How can I describe how hard it is? If you know polycarbonate, that is a very stiff and rigid plastic. This case is nothing like polycarbonate. If you know polypropylene, that is a very slippery and flexible plastic. This case is nothing like polypropylene. This case is somewhere in between. It has a little bit of flex so that it will "snap" into place, and it's soft enough that I can't imagine any way it could damage the N900. It makes the phone chunkier, but it makes it feel very rugged and well-protected. I'm well pleased. Obviously different people are looking for different things, but at least this is one of the cheaper options so you might want to try it. Regards, Roger