Let’s be honest, while plastic smartphone cases can save your precious device from a tragic fall, they’re usually big, bulky, and completely conceal the iPhone’s elegant design. Moshi offers a sleeker approach with the iGlaze Armour, an aluminum backed shell case with drop protection that doesn’t compromise the size or style of your iPhone.

The main component of the case is the aluminum plate that covers the back and curves around the sides of your phone. It has a bright, brushed finish that complements the iPhone’s metal body. This metal shield provides enhanced scratch and dent protection over plastic cases and won’t crack or snap on you. A diamond-cut window in the back plate prominently displays and accentuates the Apple logo, while a recessed cut-out at the top provides access for the camera and flash. The top and bottom pieces of the case aren’t made from aluminum, and instead are molded from plastic to prevent any interference with the antennae and radio signals. The interior of the case is made from a shock-absorbing poly carbonate that provides a tight and seamless fit for the phone.

A raised bezel around the screen lifts and protects the glass from scratches when setting the phone face down on a table, however, this ridge does tend to attract and trap dust along it. While in the case, the sleep and volume buttons are fully covered under rubber buttons that are easy to use. Precision cutouts give you access to the mute switch, ports, mic, and speaker, though note that the recessed Lightning port may be inaccessible to some docking stations and third-party cables. While the rubber sides flex to allow you to insert and remove the phone with ease, the rest of the case is pretty rigid, providing ample impact protection at the corners which helps prevent damage to the screen.

The case’s thin profile makes it easy to forget there’s even one your phone and holding it feels very much like handling a naked iPhone. The phone functioned well while in the case, and there was no impact on the wireless connectivity, sound, or microphone audio quality. The iGlaze Armour comes in several colors and priced at $40 on Moshi’s website, it’s a nice value for a stylish, low-profile case with decent phone protection.