The Flagship Bitcoin Hardware wallet has been upgraded with a new UX.

Coinkite, a Bitcoin only hardware wallet maker, released recently the MK5, an upgrade in terms of user experience and quality to its MK4 Coldcard. This builds on the solid security foundations established by the predecessor. MK5 is available in a variety of colors and designs. To answer the question, are the improvements to the MK5 worth it? I’ll review both the Orange and Glow-in-the dark versions as well as the form factor and the user experience. 

Building upon the already-established and trend-setting MK4 security platformThe emergence of the. two secure element chips The MK5 focuses on quality of life, improving the NFC connectivity and adding an MCU. MK5 emphasizes quality-of-life, improving NFC connectivity and redesigning the plastic chassis, buttons, and other features of the hardware wallet. The MK5 is the first upgrade of hardware to the Coinkite MK series since 2022. It incorporates some of the technology introduced by the MK4. Coldcard Q In 2023,

What’s New with MK5 Coldcard MK5 Coldcard:

Their big upgrade to UX is immediately noticeable; for instance, the screen has grown by at least 30%. The screen is perhaps 30% larger. announcement blog It is a description of a “1.54-inch display protected by Gorilla Glass,” It looks and feels much stronger than previous models.

Buttons are the next upgrade. The MK5 button is almost flush with the body of the phone, unlike the MK4 which had indented buttons that required your finger to be inserted into the socket for a click. It clicks and gives a good tactile feedback. It is more comfortable to use than other hardware wallets with their warm and slightly unresponsive touch screens. 

The chassis is also redesigned. Instead of the screen section popping out over the keyboard, you now have a single rectangle with comfortable curves. This version is sleeker, but still maintains the same cypherpunk-style transparency, which shows off Coinkite hardware. 

A button-and screen protector-half case is also included with the MK5. It slides in and out and can be clicked into place. The case can be removed completely and it fits perfect from the back, so you are able to access the USB input on the bottom. 

NFC Push Transactions

Coinkite’s MK5 is the last but certainly not the least in its commitment to NFC. NFC stands for near-field communication and is a popular technology stack within the Bitcoin community. Tapsigners are available in a variety of designs, including Lightning Bolts with laser eyes and NFC Tap to Pay cards. Cashu’s tap to send features Calle. 

NFC, a wireless technology that is used by some hardware wallets to connect, offers an alternative for other technologies, such as Bluetooth or Wifi. But it does have some disadvantages. The main one being its range. NFC, unlike the other wireless technologies, is designed to be short-range. We are only talking about centimeters, while Bluetooth and WiFI are measured in tens or hundreds of meters. The paranoid threat of someone using a long range antenna to point at your home being able to intercept a transaction or connect remotely to your device is gone. 

NFC also doesn’t require a multi-step protocol for device connections. The feature can be turned on or off by the phone, while the scanning begins when the app is launched. There are no pin codes and there is no need to sift through lists of Bluetooth devices. Theoretically, UX is much simpler. This is far more user-friendly than the SD card method of sending pre-signed transactions from phones or laptops back to each other. While NFC may technically cross the ‘airgapped’ line in the MK4 and MK5, NFC still has the best qualities of all wireless connectivity options, and is set to off in the default settings. The NFC antenna on the MK5 can be removed at the hardware level, similar to how you connect it to your computer using USB to send data. This is done by scratching a wire. 

The NFC Push Tx Software from Coinkite is an open-source software and has fewer lines of code compared to Bluetooth or Wifi. Open source is the full NFC Push Tx code. The code for the full NFC push Tx is open source. client web app The protocol side has not been licensed and can be used by any application. The protocol has no license defined and is presumably meant to be integrated by any web application. the hardware side Publication of code, which is restricted by non-commercial license.

MK5 Colors

The MK5 is available in many different colors, including gold-flaked transparent gray and gorgeous orange. It can even glow at night! The orange and blue version of the glow-in the-dark case was the one I played with, but I would have liked to get my hands on the gold-flaked model.

The designs, however, are stunning, with transparent colors that allow you to easily see the hardware but still colorful and stylish. See how the designs look in action. 

Security of the Supply Chain

Packaging was interesting as well; the security bag contained the items and the purchase order. They were very tough plastic bags, which required a sharp knife to cut. These bags also had a number that was unique, as seen on the photos below. A second plastic strip was placed inside the bag with the same unique number. When the device was first turned on, it displayed the exact same number. The flash memory codes are set at the manufacturing facility. It is now much harder to manipulate or intercept the firmware. Next, the user could be notified of the bag’s number by email or through a site login. This would allow them to have an additional channel for verifying the number.

You are encouraged to contact Coinkite Support if you notice anything wrong with the package. 

In the image below, the battery and exposed hardware is the COLDPOWER Adapter by CoinkiteI also tested out a, that I had lying around. The device is supposed to be powered entirely by air, with no cable connected to any computers whatsoever. Even a malicious WiFi repeat plugged into an outlet can transmit signals over the power wires. 

You can improve things?

The integration of NFC Push Tx into mobile wallets is a little inconsistent. I tested Cove, Bull Bitcoin, and Nunchuck. Cove was not far behind Nunchuck in terms of integration. Bull Bitcoin has either disabled or effectively hidden the feature. Cove, a relatively new project, is likely to grow in leaps and bounds over the next few months. Nunchuck, a powerful and advanced wallet, was the most difficult to use but ultimately the best.

It was necessary to remove the ridiculously thick phone case to ensure reliable data transmission. But it’s still not the end. 

The MK5 is worth upgrading? 

It’s an easy decision for me, as a proud MK3 owner, to upgrade. At only $167 with shipping included, the MK5 represents a major improvement. This is a new generation of UX and security upgrades I didn’t know I needed.

Active users will find that the MK4 has a larger screen with better buttons. Also, the NFC antenna is likely to make transaction flow smoother. The price of the hardware wallet is also very affordable compared with other products on the market.

However, for passive MK4 buyers who do only a couple transactions each year, it might not be worthwhile. The MK4 owners will still get firmware updates, as well as all of the benefits that come with security. They won’t be missing the UX improvements much. 

Disclaimer: Coinkite gave Bitcoin Magazine two MK5 MK5-Coldcards free of charge to test their product.