Hard cases are hit-or-miss if you want to avoid bulk and still keep your phone protected, and with the new Nexus phones there's the added challenge of making sure the fingerprint sensor on the back is accessible while keeping everything safe. If you feel the need to put your Nexus 5X in a case you're likely going to have to do some homework. Speck has an offering available in the Google Store right now, but it may not be exactly what you're looking for.
Lets take a look.
For the most part, if you've used one Speck CandyShell Grip case you've used them all. The glossy, rigid plastic accented by grippy rubber makes for a nice feel most of the time, and it truly feels like whatever phone you have put in the case will survive a nasty fall. Speck cases also tend to look nice, matching the colors of whatever phone youa re using or just being good at being bright and loud so you don't have to worry about losing the phone somewhere. The Nexus 5X variant of this design isn't terribly different, and in this one case that can be an issue.
Speck's glossy exterior is noticeably more slippery than the matte soft touch finish on the Nexus 5X, and the one place on the sides of the phone where there aren't little rubbery grips is where your fingers are most likely to want to live given the shape and size of the phone. On top of this, the case adds some noticeable bulk to the outside of the phone, so if you were only mostly happy with the size of the Nexus 5X before the case was put on you may not like the additional thickness all around the outside. On the other hand, if you drop your phone frequently you make have already accepted your fate as a case user and don't care about the added size.
Where things get a little messy is the fingerprint sensor. Speck switches from plastic to rubber for the ring around the fingerprint sensor, but does so at a fairly steep angle. You won't have any problems finding the sensor with your finger, but it's likely the sharp drop will make placing your finger right the first time so you can unlock your phone will take some getting used to.
Google's got several case offerings on their store to check out at launch, but Speck's CandyShell Grip case is the only one with a rigid casing on the outside. While $35 is reasonable for this offering if it keeps your phone safe, you probably want to be sure you'll be happy with this design before tapping that purchase button.
