While my preferred way to use an iPhone is with no case or screen protector, I’m actually enjoying both on iPhone 17 Pro and can recommend them. They’re inexpensive enough to try without committing for a year or more.

Five years ago, Apple introduced Ceramic Shield glass to the iPhone screen. It touted four times better drop performance with the promise of fewer shattered iPhone screens.

I haven’t shattered an iPhone screen yet, but I consistently pick up two or three deep scratches after a year of use.

This year’s Ceramic Shield 2 front cover promises three times better scratch resistance.

Apple also says the front panel now has improved anti-glare to reduce reflections, but the difference is nowhere near what nano texture provides on iPad Pro and MacBook Pro.

Make your iPhone 17 Pro display more matte

For those reasons, I’m using a product that I tried and liked a few years ago. It’s the Mothca matte glass screen protector.

The product isn’t perfect. I’d much prefer a nano texture iPhone without the slight rainbow effect and drop in brightness.

Still, I recommend trying these if you’re curious how a matte display looks on iPhone, especially at $9 or $14 for a single or double pack. The product feels more premium than its price would suggest.

A minimal case for just-in-case situations

Then there’s the matter of the iPhone case. I don’t want to spend a lot of money on one since I don’t plan to use it daily.

I usually throw a case on before an activity like kayaking or mounting the iPhone to motorcycle handlebars. I’m also concerned about chipping the orange aluminum finish from the sharp angles on the camera bump.

I like black but find the pairing with cosmic orange to be a bit too Halloween-themed for year-round usage. Instead, I decided something more gray could pair nicely with orange and create a sort of futuristic space suit look.

I’m pretty happy with the case I stumbled upon in a retail store a few days ago.

It’s a Spigen case called Thin Fit that comes in black, gunmetal, or abyss green. I’m using the gray version, and it fits the look I was imagining.

It’s priced at $39.99 from Spigen, but Amazon lists the same case for $34.99.

I noticed that a lot of cheaper cases don’t include MagSafe, which can limit the effectiveness of battery packs and magnetic mounts.

The Spigen Thin Fit includes both MagSafe and a capacitive Camera Control cover instead of just a cutout.

I like that this case covers the full camera “mountain range” since that’s an area that concerns me with durability.

It also creates a cool “orange circles” look that looks a lot like the Digital Crown on the space black Apple Watch Ultra.

Cosmic orange is also visible around the button covers, not just the bottom port, creating the orange-accented gray look I wanted.

Another benefit is that it does not show the orange aluminum border around the display. The border is fine when it’s just part of the phone without a case, but I can see it being distracting when just a thin orange border is showing between a dark case and dark screen.

Two low-priced iPhone 17 Pro accessory recommendations

The Mothca screen protector will save you from deep scratches, and the matte texture is awesome if you like anti-glare screens. The Spigen Thin Fit case has a metallic look and a smooth feel that doesn’t add too much bulk.