9 Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Case Brands Compared

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is officially available for purchase. With an RRP of $1499 many buyers will immediately put the phone in a case to protect it. As Ausdroid reader Gregory Eden commented recently:

See how much it costs to replace a curved screen on a Samsung as compared to a flat screen of other devices. Then get protection!

According to our recent Ausdroid reader poll about smartphone cases Gregory’s choice isn’t unusual as about 40% of Ausdroid readers use a tough drop proof case all the time on their phones. Of the remainder just over 20% use other types of cases (bumper, sticker, wallet etc) all the time.

As you’d expect Samsung has a range of smartphone cases that it is keen to sell you, amongst other accessories like the DEX dock and Note 8 Wireless Charger.

All these official accessories can be found on the Samsung Australia Galaxy Note 8 website.

As you can see below there are four case choices sold by Samsung:

• LED View flip out card pocket case with see-through customisable light alerts is $85
• Alcantra is pitched as being Suede-like with scratch, stain and shock proof properties for $69
• Protective Standing Cover is said to be dropped tested and sturdy with a little kickstand for $59
• Clear View Standing Cover combines a foldout case provide a solid stand for watching video as well as the ability to Answer/reject calls, check alerts, get notifications, view your battery level, and much more without having to open the cover for $59.

Moving on to reputable independent case makers…

The most popular smart phone case manufacturer amongst Ausdroid readers who answered our recent poll was Spigen.

The Spigen Australia store lists almost two dozen different types of Galaxy Note 8 cases. That’s far too many to list individually, let’s just say you won’t be spoiled for choice regardless of whether you want a case that’s slim, rugged or covered in sparkly glitter. ($29.99 to $46.99).

Otterbox is another long established and trusted case brand popular with our readers. Otterbox offers 3 different Galaxy Note 8 cases worldwide:

Having had a look at samples of all 3 of OtterBox’s Note 8 cases my view is that all 3 cases would probably do the job at protecting your phone from smashing if it impacted the ground on a corner or on the phone’s back. The curved edges of the Note 8 make it hard to protect the front of the phone. OtterBox tries to do this by having a big lip at the top and bottom of the Commuter and Defender cases

Defender – 3 layers. Definitely the choice for tradies and other people with rough jobs eg couriers. Also good for anyone who wants to clip their note 8 into their pants belt while doing bushwalking etc. Clip can be removed if not needed. Headphone and charger ports are dust protected. Way too bulky for everyday office workers unless you’re a big fella with big hands. When trying the demo case I found it hard to install the Note 8 into the Defender until I realised that you could dismantle all 3 layers of the case, snap in the phone and then reassemble the layers inside to out (AU$89.95/NZ$94.95).

Commuter – 2 layers. Good balance between weight and protection. Headphone and charger ports are dust protected. Top half of Left and right sides of case don’t feel like they hug the phone snugly. Phone can be placed flat onto a table safely because top and bottom of case have a thick lip jutting up. (AU$64.95/NZ$69.95).

Symmetry – 1 layer. The thinnest lightest option. One piece design feels sturdy but has less protective bulk than the other 2 Otterbox cases. Ports are all open which means no dust protection for them but more convenient port access. If dropped face down your screen would have little protection. (AU$64.95/NZ$69.95)

Urban Armor Gear (UAG) is a familiar tough phone case brand. The UAG Australian reseller Protection Labs has 3 Galaxy Note 8 cases available all of which are compatible with Samsung Pay and Samsung Fast Wireless Charging:

• Plasma – offers three layers of protection with UAG’s typical back case styling that appeals to men ($49.99)
• Plyo – is the UAG thin and less aggressively styled case option ($49.99)
• Monarch – this 5 layer case is aimed at Note 8 owners who will use their phone in rough environments eg tradies or tough mudder participants ($79.99)

Incipio offers a dozen Note 8 cases in a variety of colours as well as functions, whether you buy a case for style or its rugged qualities. You’ll have to import these so prices will vary.

Ringke’s Fusion model is a popular clear tough smartphone case for people who want to protect their phone from drops while also seeing it’s original case colours and design elements. Ringke offers a collection of ten Note 8 cases. Like Incipio they don’t have an official Australian distributor so you’ll have to buy their cases direct or via EBay.

Speck are a good maker of tough cases, I’ve used some of their Grip cases in the past to protect work smartphones I’ve been issued with. Their USA site displays five Note 8 cases, three of which come in businesslike sedate colours and the other two are glittery.

According to Speck their Presidio Clear + Glitter model is their most popular Note 8 case in the USA. However the Australian Speck site category for Note 8 cases looks like a work in progress with only the 3 more blandly coloured models of case available “soon” without specific pricing at time of writing.

I-BLADES offers a premium priced high end Note 8 case ($US99+) which is different from all the other manufacturers focus on just ruggedness or stylishness.

Pitched as smarter than all the “dumb” cases available for the Note 8, the i-BLADES Smartcase includes the ability to snap on Smartblades that increase your Note 8’s battery life and/or storage capacity.

Another i-BLADES point of difference from other cases is the built-in 4-in-1 air quality monitor from Bosch Sensortec, which gives you the ability to do real time air quality monitoring; VOC’s, temp. humidity, pressure and also records historical data.

If you’re not in the mood to spend over $AUS100 dollars on your Note 8 case then the 3SIXT Pureflex Case could be perfect for you at just $24.95.

dBrand was mentioned by several readers in our poll about smartphone cases. It’s a skin not a case so it doesn’t offer any drop protection.

However it looks like a nice option to make your new Note 8 less slippery with a colourful ultra-thin layer of dBrand 3M Vinyl that is designed to add no bulk, all while offering stylish texture, grip, and anti-fingerprint protection.

Please let me know in the comments which Note 8 case you plan to buy.