Do the screen protectors built into phone cases actually work?

Phone cases with built-in screen protectors offer 360-degree protection, but they're not all made the same.

Smartphones these days predominantly feature a glass sandwich design. While the layers of glass over the display and back panel give phones a premium feel and enable features like wireless charging, the resulting device is rather fragile. The glass panels easily pick up scratches in day-to-day use and can even shatter when dropped accidentally, so using a phone case from a reputed manufacturer and a screen protector is absolutely necessary.

Although you can purchase these separately, a few manufacturers also offer protective cases with built-in screen protectors that are more value for money and eliminate compatibility issues. But are they any good?

With a quick search on Amazon, you can find a wide range of phone cases with built-in screen protectors for your device, but not all are made the same. Cheaply-made cases from no-name brands don't offer a precise enough fit for the built-in screen protector to work as intended. As a result, you can face issues with in-display fingerprint sensors and touch sensitivity. But that's not true for cases like the Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro, Poetic Guardian, and ESR Shock Armor.

Phone cases with built-in screen protectors from trusted brands are manufactured to a tight tolerance, resulting in a snug fit that ensures the touch sensitivity and fingerprint scanner aren't adversely affected. However, for the same reason, you must install the case in a specific order and retrain the fingerprint sensor following the installation, or you will encounter problems. Thankfully, manufacturers like Supcase and Poetic offer detailed resources to help you out.

Once you have it installed properly, the built-in screen protector will work just as well as a standalone screen protector. In some cases, a case with a built-in screen protector might even fare better than using a separate case and screen protector, as it offers seamless edge-to-edge coverage and doesn't leave any part of your phone exposed. If that sounds like something you'd want for your phone, here are some of the best cases with built-in screen protectors currently on the market.

In partnership with Supcase

The SUPCASE UB Pro for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is an excellent rugged case. It offers 360-degree protection for the phone and even comes with thoughtful extras like a belt clip and kickstand support that other rugged cases don't offer.

The Poetic Guardian series case for the Galaxy S23 Ultra offers up to 20ft drop protection thanks to its reinforced edges, a built-in screen protector, and a clear polycarbonate back that lets you show off your phone's unique color.

ESR's Shock Armor Case for the Galaxy S23 Ultra offers complete coverage for the device thanks to its built-in screen protector. It has reinforced edges for impact absorption, tactile buttons, and a metal kickstand cleverly integrated into the back panel.

If you don't like to use bulky cases on your phone, using one with a built-in screen protector might not be the best option. But we still recommend investing in a third-party film-type or tempered glass screen protector to keep your phone's display scratch free. Although most phones these days have some form of Gorilla Glass protection for the display, and some even come with a factory-installed screen protector, we advise adding another layer of protection. That's because phones with even the latest Gorilla Glass tend to pick up minor scratches over time, and the factory-installed screen protector peels off within a few weeks.

A high-quality film-type screen protector will ensure your phone's display looks as pristine as it did when you pulled it out of the box. However, it won't offer any protection from drops, and you'll have to use a tempered glass screen protector if you don't want your phone's screen shattering after an accidental drop. You can easily find both types of screen protectors for a majority of devices with a quick search on Amazon. But if you want to skip the hard work, check out our roundups of the best screen protectors for the latest devices to find one that fits your needs.

I chanced upon the XDA Forums while looking for a way to update the original Motorola Defy to Android 4.0 ICS. Now I help people find answers to similar questions while covering the latest developments in the tech world. You can reach out to me at [email protected] or on Twitter @pranobmehrotra.