Car and Motorcycle Mounts for the Google Nexus 5X

Square Jellyfish Jelly-Grip Car Air Vent Mount fits the Google Nexus 5XMade by LG, whom we now know makes more than kitchen appliances, the Google Nexus 5X is is the latest generation of a very successful Nexus line of smartphones.  The Nexus 5X features Google’s Android 6.0 Marshmallow.  Sporting a 5.2″ diagonal display and a feature shared with the popular Apple iPhone lineup, a finger scanner, this is a great phone for Android fans.  The camera is tremendous and features a 12.3 MP lens with superior abilities for low-light photography.  We will get to car and motorcycle mounts for the Nexus 5X in a moment but first some important specifications.

With a decent 5.2 inch diagonal screen, the Nexus 5X measures 5.79 x 2.86 x 0.31 inches (147 x 72.6 x 7.9 mm).  These are important measurements to keep in mind when selecting your mount.  I’m not aware of any custom mounts for the Nexus 5X so we are going to discuss universal mounts.

Because of the larger size, not all universal mounts are going to fit.  You will need a mount with a larger expandable cradle, especially if you are using a case or skin which is always recommended.    For those that have purchased a universal mount to hold your older phone, hopefully it opens wide enough to hold your new device without a problem.  Most universal mounts offer options to upgrade your cradle to a larger one.  Be very aware of the size of the cradle, this large phone won’t fit into just any mount.  Be sure to measure your phone before cradle shopping and remember, if you have a case or skin, the dimensions are even larger.

This phone costs a lot money.  Buy a case for it.  I have always been a big fan of the Otterbox Defender series which we reviewed here.  A single drop on ceramic tile that results in a broken lens will cost way more than the case.  If you think insurance will cover you, think again.  Insurance policies purchased from your carrier have a deductible and for newer more expensive phones that can be $169 on up.  So to add insult to injury, you will not only be paying the monthly insurance premium, but you will then pay the deductible.  You can read our article on phone insurance here.  Bottom line is buy a case.  I’ve dropped my phone on the driveway from six feet up and it didn’t receive any damage at all thanks to the case.

OK, let’s talk about some mounts.

For the car, give the location of your mount some thought.  There are lots of places to mount your Google Nexus 5X.  The windshield is the most popular location to mount especially if you plan to use it as a GPS with my favorite application which is Waze.  A well made expandable product is Arkon’s Slim Grip Ultra Travel Mount.  This mount features an expandable cradle which expands to 7 inches.  The support arms move so that you can expose any ports or buttons.  This will fit your phone with or without a thick case.  The mount comes with an adhesive dash plate so that you can attach to the mount to your dash as well as your windshield.

We’re thinking maybe you have an extra cup holder, everybody does so consider the iKross Cup Holder Mount for Tablets and Phones.  These mounts serve a dual purpose in that a cradle for a phone and a tablet are included.  The mount is adjustable and solidly made to easily handle the weight of your tablet.  You will see a lot of mounts on the market for tablets or cell phones.  This is the only car mount kit known of that offers two different cradles, one for the phone, the other for the tablet.  You will not find a universal cradle that fits phones and large tablets.  The phone cradle will hold devices from 2 to 3.7 inches so no problem holding this phone.

Another interesting location for your phone is the car air vent.  Consider the Square Jellyfish Jelly-Grip Car Air Vent Mount.  The Square Jellyfish Jelly-Grip mount can be used to hold most phone models with or without a case or skin.  It has a ball and socket so the cradle so has the capability to be oriented downwards towards the driver versus the roof.  This mount will work on flat vent slats that are 3/8 to 1 inch deep.  The included cradle opens to 3 5/8 inches which is plenty large enough for this phone.

For motorcycle use, it’s important that you select a mount that has a well constructed cradle that is going to hold your phone tightly so that it stays secure in high vibration environments.  Consider the RAM X-Grip IV Handlebar Mount.  The RAM X-Grip line consists of well made cradles.  These are heavy-duty mounts that are mostly constructed of metal.  The mount has gone through some rigorous shake tests and holds up well on a motorcycle.  We wrote about X-Grip holders extensively on this site and you can view that article here.  These mounts feature the expandable X-Grip IV cradle which can open to 4.5 inches which is large enough for most cases or skins.  We always recommend tethering your device for added security.