Samsung’s first-party magnetic Galaxy S26 cases don’t look terrible this year [Gallery]

Ben Schoon | Feb 26 2026 - 4:30 am PT

For yet another year, Samsung has skipped native Qi2 magnets in its Galaxy S26 series, but at least the first-party cases look a whole lot better.

When Samsung adopted “Qi2 Ready” in last year’s Galaxy S25 series, the company also launched its first magnetic cases. They were not exactly well-received, with buyers complaining about ill-fitting cases with weak magnets. The case was also on the cheaper end of the spectrum in terms of build, with a glossy fingerprint-magnet finish.

Alongside the launch of the Galaxy S26 series, Samsung has expanded its lineup of first-party magnetic cases. The same glossy clear case is back, but alongside silicone cases that have Qi2 magnets built inside, as well as a transparent but patterned case that has a slightly matte finish, listed as a “Rugged” case on Samsung’s store. These feel a lot better, though in the mere hours I’ve been using the silicone case on my Galaxy S26 Ultra review unit, I’m already of the opinion that it’s way too grippy, and has already been covered in pocket lint.

The best of the bunch here (pictured below in white) is the “Slim” case which is, as the name implies, thin, while also being less overly grippy.

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Samsung’s full lineup of magnetic Galaxy S26 cases include:

Clear Magnet Case (~~$49.99~~ $34.99)
Silicone Magnet Case (~~$54.99~~ $38.49)
Rugged Magnet Case (~~$79.99~~ $55.99)
Slim Magnet Case (~~$69.99~~ $48.99)

I’m not a big fan of the prices here, but at least the pre-order “sale” price is a little less awful.

Samsung hasn’t implemented magnets across the board in its Galaxy S26 cases, with plenty of cases still lacking magnets.

As far as the new cases go, the magnets do seem to be pretty decent. In some quick tests with Samsung’s cases and both first-party and partner accessories during our demo time, the magnets seemed plenty strong, but it’s hard to tell without real-world usage.

While the cases themselves look good enough, the real shame here is that you need them in the first place. If Samsung had built magnets into these devices, every case would have magnets built in. There will still be plenty of third-party options, but not all of them.

The Galaxy S26 series is available for pre-order now, with Samsung’s usual pre-order perks in full swing. You’ll find boosted trade-in values and more available now through March 11, when these phones are available on store shelves.