Calling all outdoor enthusiasts who want to change their phone into an ultra-rugged one. Take a moment to read this Sonim XP5 Plus review to know what this phone can offer.
The Sonim XP5plus phone was launched in July 2022. Are you often working outdoors in extreme environments? If you are, a rugged phone could be suitable for your heavy activities.
This communication device is not widely sold, just like the other phones. This is because the ultra-rugged phone has its own segmented consumers. The military-build grade performed well for people who spend most of their time outdoors.
The Sonim XP5plus is an ultra-rugged phone with this military standard. It has advanced capability yet top-notch durability. Let’s find out how this phone could be a perfect choice for outdoors people, including their top points in this Sonim XP5 Plus review.
Key Specs
Sonim XP5plus specifications:
| Weight | 275g |
| Dimensions | 149 x 66 x 21mm |
| OS | Proprietary based on AOSP 11 |
| Screen size | 2.8-inch |
| Resolution | 240 x 320 |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 |
| CPU | Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A53) |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Storage | 16GB |
| Battery | 3,500mAh, Removable |
| Rear camera | 8MP |
| Features | IPX9K water ingress protection, MIL-STD-810H |
Design
This phone’s design pulls the rugged-military standards by applying MIL-STD-810H and Non-Incendive Class I, II, III Div 2 ratings. It makes the device prone to the most hazardous and extreme environments.
If you notice, there are two top-mount PTT control knobs on top of the device. These two functioned to control the volume and select the channels. Along with these, there is also a red emergency button available.
The front area of the phone consists of a display screen with a tactile and glove-able keypad. There are also three buttons above the keypad to make it more functional and easy to use. On the side, you will see a large PTT button to make a call and the Sonim Secure Audio Connector to connect the audio accessories.
Meanwhile, there is nothing much in the back area. It is just a back cover where the battery is placed and a rear camera with its LED flash.
Display
The Sonim XP5plus display consists of a 2.8-inch screen. The display screen is very small. It isn’t very pleasant since, as outdoor phones, we want it more readable for people in that environment.
The phone’s display screen quality is also not the best they have. It is a 240 x 320 resolution, which means users can only enjoy a QVGA screen quality. You will find some pixelated images and icons in some places.
Even though it still has a good text size and the phone’s brightness. We are not satisfied with the phone’s display screen, either in its size or quality.
Camera
Let’s talk about the Sonim XP5plus camera. This phone only has a single rear camera placed at the back. It comes with 8MP resolutions – in our opinion, this camera’s megapixels are lower than we’ve expected for a certain price range.
But as an outdoor feature phone, the camera is the last thing they pay attention to. The Sonim XP5plus’s camera has become more practical for social media purposes. The camera’s features are also complete; autofocus, face detection, and timer. Besides taking a picture, the Sonim XP5plus can also record a video with 1080p resolutions.
Read also: Schok Freedom Turbo XL (2022) Review: Triple Camera and Wireless Charging
Storage
The Sonim XP5plus is installed with 16GB of internal storage. This storage amount is pretty decent, but we expect more space at an unaffordable price. Moreover, this phone is a feature phone with no advanced features available. And the actual size isn’t even close to 16GB, thanks to the junk system’s reserved space.
Even though it’s purposely for outdoor people, some of you may need to expand the storage. Don’t worry. The Sonim XP5plus allows users to put expandable memory, a MicroSD card of up to 512GB, into the phone. It will give you space to save more data and add more apps to your device.
Performance
The processor is a vital point of the Sonim XP5plus system. This phone relies on the Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 662, a perfect match for this phone because it supports a smooth and reliable performance. Even better, it makes the battery way more efficient.
Moreover, the processor runs on a 2.0 GHz Cortex-A73 clock rate. This rate is similar to smartphones’ speed, so we are quite impressed with these specifications. Users can experience faster and more stable performance. We notice only little lags. Overall, it provides a heavy-duty phone really well.
The 2GB RAM is coupled with those CPU specs. We expect to get more than this for a phone with a higher price – at least 4GB RAM would be much better. With 2GB RAM, you can easily do several basic things, such as open lightweight apps. But the battery performance would run out when it comes to opening several apps simultaneously.
This RAM size doesn’t also support multitasking. Every time we try to jump from one app to another, it shows delays. Open a heavy app such as internet surfing or so on also not running well.
The Sonim XP5plus comes with proprietary OS based on AOSP. It is commonly found in a feature phone. AOSP stands for Android Open Source Project, an operating system built by Google but openly accessible to the public. The phone’s developers can use the OS blueprints and give their own touch to make it more unique.
The Sonim XP5plus is focused on being suitable for extreme outdoor environments. That’s why there are some ultimate features to provide this capability. This phone is prone to shock, dust, and water. It has IPX9K water ingress protection, MIL-STD-810H and Non-Incendive Class I, II, III Div 2 ratings.
Connectivity
The Sonim XP5plus is a 4G phone, but it is still compatible with older bands such as 3G and even 2G. However, 4G connectivity is the most accessible since it can be enjoyed in remote areas (obviously, it is excellent connectivity for an outdoor phone). This phone also has Wi-Fi connectivity for those who don’t have a data connection available.
The Sonim XP5plus could also be an internet modem by activating the mobile hotspot feature. Other than that, several connectivity features are available, such as Bluetooth and USB Type-C cables. Those two could work perfectly to transfer and connect with other devices, whether using a wire or not.
Battery
The Sonim XP5plus has a 3,500mAh battery capacity to hold the phone all day. It is an average size for a phone – especially if the phone only could work for small activities. This phone promises to last up to 30 hours in talk-time mode and 24 days in standby-time mode. But it can change along with users’ usage times. Make sure to use the device wisely.
This phone comes with a removable battery type. This type of battery suits really well to outdoors’ phones since it can be easily removed and changed with a spare every time the battery goes off.
Verdict
The Sonim XP5plus is an ultra-rugged phone that fulfills the outdoors’ standards. It has a ruggedized phone design and several military-rated features built perfectly for extreme conditions; water-proof, dust-proof, shock-proof, and drop-proof.
But with the price of $300, many smartphone options have better specs and features. If you have no problem with the price and you’re attracted to this phone’s capability, then it’s your right to choose.
Sonim XP5plus Pros:
- Ruggedized design
- Military-rated build
Sonim XP5plus Cons:
- Expensive
- Low storage
