The past few years have been a bit on the boring side for Galaxy S fans, but 2026 is shaping up to be far more interesting, especially for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. While we've seen plenty of rumors about minor design changes and hardware upgrades, the first cases for the phones just arrived on my doorstep over the weekend, and they give me an idea of what to expect when Samsung announces everything this week.
My favorite cases so far are (no surprise) from Thinborne, a company based in Frisco, Texas, that makes ultrathin aramid fiber cases. These are almost always my favorite cases because they offer a sleek look and add zero bulk to the phone, retaining the in-hand feel of a "naked" phone without the slippery metal and glass materials.
And since we're almost certainly not getting Qi2 magnets inside the Galaxy S26 series, these cases have those Magsafe-compatible magnets built inside, even while remaining thinner than other cases. This is ideal for someone like me who hates big, bulky cases but still wants added features like MagSafe compatibility.
The outside of the case features a checkered carbon fiber-like pattern and is ultra-grippy, so you won't be dropping the phone even in sub-zero conditions. This one feels nice and grippy all year long and looks good doing it, too.
The case retains the comfortable rounded corners and makes those flat edges easier to grab since the material sports a grippier tactility than the metal frame of most Galaxy phones.
The built-in Magsafe magnet is incredibly strong and will hold on to any magnet-based accessories as if its life depends on it. Considering I almost exclusively use magnet-based accessories these days, that's another box this case checks for me.
Better yet, this year's cases come in a variety of snazzy colors. Typically, these cases are just black aramid fiber, but Thinborne has gone all out for the S26 series. I personally recommend the red case, as it has excellent flair thanks to the black-and-red motif.
If you haven't used an aramid fiber case before, here's what you can expect. The material is rigid, so they're built to mold perfectly around your phone like a skin. Since it's a hard material, it'll protect against scratches and some drops, but it's not built like a thicker Otterbox case, so people who are prone to dropping their phones often might want to opt for something more substantial.
As always, Thinborne packs a tempered glass protector in the box to ensure that your phone's screen is protected from scratches and drops, essentially helping to shore up the only weakness of this style of case (the lack of a lip around the screen for protection). That also means you don't need to buy anything else right away after grabbing one of these cases, which is nice after spending a bunch of money on the new phones.
It also has a raised camera hump to protect the new camera hardware inside the phones, and that gets me excited to see what Samsung has planned for the S26 series. After all, the company has been teasing some huge camera upgrades leading up to the launch, and the size of this camera island on the back of the cases tells me we're in for a special treat this year.
It may be a few weeks before we all get our new Galaxy S26 phones, but we can at least grab some fantastic cases ahead of the launch and ensure that the phones are fully protected the moment they arrive!
Thinborne makes a case for every Samsung Galaxy S26 model, and they even come in a few extra snazzy colors this year, too! Get the best thin cases with MagSafe rings built in, plus a free tempered glass screen protector in every box.
Samsung Galaxy S26: Black
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Black
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Black, Navy Blue, Crimson Red
