The Pixel 10 Pro is the best Google phone ever, at least until you consider the Pixel 10 Pro XL, but it also faces a key challenge: it’s heavier than last year’s Pixel 9 Pro. This makes it more challenging to hold in the hand, especially as, at 207 grams, it’s just eight grams lighter than the best folding phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 7.
This additional weight is thanks to the larger battery, as well as the built-in magnets used for the Qi 2-based magnetic wireless charging feature, which Google calls Pixelsnap. The Pixel 10 series is the first Android phone to support the Qi 2 standard, which brings MagSafe-like magnetic charging to Android phones for the first time.
This change also makes buying a Pixel 10 Pro case challenging, as some aren’t as effective for magnetic charging as others. One of the most reliable cases I’ve found is Google’s official silicon case, but it has one key problem: it’s far too thick for daily use. Instead, this thin case is now my new favorite for the Pixel 10 Pro. Here’s why.
Google’s official Pixel 10 silicon case has a key problem
I’ve used the official Pixel 10 case since the day the Pixel 10 series was announced, and while it’s a wonderful case, I’ve found that it has a key problem I can’t overcome: the lack of grip. I find the silicon texture to be quite slippery, and while this is a challenge for all silicon-based cases, Google’s official case is among my least favorite.
Samsung’s official Galaxy Z Fold 7 silicon case demonstrates that silicon doesn’t have to be slippery. While the Pixel 10 Pro’s silicon case has improved compared to last year, it still retains the same hallmark traits and challenges as its predecessor.
Significantly adding to the challenge is that it substantially increases the thickness of the Pixel 10 Pro. Without a case, the Pixel 10 Pro measures 8.5mm thick at its thinnest point, but the silicon case increases this substantially to approximately 10.2mm. This extra thickness increases not only the size but also the weight, making the Pixel 10 Pro particularly unwieldy.
The best Pixel 10 Pro case was also the best Pixel 9 Pro case
Thankfully, there’s a solution, and it’s an ultra-thin case that works perfectly with Pixelsnap charging and adds little in the way of added heft. In hindsight, it should come as no surprise that this was also the best Pixel 9 Pro case, except that case also included magnets for MagSafe compatibility.
Thinborne is a Texas-based case maker known for one thing: making premium, high-quality, and ultra-thin aramid fiber cases. They’re the thinnest and the lightest, and Thinborne consistently makes the best thin case for many of the best phones. They have the same thin case available for all four of Google’s new Pixel 10 phones, including the base Pixel 10, the Pixel 10 Pro XL, and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
While Google’s silicon case adds 1.7mm to the thickness of the Pixel 10 Pro, the Thinborne case adds just 1mm and weighs just 20 grams. This is the lightest case I’ve found for the Pixel 10 Pro, and considering the weight of Google’s new flagship, every gram and millimeter counts during daily usage.
The Thinborne Pixel 10 case is more than just a thin case, as the 600D Aramid Fiber provides considerable additional grip. The company claims that the aerospace-grade Aramid Fiber is five times stronger and thinner than steel. Although I haven’t verified these claims, the company’s cases have proven durable in past phones that have experienced inadvertent drops.
Google could learn from Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 case lineup
Amongst the best phones, the company that consistently makes the best accessories for their phones is Samsung. Over the past five years, Samsung has enhanced its accessory capabilities, now delivering a range of useful first-party accessories designed to elevate the capabilities of its phones.
Consider the Galaxy Z Fold 7, the company’s new ultra-thin folding phone. At launch, a handful of first-party cases were available for purchase. Samsung has understood from Apple’s third-party ecosystem that cases and accessories at launch are key and a great way to increase the average order value. The range of official cases includes an aramid fiber case, a clear grip case, one with a kickstand, and even one that adds magnets to enable Qi2-magnetic charging.
Google doesn’t have as expansive an accessory lineup, but there are several third-party cases listed on its store. The availability of first-party and third-party cases and accessories has significantly improved, but the overall lineup still lacks additional variety.
Thankfully, the built-in magnets mean that Google doesn’t need to build or commission a range of magnetic charging solutions; instead, there’s a new Pixel Stand, a Pixelsnap charger, and a Pixelsnap ring stand, but the Pixel 10 series is also compatible with the millions of MagSafe accessories for the iPhone, including the upcoming iPhone 17 series.
