The official Google Nexus 6P case is available at: google store as we speak and multiple buyers have probably bought or are planning to buy one. At $35 an expensive case, many wonder if it’s worth it. The case is well designed, providing access to every port, button and fingerprint scanner, but it may not be what buyers are looking for. This is our Nexus 6P case review.
Along with the launch of the all-new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P came a surprisingly good amount of accessories at launch. Google usually doesn’t have cases on the day phones launch, but this year they do. We’ve been able to spend over a week with the new Nexus 6P and Google’s official Nexus 6P case for the phone, and it’s average at best.
Google’s Nexus 6P offering is a typical rubber case, perfectly designed with access to all buttons, ports, microphones, laser autofocus and even a fingerprint scanner, but it’s not perfect. It also has a wonderfully printed and textured microfiber fabric on the back, which is our favorite aspect of the case. It’s well-designed, but read on to find out why we recommend buyers look elsewhere for their Nexus 6P case needs.
At Moyens I/O we test many cases and usually recommend some of the best options for each announced phone. There are also countless excellent case makers. Such as UAG, Spigen, Diztronic, Speck, Incipio and others. And while not everyone will offer cases for Google’s Nexus phones, there are plenty of floats on eBay or Amazon.
Google sent us its own official Nexus 6P case. Not the Folio case or the Speck CandyShell or Adopted case, but Google’s own case simply called the “Nexus 6P case”. It’s a nice case that comes in quartz white or carbon black (or gray) but it doesn’t fit as well as I expected.
With a case, buyers want great protection, not too much bulk, make a phone easy to hold and use, and precision cut buttons for the hopefully perfect scenario. All but one go for Google’s Nexus 6P case.
It looks pretty good as you can see above. And while I’m not a fan of the printed design on the microfiber fabric on the back, I love the fabric idea. It makes it extremely soft, comfortable, easy to grip and also looks good. It’s actually one of my favorite cases I’ve ever used, for any phone, but it would fit just right.
The microphones all have cutouts, the camera is not covered, the hole is big enough for charging and the corners are extra thick for added protection against drops. This is a good situation. It also has a raised lip around the screen so it won’t get damaged when lying face down, and there’s a nice slanted lip for the fingerprint scanner on the back. It makes finding the phone, tapping a finger and unlocking the phone extremely easy. It works great in every way, but one. Keys.
User mileage may vary, but the design isn’t exactly perfect on the one I got. Mine is a little too big and sometimes the top of the Nexus 6P comes off exposing the aluminum frame and I have to snap it into place several times a day. Then the most important part in any situation is how well the buttons are placed so you can press the power or volume keys as easily as without a case. That wasn’t the case with Google’s Nexus 6P chassis. Maybe the rubber is too hard, maybe they are too close together, but when I press the power button, it usually turns up the volume at the same time. He shuffles the phone. It’s almost impossible to take a screenshot (power and volume down) as the phone records the volume and doesn’t take a screenshot. Instead it turns up the volume. Or it goes up and down and doesn’t log anything. I had to remove the case to take a screenshot. For a $35 case, this is unacceptable.
That’s a minor issue aside, this is one of the best cases I’ve ever used. It’s not too soft or cheap like the $3 crates on eBay, but it’s not too hard either. The phone is easy to put on, relatively easy to take off, looks nice and feels great in your hand. The microfiber textured fabric on the back is really cool. I love how it feels and I might miss the weird printed design. It’s the fit that makes it a deal breaker for me.
Maybe I bought a bad batch, but for $35 I can buy 2-3 cheaper options on Amazon than the competition, they will probably fit better and the buttons will work perfectly. Actually, I did. I bought a cheap $8 TPU case and it’s thinner, offering almost the same amount of protection, and the buttons are super easy to touch. Perfect.
Google’s Nexus 6P case is a good option and may be better suited for others. One thing I can say though, it looks great and the most important aspect was probably the fingerprint scanner. Accessing it in this case is a breeze, the power button that doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
Case studies are usually pretty concise and dry, but that wasn’t true here. I have mixed feelings as it’s one of my favorite cases I’ve ever used, but not being able to take a screenshot or fully press the power button is a big deal. Again, maybe others will have a better experience and a few reviews The web says this is pretty good, but not everyone will want to take a $35 gamble when there are other options for under $10 elsewhere.
It adds additional comfort at the end, looks good, fits pretty perfectly in all but one space and is one of the best soft covers around. Unless some fit better than others, we recommend buyers look elsewhere for the Nexus 6P or try one of the other three cases in the Google Store. For those still considering the phone, take a look at the hands-on and unboxing coverage and video.
