Some devices are designed to resist extreme conditions. Read our Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro review if you’re curious about this phone.
The Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro smartphone was released in April 2020. Developers are taking an interest in building phones for niche demographics. At the moment, rugged smartphones are taking the fields by storm.
People who work in harsh conditions require a reliable smartphone to get connected. Communication is vital, primarily if your occupation is based under hazardous conditions.
The brand has taken note of this particular market. With the Samsung Galaxy XCover Field Pro, developers have set high expectations with this device. It’s specifically made to function well even under harsh situations.
But does the hi-tech phone live up to our standards? Check out our Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro review to find out more. This smartphone will definitely get your attention.
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Key Specs
Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro specifications:
- Weight: 256g
- Dimensions: 159 x 81 x 14.2mm
- OS: Android 8 (Oreo)
- Screen size: 5.1-inch
- Resolution: 2560 x 1440
- CPU: 2.7GHz Octa-core, Samsung Exynos 9810
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 64GB
- Battery: 4,500mAh, Removable
- Rear camera: 12MP
- Front camera: 8MP
Design
The Samsung Galaxy XCover Field Pro boasts a manly design that’s all geared up. It has a very sturdy appearance that can withstand ruggedness. It is relatively thick compared to other smartphones. However, the phone’s dimensions are on the smaller side. We can still carry the phone anywhere and put it in our pockets.
The front side of the smartphone has an exciting look. We have a display screen that is surrounded by bezels. The top bezel has a front-facing camera, earpiece, and sensors. Meanwhile, the bottom bezel features the navigation keys. What’s unique is that the navigation keys are not a touchscreen. They are physical keys that are installed separately on the bottom bezel.
The backside of the smartphone looks just as unique as well. The back cover is removable, but we will have to use a screwdriver. Props to the developers for making the back tight and secured. On the top, we have a single rear camera, fingerprint sensor, and triple LED flash.
The Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro is DGUV112-139 certified. This means that the phone has optimal dust and water resistance that has been acknowledged. The phone can be left in 1.5m of water for approximately 30 minutes. The phone only comes in black, but we don’t think aesthetics is the main priority of this phone.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy XCover Field Pro has a 5.1-inch display screen. In simpler terms, the display screen is smaller compared to other phones. Buyers might be a bit disappointed in paying a high price for a small screen. But a small screen to use in extreme conditions is much more efficient than using large screens.
With a 56% screen-to-body percentage, the display size has its ergonomic benefits. We can use only one hand to type on the touch screen. We don’t have to make a fuss and operate it using two hands. It’s a huge benefit if we ever have to use this phone during emergency situations.
Quality-wise, the phone’s display screen is decent. It has a 2560 x 1440 resolution, so we’re still getting sharp graphic levels. The resolution is accommodated by the phone’s 16:9 aspect ratio. The phone makes full use of the space available to display on-screen content.
The device comes with Quad HD to strengthen the resolution. Quad HD is accredited for having four times the sharpness of 720p HD. The feature supports 16 million colors and 576 pixels per inch. Users are guaranteed vibrant colors and textures on the phone screen.
Read also: Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro User Manual
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro only has two cameras. The first camera is the primary rear camera, which comes in 12MP. Meanwhile, we also have the front-facing camera that’s coming in 8MP. So far, we’re not entirely too impressed with the megapixels. With the price we’re paying, we expect megapixel levels that’re above average quality.
The phone’s 12MP rear camera is equipped with a Dual Aperture. With this feature, the camera can adjust to the phone’s surroundings and brightness levels. Additionally, we have Phase Detection AutoFocus that lets the camera instantly focus on one subject to another.
To accompany the rear camera, we have a Triple-LED flash. We’d like to give props to this flash feature. Not only does it help with low-light pictures, but it works as a flashlight. It’s an essential tool to have whenever we’re stuck in dark environments. Other perks that we can enjoy are HDR and panorama mode.
The phone’s 8MP front-facing camera might not get us some impressive selfies. However, it’s enough megapixels to clearly initiate a video call. Both the rear and the front-facing camera can be used to record videos. Supporting 1080p at 30 frames per second, we’re bound to get smooth videos.
Storage
The Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro is installed with 64GB internal memory storage. This amount of storage is more than enough, but again, we expect something more significant at this price point. Users should expect some bloatware to occupy the internal memory. However, we’re still left with much space to store our files, data, and other information.
We can choose to expand the memory if we want to. To do this, we will need to install a microSD card. The phone allows up to 512GB of expandable storage. This should compensate for all the lost internal memory due to bloatware.
Read also: Sonim XP8 Review: Durability that Endures Harsh Environments
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro uses a Samsung Exynos 9810 processor to function. This Octa-core chipset runs at a CPU clock speed up to 2.7GHz. It is a reasonably high speed that allows that phone to operate swiftly. The processor makes sure that the phone can perform intensive tasks without crashing.
Additionally, the processor does more than just making sure the phone runs smoothly. The also enhances graphics, providing richer colors and tones. It also strengthens the phone’s LTE modem. Thanks to the processor, the phone has a downlink speed up to 1.2Gbps, and an uplink speed up to 200Mbps.
In this Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro review, we’ll be taking a look at the phone’s 4GB RAM. A phone’s Random Access Memory, or RAM, is a vital component to check. A RAM’s purpose is to temporarily store the memory originating from our running apps. A higher RAM is very much recommended for heavy-duty performance.
Fortunately, this device has ample RAM storage that allows the phone to endure weighty performance. 4GB of RAM will get us so far with our apps. Although it is still encouraged to maintain our RAM so that it can last much longer. One of the ways we can do this is by cleaning the cache daily.
The Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro is installed with Android 8.0 for its operating system (OS). The OS, frequently referred to as Android Oreo, boasts several pros that make it outstanding. For starters, it promises faster boot speed, which also saves up the phone battery. The OS supports the Autofill API framework, which will fill in your account credentials automatically.
Unfortunately, not everyone is pleased with the OS. Android’s latest feature, Google Lens, is still not available with Android 8.0. Additionally, there’s no VR or AR support yet. It may not be a huge disadvantage for some. However, it shows that some of Android’s more advanced features are not yet available.
Like most smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro is equipped with multiple sensors. We have the accelerometer, used to track our steps and walking speed. This sensor is assisted by the gyroscope to detect the phone’s orientation. It’s also useful for gaming apps that require lots of moving from left to right.
Next up, the phone is installed with a barometer that is used to detect surrounding conditions. This could range from air pressure or weather forecasts. Finally, we have the ambient light sensor that’s used for adaptive brightness. A phone can easily adjust its brightness levels thanks to this sensor.
Connectivity
The Samsung Galaxy XCover can accommodate networks up to 4G LTE. Additionally, we can receive coverage for 4G, 3G UMTS, as well as GSM/GPRS/EDGE. The phone is capable enough to support a range of network bands. So no matter how isolated we are, we can still reach out to someone.
The phone has multiple Push-to-Talk features that can turn the phone into a walkie talkie. We have both Enhanced and FirstNet Push-to-Talk to make sure we stay connected. We also have some other essentials, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth version 5.0. If others need to use our data connection, we can transform the phone into a mobile hotspot.
Battery
The Samsung Galaxy XCover is powered by a battery capacity of 4,500mAh. It’s a big battery size that will get us through long hours of usage. The battery is removable, which could be a bit of a concern. However, as previously mentioned, the back cover can only be removed using a screw. Therefore, the battery is tightly secured so long we shut the back cover correctly.
The phone can be used for up to 28 hours of talk time. In other words, it can survive up to 418 hours if left on standby. We don’t have to worry about the phone being out of battery quickly. It’s ideal for conditions that don’t have charging ports.
Is the Samsung Galaxy XCover a Good Phone?
The Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro has left quite an impression with its bulky appearance. However, the phone’s specifications do not justify the high price point. Some less than impressive features include the camera’s low megapixels and storage space. With a retail price of $1105, the device will definitely burn a hole in our pockets.
To summarize our Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro review, we suggest finding something else. There are other phones much better than this in the market. While they might not be under some well-recognized brand, we can get more advanced specs. The best part? Other phones come at half the price.
Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro Pros
- Water and dust resistant
- QuadHD Display
- Quality processor
- Huge battery
Samsung Galaxy XCover FieldPro Cons
- Low camera megapixels
- Small internal storage
- Too expensive