Protect your new Galaxy S8 with a sturdy, rugged case, and have some peace of mind while you're at it.
The Galaxy S8 might not be here just yet, so no, we haven't had time to test out all the cases, but we know some dynamite brands that are sure to protect your Galaxy S8 from drop, bumps, scratches, and more.
Check out these awesome cases if you're looking for rugged protection. Consider these the… Guardians of your Galaxy.
- Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro
- Zizo Static Series
- Caseology Legion
- Poetic Revolution
- Spigen Tough Armor
- UAG Feather-light Rugged
- Mascheri Prism Series
Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro
The old standby of rugged cases, the Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro (around $18) is the utmost in heavy duty protection for your Galaxy S8. These three-piece cases feature a front cover, back cover, and a holster so that you don't have to carry a heavier phone around in your pocket. With that in mind, the Unicorn Beetle Pro doesn't actually add a ton of bulk to your phone, but there still is a difference. You want thin, go with a slim case.
The Unicorn Beetle Pro is made of tough polycarbonate plastic and provides extra protection in the corners — the killshot for just about any phone in the event of a drop. You have your choice of black, blue (doesn't match the S8 coral blue color), pink, and white.
Zizo Static Series
Zizo's cases are military drop tested, so they're actually guaranteed to protect your phone from drops, according to military standards. The Static Series features a fold-out kickstand and two layers of protection: a hard polycarbonate shell with a silicone layer to disperse impact and cushion your phone. This is especially necessary in the corners, which are incredibly vulnerable in a drop situation.
On top of excellent protection, the Zizo Static Series also looks really cool. You have your choice of seven color combinations, which feature a black layer and then a vibrantly colored layer. If you're looking for heavy duty protection for your Galaxy S8, along with a flash of style and a convenient kickstand, then check these out. Especially since they're only about $11.
Caseology Legion
I love Caseology cases. They always fit well and they're fantastically protective. I generally use a Wavelength, and I had my phone knocked out of my hand onto a gym floor. After cleaning up my drawers, I picked up my phone and it was absolutely fine. That was a slimmer case, too. Check out the rugged Legion series. It features a layer of flexible a shock-absorbing TPU with an outer layer of polycarbonate. You're protected from hard bumps and scratches, as well as shocks and drops.
All the buttons are covered, but the coverings provide great tactile feedback, and your ports are completely accessible. You have your choice of black or orchid gray, which is meant to match the S8 color, though we haven't seen this one in person to verify that.
You can grab one straight from Caseology for around $20.
Poetic Revolution
The Poetic Revolution is a two-piece case that you sit your Galaxy S8 into, and then you snap on the front. Most Poetic cases have a screen protector, but this one doesn't because of the Galaxy S8's curved screen. That being said, the raised bezel around the front protects your screen when you lay it face-down, and the raised cutout around the camera protects the lens.
The inside of the Revolution is made of flexible TPU, which is designed to disperse impact and protect your S8 from scratches. The outside of the back is a layer of polycarbonate, which takes the brunt of any bump or drop. The outer edges of this case are textured to give it a great in-hand feel that isn't slippery, so you can hold onto your phone. You have your choice of black, a very vibrant blue, and pink.
Check it out for $15.
Spigen Tough Armor
Spigen makes a phone case for every occasion and its Tough Armor series is perfect for heavy duty protection. It has an inner layer of TPU for shock absorption and to protect against scratches, as well an outer shell made from durable polycarbonate. There's also a handy kickstand on the back, so you can watch videos hands-free.
This may look a bit like Caseology's Legion, but the button layout is a bit different, with a space between volume up and volume down, so you can control your music on the go without having to pull your phone out of your pocket. The Tough Armor series comes in gunmetal, black, coral blue (which looks like it matches the coral blue S8, but we can't say for sure yet), and maple gold.
Pricing starts around $17.
UAG Feather-light Rugged
Urban Armor Gear's Feather-light Rugged cases are a staple of the heavy duty case market. These composite cases are made from hard plastic (outer shell) and a flexible and durable TPU rubber (inner shell), which come together to provide protection against drops, as well as a good deal of shock absorption.
The main nicety of the UAG case is its oversize cutouts for the headphone jack and USB-C port. You shouldn't have to take the case off to listen to tunes or charge up your Galaxy S8, no matter the size of the cable.
There are 10 color options to choose from and pricing starts at $39.
Mascheri Prism Series
Mascheri's Prism Series cases has a 5-star rating on Amazon, with 98% of 160 reviews giving it the full 5 stars. For around $13, all signs point to awesome. This is a fairly slim rugged case, and it's actually quite sexy, available in a sleek black and a soft rose gold.
This is another dual-layer case with a polycarbonate outer shell and a flexible TPU inner shell, offering the utmost in drop protection and shock absorption. Reviews also mention that it works perfectly with screen protectors, so if you're looking to protect your Galaxy S8 on all sides, this is a fantastic option.
Looking for something a little slimmer or a bit different?
Got one yet?
Have you already picked up a case in anticipation for your Galaxy S8 pre-order? Let us know in the comments below!
Updated July 2017: Added the Mascheri Prism Series and UAG Feather-light Rugged (by popular demand).
Reader comments
Best Heavy Duty Cases for Samsung Galaxy S8
Brought the spigen tough armor for every Samsung Galaxy S series and Note since the Galaxy s5 not changing. I brought the tough armor for my G8 plus on ebay a almost two weeks before launch. Its cheaper that way.
On my G4 I had the Unicorn Hybrid case and LOVED it. Then I got a G5 and have the Spigen Touch Armor. While I LOVE the kickstand, on this particular model, the cutouts are all angular, and the way I hold the phone, I put my pinkie on the bottom where the charging opening is and it cuts into my finger. Newer models it seems aren't making the cutout so abrupt.. Looks great, protects, well, but just just that spot.. I dropped my phone from waist high walking, and it bounced a few times and nothing happened. That was the worst drop onto an asphalt/gravel parking lot and no visible damage at all. So that case gets a thumbs up from me.
Can wireless charging be done through these cases? Or at least could wireless charging be done through these types of cases on the S7?
Never had a problem with uag case when I had my S7 edge, wireless charging worked perfectly
I don't understand how a case is supposed to protect the main surface of a curved screen and still allow you to have the curved screen appearance. It seems to me that any case would have to have a raised lip in order to be higher than the center part of that screen to protect it from a flat frontal impact.
I completely agree... The lip would have to be at the top and bottom and hope when you put your screen down its a nice flat surface...
Spot on. The only cases that will protect the whole phone and its most vulnerable part - the screen, has to be a folio type case that encapsulates the phone. A friend of mine at work uses one on his s8 and it could be any phone in there and just looks boring. I've got a Spigen Rugged Armor on mine and it's the about the best middle ground I could find between keeping the phone protected and still looking nice
Really? You left out Pelican? Weak!
+1 for Pelican. You should give their website a visit, there is some really cool stuff there.
I don't think pelican even has cases for the galaxy s8 yet. I just looked all over their website.
The OtterBox Defender is the Gold Standard.
I ordered the Spigen Ultra Hybrid S crystal clear case with magnetic kickstand. I have a similar one on my s7 edge now , sans kickstand and it has protected my phone very well surprisingly through a few drops I have had. Screen scratches from being in my pocket aren't an issue for me since i always put it in an old crown royal bag (with lining I put on the inside myself) before putting it in a bag or my pocket.
Otterbox Commuter for me.
Both the Otterbox and Pelican series of cases belong on this list. Pelican even offers a lifetime warranty.
Left out uag which is one of the best heavy duty cases out there
I bought the UAG ice case for my pre ordered galaxy s8.
There's quite a few I've looked at and reviewed on my YouTube channel including the OtterBox Defender vs Pelican Voyager, the UAG Plasma vs Element REV, and I'm currently testing the UAG Monarch.
https://www.youtube.com/user/jlczl
Buy.
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Call whatever you want, me being British isn't news at all lol. And why would anyone fake it in the current climate? http://4u.fyi/3j9
Using Otterbox Defender with a tempered glass screen protector. Love it as I always have with Otterbox.
List is missing other brands like Otterbox