The Ledger Nano X is the second generation hardware wallet from Ledger. The Ledger Nano X is Ledger’s flagship hardware wallet, offering an impressive amount of features. The Ledger Nano X has a sleek design, an easy-to-navigate user interface, and tougher security measures than its predecessor.
The Ledger Nano X by Ledger is the company’s most cutting-edge hardware wallet to date. It offers various advantages over similar products available on the market today at a very reasonable price point. With that in mind, here are several reasons you should get yourself the Ledger Nano X if you are interested in cryptocurrency.
Security
First off, Ledger really did their homework to provide top-quality physical security for your cryptocurrencies. This can be seen through three different features available on the Ledger Nano X.
First, Ledger outfitted the Ledger Nano X with their latest Crypto Chip technology. The Ledger Nano S has already received criticism for using sub-par chips used in mobile phones. Still, Ledger completely redesigned the chip architecture to be more resistant to hacking attacks. Second, Ledger included a discreet button used to confirm transactions manually, so you have complete control over your private key instead of relying on an internet connection. Finally, Ledger’s security features protect your cryptocurrency even if your device gets stolen, thanks to anti-shimming technology and PIN protection.
All these security measures culminate into arguably one of the best hardware wallet options out there right now. Not only that, but Ledger also offers timely updates to patch any security holes that may surface in the future.
A large variety of cryptocurrencies
When Ledger originally announced Ledger Nano X, it was advertised as supporting over 1,000 different cryptocurrencies. This includes all the major ones you would expect, including Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Ripple (XRP).
However, Ledger has more recently admitted they are not able to support BlackCoin anymore, which is a little disappointing if you were looking forward to using various currencies with Ledger. Other than this minor hiccup, though, Ledger is able to do what it does best: provide efficient hardware security for cryptocurrencies that generally don’t have reliable hardware wallet options. Ledger has a track record of doing this in the past, and Ledger Nano X continues that trend.
Also read: Free Bitcoin Bonus
Intuitive user interface
The Ledger Nano S features the company’s signature number pad used to input your PIN during device setup and cryptocurrency transactions. The Ledger Nano X does take things a step further though, with a touchscreen interface so you don’t need to use physical buttons for everything. However, Ledger did have to sacrifice some security measures because of this change, which we will discuss next.
Unfortunately, there were concerns about using a touchscreen interface on a cryptocurrency hardware wallet from day one. One concern was whether or not typing your PIN on a virtual keypad would be more susceptible to keyloggers, which Ledger stated is not the case. Ledger also took advantage of the Ledger Live desktop interface to have a secure backup for your PIN just in case you forget it. Ledger ships Ledger Nano X with their latest version of Ledger Live, so be sure to update if that hasn’t been done automatically through another app on your computer.
Overall, the user interface does take some getting used to because you have to swipe up and down to scroll through menus instead of scrolling left and right. This might seem trivial at first glance but will definitely impact newcomers entering cryptocurrency once Ledger expands its customer base through consumer marketing campaigns. Fortunately, Ledger made navigating through menus as straightforward as possible, which should make using Ledger Nano X easier over time.
Ledger Live desktop app
The Ledger Nano S uses the Ledger Manager browser extension to manage cryptocurrency transactions, but Ledger decided to ditch Ledger Live in favor of Ledger Live. While it is yet to be seen whether Ledger’s latest decision was a smart move or not, this article will give you an honest look at Ledger Live and how useful (or not useful) it really is.
One thing that makes Ledger Live unique is that it gives you a detailed insight into all your cryptocurrency accounts across different blockchains instead of only focusing on one currency as other wallet apps do. If you want to check up on Bitcoin while checking your Ripple account balance for example, then Ledger Live is your go-to app. Ledger Live is also compatible with all Ledger hardware wallets, so you can use Ledger Nano S and Ledger Blue as well.
However, Ledger Live has a lot of room for improvement in terms of user experience. Too many menus and screens may confuse new users and possibly even some veteran cryptocurrency owners who just aren’t used to Ledger’s wallet structure yet. Additionally, it appears Ledger has not prioritized adding certain features that would make Ledger Nano X more accessible to newcomers.
For example, there does not seem to be any way to send or receive cryptocurrency transactions through the desktop app itself– Ledger claims Ledger Live is only for managing existing accounts, which does make sense considering Ledger Nano X implements Bluetooth connectivity.
Ledger Nano S compatible apps and features
It must be noted that although Ledger can’t offer everything Ledger Live offers since it isn’t compatible with Ledger Nano S, Ledger did have to come up with alternative solutions to add cryptocurrency transactions functionality through physical buttons on the device itself instead of a touchscreen interface. Some of these workarounds include using your computer’s mouse wheel to scroll through menus or holding down certain side buttons while pressing other side buttons on the device simultaneously.
Unfortunately, this means some features have been sacrificed because Ledger Nano S only has limited controls for accessing certain features, which makes Ledger Live a much more appealing option to Ledger Nano X users.
This may seem like a lot of information to take in at once, and Ledgers hardware wallets aren’t as beginner-friendly as other crypto wallets out there, such as MyEtherWallet. However, Ledger is well aware that about half of all cryptocurrency transactions are still done using paper wallets. It will take time before Ledgers efforts translate into mainstream cryptocurrency transactions because Ledger focuses on blockchain businesses and not individual customers.
Pros & Cons of Ledger Nano X
The Ledger wallet experience overall
While we can’t tell you whether or not Ledger Live improves the cryptocurrency transaction process compared to Ledger Manager, we can say Ledger’s Ledger Nano S and Ledger Blue hardware wallets are the best way to store cryptocurrency if you’re serious about your investments. This is because these devices help prevent hackers from stealing your money; even though Ledgers apps may not be as user-friendly for beginners, they do their job of protecting you against bad guys.
Is Ledger Nano X worth it?
Ledger is still the only cryptocurrency wallet to offer end-to-end encryption for cryptocurrencies. Still, Ledgers hardware wallets are not as popular or well-known when you compare Ledger’s cryptocurrency wallets to the likes of Trezor or KeepKey. It’s hard to make a case for the Ledger wallet ecosystem over some other popular cryptocurrency storage options out there, such as Trezor or KeepKey.
These days, some big exchanges like Binance and Coinbase offer free wallet services which allow you to store supported cryptocurrencies in that platform’s official online wallets instead of third-party software such as Ledger Live.
As far as Ledger Nano X in particular goes, it’s hard to justify purchasing this high-powered device when Ledger Nano S costs only $65 USD and would give you almost everything Ledger Nano X offers at a much lower cost. If price isn’t an issue for you, then Ledger Nano X is definitely worth considering since it has all the required features for effectively managing your cryptocurrency transactions.
However, if you’re just looking for something that can safely and securely store your cryptocurrencies, Ledger Nano S is the better choice since it’s only $10 USD cheaper than Ledger Nano X.
