I don’t use a case, and my Pixel is still in pristine condition

Phone cases are big business. Everyone I know has at least one, and it’s the first accessory they buy when getting a new phone. And while I get the logic behind wanting to protect your expensive new device from bumps and bruises, I can’t get myself to buy one.

Cases suck. There, I said it. Thin, bulky, white, green, and everything in between, I hate them all. And while I do use a form of protection for my device in certain scenarios — more on that later — I’ve managed to live without a standard phone case while still keeping my Pixel, as well as all the other phones I used in the past, scratch-free. And it’s not even that hard.

I hear people arguing about which color of the latest Galaxy and Pixel phone is the best-looking one, and some even have a hard time deciding which to buy. And once they finally decide and get a device, they slap a cheap $10 plastic case on it that not only hides the color of the phone, but its gorgeous design as well. That never made sense to me.

I’m a visual person and like to see the design of the expensive device I bought. I want to see the color that changes its hue when the light hits it. I also want to feel the premium materials flagship phones are made of. The metal frame that’s cold to the touch in winter months and the glass back with its silky, slippery texture. I want to see and feel the phone in my hand as is, without adding a cheap case in between.

All phone cases look and feel cheap to me. They add bulk to a device, even if they are on the thinner side. That being said, I’d rather just risk a possible accident and go caseless. I’ve been doing it since the first phone I bought, and I don’t plan to change that anytime soon.

However, I do protect my phone in certain situations. Instead of a case, I use a sleeve (like this one), but I only use it when I go places. So when I throw the phone in my pocket, I put it in the sleeve first so that a key or something else that may be in there doesn’t scratch it. And when I need it, I just pop it out of the sleeve and start using it. What’s great about it is that two of my last phones were roughly the same size, so I didn’t even need to buy a new sleeve when moving from a OnePlus to a Pixel.

While at home, the phone is never in the sleeve since it’s too much of a hassle for me to pull it out and put it back in 50 times per day — I know, I’m lazy. It just sits on the table next to me, on the sofa, the bed, the kitchen counter, and wherever else in the house I may be at a time and have my phone with me.

Despite being caseless, I’ve never broken the screen of any phone I’ve used, and I’ve used plenty of them. I’ve never broken the back panel, and I hardly even scratched a phone I had. It’s not that hard — just don’t throw the damn thing on the ground. I know it’s easier said than done, but I generally don’t have a problem with dropping things on the ground. I’m not saying it’s never happened, but if it did, the phone managed to get away with it without a scratch.

I always make sure to put the phone down on a flat surface when not in use, away from possible danger. I also don’t fiddle with it in my hand like a lot of people, which is when most accidents happen. And if I have it in my pocket and it accidentally drops out and hits the ground, the sleeve is there to save the day. What can I say, I really have all my bases covered.

Sure, perhaps you’re clumsier than me and need a case, but for most people who are mindful and don’t fiddle with their devices, a case isn’t as needed as society makes you believe. Yes, accidents happen. But think of it this way: you probably wouldn’t wrap your car in bubble wrap every time you parked it, right? So why smother your phone in a bulky case if you don’t love it? Perhaps it’s not a completely fair comparison, but you get my point here.

However, if you like cases because of the materials used or the colors they offer, that’s a different story. Carry on. There’s nothing wrong with using a case, just don’t slap it on because the sales guy at your local electronics store told you that you can’t live without it. However, there’s nothing wrong with going completely caseless, either. Or with using just a sleeve, which offers the perfect balance of protection and freedom for me personally.