The market for cases for smartphones is very active with options for almost any taste or requirement available. These can range from purely cosmetic “bling” type cases to heavy duty protection for a smartphone. Despite the investment required to purchase smartphones today, especially flagship level devices, there are still people who prefer to not use a case and instead use and carry around their smartphone “naked.” Peel has some cases that are meant to appeal to those smartphone owners by taking a very minimal approach and offering the barest of protection. I recently received some Peel cases and gave them a spin on my Samsung Galaxy S8.
Peel advertises its cases as being for people who want to take advantage of the slimmed down weight and size attributes of their devices. As they note in their marketing, putting a smartphone in a big, bulky, heavy case defeats the purpose of buying thin, lightweight devices. Peel also notes though that their cases are not going to provide the kind of protection that bigger, more rugged cases can provide. Instead, Peel aims to provide some protection against scratching, light drops and dirt as a compromise.
For Android devices, Peel has cases available for the Pixel, Pixel XL, Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Galaxy S7 Edge. For the Galaxy S8, cases are available in Midnight Black, Arctic Silver and Orchid Grey – the three basic colors for the device. Clearly the concept Peel is shooting for is to keep the existence of the case as subtle as possible by matching existing device colors and keeping things really thin.
When taking the case out of their packaging, one finds they are very thin and flexible. They just slip right on to a Galaxy S8, wrapping ever so slightly around the edges, but not enough to interfere with the curved edges of the Infinity display. On the back side, cutouts are provided for the flash, camera lens and fingerprint sensor. For the flash and fingerprint sensor, the case is flat and flush while a small ridge is in place around the camera lens. Along the edges there are cutout for the various device buttons, ports and the speaker and microphone.
After using the Galaxy S8 for a while with the case on, I found the Peel case did not interfere at all with the operation of any functions or features on the phone. The closest I find it comes to being noticeable is when using the power button or the volume rockers. You can tell the case is there compared to it not being present, but it is not enough to impact operation of the buttons.
One benefit I did find from having the case on the device is the slight bit of extra grip it provides. The Peel case has a matte finish versus the slick finish of Galaxy S8. I do not find the slickness of the device to be an issue, but if you are one of those people who worries about the device sliding through your fingers, then the Peel case and the additional grip it provides could be a benefit.
As someone who falls into the camp of preferring to use a “naked” device, I was a bit hesitant to put a case on my device, especially the sleek Galaxy S8. After using it for a while though, the presence of the case has become a non-issue and I rarely notice it. Which means I will likely continue to use a Peel case with my device if for no other reason than to get a little bit of extra protection against scratches and the tiny bit of additional grip it provides.
If you are looking for a case for your Galaxy S8 device and want something that maintains the sleek, thin, svelte qualities of the phone, the Peel case should definitely be under consideration.
Buy it now: Peel
I’m in mobile accessories business for years. Such PP case costs about 1.3-1.8USD with nice packaging in China. As I see they are using exactly same mold as other Chinese manufacturers and brand owners. I have no idea why they are charging 25USD for it. I know they want to feed their families, but 95% margin is insane ever for this market.