Galaxy Note 8 Wallet Case Shootout

As I have said in other articles, I’m not a fan of cases in general. However, if a case can extend the functionality of a gadget, that is a different story. Wallet cases do just that for me. One less thing I have to find in the morning, gets me that much closer to being on-time to work. I’ve been on a mission to find the perfect wallet case for my beloved Galaxy Note 8.  I’ve purchased, carried, and used 3 of the top models and thought my readers might appreciate what I’ve learned.

First Up is the Samsung LED Wallet Case:

You can find this case on Samsung’s web-site, on Amazon, and even at Target. It retails for $59.99 but I’ve seen it on sale for as low as
$41.00 several times. Its available in the same 3 colors as the Note itself and holds two cards (I stuffed 3 in mine). This protector has a pretty cool trick up its sleeve; LED lights embedded in the case display icons for your notifications. There are several default icons and software that will let you create custom ones. The LED section on the front of the case is touch sensitive you can answer calls by swiping on it etc..

I bought this case with my phone and carried it for a couple of months. It barely adds any thickness to the phone and looks great. The LED lighting function is cool to show off but isn’t really all that useful in my daily life. I wear a smart-watch and the notifications it shows are detailed vs. the generic icons the case displays. The LED notifications don’t last very long so if the phone is in your pocket when it buzzes you’ll probably miss the ICON . I constantly found myself wishing I could carry more than two cards. I was disappointed in the durability of this case. After just a few weeks the material started to unravel next to the power button (open the last pick full screen). I put some tape over it but at this price point it should last a lot longer before having these types of issues.

Next I purchased the Burkley Leather Wallet Case:

You can find this case on their web site and if you watch the price it will go on sale for around $50.00 (normally $69.99). This thing is gorgeous. It is the nicest looking phone case I have ever owned, period. It feels soft and supple, like the inside of your favorite fuzzy slippers. The case fits the phone perfectly and easily holds 3 cards and some cash. I wanted it to work so, so bad, but it just doesn’t. The magnets that hold the phone in the wallet are in the wrong place and kept the screen from turning off when you hold the phone up to talk on it. The magnetic field also disturbs the auto-brightness sensor and stops it from working when attached to the wallet. More importantly, the entire back of the inner phone case is metal which stops wireless charging from working all together and for me, that is a deal breaker.

I ended up sending this case back. I told Burkley that if they could make it work with wireless charing I would purchase another one in a heart beat and be happy to pay twice as much for it. It is so nice I actually considered keeping it even though it stopped three important functions from working. I’ve never gotten so many compliments from random people as when my phone was in this case. If they can fix the magnet issues this will be the top of the line wallet for your Note 8. Please fix it Burkley, I really like it a lot.

Last is the AMOVO Detachable Wallet Folio:

This is the case I am currently carrying. It’s also made of leather and feels very nice but in my opinion it doesn’t quite look as nice as the Burkley did. It is glossy leather instead of suede. It fully works with the phone. It doesn’t stop any of the features from functioning thou wireless charing is a little finicky. You have to get the phone in just the right position due to the magnets being on the sides but once you get a feel for where it needs to go it works just fine.

It holds 3 cards and cash and the inner case seems like it might protect from drops better than the others. My phone will be living in this case for the forseeable future. You can beat the price either, its only $24.95 on Amazon.

Summary:

1. Samsung LED Wallet Case
   • Pros
     • Looks Nice (matches phone color)
     • Thin
     • LED display
     • Works with wireless charging
   • Cons
     • Only 2 cards
     • No cash pocket
     • durability issues
     • Phone is always in a wallet, this one doesn’t have an inner case that detaches
2. Burkley Leather Wallet Case
   • Pros
     • Looks excellent
     • Feels excellent
     • 3 cards and cash pocket
     • Attention getting
     • Makes a stand for watching videos
   • Cons
     • Not compatible with wireless charging
     • Breaks auto-brightness
     • Breaks screen-off while talking
     • Expensive (when not on-sale)
3. AMOVO Detachable Wallet Folio
   • Pros
     • Looks good
     • Feels good
     • All functions work
     • 3 cards and cash pocket
     • Makes a stand for watching videos
     • Available in multiple colors
     • Half the cost of the others
   • Cons
     • None

If you’re in the market for a wallet style case for your Galaxy Note 8, the winner in whatdouknow.com’s opinion is the AMOVO. It looks and feels nice and doesn’t hinder any device functionalilty. If you have a favorite wallet case that isn’t listed, let me know in the comments.