The official Galaxy S8 Samsung Alcantara case protects your phone in style while being easy to hold thanks to its suede-like finish. The Alcantara case is one of our favourites, although there’s no shortage of major cases for the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ and it also includes Samsung’s official cases.
Samsung has released seven different official cases for the Galaxy S8, all with unique skins and features. The Alcantara case is one of the most expensive, coming in at $49.99, but it offers more than your standard cheap case on Amazon or eBay.
Even though there are dozens of cases online for less than $10, is the high price worth it? This is an important question that we will try to help you answer below. This is our Galaxy S8 Alcantara case review.
After using the official Galaxy S7 Edge Leather case last year, I was expecting to get the same for the Galaxy S8. Samsung doesn’t offer one, so I chose Alcantara as it seemed like the next best thing. This available Grey, Blue, Mint and Pinkish-red. Here we have the Gray color, but it looks closer to Charcoal or Black.
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It has a premium and well-made design, a slim profile, and an elegantly beautiful appearance. All this while offering a soft fabric cover that I’ve never seen before in a case.
The Alcantara sleeve feels like it’s made from sweatpants or your favorite sweater. Essentially, wrap your Galaxy S8 in a cozy blanket. Samsung uses a soft suede-like fabric that covers the entire case. The material, which consists of approximately 68% polyester and 32% polyurethane, providing greater durability and stain resistance is actually called “Alcantara”.
Inside we have a hard polycarbonate plastic that makes it easy to attach to your phone and offers enough strength for durability.
Samsung covered the entire case with this fabric, inside and out. Power and volume buttons, top, bottom and sides. The only area that isn’t as soft as a sweater is the glossy plastic frame that protects the camera.
Additionally, this piece of plastic separates the fingerprint scanner from the camera. It makes it easier to unlock the phone while reducing accidental touches that leave fingerprints on the camera lens. This is one of the best aspects of the Alcantara cover. Not to mention the bezel has a raised lip to protect the screen and sides even when lying face down on the table. It provides almost complete protection against the daily dangers of life.
Now we know what you’re thinking. Will the suede-looking Alcantara fabric wear out and get dirty? So far the answer is no. I’ve been using the Alcantara case for over a month and it has yet to show any signs of wear and tear. The finish doesn’t rub in the corners and I don’t have any dirt or oil stains on my hands. Overall, I was extremely pleased with the “smudge resistance” and overall durability that Samsung claims.
In fact, I dropped my Galaxy S8+ twice with this case on. These drops did not damage the case or the phone. It’s held up very well so far, but that may change over time. It is possible that a month is not long enough for the Alcantara fabric to show signs of wear.
I have two complaints about the Samsung Alcantara case. The first is that the durable frame and soft coating do not wrap the entire device. It is designed more like a snap-on lid with the bottom part exposed. However, this provides easy access to the 3.5mm headphone jack, charging port and speaker. At the same time, that lip bothers me after holding the phone for a long time. It also collects dust, dirt and pocket lint. When I remove the case, I can see a dirt streak forming on the device.
Second, the fabric seems to be shedding and tiny Alcantara (polyester) hairs are getting on my hands and the screen. I’m constantly blowing on the screen to get the little hairs on the glass. It’s not a big deal but I expected it to pass after a few weeks, it didn’t.
final thoughts
Samsung’s Alcantara case may not have a kickstand or extra features, but it’s a durable case that will keep your phone safe and easy to hold. For me, this is the most important part of buying a safe. Something to save my phone if it accidentally falls, and a nice texture that will make this slippery all metal and glass phone easy to hold.
The official Samsung Alcantara case is definitely not the cheapest case available, but it does its job and looks good too.
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