[Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra] Jaxom84:
Hello everyone!

You just got your brand new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and don't want any of these vegan-branded plastic cases marketed as leather that Samsung is trying to sell you?

Then fear not, dear readers, as Bellroy still continues to offer the real stuff!

To quote DBrand on a similar topic:

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(not this one, though, it was AI-generated)

First things first: unboxing and first contact​

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As it's my first time buying a Bellroy case, I was quite delighted by the packaging, as it's using a side drawer style opening. It feels very smooth and enjoyable, and even if you might do it only once, first impressions do matter. The vivid orange microfiber inner coating of the case will give S24U owners their dose of color saturation before the OEM bring its first firmware update later this month.

The cutouts are precise and will envelope your camera island perfectly. As you can guess, this type of case will prevent you from enjoying your device's true color, and only the titanium frame will show once your smartphone will wear this case. One thing I particularly appreciated at first glance is the thermoforming around the part of the camera island surrounding the IR sensor, the flash and the telephoto (x3). Discreet, but still giving a little more underlining to them than some cases using just an open design or a fully flat one.

Hey, suit up!​

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In term of fit, Bellroy have achieved a tight, gorgeous and protective fit all at once.

As you'll see below the lips are high enough to prevent the display to touch directly flat surfaces when you put it face down. Even my unit, with a Spigen glass screen protector, had some space between its display and the surface I laid it on to take the pictures.

The aluminum buttons are feeling clicky and very smooth, I assume that they are anodized, so their color shouldn't show wearing signs easily.

Also, when a lot of manufacturers are going for an unified elongated button to cover both volumes inputs, Bellroy chose to separate them. A little surprising, and I expect my thumb to look for the long button for a few days before I get used to this slight change of habits.

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Now, how does it compare to the official Samsung leather case from last year?​

As I bought the official leather case last year and was used to it, I couldn't refrain myself from comparing the two cases.

Unfortunately, one of the points that directly stroke me after unboxing the case has been how much plastic is apparent compared to Samsung's offering from last year.

The lips, as well as the top and bottom are not covered by the leather material and although the matte-textured plastic used by Bellroy is feeling good, the surprise is still there and I must admit that it slightly disappointed me for a 60€ case.

I assume it has some reasons in term of design and ease of production, as Bellroy only have to produce an horizontal layer of leather and apply it, but it strangely felt like a downgrade compared to Samsung's S23U leather case.

After all, leather's charm is also coming from how it ages, and having plastic on top and bottom of the case will produce a very different result in the long run.

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Verdict:​

The unboxing experience

Slim design

Still offering an average protection

Delicate thermoforming on a few places

Microfiber inner case

Well-sourced leather

The crease to access the S-Pen more easily

3 years warranty

Free shipping

Too much plastic

No MagSafe option

A little pricey

Not the grippiest case (so avoid it if you're clumsy)