Aranez Book Samsung Galaxy S3 Leather Case Review

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For me, one of the classic PDA case designs is the so-called ‘book’ cover. I had one for the HP200LX (and another one later for the Psion Revo) that was more like a pouch, than ones for the HP iPAQ 4355 and Dell Axim X51v that actually allowed you to use the device in the case and had slots for cards on the left side. It is this ability to carry more than just the device that always attracted me. Now I have had the chance to try the Aranez Book case for the Samsung Galaxy SIII. Let’s see how it measures up!

The Hype:
The Aranez Book Samsung Galaxy S3 Leather Case is a luxurious cover for your Samsung Galaxy S3.

Made from sumptuous premium cow leather, it gives your Samsung Galaxy S3 a stylish and professional look while keeping it 100% functional. The Aranez Book Samsung Galaxy S3 Leather Case is outlined by quality silver stitching which gives it that distinctive “Aranez” look.

Other features of the Aranez Book Samsung Galaxy S3 Leather Case include two credit card or ID card pockets inside the front cover of the case. For those who don’t like carrying too many things, this case is perfect for you.

The Reality:

As I noted in my review of their Flip Case, the Aranez Book Case needed to meet three basic tests for me to be able to recommend it: protection, ease of use, and materials and quality worthy of the price.

In terms of the protection, the book case holds the phone in place with a fully-exposed rigid plastic cover, which is then surrounded by a book-style leather case that fully encloses the front, back and left side. The plastic seems similar in terms of coverage to the Flip case, so there is solid coverage all-around while maintaining the ability to access the functional areas and ports.

Due to the more rigid plastic of the case that snaps around the body, more effort is required to get the phone out of the cover. You can see this in the video. Fortunately there are no sharp edges or other things to impact the body of the phone. As a result this is not a case you want to use if you constantly remove your phone – but on the other hand once inserted the phone is very firmly held in place.

I had mentioned the appeal of having a ‘mini-wallet’ usability with these book covers, and there is some of that present here. You get two slots for a license or credit card, but don’t plan on much more than that. Whereas on older devices a book cover would allow me to hold several business cards, license, credit card and have an area to collect cards or store some case … here you can fit perhaps two or three cards. This is done to keep the case profile slim, but the result is very limited storage.

As with the Flip case, the Galaxy S3 is a large device, so simply putting on a full-coverage case is enough to make it un-pocketable. However, my only real complaint is that the usability is more limited than with the Flip cover. When holding the case slightly open, access to volume controls is limited. And the case seems to get in the way trying to rotate around for gaming and watching videos. As you can see in one of the images, the magnetic seal wants to flap against the screen when open.

As Aranez notes, the case is made of “sumptuous premium cow leather”, and carries a $70 price tag. For me that is more than I would usually want to spend, so I would want to be sure that the case is high quality in terms of build and feel. The stitching is tight and uniform and looks very secure and professional … and the feel of the case is just superb. It is the type of soft leather that just feels great in your hand, and that you know will only get better as it ages and wears.

Everything from the tightness of the fit to the access to all media ports shows a great attention to detail and design, and makes this an easy recommendation if you are looking for a quality case that fully covers your Galaxy S3. However, depending on how you use your phone I prefer the Flip case for gaming and video watching.

Here is my hands-on video of the Aranez Book Samsung Galaxy S3 Leather Case:

Review: Aranez Book Samsung Galaxy S3 Leather Case

Where to Buy: Aranez.com

Price: $69.95

What I Like: Great design; perfect fit; great leather feel; price in line with materials and quality

What Needs Improvement: Volume rocker less accessible; magnetic seal wants to flap in front of screen.

Source: Publisher provided review sample

Special thanks to US Cellular for the Samsung Galaxy S III used in this review!

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About the Author

Michael Anderson
I have loved technology for as long as I can remember - and have been a computer gamer since the PDP-10! Mobile Technology has played a major role in my life - I have used an electronic companion since the HP95LX more than 20 years ago, and have been a 'Laptop First' person since my Compaq LTE Lite 3/20 and Powerbook 170 back in 1991! As an avid gamer and gadget-junkie I was constantly asked for my opinions on new technology, which led to writing small blurbs ... and eventually becoming a reviewer many years ago. My family is my biggest priority in life, and they alternate between loving and tolerating my gaming and gadget hobbies ... but ultimately benefits from the addition of technology to our lives!