Perceived Thickness in iPhone Cases

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Okay, folks, you’re in for a weird one. I spent too much time thinking about things. Accessories for your iPad, your iPhone, maybe just, phones or watches, or keyboards. Those are things. I am weirdly good at reviewing those things then. You use a bunch of products and you spend time thinking about every aspect of it and, at the end of the day, you can write a review… if you’re a weirdo who’s into that sort of thing.

Anyway, I got to thinking about one of the aspects of phone cases: thickness and perceived thickness. You see, I could tell that some of my cases had thinner sides, but they didn’t feel thinner than my other cases. I realized that you couldn’t just grab width of a case to get an idea of thickness, you’d need depth as well. But you can’t just add that, you’d have to find some other way to quantify it.

So, with enough cases, and a ton of test subjects, I could come up with a mathematical formula for quantifying perceived phone thickness. Instead, I just sat down with my cases, ran some numbers, and asked myself if they matched up with what I thought about the feel of the phone. Someone with smaller hands might disagree. Or someone with a larger iPhone. Or just me on a different day. I do frequently disagree with decisions the past version of me made, after all.

Anyway, here you go:

Perceived Thickness = (Case Width – iPhone Width) + ((Case Depth – iPhone Depth) * 1.2)

That’s what I ended up with. The phone depth you feel on both sides of the device, but there’s usually a lip over the phone. This felt more right than just multiplying it by 2. It was a bit trial and error, and I may tweak it.

So, how does this work out for the cases I’ve already reviewed? Let’s take a look.

Perceived Thickness (PT) Rankings

Of my thinnest cases, and the ones I’d actually recommend, here are the rankings using this completely made-up formula.

1. Flaunt Square Case PT: 7.044
2. Apple Leather PT: 7.606
3. Nomad Sport PT: 7.778
4. Moment Clear Case PT: 8.04 (not including grips I had to add to keep it from slipping)
5. Andar Leather PT: 8.106
6. Spigen Ultra Hybrid Mag PT: 8.252
7. MagBak Case PT: 8.23
8. Caudabe Sheath PT: 8.728
9. Nomad Leather: 8.82
10. Carved case PT: 9.488
11. Zagg Denali PR: 11.03
12. Rhinoshield Crashguard NX PT: 11.14
13. Casetify Ultra Impact Compostable PT: 10.704 PT Including Bumpers: 13.624 (Weighted average: 11.677)

On Large Corners

In the cases where the corners are significantly thicker than the rest of the case, I’d propose collecting the perceived thickness of both the sides and the corners, then doing a weighted average, with the sides counting for twice as much as the corners. For example, if a case has a PT of 10 on the sides and 13 on the corners, you’d take 10 + 10 + 13 / 3 to get an estimated PT of 11. The sides definitely matter more than the corners, but thicker corners can’t be ignored.

What PT Means

I’m hoping this measurement can help give an idea of how thick a case feels. Perhaps it can be used in conjunction with the specs to give a reader an idea of whether or not the case will feel like it’s barely there, or feel a lot thicker than it actually is. The MagBak and Caudabe Sheath are good examples of this. They’re slim on the sides, but thick on the back, making them feel a lot thicker than their measurements would suggest.

Also, here are some specs on these values to get an idea of where the case you’re looking at might fit:

• Lowest: 7.044
• Highest: 11.677
• Median: 8.23
• Average: 8.8876

What About Weight?

Listen, this was tricky enough with all the sizing differences. This one has thicker corners, this one has more of a lip. It’s already a challenge. But, yes, weight will play a difference in your perception of a case’s manageability. You may need to consider it separately.

My Recommendation for “Best Thin iPhone Case”

The Flaunt case has super slim sides, which allows it to come in first out of the real cases here. But I can’t recommend it. The material they use is just too flimsy to be protective and far too thin. After it on this list is Apple’s leather case. This is a decent case, but it’s tied for “top pick” status with the number three: the Nomad Sport case. While it doesn’t have the same luxurious look and feel as Apple’s Leather, the Nomad Sport Case is a standout case with a slim feel. It honestly might be the best on the list. First, it’ll be more durable than Apple’s leather, with stronger materials that’ll keep it from breaking down. Second, it’s not made with leather, so the vegans can be happy about it. Third, the dense TPE is likely more protective than the leather, without adding more bulk. Finally, the texture on the sides add a lot of grip. I love the feel of the Apple Leather case, but for most people, I think the Nomad Sport will be the best option for a thin case that’s still protective and great for everyday use.

I’ll include this value in the specs. Maybe it’ll help add context to the values? Maybe it was a waste of time that made me realize I’ve purchased far too many iPhone cases.

Definitely a little of both.