Official ASUS travel case for the Nexus 7–first impressions
While I am waiting for a cheap leather case that I bought on eBay to arrive, I purchased the official ASUS case for sale at JB Hifi today for $25. I was originally against buying one due to the other not so favourable reviews floating around, but I figure it would be nice to have a spare case around in case I’m not a fan of the aftermarket item. So, lets have a quick look and go through my first impressions of this case.
Once you get it out of the packaging (more difficult due to the stronger than normal adhesive around the top), you just get the case with the cardboard insert. This particular case is the dark grey version, which is definitely lighter in colour than the rubber back of the Nexus (the photos actually make it appear a bit lighter than it does up close).
The back of the case resembles the back of the tablet almost exactly. While it feels similar to the rubber backing of the tablet, the TPU case feels a little smoother and less grippy compared to the Nexus back itself.
Once in the case, the tablet fits tightly and can’t be accidently removed. While the TPU plastic has a rubbery, bendable feel on it’s own; once the Nexus in in the case it becomes solid, almost like a hard plastic case. In addition, the travel case doesn’t add much weight and thickness to the tablet as a whole.
The front face cover is nice and weighty however there’s nothing to keep it securely in place. The case also doesn’t have a built in stand or smart cover magnet like many after-market cases for the Nexus 7.
The cutouts for the ports, as you would expect, are well thought out and line up perfectly. There are holes for the two onboard mics and rubber covers around the power and volume buttons, which have a nice feel to them. 
For $25, it maybe a little more expensive than most third party cases but it’s still a decent option. It gives you enough protection without adding too much bulk or changing the feel of the tablet as a whole. However, it would be worth considering if you need extra features such as a built in tablet stand or a magnetic smart cover before purchasing this case.