I turned my Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold into a fidget with a new case

People can find creative ways to keep their minds and bodies busy, from meditation to a full schedule, exercise, and gadgets. I use a combination of things depending on what I’m doing and my mood. Still, one method has been consistent in my life: keeping my hands busy.

I don’t need anything purpose-built to help me solve a task. It can be as simple as a coin or marble. I even use my folding phone to ease anxiety when I don’t have anything else on hand. However, I recently bought a new phone case that has reduced the chances of messing up my phone by unnecessarily opening and closing it. I now own an expensive fidget toy that is also a Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Framing it up

Minimally functional

Google’s second attempt at a folding phone has been a big success, turning it into my daily driver. While the phone isn’t perfect, it has a lot going for it, and it can be my fidget toy in a pinch. However, the new metal frame case I bought on Amazon for $40 pushed the fidget toy aspect over the edge.

At its core, the case looks like a knock-off of the Arc Pulse case, which is sleek and impeccably designed. Still, it’s tough to call either of these accessories a case, as they are more of a bumper. I say this because, unlike many of the best phone cases, the Oatsbasf-branded case I bought only protects the phone’s corners and back with its skeleton-like frame.

Unlike the Arc Pulse, which uses friction to stay on the phone, the case I got slides onto the phone, and then I had to attach two pieces with super-tiny screws to finish the installation. The Oatsbasf is made from anodized aluminum and has rubber-like pads on each corner to cushion the device if it falls. It also makes the corners feel better when holding the phone. The frame wraps around the camera module with a slight lip to help protect that part.

Less of a case

More of a toy

Over the past few years, I have become less inclined to put a case on my phone. I have become good at not dropping it or smacking it on things, which lets me enjoy a thinner device and a better in-hand feel. However, I want to help keep my devices in as good shape as possible while not ruining the experience of holding them. That’s why I generally go with a case that keeps the phone as original feeling as I can, like the carbon fiber option from Thinborne. The Oatsbasf offering does a good job of accomplishing that goal.

While the case isn’t exactly a joy to feel, the ancillary benefit of the added features aside from the phone protection outweighs the clunky feel. The minimalist design drew me to buy the Oastbasf, and the MagSafe compatibility and built-in kickstand sealed the deal. In the center of the case on the back is a metal ring that folds out as a kickstand for the phone. While it has a stiff hinge, you can rotate the ring to keep the weight of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold from collapsing.

The folding and unfolding of the ring isn’t the only satisfying part of the fidget toy, I mean case. When you rotate the ring, there is a satisfying click as it spins. If you’ve used any of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Classic models, you’ll understand the draw of this. I love spinning the phone using the ring and listening to the clicking sounds, lifting the ring a little and letting it snap into place, and propping up my phone to watch videos.

Multifunctional devices are my weakness

Especially if one of the functions is a toy

This Oatsbasf case isn’t for everyone. It isn’t the most comfortable thing to hold, and it doesn’t provide your phone with much protection. Still, the added functionality of a kickstand, MagSafe compatibility, and being a fidget toy outweigh those shortcomings. I like trying to find ways to add more ways to utilize things I buy. Sometimes, a specific thing is just a specific thing for a singular purpose. But why not find ways to get more from what you bought, like a $1,800 smartphone? The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a sophisticated device that does a lot, but there are always ways to get more from it. Sometimes, that’s an accessory to make it a toy.