Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and S6 edge+ official cases unveiled. So shiny!

As with the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge before, Samsung has unveiled a set of premium official cases for the brand-new Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5. The set that we got to see shows that "clear" cases will be making a return for the S6 edge+. They are mostly transparent, with metallic accents around the edges, and serve to provide protection while leaving the phone's beautiful aesthetics visible. Additionally, the curvy phablet will be getting a glittery case model – coming in a variety of colors, these back covers are bejeweled with a large amount of reflective little stones, surrounded by a metal frame. So, they won't destroy the phone's metallic looks, though, they add quite a bit of shine – maybe not something that would be to everyone's taste.

The Note5 will also get its set of official cases, naturally. These are much more subdued and will appeal to the classicists with their traditional looks. First in line, we have the now obligatory flip wallet-type cases. Nothing very different from the ones we've seen for the Note 4 – the case covers the phone's back and front, and some models have the “S View” window on their flap, which allows a portion of the phablet's screen to be visible and usable without lifting the cover. It begs the question, though – how much thicker would those wallet cases make the Note5? Its predecessors used to have removable back covers, which would come off and let the flip wallets snap right in their place, thus compensating for some of the extra girth. In the case of the Note5, however, a removable back is absent, so either the wallet needs to be thinner, or this is going to be one bulky brick of a combination.

Second in line for the Note5, we have the more classic-type back cover cases. They are made fully out of metal and follow the Note5's curvy back to the T. So, in terms of looks and feel, these cases will still provide that premium ooze, which Sammy's latest and greatest smartphones have been dipped in. Whether users will like the extra bulk on the back of the phablet is still up in the air, though, we do hope that the cases are not too slippery, otherwise, they may cause more problems than they solve.

Last, but not least, is the surprise case of this year – the hardware keyboard case that is coming out for both the Galaxy S6 edge+ and the Galaxy Note5. This little gizmo snaps on to the back of the phone just like a regular cover, but then has a frontal part connect to the lower half of the handset's face. This frontal piece provides a hardware keyboard, which we got to see and try out – here's our hands-on with it.