The Galaxy S21 Ultra is a rather interesting smartphone mainly because it only comes in two colors unless you buy it from Samsung directly, in which case there are some other exclusive colors available to you. However I’d bet that most of us who have the phone only have it in either Phantom Black or Phantom Silver. Personally I have it in Phantom Black because that all matte-black color just looked so good and stealthy. However, having it wrapped in case meant that I’d be sacrificing those good looks for protection. However, depending on the case you get, that doesn’t have to be the case. If you still want to keep that all matte-black look and still be protected, you have options. Urban Armor Gear has those options for you with their current line-up of Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra cases, as long as you choose the right colors.
PATHFINDER SERIES (Black)
The Urban Armor Gear Pathfinder Series of cases has long been one of my favorite. Back when rugged cases used to look like giant, bulky bricks, UAG came along and designed one of the first that was actually attractive looking. This is the case designed for adventure in mind and it shows with the quality of the materials and design. The Pathfinder comes in four different colors – Black, Mallard, Olive, and Silver.
The Pathfinder SE is a layered case featuring an impact-resistant core that extends out the edges of the phone. Wrapping around this core is a hard protective shell that is uniquely UAG. The shell has intricate little details such as the torsion screw pieces and the ribbing on the sides for extra grip. All the extra textures and bumps give the Pathfinder SE a real tactile feel that I love. Other notable elements include the button covers, raised display edges, and thicker corner bumpers for extra drop protection.
In keeping with the stealth them of the Phantom Black Galaxy S21 Ultra, you’re going to want to opt for the all Black variant of the Pathfinder. The matte-black rear shell matches perfectly with the Phantom Black.
The UAG Pathfinder is available now and priced at $39.95.
Amazon Link: Black
MONARCH SERIES (BLACK & CARBON FIBER)
Next up on this list is the Urban Armor Gear Monarch series of cases. This is UAG’s top of the line premium case for the Galaxy S21 Ultra. It looks similar to the Pathfinder series, but features a five-layer design for the ultimate in protection. This does make the Monarch feel a bit denser and tiny bit heavier than the Pathfinder, but you can really feel how solid it is. Like the Pathfinder though, this case is also built for adventure and comes in four different colors – Crimson, Carbon Fiber, Mallard, and Black.
This is basically a hybrid style case with what seems like a polycarbonate back plate matted to an impact-resistant rubber core. On the back of that, there’s the additional carbon-fiber plate along with a protective exoskeleton on top. At the corners, you still get those distinctive UAG bumpers that they’re known for along with raised display edges, button covers, and torsion screw detailing on the rear. The sides of the case differ slightly from the Pathfinder too and instead features a rubberized honeycomb design that offers very good grip.
The UAG Monarch case passes 2X the drop test specified in the military standard and is MIL-STD 810G 516.6 rated.
To keep the theme of stealth for our Phantom Black Galaxy S21 Ultra, you can choose to go either all Black or add a little bit of oomph with the Carbon Fiber. We went with Carbon Fiber to add a bit of extra detailing and overall I just think it looks pretty cool. The Carbon Fiber almost has this holographic look to it and it seems to match up well with the overall all matte-black look we’re going for.
The Urban Armor Gear Monarch is available now for $59.95.
Amazon Link: Black and Carbon Fiber
CIVILIAN SERIES (BLACK)
The Urban Armor Gear Civilian Series is one of their more recent designs that brings the rugged tech and protection UAG is known for, in a more simplistic and formal-looking case. This is a very clean-looking case devoid of crazy creases and edges. While their other cases are built for adventure, the Civilian Series looks like it was built for the board room. The outer shell is minimally styled but features the Urban Armor Gear name etched into the back. The protective edges also aren’t as pronounced and aggressive.
What gives the Civilian Series its rugged status is the built-in impact-resistant skeleton coupled with a shock-absorbing core. They call this HyperCush technology, which dampens and disperses energy upon impact. This is further enhanced with a tough feather-light armor shell. This classic UAG protection in a new modernly styled case. This case also features raised edges, button protection, and shock-absorbing corners.
So what do we not like about it? Well, the case is a bit more slippery, mainly because of the smooth finish and lack of hard edges. It does however slide into your pockets quite nicely and is a little less bulky. The Civilian Series is pretty nice and I like that it is both rugged and modern looking.
The Civilian in Black does work if you’re trying to go for that all matte-black stealth look, however the little splashes of orange up front doesn’t. Some may not like this aspect about the black variant Civilian as the orange is not exactly a low-key color. I like the splash of orange, but the Civilian in Black wouldn’t be my first choice if I wanted to go completely stealth.
The UAG Civilian is available in five colors and priced $49.95.
Amazon Link: Black
PYLO SERIES (CLEAR)
The Urban Armor Gear Pylo Series is what I’d call the most normal looking of all UAG cases. This is a completely clear case made to show off your Galaxy S21 Ultra. The Plyo is a little bit different from other clear cases too and it’s mainly in the rear of the case that differentiates it. While most cases wrap around the back, the Plyo does this and has a small lip that raises the rear of the case. This helps protect the camera bump as well as the phone. This also adds a nice little ridge for your fingers to grab onto.
Other protective features include raised edges on the front to protect the display and protective button covers. The UAG Plyo also features Air-Soft corners for extra shock-absorbing corner protection. The material used also feels very grippy which makes it very pleasant to hold.
Is the UAG Pylo a good stealth case for the Galaxy S21 Ultra? That depends on how you look at it. For the most part, I like that the case itself doesn’t mess with the overall look and feel of the phone too much, which means that your Galaxy S21 Ultra still looks like a Galaxy S21 Ultra. Not only that, with the Phantom Black color, you can still see it through the case, although it’s now got a bit of reflective shine to it because of the case. You might not like that you’ll no longer have that all matte-black look, despite the clear case not covering up any of the actual black color. It’s entirely up to your personal preference here.
The UAG Pylo is available now for $39.95.
Amazon Link: Clear
FINAL THOUGHTS
So as you can see, Urban Armor Gear has many choices for those with the Phantom Black Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. A majority of their cases do come in black or some variation of black that will match up nicely to the Phantom Black. While it does change the appearance of the phone as a whole, it does keep the overall color scheme, especially if you want to keep that stealthy look intact. Cases like the Monarch and Pathfinder match up better while the Pylo and Civilian match, but not quite as much as I’d want. They are still great cases though but just aren’t as stealthy as I’d like.
With that said, if you want to keep your Galaxy S21 Ultra stealthy, Urban Armor Gear has you covered.
