Google historically hasn't had the best track record with making a lineup of accessories available for their Nexus devices. Between the almost nonexistent Galaxy Nexus accessories and the horribly late Nexus 7 dock, there haven't been too many highlights. With the Nexus 4 Google stepped in the right direction offering a bumper, headphones, charging cables and a Qi wireless charger.
We now have our hands on the first official accessory in the era of the new Nexus 7, the aptly-named "Nexus 7 Sleeve", available directly from Google Play for $30. Original snafus about the absurd shipping prices aside, this still isn't a cheap case. After all, the Nexus 7 itself starts at just $229 so why spend so much on protection for it?
Well, we find that you get what you pay for.
The sleeve is a relatively unassuming case, made primarily out of a flexible but durable black neoprene material, with a light rubber stenciling on one side. The cross hatch pattern is broken up in the bottom right corner by an embossed "Nexus" logo, which matches logos also present on the zipper handle and on a tag inside.
"The entire case is extremely well made, with not a stitch out of place."
Flipping around onto the "back" side, you have a stitched pocket that can be used for accessories such as a charging cable and headphones, but we also found it fits a Nexus 4 quite snugly as well. The zipper opens from the top left corner of the case around to about half way down the opposite side, giving plenty of room to get your Nexus 7 (the case fits both the 2012 and 2013 models) in and out without turning the case into a floppy mess in the process.
On the inside you have an extremely soft grey microfiber material lining, which should keep your Nexus 7 safe no matter how long it gets left in there and bumped around. The zipper edges are pretty well protected from the tablet as well, which should save you from errant scratches. Combined with the appropriately snug fit around the edges of the tablet, this case provides a good amount of protection without being too big.
The entire case is extremely well made, with not a stitch out of place. We have to say that although this case is expensive, you're getting a quality piece of gear here that will protect your tablet without question. Throw in the extra accessory pouch and some subtle but cool "Nexus" branding and you have a case that can definitely be an option for the enthusiast that wants to protect their Nexus 7 and look good doing it.
Let's hope this kicks off a whole lineup of high-quality Nexus 7 accessories available from Google Play.
