After two months of using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 I am convinced it was well worth the $2,000. The big screen makes working on a phone an enjoyable activity and it remains my favorite phone of 2020.
Just like last year, Spigen is one of the few companies to have case options for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and we’ll cover three of them in this post. The most innovative case from Spigen is the new Z Fold 2 Slim Armor Pro that provides protection for the long spine hinge when in a closed position, the only case that provides this protection.
Also: Galaxy Tab S6 review: Samsung offers up an affordable, capable tablet for business
Slim Armor Pro
As soon as I tried out the evaluation Z Fold 2 and placed my order for a black one with red metallic hinge I ordered a Dbrand Swarm back and camera covers. For this review, I removed the back cover so that I could make sure the Slim Armor Pro case fit as designed.
After last year’s design, the Spigen team worked to develop a better case for the Z Fold 2 while Samsung was also vastly improving the phone itself. One reason I purchased the Z Fold 2 was because of the amazing engineering that went into the device with hugely successful results. We see effort, innovation, and intent to provide an excellent product with the Slim Armor Pro result too.
The most unique aspect of this case is the hinge protection piece that covers the long hinge of the Z Fold 2 in the closed position. Samsung’s phone hardware covers the hinge when in the fully open position, but when the phone is being carried around and the outside display is used then the hinge is susceptible to damage from a drop. This hinge is critical to the usability of the device itself so protecting it is important.
The Spigen Slim Armor Pro case is a two piece case, like its other Z Fold 2 cases and frankly the same as other designs for this unique foldable phone. The back cover has a large opening for the cameras and is cutout on the edge for the volume and fingerprint sensor areas with ample openings for the USB-C port and two microphones. The back is black with a soft touch matte finish and also has several yellow foam inserts to help with shock and provide protection to your phone.
The front is primarily a frame piece with the hinge protection part. The two pieces of the case fit tightly with double-sided tape acting to hold it in place as well. The matte finish soft touch frame part covers the edges with openings for the dual stereo speakers.
The hinge mechanism is designed with spings and an arrangement that has it sliding over the top of the back cover when the phone is fully opened. In the fully opened position when the hinge is hidden by the front and back of the phone, the hinge protector rests on the back panel. This actually helped me hold onto the phone a bit better with the grip of the hinge protection piece.
The Z Fold 2 rests mostly flat, with the exception of the camera array, when fully opened and set down on a surface. That’s not the case with the phone wrapped in the Slim Armor Pro. There is now a large hump in the middle so the phone rocks on this arm.
When the phone is closed you can lift up the hinge protector piece to view the color of your hinge, but when fully opened this piece is tight against the back of the phone.
There are two things I’m not a fan of on this case; I can no longer see the metallic red custom hinge I ordered and there is no slot for me to easily remove and replaced the SIM card. I get that most people will not remove their SIM card, but as a phone reviewer I swap it around quite a bit. I don’t think having a small opening for the SIM card slot would significantly impact the protection of the phone.
Also: Galaxy Z Fold 2 after a month: Simply a joy to use
I rarely set my Z Fold 2 down flat on a surface so the new added hump doesn’t impact my usage scenarios. I also confirmed that the media viewing modes of the Z Fold 2 work well with this case.
The Slim Armor Pro is available in black for $89.99. That’s a lot of money for a case, but when you consider you have a $2,000 investment in hand then that seems to be a fair price to protect that investment from minor bumps and drops.
Thin Fit
My second favorite Spigen case for the Z Fold 2 is the Thin Fit model that is available in matte black or bronze for $49.99. This case has a back cover similar to the Slim Armor Pro with a front frame piece that also has a matte finish.
The two pieces of the case attach with double-sided stickers and secure fit that snaps easily into place. Wireless charging, reverse wireless charging, and Samsung Pay all work fine with this case too.
There is no hinge protection with this case, but when the phone is opened then the two pieces meet up to protect the back of the phone. The matte soft touch finish of the back cover helps you keep your phone securely in hand.
Ultra Hybrid
Another case option from Spigen is the Ultra Hybrid model that uses clear hard plastic with black edge highlights. The great thing about this case is that it shows off the color of your phone and the color of your hinge.
It is designed in a similar manner as the Thin Fit case, but has clear hard plastic instead. All of the edges are well protected and reinforced with ample openings for all functions.
The Ultra Hybrid case is available now for $59.99. It barely adds any bulk to your phone and just 1.1 ounces of weight.