Minimal iPhone 17 Pro cases are in, and these two are among the best

I love a good iPhone case as much as the next person. I’ve tested dozens of iPhone 17 Pro cases out, so I’m constantly switching them and trying new ones. But in recent years, I’ve begun using them less as the months wear on. Especially this year, with the bold orange of the iPhone 17 Pro, I’ve found myself not wanting to cover the color up.

Not everyone will feel the same about their iPhone case protection. For some people, the bigger and bulkier the case, the better. But if you’re searching for a minimal or thin case option, I have two that I’m a big fan of.

The Nomad Magnetic Leather Back is a thin piece of material that uses the MagSafe magnet, along with 3M adhesive, to stay attached and protect only the back of the phone.

The other consideration is the new Moft Frame Case Movas. It hugs the phone from the top and bottom, to cover all parts but the sides.

Nomad Magnetic Leather Back

Nomad has a version of its Magnetic Leather Back for the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. It’s the most extreme version of something that you can call a “case.”

I’m one of the few people who have used this product extensively. I even had the opportunity to test it for 6 months before a previous version was released for the iPhone 15 Pro. Now, nearly two years since the product has been on the market and I still love its barely-there feel.

Obviously, protection is not the point. More so, it provides a leather texture and grip. The backing makes the phone easier to hold. It adds warmth to a cold metal phone.

The Magnetic Leather Back will protect the camera bump with its raised plastic railing. I like that it guards against setting it down in junk on a countertop too. It sticks well and has never accidentally come off.

There are a lot of caveats to it, such as a $50 price tag, but there are just very few products like it. If you want a bare iPhone with added grip, this is the product for you.

Moft Frame Case Movas

I raved about the Moft Snap Case Movas when it came out in September. It’s soft and has great buttons. It’s also reasonably priced compared to other iPhone cases.

The new Moft Frame Case Movas is a more minimal version, essentially. The corners are a plasticy rubber and there aren’t any button covers, but the back is still a soft vegan leather.

The goal here is a balanced minimal case. The back is 2.3mm thick and the whole thing weighs 28 grams. So far, in my hands-on time with it, I’ve found it to be a good mix of protection without a lot of extra bulk.

Of course, one of my favorite parts of the Frame Case is its blended light blue and orange color. It comes in a grey version for less adventurous people. I was surprised that even though my orange iPhone and the orange case colors don’t match perfectly, they also don’t clash. I love Moft’s use of color.

I need more hands-on time with this case to decide whether I’ll switch back to the Nomad Leather Back, but so far, I love what this side-free case offers.