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ELLIPAL 2.0 Cold Wallet Review (2020) – Most Secure Bitcoin Wallet?
In this review, we are going to dive deep into the Ellipal 2.0 crypto hardware wallet. Is it really as secure as they claim? Is it better than Ledger or any other mainstream competitors? Stay tuned for the whole article to find out!
This device is very unique to say the least! Until recently, this was the first 100% air-gapped device of it’s kind, which is super compelling for security enthusiasts. We all have heard of the numerous exchange hacks over the years and it’s becoming more and more apparent that you need to keep your private keys offline, and on a hardware wallet. So, is this the right one for you? Let’s take a look down below.
One thing I will say before we dive in to the details is, in regards to the the major providers in this space, the one thing that I don’t like about Ellipal is that their device isn’t open source. In my opinion that is a crucial function. Not only for transparency, but also for security. When holding a large amount of funds on the device, it is good to know that an active community is reviewing the code on a continual basis. That is really my only “gripe” with this wallet.
Having said that, it’s very impressive, and my experience with it was very good and the steps involved made me feel very secure about my choice as the security of this device is top notch! Let’s take a look below.
What’s In The Box?
To preface this device, It has zero: Wifi Connections, Bluetooth Connections, 4G connections, or any wired connections to any other device!
This device comes with everything you need to get started with using, minus the iOS and Android app, which you will need to download to begin using. All hardware and components are listed below.
-Ellipal Hardware Wallet
-Charging Cable
-User Manual
-Mnemonics Recovery Seed Card
-Warranty Card
How To Setup The Device
So this is where this device separates itself from the likes of KeepKey, Ledger, or Trezor. The three mainstream heavy hitters in terms of the hardware wallet market. How does a device that claims to have no internet access whatsoever work? The short answer, QR codes. This hardware wallet interfaces with the Ellipal mobile app and allows you to have both a mobile (hot) wallet and a wallet that displays on the hardware device as well.
The Ellipal has a camera on the air-gapped device so that between you smart phone and the hardware wallet, you can scan QR codes to transfer funds and still be kept completely offline. This creates an extra step for management, but for the most paranoid among us, this is actually a comforting process.
It essentially is a 3-step verification process for managing your funds and requires an SD card for managing firmware upgrades. This is a pretty arduous process, even for those that are pretty tech savvy. Again, this could be interpreted as more secure, but also makes managing funds and your device to be a bit cumbersome for the average user.
What Coins Are Supported?
Instead of manually writing this out, I will include a chart with all existing coins that are supported. They are additionally developing apps on certain coins that I will list in writing here:
BCN, NANO, XEM, XTZ, ZEC, LSK, QTUM, ONT, BTS, STEEM, WAVES, XAVES, XVG, SC, NEO, IOTA, ELA. The current coins supported are listed below.
Ellipal 2.0 Vs. Ellipal Titan Vs. Ledger
Ellipal Titan has a self destruct mechanism in place, so that if the screen is tampered with or crushed or broken in an attempt to gain access to it’s internals, it will break a special circuit board that holds all your private keys. This is powerful. Additionally, it’s very sturdy, so not only is it IP65 rated for dust and water resistance, but its made out of a very strong single piece of metal that houses and encompasses the entire device.
The Ellipal Titan is specifically designed against evil maid of supply chain attacks so nothing can be imported or inserted as there are no open access ports on the device.
The Ellipal 2.0 is still a very strong and secure device, but it doesn’t have a durable exterior that is built for abuse, and it also has an SD card slot for updating it’s firmware on the device and also has a charging cable port, so there are 2 entry points. Again, still very secure, but the Ellipal Titan is really a massive upgrade.
In terms of other mainstream competitors, like Ledger, it’s like comparing apples and oranges. This device is much more expensive at $149 and is completely air-gapped. This means there is no USB connection to any online interface and does not have access to any where near as many apps or coins that are supported on Ledger.
The Ellipal is more for the paranoid users that do NOT want to risk having anything interface with online devices. The user experience is much more complicated and not as easy to use as the Ledger, not to mention Ledger is only $59, and is currently the cheapest “mainstream” hardware wallet, but can only support 3-4 coins at once.
Ellipal – Conclusion
This is a really unique and secure hardware wallet. The only other wallet that is remotely close to this one that is currently available at the time of this writing is the Cobo Vault wallet. You can read an in-depth review of that device HERE. That wallet is very durable and is more in line with the upcoming successor to this wallet, the Ellipal Titan, in terms of durability, however that device has less than 10 coins currently supported and has a much heftier price tag at $479. It’s more of a niche device in my opinion.
Having said that, if you are on the fence with this device, the upcoming Ellipal Titan is currently available of pre-order at the same price of $149, and is slated to start shipping around August 15th, 2019. I my personal opinion, I would go with that, as it’s a massive upgrade from this device. However, if you choose this device, you still can’t go wrong. Both devices will have the same coin support and will continue to expand in terms of functionality and coin support, as the firmware is going to be compatible.
If you want to purchase this device, it will be supported for years to come. Click the button below to jump to their site and make the jump to a unique form of crypto security!
What do you think? Is there a more secure hardware wallet for a comparable price you would choose over this? Let us know in the comments below!
Cheers,
The Crypto Renegade
NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.
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Ellipal Titan vs D’CENT (2020) | Which Wireless Hardware Wallet Is More Secure?
Ellipal Titan vs D’CENT! In this comparison, we are going to do a head-to-head of two of the most competitive and popular new cryptocurrency hardware wallets in this edition of the hardware wallet roundups.
I am going to dive into which of these hardware wallets is better and more secure. How big is your portfolio? Do you need mobile AND desktop support? Do you use any 3rd party wallets for integration? Do you need web-based access instead of a required download?
These are all questions you will need to consider when deciding which of these wallets will be best for you. At the end of the day, the coin support is one of the most important factors (besides security) when deciding which hardware wallet is best for you.
Ultimately, if it doesn’t support the coins you want to store offline, it won’t work for your particular situation. So keep that in mind as we dive into what I consider to be the most important factors when making such an important decision, such as choosing a cryptocurrency hardware wallet.
Ellipal Titan: Overview
This is a really unique device and has a very robust form factor that has ratings that rival that of some high-end smartphones. What separates this hardware wallet from the majority of other popular wallets is its communication method. So, what do I mean by that? This device has NO: USB Connection, NFC Connection, WiFi Connection, Bluetooth Connection, or Cellular Connection. So, how do you use it? The short answer is: QR Codes.
Ellipal Titan: Security
This is a 100% air-gapped device, so ultimately it is more secure than any other way to interact with a hardware wallet. Period. The device has a tamper-resistant enclosure that includes a self-destruct mechanism for any potential way to access the internals of the device.
It is built in such a way that if anyone tries to break the screen or drill a hole through the device in an attempt to open its internal layout, the private keys will be erased. This is extremely powerful and will ultimately deter people from trying to hack this completely wireless device.
Ellipal Titan: User Experience (UX)
This hardware wallet has a camera, a 4-inch full color display, and does not display any balances on the device itself. The portfolio management and execution of the device is managed via a companion iOS and Android app that is used to initiate transactions and allows you to utilize the camera from your smartphone to transfer funds securely to the cold wallet, and vice versa.
I have been using this device for several weeks now, and in my personal opinion, it has been super easy to use and also very secure. I like knowing that my device is essentially indestructible and does not require any other 3rd party connection in order for it to function. This not only makes it very convenient, but it also very secure and eliminates room for error when typing or copying pasting wallet addresses that you are trying to transact with.
Ellipal Titan: Coin Support
This is always the section I check the most when reviewing hardware wallets, because although functionality and security are important, none of that matters unless it supports the coins you want to store offline. So here is the current list of supported coins and the one that are currently in development listed in the above picture.
D’CENT: Overview
The D’CENT is a mobile and bluetooth connected wireless hardware wallet device. With additional biometric security and the ease of use, this is a contender for the easiest to use mobile and wireless wallet. So how is it different than Ledger Nano X or other bluetooth devices? The Biometric security is a large differentiator here. It’s super convenient and makes it easy to sign and authenticate transactions on the go.
This means if you want to move your crypto from cold storage to a hot wallet, it can be done quickly and easily. A common scenario here would be if you are trying to pay a friend or you’re shopping and want to pay for a product in store very seamlessly. Let’s take a look at the security, features, and price below to go into a little more detail.
D’CENT: Security
The flagship feature of D’CENT is hands down the biometric security feature of the fingerprint sensor. There are some other hardware wallets that communicate with mobile, and can utilize Face ID or Touch ID for extra authentication with their mobile app, but this gives your authentication on the physical device as well. This is a unique and very secure feature that is not used by any other hardware wallet currently on the market.
The hardware wallet features a built-in fingerprint scanner that manages access to the hardware wallet. This security process improves the convenience for the users and enhances the security during access control. It also provides the wallet with fast transaction signing.
- Multi-IC architecture design
- Bank grade EAL 5+ Secure Element (This is the same security chip used in the Ledger Nano X)
- Secure OS embedded on microprocessor
D’CENT: User Experience (UX)
One of the main features I like here is the option to generate a valid QR code on the large OLED screen of this device as a way to send funds directly from your smartphone to your D’CENT wallet. This is super convenient and truly makes this a wireless and independent device that can be used on the go via the D’CENT app, which also includes a market price section and of course all of your wallets and current fiat amount stored within each one.
What’s also nice is you no longer need to backup and restore this device for firmware upgrades like you do with other devices (although you can, since this device can also support bluetooth and USB connectivity if you choose). This makes this a very convenient choice when considering the ease of use and security when choosing how to secure your private keys.
D’CENT: Coin Support
The coin support is varied. The D’CENT can store and support: Bitcoin, Ethereum, ERC20 tokens, RSK, RRC20 (RSK tokens), Ripple (XRP), and MONACOIN. To many, this may not seem like it is very much, however, a majority of the major tokens are ERC-20 tokens and all can be supported natively on this device, which is good. I have not come across a hardware wallet yet that supports RSK and RRC20 tokens yet natively, so that definitely makes this an exclusive hardware wallet first for the D’CENT wallet!
Ellipal Titan vs D’CENT: Conclusion
Overall, these are two very unique wallets, even though they are both wireless. On the one hand, the D’CENT wallet is cheaper (with my current discount of $106) and has a biometric authentication via fingerprint sensor. This is extremely compelling.
On the other hand, the Ellipal Titan is completely air gapped and is transmitted through scanning QR codes on the device camera and allows for multi-factor authentication. Both are unique in my opinion and have different selling points.
At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself what coins you need to store offline, and if you prefer a large or smaller device. They are both secure in their own unique ways, but I would have to still go in favor of the ELLIPAL TITAN.
You can’t beat the air-gapped security, and the user experience is much better on a larger screen, which also makes it easier to navigate and use on a regular basis. Although, if there was an under screen fingerprint sensor on future hardware wallet, that was also air-gapped and transmitted through QR codes, that would be a home run.
What do you think? Would you choose the BC VAULT over the D’CENT Wallet? Let us know down below in the comments!
Cheers,
The Crypto Renegade
NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.
