Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Clear Gadget Case Review – Is this best official Galaxy S23 Ultra case?

Samsung is expanding their range of official smartphone casings with new form factors ranging from their traditional basic silicone casings, their recent grip casings and in the case of the Galaxy S23 series, a new design dubbed as the Clear Gadget Case. We’ve taken it for a whirl in the past couple of weeks and here’s our Samsung Clear Gadget Case review where we share how it holds up under regular use.

Samsung Clear Gadget Case Review – What is it exactly?

Part of a new generation of smartphone cases intended for different mission profiles, the Clear Gadget Case is optimised for a dual-role to act as a comfortable grip for extended use and as a kickstand.

My Samsung Clear Gadget Case review sample is sized up for a Galaxy S23 Ultra but the case is available in the appropriate dimensions for the smaller Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus with a similar RM189 price tag for all models regardless of the size of its recipient design. As you’d likely surmise, they’re not interchangeable and are specifically moulded to fit their intended Galaxy S23 model only.

In terms of design, my Samsung Clear Gadget Case review sample is a transparent hard TPU case with a form-fitted cut-out for the power and volume rockers on the right, a slightly raised lip on the edges to protect the display from a face down drop and a cut-out at the base for the S Pen stylus well, speaker griller and USB-C port. 

The rear backplate of the Clear Gadget Case features cut-outs for each of the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s rear quad camera sensors and is raised just high enough that the camera sensors are flush with the case.

What gives the design its raison d’etre is a unique snap-and-twist attachment point that allows it to accept a variety of attachments with the bundled attachment point consisting of an oval-shaped carabiner-style finger grip that flips out sideways. There’s quite a bit of friction in the mechanism which allows it to stay in place and if angled correctly, it can also do double duty as a kickstand.

Out of the box, the finger grip attachment is bundled separately from the case itself with the attachment point permanently hardwired to the back of the case. Adding the bundled grip is simply a matter of twisting and then locking it into place. Snapping the case onto the back of the phone didn’t require significant effort and everything clicked into place.

Samsung Clear Gadget Case Review – Is it worth it?

When compared to a third party case that may cost a tenth of its price, the RM189 price point of the Clear Gadget Case seems like a daunting prospect but it has a generous amount of features that justify its cost. My Samsung Clear Gadget Case review sample is sized for a Galaxy S23 Ultra. For the duration of the review over the last couple of weeks, I used the case primarily in my pocket as a primary phone.

While there is no official drop proof rating for the casing, it managed to survive an inadvertent drop to the floor from waist height to tile flooring without issue with nary a scratch with it and the phone emerging unharmed. 

The rear grip with its smooth metal finish comfortably allows two fingers through and made holding the Galaxy S23 Ultra a more comfortable affair. Despite its light Armor Aluminium chassis, the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s chassis still makes for a rather hefty design especially if you need to hold it for extended lengths of time such as when reading an ebook which in turn typically requires a firm grip to prevent it from slipping which can get tiring over time. 

The rear finger grip of my Samsung Clear Gadget Case review sample means that holding the S23 Ultra is a less strenuous affair especially when reading in bed with much less risk of the phone slipping off and smacking me in the face with a concussion.

Unfortunately, the finger grip can’t rotate and is permanently locked in a horizontal position which also makes it ideal for vertical content creators like TikToker’s and YouTube reels makers.

When angled and placed sideways, the grip also functioned fantastically as a kickstand for watching movies.

here are still a few teething problems with the design. Assuming you leave the provided finger grip on, the case proves to be a rather bulky affair and the grip adds a bit of thickness to the design though in its defence, the casing itself is relatively thin.

Samsung Clear Gadget Case Review – The chunky nature of the finger grip means that the case cannot lie completely flat

The semi-modular nature of its rear attachment point allows you to mix and swap out other accessories from Samsung’s line-up though few approach the versatility of the provided grip attachment.

Unfortunately, there’s thus far no official attachment intended for in-car mounts or docks. Leaving the rear grip attachment on in this case makes for a wonky fit so you’ll need to take it off if you need to mount it to a car dock which makes it a bit of a chore though it’s not a deal breaker.

All said, the Samsung Galaxy Clear Gadget case is a compelling buy especially for Galaxy S 23 series power users who make heavy use of the phone for browsing and reading and its ability to double as a kickstand is a fantastic bonus.

Samsung Galaxy Clear Gadget case review sample courtesy of Samsung Malaysia. To purchase and for more details please visit https://www.samsung.com/my/mobile-accessories/galaxy-s23-ultra-clear-gadget-case-transparent-ef-xs918ctegww/