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Best Overall
Incipio Cru
Runner-Up
OtterBox Commuter Series
Best Cheap Case
Spigen Liquid Air
Best MagSafe Case
UAG Pathfinder MagSafe Case
You’ll inevitably drop your smartphone. Once at a theater, my Galaxy Note slipped out of my pocket and fell onto the seat’s metal frame, crushing the side button so that the phone kept trying to activate Bixby, Samsung’s voice assistant. The phone was very hot by the end of the movie. A case might have prevented any damage … or not.
A case isn’t a guaranteed form of protection from drops, but it could help, especially if you pair it with a good screen protector. I’ve tested more than 50 cases and screen protectors for Samsung’s Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra smartphones to find the best that offers comprehensive defense at reasonable prices. You’ll also find a few handy-dandy accessories to round out your new phone. Going with last year’s model instead? We’ve got a roundup of cases for the Galaxy S23 series too.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Best Overall
Incipio Cru
I love it when a phone case has a nice texture. Cases shouldn’t be plain and boring! The Cru from Incipio has a lovely textile pattern on the back in the blue color, which is what I tested. There’s also a brown leather color option (which I tried for the iPhone 15 series and did not like) and a navy camo, but the blue looks the most suave. The buttons are wonderfully responsive when you press them, and the textured design doesn’t pick up dust and lint as easily as plain silicone cases. The edges around the display and even the camera module are raised, keeping those components from touching a surface, and the whole thing feels grippy; it doesn’t slide around in my hand. On the S24 Ultra, the S Pen remains easy to access.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Runner-Up
OtterBox Commuter Series
OtterBox’s Commuter series has always been my favorite blend of protection without much bulk. This case comes in two pieces, a rubber inner cover that wraps around the phone and a hard outer shell that goes over it. The shell is made from 35 percent recycled plastic. The rubber cover blocks the USB-C charging port for extra protection, but it’s easy to open up. The S Pen is accessible on the S24 Ultra thanks to a spacious gap, the buttons are fairly clicky, and the edges around the screen are raised enough to give the screen some breathing room.
It’s not the top pick in this guide because right around the top half of the phone, the rubber cover flares out slightly on both edges (where the volume rocker sits). It doesn’t impede anything and isn’t too noticeable, but when you do see it, it looks a bit odd.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Best Cheap Case
Spigen Liquid Air
Spigen’s Liquid Air is perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to spend $50 or more for some basic protection. It’s svelte and has a nice pattern and texture on the back, and the buttons are really responsive. The edges around the fragile bits (the screen and cameras) are raised, but not by much. You may find yourself wiping it down often as dust tends to get trapped in the gaps of the pattern on the back, but it’s not tough to clean with a damp microfiber cloth.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Best MagSafe Case
UAG Pathfinder MagSafe Case
UAG makes way too many cases, and most of them are too gaudy for my taste. But the Pathfinder is routinely one of the few designs I vibe with. Only the S24 Ultra has a broad selection of colors, but this is still a well-rounded case. It has MagSafe support, meaning there’s a ring of magnets inside that lets you connect your phone to third-party MagSafe accessories. The buttons are clicky, and the S Pen is easy to access. It’s a shame only the top and bottom of the display edges are raised, but it overall retains a slim design. There are ridges on the sides of the case for extra grip, which is always a plus.
★ An alternative: Rokform’s Rugged Series Case for $70 is a solid alternative to the Pathfinder if you want more protection. It’s bulkier, but the buttons are still responsive, and the cutouts for the ports and holes on the phone are accurate. By default, you can rely on the MagSafe in the case to attach accessories to the back. However, Rokform includes a magnetic puck you can install in the middle to increase the magnetic strength. This might be useful if you plan on mounting the phone to a bike handlebar. However, this specific puck disrupts the capabilities of the S Pen stylus on the S24 Ultra. I didn’t find it necessary.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Best Clear Case
Caseborne by ArmadilloTek Slim Series Magnetic Clear Case
Clear cases are weirdly hard to get right. You don’t want them to yellow over time, and you don’t want them to easily show smudges. CaseBorne by ArmadilloTek’s Slim Series case is the best clear case I’ve tried for the Galaxy S24 series so far. I can’t test the yellow-resist claims yet as I haven’t had it for long, but it doesn’t show smudges as quickly as other clear cases I’ve tested. Better yet, this is a MagSafe case, so you get the magnetic ring on the back that enables you to use third-party MagSafe accessories. I tested this with multiple MagSafe wireless chargers and the S24 clung to them and recharged just fine.
It comes with two tempered glass screen protectors in the box, including an alcohol wipe and dust stickers to clean your screen before installation. However, there’s no applicator to help align the protector, so I had a hard time getting it on the screen with no errors. Still, the value is pretty fantastic.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Super-Thin Cases
Pitaka MagEZ Case 4 and Caseborne Thinborne
Super-thin cases like these aren’t going to provide you with much drop protection. But they’ll keep the back of your phone free from scratches, and they’re perfect for folks who hate cases.
Pitaka MagEZ Case 4 for $70: Pitaka’s case has an attractive design and surprisingly has magnets inside despite how slim it is. That means you can use your Galaxy S24 with MagSafe accessories, like wireless chargers and power banks. This case has slightly better camera protection and more accurate cutouts than the Thinborne below. However, the sides of the phone don’t have as much protection.
Thinborne by CaseBorne for $60: The Pitaka above has a slightly nicer texture on the back and the design also lends itself to hiding smudges better than the Thinborne. However, this case has the benefit of full protection on the sides of the phone. It also includes MagSafe support. Most of the cutouts for the ports and holes are accurate, except on the bottom; the edge of one mic hole is partially blocked by the case, which isn’t great. The company says these cases are partially handmade, hence the imperfections. You do get two tempered glass screen protectors in the box, but you have to freehand the installation, so it’s tricky to get the application perfect.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
A Kickstand Case
Caseborne V by ArmadilloTek Kickstand Case
Constantly wishing your phone had a built-in kickstand? Well, a kickstand case is the next best thing. I tried a few of these for the Galaxy S24 series and the CaseBorne V has the best kickstand of them all. (Sadly, it’s only available for the S24 Ultra.) It’s a two-part case. First, add the hard plastic cover to the front of the phone, then attach the rubber shell around it. It feels incredibly sturdy and well-built, with responsive buttons and an easy-to-access S Pen, plus a cover for the USB-C charging port. The screen and cameras have nicely raised edges around them too.
On the back is a kickstand that locks into place when you open it. It’ll keep your phone propped up in both landscape and portrait orientation, though if you tap on the screen a lot in portrait mode, the screen wobbles. A single swipe-up doesn’t give it any trouble though (great for TikTok). Despite the case’s bulk and the fact that there’s a kickstand on the back, wireless charging still works.
★ An alternative: Got a standard S24? The UAG Plasma XTE ($60) is available for the S24 and the S24 Ultra, and its kickstand doubles as a MagSafe system too. You can whip it out to keep your phone standing upright in any orientation, and when it’s flush against the back of your phone, you can attach MagSafe accessories. Fair warning, the MagSafe connection is not very strong. It worked fine with a MagSafe wireless charging stand, but I wouldn’t rely on it for adding heavy items to the back of the phone.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
If You Want a Holster
OtterBox Defender Series Pro
I’ve been told Grandpa fashion is in vogue right now, so maybe a holster will complete your look. The OtterBox Defender Pro has a hard shell that splits in two—install it around your phone and snap it in place together. Then affix the rubber slipcover around the whole thing and you get an attractive, fairly slim, but durable package. It’s super grippy and doesn’t block any wireless charging capabilities. The buttons are clickier than those on most rugged phone cases.
The Defender Pro, which is made from more than 50 percent recycled plastic, comes with a holster. Once you put the case into it, you can hook it to your belt to keep your phone at the hip, like a cool grandpa. Better yet, this holster doubles as a kickstand to keep your phone propped up in landscape orientation.
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Photograph: Spigen
A Screen Protector
Spigen GlasTR EZ Fit Tempered Glass Screen Protector
Of the handful of screen protectors I tested, Spigen’s tempered glass Glastr EZ Fit two-pack was the easiest to apply thanks to the included applicator. It literally took seconds, and it comes with all the accouterments you need to wipe down and clean the screen before installation. The glass is not thick, so it’s more likely to stave off scratches than anything else, but it’s better than nothing (and cheap!). I also didn’t have any issues with the fingerprint sensor or touchscreen after installing it, and the few air bubbles were easy to squeeze out. Make sure you increase the screen’s sensitivity on your Galaxy S24 by heading to Settings > Display > Touch sensitivity and toggle it on for the best experience.
★ An alternative: UAG’s Flex Shield Plus ($40) is available for the S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra. It’s not tempered glass but a much thicker hybrid polymer. It’s just as easy to install, but I ran into a few issues trying to use the fingerprint scanner with this protector. It just wasn’t consistent in how well it worked, even after I reset my fingerprint scans.
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Photograph: Anker
A 45-Watt Charger
Anker 313 Charger
There is no charging adapter in the box, so if you need one to use with the included USB-C cable, this adapter from Anker does the job for cheap. It’s a 45-watt charger, so it will fast-charge the S24 Ultra and S24+, both of which support that speed. The standard S24 maxes out at 25 watts, but this will still work fine. The prongs fold in on this Anker, making it travel-friendly too.
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Photograph: Nimble
A Power Bank
Nimble Champ (Series 2)
The Galaxy S24+ and S24 Ultra have beefy batteries that can easily last more than a full day with average use. If you’re a heavy user, or you have the smaller Galaxy S24, you’ll want to keep a power bank handy just in case. The new Nimble Champ is one of the lightest portable chargers on the market, while still being able to pack enough juice (5,000 mAh) to almost recharge your handset. You can choose from larger capacities if you want more power at your fingertips and don’t mind the heftier size. Read our Best Power Banks guide for more.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Honorable Mentions
Other Good Cases
- Cyrill Ultracolor Case for $23: This case is available for the S24 and S24 Ultra. It’s pleasant, simple, and attractive thanks to the colors it comes in, though you’d think a case with such a name would have more options to choose from. I have no qualms about it, and there’s a wrist lanyard in the box so you can dangle your phone from your hand.
- Casetify Impact and Mirror Cases for $72: You can lose a whole hour just rifling through the designs on Casetify’s website. There are so many to choose from! These cases are nice, with raised edges around the display, grippy sides, and clicky buttons. They’re a little too pricey for my tastes though, and the copyright allegations have left a bad taste in my mouth.
- Samsung Standing Grip Case for $60: This slick silicone case (S24, S24+, S24 Ultra) adds a grip at the back that sits almost flush with the rear, and it doesn’t interrupt wireless charging at all. The downside? It’s not a great experience if you have small hands and are not right-handed.
- Samsung Silicone Case for $35: There’s not much protection for the camera system here, but this is a svelte and simple silicone case (S24, S24+, S24 Ultra) from Samsung. The silicone feels nice, though it picks up lint and dust quickly.
- Burga Tough Case for $50: Here’s another company that offers tons of design options to choose from. These Burga cases are two-part cases, with a hard shell exterior and a silicone interior. The buttons are a smidge tough to press but these are otherwise capable cases.
- Incipio Forme Case for $45: I don’t have much to complain about here. This hard case has raised edges around the screen, responsive buttons, and the S Pen is easy to access on the S24 Ultra model. It’s great for any floral fan.
- Speck Presidio2 Grip Case for $40: The buttons aren’t as clicky as on the Incipio cases, but this Speck case is otherwise solid. The grippy edges make for a fun texture, and it’s a smart design.
- Speck Presidio Perfect-Clear for $40: This is an OK clear case (S24, S24+, S24 Ultra). The buttons need more force to press, and at certain angles, there’s an unintentional rainbow effect when light strikes the case.
- Speck Presidio Lux Glitter Case for $45: This glittery case (S24, S24+, S24 Ultra) has buttons that are even tougher to click than the Speck case above. Everything else is otherwise the same, though I find the glitter design a bit drab. It also shows smudges fairly easily.
- Moment Case for Galaxy S24 Ultra for $50: I have mixed feelings about this case. On the one hand, the case is actually quite nice. It has a lovely texture on the back, fits the S24 Ultra well, and has responsive buttons. It even has MagSafe support, so you can connect your phone with MagSafe accessories. However, it’s meant to be paired with Moment’s mobile camera lenses (the T-Series). These lenses are excellent, but it’s clear they were designed with the iPhone in mind. With most of the lenses I tested, you can see the corner of the lens in the resulting photo on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which means you’ll spend some time cropping it out of every photo you take. Not great. I also found the S Pen a little tough to access.
- Spigen Tough Armor Case for $21: It still baffles me that Spigen has continued the design of this case for so long. The kickstand feels very flimsy and only keeps the phone upright in landscape orientation. Still, it’s cheap, and it’s otherwise acceptable, with clicky buttons and decently raised edges around the display.
- OtterBox Defender XT Case for $70: I found this case (S24, S24+, S24 Ultra) a little hard to install. Once it’s on, it’s quite grippy, with thick edges, a clear back, and a covered charging port. The buttons aren’t super clicky, sadly.
- OtterBox Symmetry Clear Case for $50: There’s a tiny bit of a gap on one of the sides of the case, which is a little odd. It’s an otherwise OK clear case, though it smudges easily.
- Smartish Wallet Slayer Vol 1 for $23: Want to carry your physical cards or ID with your smartphone? This wallet case has space on the back to fit roughly three cards, all of which stay put no matter how much you shake the phone. The buttons are clicky, but it’s quite bulky, and this case will nix the wireless charging functionality.
- UAG Galaxy S24 Cases for $60: Rather than go through several UAG cases over and over again, I’ll just say here that I tested a range of them, including the Monarch Pro, the Metropolis LT Pro, the Plyo Pro, the Civilian, the Plasma, and the Plyo. If you don’t like any of the UAG cases we listed above, then the Metropolis LT is a good MagSafe case option to look at (and my favorite of this lot). The Plyo is a non-MagSafe case but it’s a solid clear option if you’re searching for alternatives.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Avoid These
Insufficient Cases
- Casetify Ring Stand Case: I complained about this case on social media, prompting Casetify to reach out to me and ask what model I was having issues with. Now, this case type is gone from its website. I’m going to take credit for this, but the Ring Stand case was a nifty idea that just didn’t pass quality control. The thick camera bumper, which opened up to work as a kickstand, blocked a corner of the ultrawide camera.
- Incipio Duo Case for $35: This is one of the slipperiest cases I’ve tested. It’s also quite boring. Boo.
- Pitaka Two-Pack Screen Protector for $25: The application process for this screen protector is really poorly thought out. I had a hard time aligning the protector with the screen.
- UAG Crossbody Phone Lanyard for $40: This lanyard is made from woven polyester and is a great way to keep your phone hanging on your body instead of in a pocket or bag (perfect for when you’re at a convention or concert!). You’d think it would work exceptionally well with UAG’s cases. Nope. The bottom edge of the case sticks out once you insert the lanyard attachment point by the USB-C charging port. This happened on several other cases I tried from other brands too.
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
How We Test Cases
Case Study
I have installed every case that has come into my office on either the Galaxy S24 or Galaxy S24 Ultra. I first inspect that all the ports, speakers, and microphone holes are visible and not blocked by the case. Then I try the buttons to ensure they’re not stiff. I test the phone’s wireless charging function to see whether a case causes any issues, and I gauge the edges around the screen to see whether they’re raised enough to keep the display from touching surfaces when the phone lies flat.
As much as I’d like to, I don’t do drop tests. (I don’t have an endless supply of Samsung phones to run through.) In my experience, phones with cases can still crack if dropped, so really it’s about minimizing the possibility. Pair your Galaxy S24 with a case and a screen protector for the best defense.
