When you’re buying a new Android phone, it’s not enough just to throw the device in your online shopping cart. Accessories like cases and screen protectors feel like essential add-ons, things you want ready for when your Pixel 8 Pro arrives on your doorstep. Hell, most carriers and retailers even present you with a list of prospective cases before giving you a chance to enter your credit card number. But for some smartphone users, cases aren’t just a nuisance — they’re altogether unnecessary.
I’ve been thinking a lot about cases since the arrival of the Pixel 8a last month. Although Google offers a (not-very-good) official shell for its latest midrange device, it’s one of the few phones I really think doesn’t need one. Sure, a hard drop probably wouldn’t be good news for its Gorilla Glass 3-covered screen, but the excellent-feeling matte plastic back paired with its aluminum frame means I’m just not worried about everyday scratches and scuffs. Even the larger bezels play a role here, giving my hands something to grip that isn’t an overpriced piece of plastic.
I don’t feel that way about most phones. I keep cases on the more expensive Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro whenever I’m using those phones, and the same goes for similar flagships like the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Whether it’s to improve the overall feel of the device or to keep four-digit smartphones as protected from scuffing as possible, a case just feels essential, especially when today’s oversized flagships are destined to jump out of my hands at the worst times. But the Pixel 8a just feels better in my hands caseless, which is why I jumped back to it this week after finishing my review of Motorola’s latest $400 smartphone.
I have to imagine most of our readers rely on cases — it’s one thing to have multiple options for your daily driver, it’s another thing to have just one very-expensive selection worth protecting — but I’m also curious if people opt for first-party offerings over cheaper third-party alternatives. Outside of Google’s (sadly discontinued) fabric cases, I’ve never been a big fan of official protective shells, and I’m wondering if the discerning Android Police reader feels the same.
So, for this week’s poll, are you using a case on your phone, and if so, is it first-party or third-party? If you aren’t, are you using a skin from companies like Dbrand, or have you thrown all caution to the wind for the sake of honoring your device’s design? If you have a case you feel particularly strong about, throw some recommendations in the comments section — I’m always looking to try out new accessories, and the absolute amount of options both good and bad on Amazon make it difficult to find the right ones.
