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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 Copenhagen (13-foot drop protection), Denali (16-foot drop protection), Milan (13-foot drop protection) and Crystal Palace (13-foot drop protection). All use some recycled plastic in their construction, but the Copenhagen -- made out of 52% plant-based material -- is technically the most eco-friendly.
If you're looking for a cheap clear case for your new Galaxy S22, Spigen's Ultra Hybrid is a good value at around $15 to $17, depending on the version you get. I like the Ultra Hybrid S (second from the left in the photo), which has an integrated kickstand. The Neo Hybrid, on the far right, is a fairly basic case, while the Cryo Armor (second from right) is a $26 triple-layer "gaming" case that's designed to "absorb and dissipate heat from your phone during hours of gameplay."
No drop rating is listed for these Samsung phone cases, but most Spigen cases, except for the slimmest models, offer reasonable protection. If you want a tough case with decent protection, get one of its Armor models.
Note that a lot of these cheaper clear cases have a habit of turning yellow and degrading over time, which makes them less translucent. They're cheap enough that you probably won't mind shelling out for a replacement if and when that happens.
The company's super protective Defender series case is available for all the Galaxy S22 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. 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 having 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.
Rokform's been making tough smartphone cases for years and aside from their durability, and their key feature is the ability to use them with various mounts -- including bike, car and motorcycle mounts -- that are sold separately.
Rokform's cases have removable magnets and they're compatible with wireless charging if you remove the included center magnet. "With the lower magnet still intact, you can still wireless-charge while utilizing magnetic mounting and all of our mounts," Rokform says.
Available in a few color options, Raptic's Shield case costs less than competing premium cases from Speck and OtterBox, and is a pretty good value overall. It has 10-foot drop protection, as well as an antimicrobial treatment.
Samsung's Clear Standing Cover isn't anything fancy but it's a protective clear case that has an integrated kickstand. You can prop up your phone horizontally or vertically using the kickstand, which seems sturdy (it's larger than Spigen's integrated kickstand).
Available in black, burgundy and light gray, Samsung's leather case offers a nice soft-to-the-touch feel with decent edge protection in a slim package. There's no kickstand, but if you're looking for a clean, elegantly designed case, this Samsung-branded case fits the bill. It also offers decent protection for the camera lenses on the back. I personally like the burgundy color.
When you have a phone with a large screen, it can be a good idea to get some added screen protection with a folio case that also has slots for a couple of credit cards. Otterbox's folio case, the Strada, is nicely designed with a magnetic clasp. Its only drawback is that it doesn't convert into a kickstand for watching videos. It's only available in black for now.
Otterbox also makes the Strada Via folio, but I prefer this model.
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 S22 as it does for the iPhone, but it has some protective clear cases with floral designs (pictured on the right), as well as the Brick Matte Finish case (the blue and red cases in photo), which has a soft-to-the-touch finish. 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.
Particularly with the two larger models of the Galaxy S22, I find that having an integrated kickstand is a nice feature, and the ESR kickstand case is about as affordable as you get at around $20. It should dip to closer to $15 with time.
The LifeProof 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.)
UK-based Mous has brought its Limitless 3.0 case ($50) to the Galaxy S22. It comes in a few different eye-catching styles, all of them 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 for international travelers in the habit of SIM-swapping. You can also grab select styles on sale right now at Mous.
Before anything else, you'll want to figure out how much you're willing to spend on a Galaxy S22 phone case. Value-priced cases continue to improve, so you can find a decent wireless charger for less than $15. But if you're looking for a more premium model, you'll likely have to pay more than $50 and even more for Qi-enabled cases.
Most Android phones since the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge models introduced in 2015 offer inductive wireless charging. Android's standard for these phones is called Qi, and power banks that are fully Qi compatible offer faster charging speeds for Android devices with speeds capped at around 7.5 watts for iPhones. In all cases, you'll need to make sure your phone case is thin enough to allow inductive charging through the back of the phone.
You can save about $8 to $10 by getting a case that doesn't have an integrated metal ring. I generally encourage people to spend the extra money for a Qi-enabled case because of the number of magnetic accessories on the market, some of them quite useful.
Some people like minimal cases that add little to no bulk to their Samsung Galaxies, but the majority of people are looking for a case that offers good protection -- or even maximum protection. I tell people to find a case that's not too thick and maybe even pretty slim and that offers at least 6-foot drop protection (and good corner protection).
Clear cases are popular because they show off your phone (and its color). Clear cases, especially cheaper ones, can become less clear over time and slowly start to yellow. Many case makers now add UV protection to their clear cases to prevent yellowing.
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Several of the cases on this list were previously available for the Samsung Galaxy S21 models and we added them to the list based on our previous testing with the S21. Typically, we try to use the case on the phone for at least a day and make sure the buttons on the phone work properly with the case on. With some phone cases, we use them for several days or even weeks to see how they wear over time.
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Urban Armor Gear Plasma XTE Series: Urban Armor Gear offers several case options for the Galaxy S22, in a variety of colors. I like the Plasma and Pathfinder series, but I'm highlighting the new Plasma XTE, which features a built-in kickstand. UAG's cases all offer good corner protection and meet military drop-test standards, with the Plasma XTE rated for 20-foot drop protection. This case costs $60 but other UAG cases cost less.
Peak Design Everyday Case: Peak Design's Everyday case is available for all the S22 models. It's actually compatible with Apple's MagSafe accessories and other magnetic MagSafe-compatible accessories, including wireless charging batteries, wallets and more. But the case has Peak Design's own built-in magnetic locking system -- the company calls it SlimLink -- that connects to a wide assortment of Peak Design's mobile mounts and accessories. That includes bike mounts, charging stands, tripods, car mounts and more.
Incipio Cases: Incipio usually has a wide variety of cases for Galaxy phones, but at launch, it's released just a handful of models for the Galaxy S22 line, including old favorites like the sturdy Duo (12-foot drop protection), the flashy Forme (pictured), which has 10-foot drop protection, and the Cru, which comes in a canvas and leather finish (no drop protection rating is provided for the Cru). At $35, the Duo is the most affordable of the bunch, with the Forme carrying a list price of $45 and the Cru at $50.
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The short answer is no, the Samsung Galaxy doesn't need a case, and yes, some folks prefer to keep their Galaxies uncovered. It is risky, as one drop on the wrong surface (like pavement) could mean a cracked screen or cracked back or dented corner. You can pay for insurance for your phone -- it's fairly pricey -- so you can get it replaced or fixed cheaply should something happen to it.
I never get insurance and just buy a decent case instead. Having a case on your phone won't prevent you from losing it but it does greatly reduce the risk of damaging it.
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I like cases that aren't too thick but offer decent drop protection, with a lip over the edge of the screen (sometimes referred to as a "screen bumper") and raised corners that help prevent your screen from cracking if your phone should fall face down. A folio case will more fully protect your screen.
The good news is that you don't have to buy a super protective Samsung Galaxy case like the OtterBox Defender to get good protection. Most cases are reasonably thin and still offer at least 6-foot drop protection. I did include one very thin case on this list for those who prefer minimal protection. Before you go with a case like that, just remember how much your phone costs -- but it is better than having no case at all. Make sure you get a sound-tempered glass screen protector for your Samsung Galaxy to prevent deep scratches and safeguard the screen.
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There are a lot of cases that are very durable and are rated for drop protection for up to 10 or even 14 feet. If I had to pick the most durable case, I'd say the Lifeproof Fre, which is fully waterproof and has a layer of plastic that covers your screen, is certainly near the top.
The Otterbox Defender Pro Series case is also protective and comes with a belt holster so you can shield your screen when not using it. Over the years, it's been a favorite of construction workers.
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All the Samsung Galaxy S22 models are equipped with Qi Wireless Charging, which offers faster wireless charging with compatible chargers. It also supports optional accessories -- including stands, wallets and various mounts -- that adhere magnetically to the back of your phone. Like the Galaxy S21, the Galaxy S22 has magnets built into the back of the phone to power this feature.
If you want to use those accessories without taking your phone out of its case, you need a phone case that's equipped with Qi support. The Qi magnetic circle is visible on clear cases, but it's embedded on the inside of the case so if it's nontransparent, you'll only see it from the inside.
If you already have a magnetic accessory -- or plan on buying magnetic accessories in the future -- you'll want to get a Qi-compatible case; it's a good option to have. With that in mind, the majority of the cases in this roundup are equipped with magnetic charging.
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In general, yes -- about $10 more. Some more affordable magnetic cases cost around $20, but most cost upwards of $30. We see cases from certain companies that are essentially the same, but one has wireless charging capabilities and the other doesn't. The Qi-enabled version usually sells for $10 more. It may seem like a little too much to pay for something that doesn't seem like much of an upgrade, but in time, Qi compatibility may command less of a "tax."
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Source: cnet.com