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Ledger Nano X Review (2020) | The “Best” NEXT-GEN Wireless Hardware Wallet?
In this review, we are going to dive deep into the newest hardware wallet from Ledger, the Ledger Nano X! Is it the best bluetooth hardware wallet out there? Is it much of an upgrade from the Ledger Nano S? Is there any other hardware wallet that is close to this one in terms of security and price that I should be considering? We are going to address all of these questions and more in this review, so stay tuned!
Ledger has always been a well-respected company in the crypto community and has been shipping hardware wallet products since early 2015. Their first flagship product, the Ledger Nano S, was a runaway hit and sold over a million units throughout 2017. The problem was though (at the beginning) is that you had to download a chrome app for each wallet and was a real pain to try and manage your assets.
Then, they came up with a desktop app called Ledger Live that unified all the apps in one easy-to manage-dashboard and supported many native apps, which was a much needed upgrade. So they solved the user experience issues they had and continued to innovate. As they started rolling out new coins and blockchains being supported, they had another hurdle they faced and that was the amount of space or apps that were supported on the Ledger Nano S (See full review HERE). You could only hold 3-4 coins at once on the device and users who wanted to expand their portfolios and use a hardware wallet that didn’t integrate with 3rd party wallets, like MyEtherWallet.
This is where the Ledger Nano X comes in, solving this problem and more! This device can support up to 100 apps (coins) simultaneously and solved a major usability complaint that many customers had. Mobility. People wanted to manage their crypto on the go and not be tethered to a computer to safely manage their assets. Out of this, the Ledger Nano X was born. Let’t take a look!
Ledger Nano X Design
The Nano X comes beautifully packaged with the device itself, a USB-C cable, a set of instructions and recovery seed cards. The previous bulky buttons that were on top of the device are now seamlessly integrated on it in a way that’s even a bit hard to notice. All in all a beautiful design. The primary features of this device are the bluetooth connection which allows you to manage this device using your smartphone via the iOS and Android app.
Additionally, you can now hodl, store, or manage up to 100 cryptos simultaneously, all without access to your desktop or laptop computer. This is easily it’s best new features, but aside from the upgraded storage capacity and the wireless connectivity, the device itself is now larger, has an integrated 2-function button, and an overall larger screen for verifying transactions. With a trusted device and a more universal charging cable, this makes it much more compelling to spend the extra money to store more coins and one that you can easily take with you as you travel.
Ledger Security
Ledger is at the forefront of developing the industry’s device security. How? And in what ways?CC EAL5+ Secure Element
A Secure Element is a secure chip that…embeds intrinsic countermeasures against many known attacks. This kind of chip is tamper-resistant and protects your device to a range of different attacks.”This secure chip differentiates the Ledger’s method of key storage from its competitors’ hardware wallets (with the exception of coldcard).Ledger Live Update – App + ERC 20 Support
This was a MASSIVE upgrade from the chrome apps they were utilizing before. This new desktop app is very clean and seamless. They also have a new mobile app designed for use for the next generation product the Ledger Nano X (We will go over that in a future review) for wireless management. However, the desktop app is very clean and easy to navigate. The first thing once you connect and authenticate your device is a dashboard if you had already have an existing device, showing you your balances and charts on a single screen.
You can see your accounts on the left hand side, and you also see the “Ledger Manager” which is where you add and remove apps. When you perform any firmware upgrades, it requires you to delete the apps on your device (don’t worry your coins are safe) and you re-install them after it is done.
When you first plug in and install the app on your desktop, it will ask you if you want to setup a new device or if you have a device that is already setup and then have you authenticate with the PIN. It will then check for any updates or firmware upgrades that are necessary for you to view your account. Once you have access, it’s pretty easy to manage everything overall, and they have even introduced a way to “Buy Crypto” from such partners as “Coinmama” where you can purchase directly with a debit or credit card, and “Coinbase“, which you can do they same and also use your bank account directly via ACH.
There is also a pricing history dashboard built right in, thanks to an integration with “Kraken” and “Bitfinex“. This allows you to see trends and historical data, which may help you decide at-a-glance what you would like to do for managing your next transaction. Once you install an App, you can create multiple accounts and label them if need be, for managing and organizing your portfolio. The only one complaint I have with it, is if you do use a 3rd party wallet, like “MyEtherWallet“, you have to leave the app and manage your funds on a 3rd party site. Overall, all the native apps work beautifully, and they are adding new coins and assets all the time.
Ledger Nano S vs. Ledger Nano X
I’ll keep this section pretty straight to the point. Other than the price, the primary difference is two-fold. One, on the Ledger Nano S only holds about 3-4 apps (coins) at a time. This is ok if the you only plan to hold 3 or 4 total coins on your hardware wallet and you are ok with only working on a desktop computer to manage your crypto. The primary selling feature of using the Ledger Nano X is the wireless support and smart phone support for managing crypto on the go. The second is the fact that it can hold up to 100 apps simultaneously.
It really just boils down to how many coins you want to store securely offline on the device, and if you need to flexibility to use it when you’re on the go and do not have access to the computer. They both use the same ledger live app (mobile for Nano X and desktop for Nano S), although you can still use a cabled connection with the Nano X if need be. It also has a fairly large battery life.
Ledger Nano X Review Conclusion – Bottom Line
Overall, the Ledger Nano X is surely a nice upgrade from the Ledger Nano S that has been a top seller in the hardware wallet space for many years. By listening to it’s customers, it’s crafted a way for people who enjoy the software, coin support, and overall user experience of the first generation product and allow it to wirelessly connect to your smartphone and conduct safe transactions.
If you are someone who wants to use and store your cryptocurrency safely and completely unconnected in a way that is fairly satisfying. Is the user experience perfect? No, but they are continuously working out the bugs and adding consistent fixes to their user flow and adding new coin support and security upgrades on a continual basis. This is still much cheaper than it’s closest competitor (Trezor Model T) and now manages a lot more “Native” apps than it’s counterpart, which honestly is a huge plus. Native app support is a feature that many take for granted, but it significantly improves the user loyalty and experience using the branding and platform of any company or product.
Additionally, it allows for a more “unified” experience that doesn’t require additional 3rd parties to ultimately control the support you need and pay for. It’s inclusive. Personally, this still has an advantage over the Trezor Model T, but if you want another competitor that will surely give this device a run for it’s money that matches all of it’s features and more (although at a higher price), I would check out the Ellipal Titan. If you’re interested in learning about that product’s unique features, you can read the full review I recently wrote HERE.
The Ledger Nano X is a sleek, powerful, and very competent device that includes the wireless functionality that most end users need these days to properly manage and secure their crypto!
What do you think? Is this a new contender for mid-level hardware wallets? Let us know what you think down 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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Ledger Nano X vs. Ellipal Titan (2020) | Which Wireless Hardware Wallet Is Better?
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 Ledger Nano X vs. Ellipal Titan. Which one is better? Which one is safer to use? Will it hold the coins I need? Stay tuned for the whole article to find out my final verdict.
I have been using these devices for several weeks now and I have been pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t that long ago when there were really only USB connected devices that we only had the option of in terms of using and managing our hardware wallets, so these innovations and user experience upgrades have been extremely nice to have. Especially with the Ellipal Titan.
As I’m sure you are aware, these are two of the most popular hardware wallets on the market and for good reason. The overall changes to not only the coin support, but the way we interact with these devices has changed dramatically over the last year and these are some of the most fun wireless devices I have used yet.
So, let’s get into some of the specifics of these wallets, and then see which one I would choose I had to only use one! Let’s start with the most popular brand first, The Ledger Nano X.
Ledger Nano X vs. Ellipal Titan: Overview
The Nano X comes beautifully packaged with the device itself, a USB-C cable, a set of instructions and recovery seed cards. The previous bulky buttons that were on top of the device are now seamlessly integrated on it in a way that’s even a bit hard to notice. All in all a beautiful design. The primary features of this device are the bluetooth connection which allows you to manage this device using your smartphone via the iOS and Android app.
Additionally, you can now hodl, store, or manage up to 100 cryptos simultaneously, all without access to your desktop or laptop computer. This is easily it’s best new features, but aside from the upgraded storage capacity and the wireless connectivity, the device itself is now larger, has an integrated 2-function button, and an overall larger screen for verifying transactions. With a trusted device and a more universal charging cable, this makes it much more compelling to spend the extra money to store more coins and one that you can easily take with you as you travel.
Ledger Nano X: Security
Ledger is at the forefront of developing the industry’s device security. How? And in what ways?
CC EAL5+ SECURE ELEMENT
Only Ledger’s devices can claim the French cybersecurity agency ANSSI’s full certification.
The Nano X and Nano S both feature what is called a ‘secure element’. The chip seen below is the next generation chip that comes in the Nano X:
The secure chip meets the CC EAL5+ certification and run’s Ledger’s proprietary BOLOS operating system.
A Secure Element is a secure chip that…embeds intrinsic countermeasures against many known attacks. This kind of chip is tamper-resistant and protects your device to a range of different attacks.”
Ledger User Experience: UI
Honestly, the user experience is a massive upgrade from the Ledger Nano X. With that said, It has a few usability issues that I find to be quite difficult to overcome. Although this device is physically larger than it’s predecessor, it still has a fairly difficult to use early experience.
For example, the screen is still fairly small and still cannot accommodate a QR code for scanning. This may not seem like a big deal, but after using several hardware wallets, it really does make a big difference. Using a QR code is not only safer (because it removes the chance of error from manually typing in a wallet address), but it is incredibly faster and makes the entire of transacting offline, a much easier experience. Although this device has stepped up the quality considerably from it’s latest iteration, I still feel that utilizing an all new form factor could have been beneficial and a little more innovative than replicating their 1st generation device with a few small tweaks.
Ledger Nano X: Coin Support
The Ledger Nano X utilizes the “Ledger Live” dashboard which is a desktop application that allows you to manage all of your coins, portfolio, and potential trades in an easy to use application. You can use this on both an iOS or Android app as well as a desktop.
This app allows you to manage up to 1,100 coins that are supported by the device. However, only about 200 of them are “native” apps. This means that you can manage them directly within the Ledger Live app, without having to connect to a 3rd party wallet, such as MyEtherWallet or MyCrypto. I will leave a link HERE with a list of fully supported coins.
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 it’s 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 to 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
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 below picture.
Ledger Nano X vs. Ellipal Titan Conclusion: Which One Should I Buy?
Overall, both of these wallets have their own unique features and selling points that make them a perfect choice to different people. But, which one should I buy? That unfortunately, is not a simple black and white answer. The questions you need to ask yourself are: “Does this hardware wallet support the coins I plan to hodl offline?” and “Is this wallet secure enough for my needs and does it fit within my budget?
Ultimately, you will need to make that decision yourself, but, I have used both of these wallets extensively, and I can absolutely say in my perspective that there is a clear winner. I personally use the Ellipal Titan over the Ledger Nano X.
This is not to say that the Ledger Nano X is a bad device, because it is not, but overall the security, form factor, and overall ease of use is a clear indicator of which device is more likely to be used.
What do you think? Would you choose the Ledger Nano X over the Ellipal Titan? 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.
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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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