You bought a new Samsung Galaxy S21, and now it's time to scoop up a case to protect your investment. There are plenty of third-party options that are excellent choices, but sometimes you want to get the official thing direct from Samsung.
While that may not be the most popular choice, Samsung does make some nice stuff. We got our hands on the official silicone cover to see if it's worth the $30 Samsung wants for it.
Simple design
- Sleek design
- Precision camera cutouts
- Smudge resistant
There's not a ton to talk about with a simple silicone cover like this. Samsung didn't try anything fancy, so you're just getting a basic, grippy case that covers all the sides and buttons of the phone.
There are cutouts along the bottom for the speakers and USB-C port, although these aren't precision cut like you'd expect on some fancier options. The top has holes for both of the microphones that sit up here.
The buttons are exceptionally clicky and responsive on the right side of the case, however, which you don't always get with cheaper cases. Nothing like mushy buttons to ruin the feeling of a $1000 smartphone.
All in all, it's not incredibly thin, but it does feel comfortable to hold and seems fairly protective. Sometimes thin cases sacrifice too much protection, but Samsung's option here seems to have struck a good balance between the two. You don't want a case that hides a well-designed phone, but it does obviously need to protect from drops and spills. There's a lip on screen side to protect facedown drops, too.
Tough competition
- Expensive compared to similar cases
- High-quality materials
The case, at least in white, looks pretty good, and seems as if it'll resist yellowing and smudges. I've so far been able to easily wipe off pocket lint and smudges, which is hopeful for the longevity of the case. I'm also a big fan of thin cases, and I don't drop phones too often, so this case does seem to fit the bill for me personally pretty well.
It's expensive, though; at around $30 without a sale it's pretty expensive for a silicone cover. There are some pretty good options in a variety of colors that will cost a fraction of that, but Samsung's precision cutouts and high-quality materials are worth a look, if you're the type to buy OEM accessories.
If you're willing to splurge or can catch a good discount, we like Samsung's official silicone cover quite a bit. But for most people, check out some other options first before you decide on anything.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Silicone Cover | $29 | Samsung, Best Buy, Amazon
