Samsung offers a variety of extra-functional cases for their phones, and the Galaxy S21 line is no different. One of the most popular, for example, is the S-View flip cover, which allows you to see your notifications and info at a glance while keeping your entire phone protected.
We grabbed one to test out, just in case you're thinking about snagging one for your brand new Galaxy S21. Read on and we'll see if it's worth your money.
Flip design
- Protective design
- More stylish than the average case
No, it's not a foldable phone, but you can pretend. Samsung's S-View flip cover actually feels strikingly similar to the silicone case they offer, but with an extra layer on the back that folds around to cover your screen.
It's almost book shaped, with the “spine” covering the left edge of the phone where there aren't any buttons to worry about. You'll get a cutout along the bottom for the USB-C port and speakers, plus two small cutouts up top for the microphones. The back has precise cutouts for the triple cameras and LED flash, and they're both fairly recessed for extra protection.
The front flap looks pretty plain, except for the plastic “screen” on the right side that allows some notifications to show through from the phone itself. Additionally, there's a cutout along the top for the speaker grille of the phone so you can take calls without opening the case. Pretty handy.
S-View functionality
- Quick access to phone calls and alarms
- Notifications at a glance
So what's up with that S-View stuff, anyway? Pretty simply, using a case like this allows you to see and interact with your phone without fully turning the screen on. Samsung's OLED displays allow for it to show notification icons and some actions that you can interact with, all while the fold is closed on your desk.
You can quickly glance and see the time and date, plus your current battery percentage, alongside any notifications that you might have in your status bar. You'll still need to open it to view what they actually are, but in a pinch you can glance and see whether that was an important text message or a less pressing game or Twitter notification.
If you get a call, you'll be able to answer or decline from the small S-View screen, too, and flipping it open immediately turns the screen on to access whatever you need. Things like that add some extra functionality to the case that are nice to have, although there's a slight catch these days.
The S-View cases have been around for a very long time, but back in the Galaxy S4 days we didn't have efficient OLED screens that could display all of this info anyway, and that raises the question of whether or not this kind of case is even necessary anymore. The phone can do it all right out of the box.
And while that's true, and I imagine Samsung sells fewer of these cases than they used to, it's nice to get something extra protective that doesn't cost you functionality like a plain flip cover would.
Wishlist
- No card slot or kickstand
- Expensive
- Needs more color options
With all of that being said, the case could certainly be better. It's not very customizable (all you can change is which direction the text goes while it's closed) and lacks some features that other flip covers have.
There's no kickstand to prop your phone up while watching videos, and it doesn't have a card slot for holding a credit card or ID like some older Samsung flip cases had. There's also no magnet or clasp for holding it closed, which could be an issue for someone that's drop-prone with their smartphones.
The color options are nice, including the violet and pink choices to match Samsung's newer Galaxy S21 variants, but if you're not a flashy person you're still stuck with just black or white. To top that off, it's a little pricey at $49 for a simple flip case that just has a plastic screen on the side.
For comparison, you can get some pretty good flip cases for less than $20, including ones that double as a kickstand for watching videos. Missed opportunities here, Samsung.
But much like the silicone case, there's still a market for this, especially if you can catch a sale. Samsung uses extremely high-quality materials, and the S-View case manages to shrug off fingerprints and smudges, except on that plastic screen. Gone are the days of the case needing to be broken in because it's so stiff out of the box, and it genuinely looks really good, especially in the lighter colors.
First-party cases are usually just for the diehard fans, and I don't know that Samsung managed to buck that trend here, but a cool case nonetheless.
Samsung Galaxy S21 S-View Flip Cover | $49 | Amazon, Samsung, Best Buy
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