Moto Style Shell with Wireless Charging Review (Grey Herringbone Nylon)
TL;DR – Does the job perfectly but at $39.99, it's a tough sell for all except those who value wireless charging highly. The nylon version is slippery.
CONTEXT
Recently, I popped into Best Buy to pick up my first ever Moto Mod: The Moto Style Shell with Wireless Charging, in “Grey Herringbone Nylon”. Currently available in either Grey Herringbone Nylon or Floral Print with some press hinting at the availability of wood options in the future. I elected to buy this grey one in person. I decided the more subtle grey option was more my style than the colorful flowers available online.
I was actually mildly surprised that the cover was nylon fabric instead of the grey plastic I anticipated, but that was more on me neglecting to read up on the specifics before hopping in.
Just so you know what I’m equipped with, I own a Moto Z Play with the charcoal ash wooden style shell, pictured above for reference.
THE BOX
The Mod’s packaging is very straightforward. It’s a simple box containing the shell itself and two pamphlets to cover the usual legal, instructions, etc.
THE COVER
The cover itself isn’t anything unexpected. It’s slightly thicker than my current wooden Style Shell at 3.25 mm and includes several pogo pins to enable charging. Why it needs more than two or three pins though for wireless charging is beyond me.
This new shell includes magnets on both the top and bottom of the cover, making for a more secure fit than my wooden back which only includes a magnet near the bottom. A particularly hot day in the car once made this wooden cover bend backwards slightly, compromising the fit. The extra magnet here is much appreciated.
The nylon feels like a textured velvet or a woven fabric and isn't really my cup of tea, although it certainly looks good.
USAGE
Snapping on the back greeted me with a distinctive chime and a quick tutorial on using this Mod, just in case I had neglected to read the quick-start guide like I’m sure many others will do.
In the hand, the additional thickness and curvature isn’t particularly noticeable, but what is much more noticeable to me is that the nylon back made for a textured but more slippery surface.
This may not sound like much, but with less friction I found myself adjusting to it in ways that were ultimately less than comfortable. It might be a nitpick as I didn’t notice it entirely, but my pinky didn’t appreciate its increased usage as a shelf nor did I appreciate a gravitational close call when the phone didn't quite stick to my fingers like I had anticipated. I’ve switched back to my smoother-yet-grippier wooden back for now while I plan to switch this one out for it's floral print sibling.
CHARGING
And as for charging? It works.
Placing the phone on a charging pad makes the phone indicate that a wireless charger was detected and displays current battery percentage for a few moments before going to the lockscreen.
The OS says “charging slowly” on my 10W somewhat generic Qi charger. Needless to say, you don’t use wireless charging when you’re looking for a speedy, efficient charge anyway. The Z’s support "TurboPower" for if you’re in a rush.
Ultimately, being the fan that I am for wireless charging, I was very excited for this shell but the material isn't exactly lighting my fire. The functionality works perfectly though, and if I like the feel of the floral back, that one might just become a permanent fixture on the back of my Moto. In the meantime, this nylon back isn't for me.
The attached Mod next to a first-generation style shell.
TL;DR – Does the job perfectly but at $39.99, it's a tough sell for all except those who value wireless charging highly. The nylon version is slippery.
CONTEXT
Recently, I popped into Best Buy to pick up my first ever Moto Mod: The Moto Style Shell with Wireless Charging, in “Grey Herringbone Nylon”. Currently available in either Grey Herringbone Nylon or Floral Print with some press hinting at the availability of wood options in the future. I elected to buy this grey one in person. I decided the more subtle grey option was more my style than the colorful flowers available online.
I was actually mildly surprised that the cover was nylon fabric instead of the grey plastic I anticipated, but that was more on me neglecting to read up on the specifics before hopping in.
Just so you know what I’m equipped with, I own a Moto Z Play with the charcoal ash wooden style shell, pictured above for reference.
THE BOX
The Mod’s packaging is very straightforward. It’s a simple box containing the shell itself and two pamphlets to cover the usual legal, instructions, etc.
THE COVER
The cover itself isn’t anything unexpected. It’s slightly thicker than my current wooden Style Shell at 3.25 mm and includes several pogo pins to enable charging. Why it needs more than two or three pins though for wireless charging is beyond me.
This new shell includes magnets on both the top and bottom of the cover, making for a more secure fit than my wooden back which only includes a magnet near the bottom. A particularly hot day in the car once made this wooden cover bend backwards slightly, compromising the fit. The extra magnet here is much appreciated.
The nylon feels like a textured velvet or a woven fabric and isn't really my cup of tea, although it certainly looks good.
USAGE
Snapping on the back greeted me with a distinctive chime and a quick tutorial on using this Mod, just in case I had neglected to read the quick-start guide like I’m sure many others will do.
In the hand, the additional thickness and curvature isn’t particularly noticeable, but what is much more noticeable to me is that the nylon back made for a textured but more slippery surface.
This may not sound like much, but with less friction I found myself adjusting to it in ways that were ultimately less than comfortable. It might be a nitpick as I didn’t notice it entirely, but my pinky didn’t appreciate its increased usage as a shelf nor did I appreciate a gravitational close call when the phone didn't quite stick to my fingers like I had anticipated. I’ve switched back to my smoother-yet-grippier wooden back for now while I plan to switch this one out for it's floral print sibling.
CHARGING
And as for charging? It works.
Placing the phone on a charging pad makes the phone indicate that a wireless charger was detected and displays current battery percentage for a few moments before going to the lockscreen.
The OS says “charging slowly” on my 10W somewhat generic Qi charger. Needless to say, you don’t use wireless charging when you’re looking for a speedy, efficient charge anyway. The Z’s support "TurboPower" for if you’re in a rush.
Ultimately, being the fan that I am for wireless charging, I was very excited for this shell but the material isn't exactly lighting my fire. The functionality works perfectly though, and if I like the feel of the floral back, that one might just become a permanent fixture on the back of my Moto. In the meantime, this nylon back isn't for me.
The attached Mod next to a first-generation style shell.
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