In the beginning there was Watergate.
Then we had “I didn’t have sexual relations with that woman!”
Now we have The Great Samsung Coverup.
Sitting in front of me are 37 boxes from six companies containing cases for the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus mobile phones. This is clearly a massive attempt to cover up what looks to be a beautiful piece of technology,. But, alas, they are essential to preserve the phone’s lifespan.
The folks at Caseology ($19.99) are clearly the most prolific with a bucketful of designs and levels of protection.
Their Fairmont case features “faux leather” and is shock proof.
The Legion case is a bit more rugged featuring a hard cover and shock absorbancy.
The Vault 1 is a so-called “armored” case featuring cushioned corners and raised bezels and exact cutouts for the camera and fingerprint sensor.
The Vault 11 is a slimmed-down version of the Vault 1, but offers the same “armored” protection.
Finally, the Parallax case features three-dimensional grooves to the frame, providing a firmer grip.
All of these cases feature an unending array of designs ranging from solid color backs to various shapes and lines.
Mujjo ($41.69 to $46.33) has wrapped their high-impact case in high-grain leather. This case offers the same durable protection we expect from the hard plastic coverups produced by many of the other companies.
One of the most versatile cases comes from Rokform ($49.99).
This is one of the most durable cases on the market, featuring six-layer protection and drop protection up to six feet. But the greatest feature of all Rokform cases is their magnetic mount. All of their cases feature a small magnet that affixes to the dashboards of cars and other vehicles and holds the case securely in place. There are also “cutouts” in the case that attach to mounts for bikes, strollers, motorcycles and golf carts.
The only problem we had with the case is that it is unable to connect to our Samsung wireless charger. All of the other cases didn’t have this problem, with the charger being able to “connect” to the phone through the backs of the cases.
Urban Armor Gear features four cases for the Galaxy S8 and S8+, but we only played with two: The Monarch ($59.95) and the Pathfinder ($34.95 to $39.95).
The Monarch features five layers of protection, oversized tactile buttons, a honeycomb traction grip, leather and alloy metal hardware and a 10-year warranty.
The Pathfinder features an armored shell, scratch resistant skid pads, oversized tactile buttons and a non-slip grip.
Both cases meet military drop test standards.
Speck ($39.95 to $44.95) enters the fray with their Presido cases that feature a ton of designs from clear to glitter.
These cases feature what the folks at Speck refer to as an Impactium shock barrier, which has been drop tested from up to 10 feet. They also feature raised edges to protect the screen of the phone from drops. In addition, the case features raised rubber ridges for “a no-slip grip” and a lifetime warranty.
Finally, the folks at Otterbox ($39.95 to $49.95) sent us their slim Commuter case.
This rubber-coated offering from Otterbox offers dual-layer protection, a tough exterior shell, port protection and shock protection.
Otterbox also offers the popular Defender and Symmetry Series for the Galaxy S8 and S8+, but we were only able to play with the Commuter case.
Attention Facebook users: Check out Michael Berman’s Jocgeek fan page or follow him on Twitter @jocgeek. You can also contact him via email or through his website.