Review: Google’s Pixel 8 & Pixel Fold cases turn grip into a bad thing – bring back fabric

Smartphones cases are often a necessary evil. They make your phone a little bulkier, and hide the design, but in exchange they can protect your device from damage in the very likely scenario of a drop. With Google’s updated official cases for the Pixel 8 series and the Pixel Fold, though, Google is turning something good into something back, and just making me long for the days of old.

Google’s official Pixel 8 and Pixel Fold cases share the same dealbreaker

When it comes to fit and finish and overall design, I think Google has really nailed it with the current generation of Pixel cases. For the Pixel 8 series, you can get a matching color or the stunning “Coral” pictured in this article.

The cases really fit like a glove, and that’s especially important on the Pixel Fold. Foldable cases are really hard, but Google helped to prove that they’ve gotten good by offering a case that didn’t need adhesives to stay on. The fit helps the Pixel 8 series to a lesser extent, with the buttons fitting perfectly and the cutouts being consistently great with USB-C plugs.

I also like that Google’s cases strike a good balance on the thickness/bulky factor. They provide protection while not being overly big, but they’re also not so paper-thin that it’s pointless to use it in the first place. That’s a balance that many third-party brands fail to find.

But, Google’s cases for the Pixel 8 series and the Pixel Fold all fail in the same area.

They’re just way too grippy.

These cases all share a rubbery back which, out of the box, feels rather nice in the hand. It’s very grippy while you’re holding it, and the same applies if it’s sitting on a table. For the first couple of days, the case is just an absolute pleasure.

But something I noticed over a few weeks with the Pixel Fold earlier this year was that, as the Summer humidity went up, the case started to feel sticky and tacky, even legitimately gross on some days. It’s a problem that left the “Bay” case that I otherwise loved from actually being used on my Fold.

I was hoping the problem would be a one-off, but a few days with the Pixel 8 Pro’s case shows me that it absolutely isn’t. The rubbery back took just four days to start getting especially sticky. On a day where I was walking over 20,000 steps in jeans, I legitimately couldn’t even slide the phone into my pocket if the case was still on, which just left me opting to ditch it entirely.

The grippy texture is also exceptionally good at collecting dust and lint, which is another reason I just couldn’t stand using it.

But hey, you know what’s grippy, but not in a bad way?

Fabric cases.

Google nailed the solution to its Pixel case problem back in 2017 with the Pixel 2’s fabric case, and continued that solution all the way down to 2020’s Pixel 5. Then, for no good reason, Google abandoned the idea in exchange for the genuinely terrible plastic cases that debuted on Pixel 5a and Pixel 6. Google fixed the problem for the most part in 2022 with the Pixel 7 series, which had a harder plastic finish that didn’t stain easily, was easy to hold, and slipped in and out of your pocket comfortably.

With Pixel 8 series and the Pixel Fold, Google aimed for something more grippy, which is a totally valid and noble goal. But the rubbery matte finish is just a massive overcorrection.

This is no longer just a dream or a request – it’s a formal demand.

Google.

Bring back the fabric cases.

I cannot recommend Google’s official cases this year. The Pixel Fold’s case is compelling because of its absolutely stellar fit, but you can do so much better on a Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro, especially for the $35 or more that Google’s cases cost ($60 for the Fold).

Here are some Pixel 8 cases you should actually buy

• Peak Design
• Pela
• dbrand
• Spigen
• Caseology
• Mous
• Casetify

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