The Official Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Rugged Protective Cover: Tough as nails (review)

There’s no way around the price tag of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 which is high. But any fan of the Note line has always been willing to pay more for the device since there’s no other phone like it. The Note 8 is as premium as it gets when it comes to Androids and with a glass back, it’s certainly going to be fragile in drops despite the advancements in Gorilla Glass 5. The glass back combined with its large size makes it easier to drop than its smaller and more grippable counterparts. In almost all scenarios, we recommend you get a case for your Note 8. It’s a cheap investment that can go a long way over the lifespan of your device and can potentially save you $300 in repairs (per side of the dual glass design) if you crack the glass. If you’re looking for a case that can withstand the elements and drops, you should consider the Protective Standing Cover. We got our hands on the official Samsung Note 8 Rugged Protective Cover and will let you know what we think of it below.

Note 8 Rugged Protective Cover design and specs

The Note 8 Rugged Protective Samsung Cover is a first official rugged case from Samsung for the Note line. Typical cases from Samsung for its Galaxy devices are the LED Flip Cover, S-View Flip Cover, and thin protective cover. It’s certainly a rugged case that’s a little too thick for wireless charging. So if you’re a fan of wireless charging, this isn’t a good case for you.

The Protective Cover is made of plastic and comes in blue and black colors. It has a soft feel that doesn’t feel cheap, and the textures and ribs that line the back of the case give additional grip on an otherwise slippery phone. What I particularly like about Samsung cases, is they fit incredibly well. The Protective Case fits the bill and the phone slides into the case like a hand into a glove. It doesn’t fit so tight that it’s a struggle to remove. There are cutouts for the speaker, S-Pen, USB-C port, 3.5mm audio jack, microphone, and camera. The cutout for the S-Pen is better than other third-party cases I’ve tried, where it offers just enough access to not obstruct removal of the stylus.

Another nice feature integrated into the case is the built-in kickstand. The Note 8 is certainly going to be used for multimedia with its massive 6.3″ display and Samsung intelligently camouflaged the kickstand into the back of the case.

The kickstand isn’t adjustable, but it will break free in case it ever gets bent back too far. You simply have to snap it back onto the metal latch and it will perform like new. It’s designed to break free so it doesn’t actually break if bent too far.

Getting back to the ruggedness of this case; Samsung tested it according to military standard US MIL-STD-810G method 516.6. That might not mean a whole lot to you, but if you search through military testing procedures, it breaks down as follows:

“The floor of the drop zone is two inches of plywood over concrete, which was determined to be the most common surface a device was likely to land on. Testers drop the device from a height of 4 feet on each of its six faces, 12 edges, and eight corners, for a total of 26 drops. They visually inspect for damage and determine whether it still works after each drop. If a manufacturer requests, the 26 drops can be divided among five identical items.” – gcn.com

According to Samsung, this case passes that test and provides solid drop protection for the Note 8. I would love to actually perform this test for you myself, but don’t have the luxury of being able to destroy phones at will. I can tell you that the case is solid, and gives me supreme confidence that it will protect the Note from breaks if I were to drop it from normal distances.

One particular item I like about this case is the added thickness of the case over all of the buttons: power, volume rocker, and Bixby button. The case makes it very easy to identify which button I am pressing, especially when it comes to the volume rocker and the Bixby button. On my S8 and S8+, I mistakenly hit the Bixby button on far too many occasions. The Protective Case solves that issue on the Note 8 and I never find myself accidentally activating Bixby.

Outside of this case being too strong for wireless charging, my only gripe would be with its $40 price tag. It’s a bit steep in a sea of cheap alternative cases, but I’m always willing to pay a little more for OEM cases. Apple charges the same, if not more for its cases, and you won’t find better-made cases than you would from Apple or Samsung. If the price tag is too steep for you, you can always wait a month or two and the case will definitely drop in price. If it drops to $30 I would highly recommend this case to anyone who wants extreme protection, with added functionality from the kickstand. I’ve gotten several compliments on the case from coworkers and friends and think it is a solid recommend to anyone looking for a premium case for their Note 8.

You can get your own Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Rugged Protective Cover at Samsung.com and Amazon.com.