I recently took the plunge and upgraded my seemingly ailing Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra with the shiny new Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
I’m a big fan of its new features, such as a new camera array, the slight redesign of the chassis and that clever Privacy Display, which was the main draw for me to pick the phone up in the first place. Shoulder surfing is no joke, after all.
Nonetheless, to give your phone optimal protection or a different look, you’ll want to pair it with a solid case. For a mainstream manufacturer such as Samsung, there are myriad options from various brands, and I’ve been road-testing a range of cases for the last two months or so to see which ones are worth your time.
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Mous Limitless Aramid Fibre Protective Phone Case
I’ll admit to having a real love for Mous products – my old S21 Ultra case was falling to pieces by the time I sold the phone, but it did its job of keeping the phone pristine. You’ll likely have seen the brand’s viral marketing of hurling phones off cliffs, dams and what have you, and this Limitless Aramid Fibre case is its latest and greatest for Samsung’s newest flagship.
This is quite a bulky case compared to some of the others on this list, but it’s all about protection and keeping your phone safe. That’s why it comes with reinforced corners made from Mous’ clever Airoshock material to help absorb impacts, plus raised edges around the screen and camera lenses. A small feature I appreciate a lot is the textured edge that runs along the sides of the case, so you can keep a good grip on the phone.
There is support for magnetic accessories, such as power banks and Mous’ own range of wireless chargers, wallet accessories and more besides, adding in a feature that the phone doesn’t come with on its own.
Colour options here range from the aramid fibre I have here, with its smooth carbon-fibre-like finish, alongside more neutral blue, green and a sandstone-like hue. Mous is also offering this Limitless case in the same speckled fabric it’s offered for years, which matches the shade of my original S21 Ultra case from many years ago.
This is an expensive case at £69.99/$84.99, but a price I’d wager is worth paying for optimal protection.
Casetify Impact Clear Magnetic Case – Purple, Molecular Bubbles
The Casetify Impact Clear Magnetic Case follows a similar idea to the Mous case above, offering a thicker, more rigid case designed to protect the phone from drops and impacts as much as possible.
The colour choice here is deliberate, as the pastel purple and white pattern on the rear of the case matches the ‘Cobalt Violet’ colourway of our S26 Ultra, and I think it is likely to be the on-trend colour for Samsung’s 2026 flagship handset. It also has a pleasant translucent finish around the sides for added style and some reinforcement at the corners for added drop protection.
Casetify says this case is drop-tested to 8.2 feet, so it can withstand some impact, though it isn’t as strong as the Mous case, I’d wager. It’s designed more as a halfway house between the thin, clear phone cases a lot of people use and the more rugged ones, without compromising on style, and I think it walks the line decently well.
There is support for magnetic accessories, such as power banks and Casetify’s own range, which includes a nice, colour-matched pop-grip and more besides, again adding a feature that the phone doesn’t come with on its own.
My only real criticism of the high £66/$99 price tag is the fact that it feels a little on the plastic side and features a lot of Casetify branding that feels unnecessary, such as around the camera bump and below the button inserts.
Pitaka Cairn Moonrise Moment Case with Aaron Button
If you’re looking for a halfway house between super-thin style cases and more protective options, this Pitaka Cairn Moonrise Moment Case with Aaron Button is a surprise favourite that emerged in my testing. I’m a fan of the thinner style it opts for, though this still feels pleasantly rigid and solid in hand.
It offers solid protection with reinforced corners and uses a blend of aramid fibre and TPU. The aramid fibre on the rear has a pleasant woven texture that also aids grip with the S26 Ultra in hand, and the side buttons have genuine tactility and a nice metallic accent on an otherwise matte case.
The interesting thing about this Pitaka case is the addition of what the manufacturer calls its ‘Aaron’ button. There are three additional buttons on the left side of the case that can be mapped using an app-based configurator on the phone itself and can be set to do a range of tasks – my use case was to provide a quick means of opening the camera app in a pinch without having to fumble through a menu, but you could use it do call up an AI assistant, open another specific app or enable the phone’s flashlight, for instance.
At £59.99/$69.99, it’s more of a premium option, but one that’s quite unique in both look and function, which is why it’s earned a place in my case rotation.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Slim Magnet Case
It makes sense to include a first-party case here, and the Samsung Slim Magnet Case is exactly that. It’s a more affordable option than the ones above that provides more adequate protection for the rear and top of the device with a harder plastic surface and a proper raised edge around the camera bump to protect it from accidental drops.
This Samsung case also adds a magnetic ring in the middle of the rear to support magnetic accessories, such as stands, wallet attachments, chargers, and power banks, and it works well with the range of accessories I have here.
My criticism of this case, especially with its high £59 price tag, is that the plastics used here feel quite thin, and there is very little to support the bottom of the phone with the S-Pen and charging port beyond a cutout for the stylus. For a first-party case, I’d have expected better in this regard, especially given the price.
UAG Plasma XTE 360
I like a good, clear case because it doesn’t completely cover up the colour of your phone, and the UAG Plasma XTE 360 case provides a large, clear window on the rear, plus excellent protection and useful extras.
Granted, it has more of a rugged aesthetic, as UAG’s cases tend to, which is a marmite type arrangement, but I think it’s executed in a more tasteful manner than a cheaper case of this kind can be. There is a slight speckled pattern along the edges of the clear portion for added accent, alongside thick, translucent edges to maintain the protective nature of this case.
There are also raised edges around the sides, as with the Mous case, to protect the screen, plus thicker cushioning around the camera bump to protect the lens array on the rear of the phone. UAG says it’s been tested up to 20 feet for drop testing.
The rotating metal kickstand on the rear is my favourite element of this case, though, as it can act as an integrated pop-grip, as well as a stand for using the phone in portrait and vertical orientations. It’s thick, has a strong hinge, and doesn’t feel like it’s going to go anywhere – the case also has some very strong magnets for other accessories, such as securely fixing a charger or power bank, or even an additional stand from UAG’s collection if you want a wallet attachment or anything else.
At £71.95/$79.99, it is one of the most expensive options on this list, but it’s definitely more versatile than your average protective phone case.
Arc Pulse
I’ve saved the weirdest for last with the Arc Pulse – this isn’t as much of a case as it is a couple of pieces of metal you affix to the top and bottom of the phone. In short, it takes the idea of a minimalist phone ‘case’ and runs with it.
The idea is that this is a case for folks who hate phone cases, because it completely blocks the chassis of the phone and the flash colour you’ve selected. The Pulse provides a degree of protection to protect the corners and camera bump, but that’s it – there isn’t a defined rear, as with virtually every other phone case in existence.
Getting it onto the phone is a little fiddly, as it doesn’t snap into place in the same way as a conventional case, and instead slides onto the top and bottom, and it isn’t that protective. The bottom side of the case also seems to limit access to the S-Pen in some places, and it can be a little difficult to get it back into the phone.
With this in mind, the actual case itself is made of aerospace-grade aluminium and feels sturdy in hand. There are also cushioned rubber elements on the inside to protect against corner impacts and to prevent any scratches to the corners of the phone from the case itself.
Likewise, the case is what’s going to hit the ground first, assuming you drop it flat on the ground, and while I haven’t hurled this new flagship device off a dining room table, reviews elsewhere indicate the Pulse does a surprisingly good job of protecting a phone in spite of its surprising lack of actual case. If you’re someone who’s clumsy, I’d still be more inclined to pick up a more conventional and perhaps quite rugged case to make sure your phone is fully protected.
Then comes the harder piece to stomach – the cost – the Arc Pulse in this silver finish I have is £89.99/$89.99, and for that, you get the least. Obviously, there aren’t any built-in magnets, nor is there a kickstand included, meaning you’re paying a lot for very little.
So, why is it in this list? Well, in spite of the foibles and high price, it’s the only case I can find for people who don’t like a case. Going without one risks the worst happening to your phone, and this at least provides some protection in an intriguing way that’s sure to get people talking.
