Android Central: Best Heavy Duty Cases for Samsung Galaxy S8 in 2018

Protect your Galaxy S8 with a sturdy, rugged case, and have some peace of mind while you're at it.

The Galaxy S8 is a slender, sweet piece of glass, and if you like to live the rough-and-tumble, it needs some rugged protection to keep up with you and make through the day in one piece. Check out these heavy duty cases and slap a little peace of mind on that piece of glass.

Consider these the… Guardians of your Galaxy.

Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro
Zizo Static Series
Caseology Legion
Poetic Revolution
Spigen Tough Armor
UAG Feather-light Rugged
OtterBox Defender
Pelican Voyager
Trianium Duranium

Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro

The old standby of rugged cases, the Supcase Unicorn Beetle Pro (around $20) is the utmost in heavy-duty protection for your Galaxy S8. These three-piece cases feature a front cover, back cover, and a holster so that you don't have to carry a heavier phone around in your pocket. With that in mind, the Unicorn Beetle Pro doesn't add a ton of bulk to your phone, but there still is a difference. You want thin, go with a slim case.

The Unicorn Beetle Pro is made of tough polycarbonate plastic and provides extra protection in the corners — the kill shot for just about any phone in the event of a drop. You have your choice of black, blue (doesn't match the S8 coral blue color), pink, and white.

See at Amazon

Zizo Static Series

Zizo's cases are military drop tested, so they're guaranteed to protect your phone from drops, according to military standards. The Static Series features a fold-out kickstand and two layers of protection: a hard polycarbonate shell with a silicone layer to disperse impact and cushion your phone. This is especially necessary in the corners, which are incredibly vulnerable in a drop situation.

On top of excellent protection, the Zizo Static Series also looks really cool. You have your choice of seven color combinations, which feature a black layer and then a vibrantly colored layer. If you're looking for heavy-duty protection for your Galaxy S8, along with a flash of style and a convenient kickstand, then check these out. Especially since they're only about $11.

See at Amazon

Caseology Legion

I love Caseology cases. They always fit well and they're fantastically protective. I use a Wavelength, and I had my phone knocked out of my hand onto a gym floor. After cleaning up my drawers, I picked up my phone and it was fine. That was a slimmer case, too. Check out the rugged Legion series. It features a layer of flexible a shock-absorbing TPU with an outer layer of polycarbonate. You're protected from hard bumps and scratches, as well as shocks and drops.

All the buttons are covered, but the coverings provide great tactile feedback, and your ports are completely accessible. You have your choice of black or orchid gray, which is meant to match the S8 color, though we haven't seen this one in person to verify that.

You can grab one from Amazon for around $15.

See at Amazon

Poetic Revolution

The Poetic Revolution is a two-piece case that you slip your Galaxy S8 into, and then you snap on the front. Most Poetic cases have a screen protector, but this one doesn't because of the Galaxy S8's curved screen. That being said, the raised bezel around the front protects your screen when you lay it face-down, and the raised cutout around the camera protects the lens.

The inside of the Revolution is made of flexible TPU, which is designed to disperse impact and protect your S8 from scratches. The outside of the back is a layer of polycarbonate, which takes the brunt of any bump or drop. The outer edges of this case are textured to give it a great in-hand feel that isn't slippery, so you can hold onto your phone. You have your choice of black, a very vibrant blue, and pink.

Check it out for $10.

See at Amazon

Spigen Tough Armor

Spigen makes a phone case for every occasion and its Tough Armor series is perfect for heavy-duty protection. It has an inner layer of TPU for shock absorption and to protect against scratches, as well an outer shell made from durable polycarbonate. There's also a handy kickstand on the back, so you can watch videos hands-free.

This may look a bit like Caseology's Legion, but the button layout is a bit different, with a space between volume up and volume down, so you can control your music on the go without having to pull your phone out of your pocket. The Tough Armor series comes in gunmetal, black, coral blue (which looks like it matches the coral blue S8, but we can't say for sure yet), and maple gold.

Pricing starts around $17.

See at Amazon

UAG Feather-light Rugged

Urban Armor Gear's Feather-light Rugged cases are a staple of the heavy duty case market. These composite cases are made from hard plastic (outer shell) and a flexible and durable TPU rubber (inner shell), which come together to protect against drops, as well as a good deal of shock absorption.

The main nicety of the UAG case is its oversize cutouts for the headphone jack and USB-C port. You shouldn't have to take the case off to listen to tunes or charge up your Galaxy S8, no matter the size of the cable.

There are 10 color options to choose from and pricing starts at $17.

See at Amazon

OtterBox Defender

I left this one off the list, much to the dismay of many a commenter, so here it is in all its glory: the OtterBox Defender. The old standby of rugged cases, OtterBox started it all with cases you could allegedly drive over and your phone would still be intact. I've never known anyone who's tried it, but having had OtterBox cases in the past, it seems plausible.

The Galaxy S8 version is just as great as you've always known, with precise cutouts, a substantial in-hand feel, and a convenient hip holster for you and all your cool friends.

Pricing starts around $20 for black, and you have four other colors to choose from.

See at Amazon

Pelican Voyager

Another comments section special, the Pelican Voyager really shouldn't have been left off this list. I've known an had friends who've used Pelican products for years, from cases to suitcase, and between the warranty, price, and truly rugged protection, this is definitely one of the top three cases in this roundup.

Tested to military specifications, this case has four layers of shock-absorbing protection, with two types of rubber inside a hard polycarbonate plastic shell, adding a bit of bulk, but the ultimate in protection. And the polycarbonate shell has a texturized rubber coating so that it's not slippery. There's also a rad holster that swivels, which you'll probably need, since this will be substantial pocket carry. For roughly $20, you really can't go wrong.

See at Amazon

Trianium Duranium

Anything that rhymes like the title of a Red Hot Chili Peppers album has to be good, right? Trianium's Duranium case is a rugged mix of hard polycarbonate and flexible, shock-absorbing TPU rubber, and at $12, it's a steal of a deal. Plus, if you want to be extra fashionable, it comes with a belt clip. So slap on those cargo shorts, get some socks on under those sandals for goodness' sake, and grab this case.

See at Amazon

Looking for something a little slimmer or a bit different?

Best Cases for Galaxy S8