Spigen Thin Fit P for Galaxy Z Fold review

Neither the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 or Z Fold 5 comes with a built-in S Pen yet, so fans of Samsung's advanced stylus still need to buy a special case with a slot for it. Of all the S Pen cases I've tested for either phone, the Spigen Thin Fit P is the best alternative to Samsung's own S Pen case for either phone.

Aside from the pen size/shape, the Spigen Thin Fit P case is identical between the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Fold 4. It's super grippy, adds an important layer of cushioning between your phone and whatever surface it might accidentally be dropped on, isn't super bulky, and also features a unique side-mounted S Pen slot for added convenience.

At $70, the case is a little expensive — especially since it doesn't come with an S Pen in the box — but it's also not so outrageously priced that it's unaffordable for someone who wants to spend some money to protect their $1,800 investment. Here's why I love the Spigen Thin Fit P case.

Think different

Most of the best S Pen cases for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 (and Fold 5) either put the S Pen on the back or in the hinge. That's fine if you're OK with extra bulk, but Spigen found a way to reduce the bulk and put the pen in an even more accessible spot: the outside edge.

This sounds obvious but it also comes with one downside: the case feels off-center, particularly when the phone is unfolded. This problem is also shared on any case that puts the pen in the hinge, though, so it's not a problem unique to this design.

The only case that actually solves this problem entirely is the official Samsung Slim S Pen case and that case is only available for the Z Fold 5.

But while this off-center feeling is awkward for the first few hours of usage, I found myself not even noticing it after a day or so. In fact, I found that I actually preferred having this extension on the left side of the phone when it's unfolded because it provides a solid place to hold the phone with one hand.

That's great for both reading and note-taking, and you can feel confident in its ability to hold on to the phone since this side of the case actually sticks to the phone with adhesive strips pre-installed.

And, thankfully, the extra lip on the outer edge doesn't block the side buttons or the fingerprint sensor, which is something I can't say about some of the bulkier cases available for these phones. People with larger fingers might have more difficulty accurately tapping the fingerprint sensor, though, so keep that in mind.

Funny enough, I actually find that I prefer to use a case like this over using the Z Fold 4 or Fold 5 naked simply because it adds a better place to hold the bulky device. Whether that's a big hinge as the Caseborne Fold 4 case has or this side-mounted design is down to personal preference, but I tend to choose less bulky cases over extra protective ones.

Spigen's design changes slightly for either Fold 4 or Fold 5 based on the S Pen models available. The company assumes that Fold 5 users will prefer the Slim S Pen, so the case is built with that in mind. Fold 4 users will have to use the larger S Pen Fold Edition.

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Either way, the S Pen snaps securely in the side holster and stays there. I feel I need to point that out because some of Samsung's Slim S Pen cases for the Fold 5 are defective, and folks have been finding S Pens are falling out because of it.

I've used this case on and off for well over a year now and have never once felt there's a potential for the pen to fall out.

Adding to the excellent overall design is the size and material used for the case. Spigen uses a really nice, grippy rubber material for the entire case, yet it's not grippy enough to pull my pocket lining out every time I grab the phone. I've used several cases that do this, and I end up not using them after a day or so every time because of it.

It's also just protective enough that the lip around the displays will protect them in the event of a fall but aren't so thick that they interfere with navigation. This is one of those things I test for right away, and I immediately dismiss any case that makes it difficult to use gestural navigation.

Just keep in mind that while this case does a great job of protecting most of the phone, there's no hinge protection at all. If you need that, you'll want to get the Spigen Slim Armor Pro Pen Edition instead. That case's design is identical to this one except for the added hinge protection.