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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 Pre-Order Extends To 9/15! [SPECIAL OFFER BELOW]
The Ellipal Titan Pre-Order has been officially extended until September 15th, 2019! This can be considered bad news by some, but for people that are still wanting to get a great deal on the wallet, it’s a fantastic opportunity. This device has a lot of upgraded features from the previous generation wallet (Elllipal 2.0) and has been built like a tank. This completely air-gapped crypto hardware wallet is very exciting and I look forward to having a detailed review on it as soon as I receive one.
I received a notification that my pre-order which was originally scheduled to be sent out by August 15th, has had a small delay, so I thought this would be a good opportunity for people to get a great deal on this device as the demand is heating up. And if you don’t pick one up until after the September launch date, you may be waiting a long while as there appears to be some significant demand, and therefore, some extra delays.
I recently wrote an in-depth first look of this device and you can find it HERE. As you can see in the image below, you can now get the Ellipal Titan Pre-Order for only $149 ($20 off) AND you’ll get a FREE metal mnemonics plate for an indestructible recovery seed solution. This device is very similar to that of CryptoSteel and CryptoTag, which can cost anywhere from $89-$215 just for the metal recovery seed device, let alone the hardware wallet itself, so it really is an AMAZING value.
Ellipal Titan Pre-Order – Overview
I go into detail with this device over on this article, but I wanted to go over the primary benefits to this upcoming device that you will be hard-pressed to find with any other crypto hardware wallet currently available.
- This device has ZERO connections to the internet. This means no, WIFI, BLUETOOTH, CELLULAR, NFC or USB. This means that itis not subject to any network or remote attacks or any kind.
- This device is built like a tank. Seriously, this is the world’s first metal, fully sealed (ZERO PORTS) air-gapped security device. Most devices have at least a port for USB for charging, but this device cleverly uses a connector for charging the device that is magnetic, so it is literally air tight.
- The device is set to self destruct if it attempts to be tampered with. What does that mean? The device internals will self-destruct if you attempt to open it to extract any private keys or any other sensitive data.
- The Ellipal Titan is specifically designed to prevent evil maid attacks and supply chain attacks, which have been prevalent in other types of wallets.
Additionally, this device has received an upgraded user experience from the previous generation Ellipal 2.0 cold wallet. Some new features include: New dark mode, finance function and exchanges have been updated and is now connected to the Binance DEX (Decentralized Exchange), and easier backup and recovery.
Existing Users get 50% Off – See Below
During this pre-order period up to September 15th, 2019, you can purchase the Ellipal Titan Pre-Order for 50% off if you currently have a the Ellipal 2.0 device. This is a special incentive for people that have already purchased the original Ellipal 2.0 device at any period of time. This is an excellent deal if you’re looking for a massive upgrade or if you just want to add a secondary wallet to your arsenal.
Conclusion
All in all, this is one of the hardware wallets I’m very excited for in 2019. This is very similar to the Cobo Vault wallet, (which I will leave a review for HERE), but this is a much cheaper option for a lot of the same functionality, security, and durability. I would say this is the closest device to that one in terms of comparison. These are very robust devices and are built for the above average crypto user. This is also for someone that takes their security VERY seriously and wants to “HODL” long term in the safest way possible.
I will say, that if you plan on using these devices on a regular basis (i.e. trading, daily transactions, etc…), this probably isn’t the best wallet for you. Why? This has many steps to authorize and sign transactions, which is great from a security standpoint, but is really not ideal for the heavy daily user. For me? I use the KeepKey device as my daily user wallet, as they just launched a very user friendly new platform that makes it super easy to trade and manage your portfolio.
With KeepKey, you don’t even have to KYC in order to use the hardware wallet and make transactions, but if you want to trade and still keep your private keys in your possession, I would highly recommend it as your “daily use” crypto hardware wallet, as that’s what I currently use on a day-to-day basis.
What do you think? Are you excited for the Ellipal Titan cryptocurrency hardware 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.
