I've tried 8 thin cases and I've settled on 1 (or 2), here's a mini-review

tl;dr - I went this this snap on case, but the runner up for those that want a more wrapped feel is this one. Details below.

So, I normally HATE cases in general because I like to show off the phone design, and I am generally not clumsy. I went naked on the Note 8 for a long time but the fingerprints/grease on the back glass finally got the better of me so I decided to put a skin on the back (which i really liked), but I found myself wanting more grip on the actual sides of the phone, where I went to pick it up mainly. This started a shopping spree of relatively cheap cases and I have finally found my daily driver, so I thought I would share with you my results, in case there were any others out there wanting a very minimal case that has some grip.

1. Galaxy Note 8 MNML Thin Case (Matte Black) $15 - This case fit REALLY great, probably the snuggest of all the cases and had the most precise cutouts, BUT it has absolutely no grip at all, which was a dealbreaker for me. I've read that the MNML, Bare & Peel cases are all made by the same manufacturer so I didn't bother getting the other 2, because they looked and sounded just as slippery as this one.

2. elago Galaxy Note 8 Case [Origin][Black] $10 - This case was basically exactly like the MNML case. Nice fit and good quality, it was just super slippery as well with no grip at all.

3. Cafele Ultra Thin Slim Cover TPU Case For Samsung Note 8 (Black) $7 - This was just a cheap silicone case I decided to try out. There are tons of these to choose from, I just picked one that shipped from the US. It actually turned out to be a very nice case. It fit great and had really good grip on the sides. The thing that annoyed me about this case was how the case covers the phone buttons. It may have been just me, but almost everytime I went to grab this phone, I would press the first protruding Bixby button. I think I was just used to them being recessed, but it annoyed me enough to rule out this case for myself. But if you don't think it would bother you, and you are a fan of these flexible TPU cases, this is a good one.

4. Anccer Samsung Galaxy Note8 Case [Colorful Series] (Gravel Black) $12 - This case came in really great packaging, and it's obviously a very high quality case, but I almost immediately hated it. While it does have a good amount of grip, that comes with a price. This case is SUPER abrasive feeling. It's got a really heavy texture, reminds of textured spray paint you can buy at stores. It felt like the phone was wrapped in sandpaper, especially on the bottom against my pinky finger, where I usually rest the phone. That being said, it seems like a rock-solid case and it feels like it would take tons of abuse, but I just couldn't get over the texture. Not to mention, there were way too may white specks in the pattern. I know they helped give it more grip but it just made the case look dusty from a few feet away.

5. Bear Motion Premium Back Cover for Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Smartphone (Black) $8 - This case came highly recommended by other redditors in a previous post I made, and I can see why. It has a REALLY nice velvet-y grip to it, and although it too has a slight texture to it from some white specks, it is nothing like the Anccer case above. It feels great in the hand, and looks nice too. But there were a few things that really bugged me. 1, The branding on the back is pretty small but I still hate it. 2, It really is a "clip on" case, it just wraps around the sides, not really a top or bottom. It's a different design than all the other cases, and while I liked the fact that all the ports etc.. were wide open, the bottom of the case really bugged me. Again, i rest the phone mainly on my pinky finger, and the case just dug into it because it doesnt wrap around the bottom of the phone. And 3, While the case is very soft and grippy, It also lends itself to pick up TONS of scuffs. The go away if you rub them out, but if you just look at this case the wrong way, it will get slightly scuffed. Again, i think it's the nature of the material, and it does buff out. But it drove me nuts. Its a shame because this is really nice feeling and grippy case.

6. Maxboost mSnap Galaxy Note 8 Case [Perfect Fit] [Midnight Black] $8 - OK so this is a really nice case as well and I though it was going to be the one. It has a great, soft feel, and it is super strong at the same time. I had the hardest time with this case in getting it off and on again. But there were 3 things that I ended up hating about this case. 1, there are slits in each of the corners. I'm sure they are functional and have to be there since this case is so rigid, but they destroyed the design aesthetic of the phone for me and broke the illusion of a thin case too much. 2, these slits got caught on threads, material, etc a few times when pulling the phone out of my pocket. And also the top lip of this case above the glass is a dust magnet. Every time I pulled it out of my pocket I had to clean it off. And 3, I had a hard time pressing the buttons with this case. It's probably the thickest case out of all of these and the buttons are a lot more recessed. I never got used to it. But if you don't mind the slits and want a soft strong case, this might be the one for you.

7. Spigen Air Skin Galaxy Note 8 Case (Black) $12 - This is my Runner-Up case and it's really close to being a tie for first honestly. This case is basically the same Ultra-Thin design as the MNML & Peel cases. It fits great and you wouldn't even know there was a case on the phone at first glance. The difference between this case and the ones I mentioned is that this case actually has some grip, as opposed to none at all. Now, it's not a TON of grip, but there is a lot more grip on this one than on the MNML or the elago cases. I wish it came in a pure black color instead of the black smoke, but I have a black phone so you really couldn't tell. If you are looking for strictly an Ultra-Thin case, I would get this one.

And that brings me to my winner, the ORNARTO [Basic Series]Thin Fit Shell Midnight Black $12 - I really wasn't expecting much from this case at all because of it's goofy name and generic sample pictures, but boy was I wrong. I was expecting a cold slippery case based on the pics, but this phone is by far the nicest, warmest, most buttery-smooth one of the bunch. It doesn't get scuffs on it like the Bear Motion case. It fits the phone great and all the cutouts are very good. It feels amazing in the hand, all the edges are smooth and it really feels like a part of the phone. Its really thin and the case sits off the phone about the same height at the buttons do, so it's really natural looking and feeling. And again, it is super super grippy. I haven't found one thing about it I don't like yet, so it's staying on for now. Also, it comes in 5 different colors, which is nice.

In conclusion, all these cases are pretty cheap so it's not like you'll be out a ton of cash if you get one and find something about it you dont like. If you aren't super picky like me, any one of these would probably be fine for you. They were all really good quality, and wireless charging worked on all of them. Sorry for all the words but I hope this helps someone out there find the perfect case.

Some other cases that were on my wishlist that may interest you too: Spigen Thin Fit, Nillkin Slim Fit, Samsung Protective Cover, Arkour Matte Black, Incipio Carnaby (Not thin but looks way cool). And also, the Samsung Alcantara cover was highly recommended as well, and it looks amazing, but there's no way in hell I am paying $50 for a case lol.

Thanks for reading