Samsung Xcover Pro review: the most beautiful shockproof smartphone

The Korean brand Samsung is preparing a grand revival of the unusual line of Xcover smartphones at the end of January. After a long three years of waiting, we will see another device made according to the ip68 system. What does it mean? How much will such a "highlight" cost? And finally, what are the pros and cons of this model? This and much more we will find out right now!

About the brand

As you know, Samsung has become native for Russia for a long time. At the same time, a tiny number of people (even true fans) will be able to tell us about the history of the creation of the legendary brand. In fact, everything is simple, because great things always begin with a garage or, as Lee Byung-chul did, a small warehouse in Daegu.

Samsung has gone through many modifications during its existence.Starting in 1938, the creator tried on his brainchild images of exporting products to China and Japan, producing textiles, sugar, and even an insurance organization. In 1969, the merger with Sanyo gave him a second chance, which Lee Byung-chul used wisely. By leaps and bounds, the brand has reached the kind of global giant that we are used to seeing it now.

In 2022, the manufacturer is going to surprise fans of Korean technology with phones of various shapes, sizes and curves. However, there is a significant BUT here.

Users who have been following the latest in the field of wireless networks for a long time know firsthand how long brands keep the special chips, design and characteristics of gadgets a secret. Surprisingly, the South Korean king quickly revealed all the cards. The release is still 15 days away, and the internet is already flooded with hundreds of photos and critical reviews of the powerful Xcover Pro. Will we keep up with the public?

Appearance

You can solve the riddle of the ruler without even looking at the models. The word "cover" in translation from English means "to cover". And it just so happened that Xcover smartphones are not afraid of layers of snow, tons of water, or tiles in the bathroom. They are rightfully considered indestructible.

Now, let's go directly to the culprit of the review. Usually, phones with ip68 support do not look very presentable and are often late with trends, as if frozen in the distant 2012 (which is 8 years ago, for a second). This is exactly what the 2017 model was like, but this does not apply to the Pro model. Samsung has done a great job to ensure that shockproof gadgets can also keep up with the latest fashion trends.

Before us appears an impressive flagship with dimensions of 159.9 x 76.7 mm, we note that its width is only 1 centimeter (believe me, this is not enough).The weight is fully consistent with the standards of conventional gadgets. Only harmless 180 grams, no kilograms in the hand and weights in the bag.

What are the benefits of ip68 technology? First of all, the phone is not afraid of falls, temperature changes (up to -50 degrees). It is also completely waterproof with the ability to work at a depth of up to 1.5 meters for 35 minutes. Useful feature in light of recent events, isn't it?

Let's get back to design. The battery of the phone is removable, and the case cover is made of aluminum. In its lower part there is a brand logo, in the upper left corner there is a block of two cameras and an LED flash. The side edges, prone to scratches and chips, are prudently rubberized. The back side will please us with a large screen with a diagonal of 6.3 inches. The almost imperceptible front camera is also hidden on the left. It is made in the form of a neat sphere, without the favorite "bangs" and "drops", only a limitless 74% of the screen. And, of course, the device is protected by the latest version of Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

The phone also has side buttons, which, according to the developers, are multifunctional. So the volume swings are immediately responsible for music, a flashlight, an alarm clock, and more.

Equipment

Initially, armored vehicles were created for heavy industry, where neither color nor size mattered, as long as it worked. Samsung is well aware of the importance of a red case with a gradient and overflows in a quarry or factory, so it presents a smartphone only in black, not branded colors.

The rest of the equipment is no different from the others:

• Documents and instructions for use;
• Charger;
• usb cord.

And the main plus is that you do not have to spend money on a case, first try to break the phone itself!

Characteristics

Let's see if Samsung managed to improve not only the design, but also the characteristics of shockproof smartphones?

Screen

As mentioned earlier, the brand did not stint on the latest version of protection from Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Under it, an impressive 6.3-inch LCD screen was hidden. The matrix is ​​more commonly known as IPS. Enough budget, but at the same time bright and hardy, what you need for people associated with extreme work.

The screen resolution was 1080 x 2340 pixels with full Full HD +. Attention, this is not a drill, Samsung Xcover Pro gives out 409 ppi, as a good lux, although many phones with ip68 support do not have a high-quality display.Here it's the other way around. Android 10 OS (which we’ll talk about later) gives a big advantage, because it becomes possible to adjust the color scheme and shades (warm, cold).

In general, Xcover cannot be called an apparatus of industrialists; in ordinary life, free from a constant threat, it also adapts well, mimicking inexpensive novelties. The main screen is bright and the colors are saturated (up to 16 million), so it will perform well both while working on drawings and at lunchtime watching a movie.

Filling

Why are shockproof smartphones not as popular as their unprotected counterparts? The fact is that many brands focus on armor and endurance, forgetting about such important aspects as photography and performance. In fact, we are acquiring a glowing brick that can be used for self-defense. However, how are things going with the brainchild of Samsung?

The smartphone is based on the advanced operating system Android 10.0. The version is known for the presence of a neural network that greatly simplifies life with gestures and a predictive system, and in tandem with the factory functions of Xcover, most processes will be performed much faster and in fewer steps. The inside of the phone will be just as attractive as the outside, thanks to a radical change in design, pastel colors, small icons, and a rich selection of themes. To our surprise, the developers even filled the device with the author's One UI 2 shell.

Forget Qualcomm, forget HiSilicon and Kirin, today we will talk about the real mystery - the powerful Exynos 9611 processor. The chip, made using 10nm technology, is the creation of a South Korean brand. It has 8 fast cores at its disposal, divided into two clusters of 4 cores each.The first cluster (Cortex-A73) is responsible for special loads, so its frequency reaches 2.3 GHz, the second one (Cortex-A53) is designed to support the system. As a support, it is complemented by the Mali-G72 MP3 video processor. Together, they can effortlessly play 4K HD videos at 30 frames per second.

Often, this processor is pitted against the well-known Snapdragon 7th generation. Let's take a look at the tests and we:

Geekbench 4 (single core)

• Exynos 9611 - 1719
• Snapdragon 730 ‒ 2510

Geekbench 4 (multi-core)

• Exynos 9611 - 5440
• Snapdragon 730 ‒ 6810

AnTuTu Benchmark 7

• Exynos 9611 - 150182
• Snapdragon 730 ‒ 216877

As you can see, Samsung chipsets have room to grow, but for a brand whose processors are not the main specialization, the result is significant.

autonomy

This aspect plays a crucial role for shockproof smartphones. They must be not only durable, but also hardy. In this case, the developers did not dare to make the flagship monolithic, the battery in it is removable. Its capacity was 4050 mAh. As part of real monsters, 7000 mAh is not enough, but do not forget that the larger the battery, the thicker the phone!

Characteristics Xcover will be enough for 4 days without recharging in active use. Non-stop games will discharge it in a day. In standby mode, it will last up to a week. In an emergency, the battery can be replaced with another one and, of course, resort to the power-bank docking station. Samsung shocks us again, Xcover is even equipped with a 15-volt Quick Charge function.

Camera

One of the main rules that anyone who wants to buy a shockproof phone should learn is:

The main camera has two lenses. The first one is 25 MP with f/1.8 aperture. Tolerable values ​​for shooting in different weather and time of day. There is some blurring, despite the fact that the developers have equipped the camera with a wide angle and a focus of up to 26 millimeters. The second lens received 8 megapixels and a mediocre f / 2.2 aperture. The lens is characterized as ultra-wide (up to 13 millimeters). The front camera snatched 13 megapixels, also with a large viewing angle.

In general, for a phone in this category, the values ​​​​are relatively good, since many brothers do not get even 2 megapixels for selfies.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Beautiful design;
• Large battery capacity;
• Powerful processor;
• Large, bright screen;
• Waterproof and armored hull;
• Works under extreme conditions;
• Light;
• Has a fast charging function.

• Mediocre camera;
• The case gets hot;
• Missing some specs from a regular flagship for 2022.

Where to buy and at what price

According to the latest data in the US, the phone will cost about $499 (or 30,000 rubles). It is also precisely known about the sale in Russia. We will learn more information on January 31 at a presentation in Finland.