Last month iLuv ran a Back-to-School special on their new lineup of Samsung Galaxy S III cases. Being the curious bloke that I am, I just had to check them out. iLuv was kind enough to provide me with a variety of cases to review and review them I did. I’ll give you a look at some of the pros and cons of each case and then you can decide if any are right for you.

Now who’s ready to see some cases?

Snoopy Hardshell Case

Ah, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang. A blast from the past for those of us old enough to remember. iLuv offers various collections of these signature Peanuts classics and either you love ’em or have no idea who they are. We’ll skip over the cute illustrations and let you know what to expect from the Hardshell case donning them.

The iLuv hardshell case easily snaps on to your Galaxy S III. It’s made of an injection molded hard plastic and looks to be durable enough to survive multiple drops. It does look like it would scratch fairly easily but I’m not positive on that. All ports are exposed for easy access, however, I have a couple issues with the level of exposure.

The case does not encase the entire phone. Both the top and bottom of the phone are exposed and protrude slightly further than the case itself. This means there will be considerable damage to either the top or bottom should you drop your device and it land on one of its ends.

Another issue I found was that the case is completely smoothed over. There are no ridges or other grip designs on the sides to help maintain a solid grip. The case is very smooth and feels very slippery in the hand.

The Good: The Peanuts/Snoopy collections are cute, fun, and adorable. The hardshell case is light, doesn’t add much bulk and offers open ports with slight protection.

The Bad: The hardshell case is too smooth and doesn’t encase the entire phone, leaving a slippery grip and lots of body exposure.

The Verdict: This is a great novelty case, something to be used as a visual accessory more than a functional accessory. Sure, it will provide you a better level of protection than a naked phone, but not enough to be considered a viable option for protection.

If you’re interested in this particular model, you can find it on iLuv’s website for $34.99.

Purchase the Snoopy Hardshell Case

Twain Two-Part Dual Protection Case

The Twain Two-Part Dual Protection Case caught my eye for a variety of reasons. Not only did it look to offer a complete level of protection, but it did so while still leaving everything visible and usable to the owner — not to mention it looked good too.

The case actually comes in three parts. There’s a hardcover back case which fully encases the back and sides of the device as well as two hardcover front cases to protect the Samsung Galaxy S III’s screen. The two front cases differ in thickness and provide various levels of sensitivity. One protects better, the other performs better — the choice is yours.

I couldn’t wait to try this particular case out as I was curious as to how it would function with both a front and back hardcover case. I couldn’t help but be skeptical of the thick piece of plastic between my fingers and the phone’s display. I was confident functionality would take a hit and the phone would not respond properly.

For the most part I was right, the thicker front case resulted in a performance hit making navigating the interface a less than stellar experience. Don’t get me wrong, it worked better than I had expected, but there were too many hiccups for me to warrant it a permanent spot on my device.

What about the thinner front cover? The thinner cover performed extremely well and was as functional and responsive as the the display without the cover. The only problem I had with the thin front cover was fitting. It didn’t fit flush and actually had a bend to it. Other than that, it worked great.

The Good: The Twain case actually provides users with three options:

• A back hardshell case and thick front hardshell case for ultimate protection.
• A back hardshell case and thinner front cover for decent protection but better functionality
• A back hardshell case with no front cover for the same experience and level of protection you’d get with most standard cases

The case covers the entirety of the phone leaving little exposed. Even the power button and volume rocker are covered by the treaded TPU frame, which is both protective, soft, and provides a secure grip.

The Bad: While having the entire case protected is great for, well… protection. It can make usability a bit frustrating. The molded TPU frame makes turning the phone on an off a chore at times and requires a deal of pressure. The front hardcover shell diminishes the true beauty of the Galaxy S III’s display and also reacts sporadically to touch. It’s also not the easiest case to put together quickly.

The Verdict: Overall I really like the Twain case for its options. You can go with just the back hard casing and have as much protection as any other standard case or you can add the front cover for extra protection. This can come in handy if you’re the adventurous type or work in a field where drops and debris could be hazardous to your phone. Use the full protection when you need it, and then go with only half while at home or in a safer environment.

The TPU treaded frame makes the case much easier to grip and the overall look is sleek and modern. Functionality takes a bit of a hit depending on your combination but protection is top notch.

If you’re interested in this particular model, you can find it on iLuv’s website for $34.99.

Purchase the Twain Two-Part Dual Protection Case

Envelop Premium Appointed Flip Case

The Envelop flip case was my personal favorite of the lot. It’s a simple flip case design with maximum protection and elegance, all wrapped in a soft premium leather shell. I’ve never personally owned a flip case, but the Envelop makes me wish I had.

The Samsung Galaxy S III fits snuggly into the hard plastic casing with the front of the case flipping over the screen to give your device complete protection. It uses a top lip button to snap together and includes all necessary cutouts for easy access to ports and buttons.

The front cover has a thin hard plastic shell sewn between the soft leather exterior and a soft felt interior to ensure protection inside and out. Only the frame of the backing and the camera cutout have plastic exposed, the rest of the case is covered with a soft premium leather.

The Good: The Envelop flip case offers great protection in a soft sleek package. The case doesn’t add much bulk, is light, feels great and looks great. You have full protection from drops and you can also slip this thing in your pocket without having to worry about your keys scratching the display.

You have easy access to all ports and buttons and getting at your device is only a button snap away.

The Bad: I couldn’t really find too much to complain about with the Envelop case. About the only issue I had was the button placement. They placed the lip button used to snap the case together on the top left side, when they should have placed it on the right. Unfortunately when closed, the button lip comes very close to the Galaxy S III’s 3.5mm headphone jack. You still have access to the plug, but the jack will be crammed against the button lip.

You’re more likely to be using the headphones when the case is closed as opposed to the phone’s mic which is located on the right, so that would have been a better spot in my opinion.

The Verdict: Overall, this was my favorite case. It offered full protection and a sleek look. I always carry my phone in my pocket and having the screen protected from my loose change, keys, and whatever else makes its way into my pockets was by far the greatest benefit for me.

The case has a soft and comfortable feel, allows easy access to all ports and buttons, and is overall very light and slim. A universally appealing case with style and protection, what more could you ask for?

If you’re interested in this particular model, you can find it on iLuv’s website for $34.99.

Purchase the Envelop Premium Appointed Leather Flip Case

Artisan Clutch Designer Wallet

The Artisan Clutch Designer Wallet is as the name implies: more of a wallet than a case. Designed from genuine leather, the Artisan Clutch offers both luxury and protection for your Galaxy S III. The inside of the case is comprised of a soft micro-suede to protect the display and also includes a couple slots to hold things such as a license or credit card.

The wallet is supposed to have a magnetic closure but for some odd reason the one sent to me had buttons. I would have much preferred the magnetic closure so check with iLuv before ordering to make sure you’ll be receiving the right one. It also features a belt clip on the back for those who wish to attach it to, well… a belt.

You won’t get much access to your device as the wallet pretty much covers all usable ports and buttons, but at least you know your phone is well protected.

The Good: The Artisan Clutch is rugged, yet sleek. It offer full protection and a few extra slots for things such as credit cards. It has a large enough opening to fit your device bare, or your device with a case on it. It’s the perfect companion for a women who likes to throw her phone in her purse but doesn’t want to worry about it getting all scratched up.

It works well for men too, especially those who like having their phones clipped to their hip. If my review unit had the magnetic latch I would also comment on ease of access.

The Bad: This really depends on what you are looking to get out of your case/wallet. It’s not a case that gives you quick access to your phone (especially with the button closure). If your phone starts ringing, you might not have enough time to actually get at it to answer the call. I’m assuming the magnetic latch makes it a bit easier to get at, but it’s still not the optimal case for easy access. You can also forget about using headphones or anything else while your device is in this case.

The Verdict: Again, my verdict depends on what it is you’re looking for in a case. For those looking for a sleek looking, durable storage wallet for their phone, this is perfect. My wife absolutely loves it because she can throw it in her purse and forget about it until she needs it.

If you’re looking for a functional case that you can have protect your device as well as allow you access to ports and functions, then this is not the case for you. Although you can always combine a case and the wallet for a one-two knockout. Since the Artisan Clutch has enough space to accommodate the Galaxy S III with a case on it, you can have your phone protected when using it as well as when storing it.

If you’re interested in this particular model, you can find it on iLuv’s website for $49.99.

Purchase the Envelop Premium Appointed Leather Flip Case

Those are just a few of the many products iLuv offers for the Samsung Galaxy S III. For a look at their entire line, simply follow the Source link below. Be sure to check back here in a few days, as we will be giving away three of the four iLuv cases reviewed today. Cheers!

• SourceiLuv Samsung Products