The HP Elite x3 is slowly starting to hit markets and with it comes a small cadre of accessories. For those looking to protect their investment and add a little style to the Elite x3, the Wallet Folio Leather Case is a reliable option.
Priced at around $22 USD (£16.80, the Wallet Folio is a surprisingly well-thought-out case. HP clearly thought about design and the smaller details when making this leather shell.
What it is
Wallet cases are quite common these days for smartphones. The cases offer some of the most robust protection with a flap door that protects the display when in a jacket, bag, or pocket. They should also leave an opening for ports, camera, speakers, and volume controls.
| Category | Specs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 3.39 x 6.34 x .53 in (86.21 x 163.55 x 13.57 mm) |
| Weight | 0.16 lbs (72 g) |
| Materials | PC, glass fiber, rubber feet, top grain leather, microfiber, glue, magnet |
The HP Wallet Folio has a polycarbonate back shell that clips onto the Elite x3. On both the back and front there is a high-quality Top grain leather wrap. On the inside sleeve, there is a spot for two credit cards or a business card and ID.
Why it's so good
Folios are quite common making them not very unusual for phones. Luckily, HP got a lot of the small details that make using this with the Elite x3 a fantastic experience. I say that even though I traditionally avoid these types of cases. Here is why I like this wallet:
- Smart Cover - Open the front cover and the Elite x3's turns on. Close it, the phone turns off. This helps preserve the battery life by avoiding the display turning on inadvertently. It also saves you from having to hit the power button each time.
- Magnetic - The wallet has a small magnet that keeps the front cover closed. There is no flopping here!
- Fingerprint reader - Besides leaving an opening for the camera, the fingerprint reader is fully exposed and still easy to use with the Wallet Folio.
- Speaker grills - The front of the Wallet Folio leaves cutouts for the earpiece and front speaker/microphone combo. Using the Audio Routing feature, you can make a call with the cover open and have it default to speakerphone. When you close the cover on the phone, it automatically switches to non-speaker mode. You can then take the call with the cover closed instead of flipping the cover around to the back, which is always awkward for phone calls.
- Fits Desk Dock - HP ships three shells for the Continuum Desk Dock. One of those is for the Wallet Folio. The shells are magnetic and just stick to the Desk Dock which enables easy, tool-free changing. While using the right shell you can keep your Elite x3 in the Wallet Folio and still use the Desk Dock. Brilliant.
- Qi still here - You can still use Qi wireless charging with no issue while using the Wallet Folio case.
- Prop it - Like other folio wallet cases you can horizontally prop up the Elite x3. Toss in a Bluetooth keyboard and you now have a mini-PC for typing in Word, PowerPoint or just watching a video.
Overall, the Wallet Folio is a fabulous little accessory. It adds some class, but more importantly protection, to the Elite x3 especially its massive 6-inch display. The cover also just works well. It stays closed due to the magnet, and you can use it with the lid closed on phone calls, making it a much more natural experience. It's delightful to turn the phone on and off just by opening the case, and all the marquee features of the Elite x3 – fingerprint, Qi wireless charging, Desk Dock – all still work.
HP ensured that when using the Wallet Folio, you are not compromising any of it the Elite x3's features, and I can vouch for that in my usage. Whether you like folio-type wallet covers is a personal decision, but if you do, HP nailed this one for the Elite x3 making it a wise investment.
Availability of the HP Elite x3 Wallet Folio Leather Case is limited to third-party resellers at this time. We'll update this article when HP and Microsoft start selling it directly.
Further Reading
- The HP Elite x3 is the best Windows phone yet (with some caveats)
- Elite x3 FAQ
- Elite x3 news
- HP is betting on enterprise, not consumers with the Elite x3
- Elite x3 Discussion Forum
- HP Elite x3 testing firmware update that enables charging LED, Windows Hello improvements and more
- Using Continuum for a week with the HP Elite x3
- Unboxing and hands-on with the HP Elite x3 superphone
