Samsung Branded Cases Review

I've had my Note 8 for about a month now. I got the dual SIM model with the Exynos processor and it comes with a clear case in the box. It wasn't something I was expecting and I only noticed it when I wanted to see why there was a small box inside. Subsequently I own, or have owned, the Alcantara, the Military Spec, the LED view, and the clear one. The only first party case I don't have right now is the Clear View. I chiwe the LED case instead of the Clear View because the LED felt better in hand.

All the cases fit perfectly as one would expect from a first party case. They all have a little bit of a lip top and bottom to mitigate the chance of scratching the screen if you lay your phone face down. The LED has next to nil lip though so I would advise anyone using it to close the case before putting it face down.

The Alcantara is virtually identical to the built in one. I dropped my phone once while I had it from about pocket height and the phone snuggly kept in place. The pen flew out though. This is a huge part of why I like first party cases: they fit perfectly. I see no real benefit to this relatively expensive case compared to a generic plastic case that fits well. Of course the real issue is if it fits well.

The military spec case looks similar to the Alcantara but is much thicker in the rear. It uses a stiff silicon or pliable plastic. I trust Samsung did it's homework and that dropping it from the 1.2m height would not damage the phone. It also features a kickstand that is discretely hidden. The angle is not adjustable but works well if you are seated at a table. Morever the stand simply detaches if you apply too much pressure instead of breaking. The only thing is lack of protection from stuff in pockets which is actually pretty big for me and the reason why I purchased the last case.

The LED case has a fairly plush inside and a very similar exterior material as the military case. I can see it protecting the phone from a slight fall but if the case opens and it hits face first the lack or a lip might damage the screen. In terms of features I really like the aesthetic but it lacks always on which I find to be quite useful and works with the clear view. I owned the clear view when I had an S6 edge and found sand and whatnot would get caught between the screen and the cover resulting in heavy micro scratches. I heard this has been addressed and working with always on is definitely a good feature. That said I'm happy with my LED purchase because of the material choices and the ability to store a card that can't be used through NFC.

If I were to give scores out if 10:

1. Bundled: 7, nothing special about it but it fits tight and has a lip. Great for going for the caseless look but having some minor protection

2. Alcantara: 6, works the same as the bundled one but the cost is too high.

3. Military spec: 8, great if you don't mind the relatively thick back. Well designed but it doesn't protect the front. **Note: although the packaging says to take the case off prior to using it with wireless charging I found no issues using wireless charging even with a low power charger. **

4. LED: 9, near perfect for my use case. Would have liked it to have had always on display.