I have finally received my HTC Nexus 9 Folio keyboard case that I pre-ordered on Amazon the first week it was launched and it’s just now getting here. It definitely took a while but it’s here and it comes in this Nexus box with sort of the same white minimal themed packaging as of the other Nexus products that were released this year. So let’s just go ahead and rip into it.

We’ll have to peel off the plastic seal, which I managed to do with a screwdriver since both of the ends ripped off when trying to peel off by hand. But once we get that opened, we can slide out the keyboard case and there we have it: the HTC Folio keyboard case sitting right on top. It’s packaged pretty well on the box so it wasn’t the most elegant product to unbox for you. But I did manage to get it out. Tucked inside the case though is a couple of packets and pieces of paper. The first is an instructions packet that kind of shows you how to set the keyboard up and how it works via Bluetooth and NFC. It also displays the various configurations on how you can use this case, which I will show you here pretty soon. The other piece of paper is just a safety packet that’s gray and doesn’t really contain a whole lot of interesting information.

So if you take a look back at the Nexus Player, first of all, we will just follow the instructions. We need to plug it in and make sure it is charged because this case does need to be charged. There’s a little microUSB port at the end of it so that we can charge it up. It shouldn’t take long though because its battery is so small and it also says that it can last up to 5 months on a single charge, which is really cool.

To pair it up with the Nexus 9, we can just touch the back of the Nexus 9 with the keyboard case just like so and a little message will pop up giving you the option to pair with this device. You click yes and hopefully, it’ll connect with you the first time. I had to do a lot of troubleshooting taps to get it to connect though. I thought my model was actually faulty but it finally connected. Hopefully now that it is connected though, it’ll stay connected but it will reflect in my full review.

But when it is attached, you will have a couple different ways to position your Nexus 9. You can put it in the most upright position like so. This involves the triangular base being right below or at the base of the Nexus 9 when it is in landscape mode. The other option is to have the triangular base more towards the top of the Nexus 9, allowing it to lay more flap on the surface so you do have a couple of different viewing options, which is good.

And as for how the keyboard feels and performs once you get it connected, it works pretty well. The keyboard’s register just fine. The issue with the keyboard and size though is the size. It’s small, it feels a little bit cramped and it’s going to take some time to adjust because it is so small. I can’t type pretty fast with it still but I don’t have much room when typing that’s for sure. I do really like the fact that it is a mechanical keyboard. The keys really feel responsive. The case, as a whole, feels like it’s built of premium materials, it’s lightweight and thin. One problem I noticed was that when it’s closed, it kind of slides open a bit like this, exposing the front of the tablet. When I have more time to test just how annoying this is, I’ll be sure to include it in my full review—it might be an issue, it might not be.

Also there’s no camera cutout, not that you would actually want to use the camera on the Nexus 9 but if you had to, you couldn’t use it in this case. But sleep to wake is present here with this case, which is always a good thing. I just sort of have mixed feelings right now based on first impressions. I mean this contraption is priced at $130, that’s insanely high. Granted it’s a mechanical keyboard but still it’s a lot of money for a keyboard case.

So that’s just kind of where I’m at right now in regards to what I think about this case. Let me know what your thoughts are. Do you like the design, yes or no? Be sure to let me know by leaving me a comment down below.