anyone see the spots on my photos? I took these with my iPhone 5 and it seems to be a problem that has gotten worse lately. I see little specks in the lens and was wondering if that might be the problem)
As you can see, they certainly look similar to the real thing, though the colours are a bit dull and don't quite look like the official ones. I've played with an official case that a friend of mine owns and it feels similar in texture, maybe slightly rougher and the overall feel in your hand is harder than the official case which has a slightly cushiony feel on the inside. The fit, of all the ones seen in the photo, are quite snug. However, my phone currently has back and side vinyl stickers. I plan to take them off soon and I will report back whether it makes a big difference later on.
The hole cutouts look nice. However, the holes are not perfectly smooth and are not completely in line. The sound quality does not appear to be affected.
The lip of the cases, as seen in the photos has a slight pinch, the kind that happens when rubber is melted together. The most obvious part is next to the volume buttons, as seen in some of the other photos in the thread. And by the way, the volume buttons and power buttons are still sensitive when using this case.
The protective value of the case is not bad, as they provide a nice grip and full protection around the phone.
One thing I worry about is the inside of the lip seems a little scratchy and may scratch the phone when you take it out and put it into the case.
The last thing I will add is about the colour. As you know, the original cases are leather while these are TPU. This means that the colour will definitely not be the same. The colours in my photos look exactly as they are. As you can see, the beige does not look beige, and the colours can look a bit washed out if you are observing closely. If you need your case to be exactly 1:1 with the original, that's not possible. I'm just happy having cases with different colour options and a leather finish. Original style, not original. Lol.
All in all, these cases are nowhere near the quality of the original. But I think they were well worth the price I paid, which was next to nothing. Plus, it's all just for good fun as I can always switch back to using my more expensive cases or use it naked like I have been for the last month. I just wanted to share this information because this forum has given me a lot of information also.
Thanks for reading and hope you guys find this review helpful.