When buying a case for your new phone it’s not often that you have to option of adding extra functionality to your smartphone experience, but that’s the case (sorry) with the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Samsung’s Silicone Cover with S Pen. Similar in build to the regular Silicone Cover for the Galaxy S21, the Ultra’s case includes an S Pen and an accompanying storage slot on the left-hand side of the case.
It works pretty well for the most part but that’s not to say that there isn’t a cloud looming on the horizon for the $70 accessory that you just can’t ignore.
Design
- Precision camera cutouts
- Fingerprint resistant
- Functional Design
Usually, a silicone case is a silicone case in that it doesn’t tend to do much else other than protect the phone it is wrapped around. Not so with the Silicone Cover with S Pen that features a storage slot for the stylus that comes bundled with it. Being a first-party case from Samsung, you would expect the Silicone Cover with S Pen to be a high-quality product, and it is apart from two small areas that we’ll get to a little later.
Made from high-quality silicone that is resistant to smudges and fingerprints, the cover is a great fit for the Galaxy S21 Ultra and feels tactile.
With a thin-ish profile, the cover doesn’t add much thickness to the already large handset, although the addition of the S Pen slot increases the width by around 9mm. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but you will definitely notice the difference when you first start using the case.
The storage slot for the S Pen on the left-hand-side holds the stylus tightly but still allows for easy removal, which is a hard feat to accomplish. It’s a sturdy grip that feels like it will hold for the long-term without taking strain from the removal and reinsertion of the S Pen. The volume and power buttons are covered by the case but are clicky and responsive, which is something you generally don’t experience with cheap silicone covers. There’s also a lip that runs along the edge of the display to protect it from facedown drops.
Sadly, the same cannot be said for the areas around the charging port and volume buttons. The silicone around those two areas feels flimsy and liable to tear after use. After two weeks with the Silicone Cover with S Pen as the one and only case used with the Galaxy S21 Ultra, I’ve become more and more aware of the slackness of the material around the USB-C port and feel that it’s a matter of a couple of weeks until the first signs of it tearing appear.
There is already one user review on Samsung.com reporting that the area around the side buttons has torn, so this is something to be aware of when considering the case.
The actual S Pen is pretty comfortable to hold, coming in at a smidge over 4-inches long with a solid feel to it. You get the usual shortcuts when you hold the S Pen above the display and press the button on its side. If you are looking for features such as the Bluetooth shutter function or Air Gestures you’ll need to wait until Samsung releases the S Pen Pro later this year. The S Pen included with the Silicone Cover may be simple in comparison to the one included with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, but it’s quick and responsive. You can see how it compares in size to the S Pen from the Galaxy Tab S6.
Competition
When it comes to competition the only real alternative is the Flip Case with S Pen from Samsung for $90 or going out to buy the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. Otherwise, it’s the Silicone Cover with S Pen or bust, which won’t matter if you don’t actually want or need the stylus.
At $70, the Silicone Cover with S-Pen isn’t exactly what you would call cheap and neither is it perfect but you don’t have too much choice if you want to take advantage of the S Pen support on the Galaxy S21 Ultra and don’t want the added heft of the S-View Cover with S-Pen.
As Jared said in his review of the Silicone Cover for the regular Galaxy S21, if you can find the Silicone Cover with S Pen on sale it’s a decent buy. For me, the weak areas around the control buttons and USB-C port make it unworthy of paying full price for it. Hopefully, we’ll see some third-party case manufacturers stepping up to the plate with viable alternatives.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Silicone Cover | $69 | Samsung, Best Buy, Amazon
