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David Carnoy
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David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET’s Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He’s also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.
Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer
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Sq. Feet of Lab Space $40 at Speck
Tough but relatively slim S21 case
Speck cases
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See at Amazon
Top budget S21 case
Spigen Ultra Hybrid series (currently unavailable)
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$46 at Amazon
Best leather case
Samsung Leather Cover
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$28 at Walmart
Best Samsung-branded S21 case
Samsung Clear Standing Cover
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$20 at Amazon
S21 case with built-in stand and grip strap
Clckr case
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$13 at Amazon
Best slim OtterBox S21 case
OtterBox Commuter Series
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$25 at Amazon
Best rugged case
ArmadilloTek Vanguard Case
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See at Gear4
Slim, stylish protective S21 case
Gear4 cases (no longer available)
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$17 at Amazon
Value kickstand S21 case
ESR Kickstand case
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$23 at Amazon
Slim folio S21 case
Otterbox Strada Via
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See at Amazon
Hidden features
Mous Limitless 3.0 (currently unavailable)
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The Galaxy S23 is here, but that doesn’t mean you need to get rid of your Galaxy S22 or Galaxy S21. Now more than ever, you’ll want to protect it with a good case. Because the Galaxy S21 comes in three sizes, you’ll need to make sure you’re getting a case designed for your specific model. The S21 Ultra boasts a 6.8-inch screen and the heaviest build, making cases with integrated kickstands a good option for this big boy. The S21 Plus is smaller at 6.7 inches, while the S21 is even smaller at 6.2 inches. No matter what model you’ve got, we’ve rounded up all the best S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra cases available to protect your investment.
Note that some of the recommendations for these Galaxy S21 series cases are based on my experience using nearly identical models with preceding Galaxy smartphones, as well as iPhones. Where multiple products are shown, the price listed is the starting price for the line. Make sure you’re buying the case and tempered glass that matches the specific model of your S21: Ultra, Plus or standard.
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Leading case-maker Speck brings a selection of protective case options to the Galaxy S21, including (from left to right in picture above) the Presidio Perfect-Clear, Presidio Perfect-Mist, Presidio Perfect-Clear Ombre, and Presidio2 Grip. It also makes cases for the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, the Galaxy S20 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip models, the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy S7, S8, S9 and S10.
All these models have very good drop protection (13 to 16 feet, depending on the model) as well as Speck’s Microban antimicrobial coating. The cases start around $40 in various color options but can sometimes be found on sale for less.
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If you’re looking for a cheap clear case for your new Galaxy S21, Spigen’s Ultra Hybrid is a good value. I like the Ultra Hybrid S (left in photo), which has an integrated kickstand.
No drop rating is listed for this Samsung phone case, but it feels like Spigen’s transparent cases offer reasonable protection. If you want a tough case with decent protection, Spigen’s Tough Armor case (right in photo) is an option and also has an integrated kickstand. Note that a lot of these cheaper clear cases turn yellow and degrade over time, which makes them less translucent. But they’re cheap enough that you probably won’t mind shelling out for a replacement if and when that happens. This Samsung Galaxy S21 case has a TPU bumper and gives maximum protection with a precise cutout for the camera. The case material is polycarbonate and thermoplastic polyurethane.
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Available in brown or black, Samsung’s leather case offers a hardened protective layer around the cameras while delivering a nice leather feel the rest of the way around. Leather doesn’t affect wireless charging, so you can pop this on your phone and have it feel great without sacrificing anything. The soft leather case doesn’t add bulk to the phone and has good shock absorption.
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Samsung’s Clear Standing Cover isn’t anything fancy, but it’s a protective clear case that has an integrated kickstand. You can prop your phone up horizontally or vertically using the kickstand, which seems sturdy (it’s larger than Spigen’s integrated kickstand). I regularly use this case.
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I’ve become a recent fan of Clckr’s cases, which feature a built-in stand and grip strap that folds out and clicks into place on the back of your phone. Clckr sells just the stand-strap accessory to stick on the back of your phone or on a case, but the case with the integrated stand accessory is better. The selection for the S21 is currently pretty limited (there’s only a clear version S21 and S21 Plus, not the S21 Ultra), but perhaps the options will expand over time.
The cases aren’t rugged but they’re protective enough, with raised edges to protect the screen. The ones I’ve used with other phones have held up well over time.
With the stand clicked in place, you can use your device hands-free in either portrait or landscape mode. Note that you can wirelessly charge your phone with this case on, though you have to be more careful about placing it in the right spot on a wireless charging pad for it to work. The new models have antimicrobial protection.
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The company’s super-protective Defender series case is available for all Galaxy S21 models, but most people want something less bulky. I like the Symmetry series cases — they’re slim with beveled edges, making them a good mix of sleek and protective. That said, I’ve come to like the more protective Commuter Series better, thanks to the grips it has on the back and sides, as well as raised edges on the front that should help protect your screen. The raised bezel acts as a screen protector to keep your screen scratch-free, and the camera module gets the same treatment.
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Sometimes you need more than an average case, and while there are plenty that claim “ruggedness,” there are only a few willing to back up that claim. ArmadilloTek’s Vanguard series is MIL STD 810G rated, which means it can survive drops of up to 20 feet thanks to its multilayer design. It also has great camera lens protection. Even with layers in between the phone and the charger, one of which includes a pull-out stand, this case still supports wireless charging.
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British case-maker Gear4, now owned by Zagg, makes cases that are right there with OtterBox and Speck. They’re all lined with the company’s D3O shock-absorbing material and feature beveled edges to protect your phone. Shown here from left to right are the Havana (10-foot drop protection), Denali (16-foot drop protection), Crystal Palace (13-foot drop protection) and Copenhagen (13-foot drop protection). All use some recycled plastic in their construction. The Copenhagen, made out of 52% plant-based material, is the most eco-friendly.
Prices range from $30 to $50 for the top-end Denali, which is the Gear4 case I probably like best.
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With the two larger models of the Galaxy S21, I find that having an integrated kickstand is a nice feature, and the ESR kickstand case is about as affordable as these cases get.
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Cyrill is a sub-brand of Spigen, and like Spigen, its cases generally sell for less than $20. Cyrill doesn’t have quite the same selection for the Galaxy S21 as it does for iPhones, but it has some protective clear cases with floral designs (pictured on the right), as well as the Brick Matte Finish Bumper case, which has a soft-to-the-touch finish (pictured on the left). It has a raised frame on the back that provides some extra protection for the camera lenses. The corners of the case have a raised lip as well.
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Some people like to have full-screen protection, so they go with a folio case that covers the screen. The Strada Via is a folio case from Otterbox that has a soft-to-the-touch finish and stays closed thanks to a set of magnets. It’s also got a slot for storing a credit card or two. The only thing I didn’t like is that it doesn’t convert into a kickstand for video viewing.
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For the Galaxy S21, UK-based Mous makes its Clarity Lite clear case with anti-yellowing tech as well as its Limitless 3.0 case, which comes in a few different eye-catching styles (Aramid Fiber is shown on left). They’re all lined with the AiroShock material that the company says delivers excellent protection in a slim design. They do seem durable and all include a lifetime warranty.
Mous’ Limitless 3.0 cases are compatible with the company’s Limitless 3.0 accessories. That includes a wallet that magnetically adheres to the back of the phone case and a few mounts, one of which is an air-vent mount for your car.
It’s also worth noting that the Limitless 3.0 cases are the only ones I’ve seen that have a SIM card storage slot on the inside of the smartphone case, handy for international travelers in the habit of SIM-swapping.
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Lifeproof’s Wake case is made out of recycled ocean plastic. It’s attractively designed but I wouldn’t call it super tough — it isn’t enclosed at the bottom and has 6-foot drop protection. (Note that some cases on this list have higher drop-protection ratings.)
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