Samsung Xcover Pro review: the most beautiful shockproof smartphone of 2020

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

About the brand

As you know, Samsung has become native to 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 start in the garage or, as Lee Byung Chol did, a small warehouse in Daegu.

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

In 2020, 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 developments in the field of wireless networks for a long time know firsthand how long brands keep secret special features, design and characteristics of gadgets. Surprisingly, the South Korean king quickly revealed all his cards. 15 days before release, and the Internet is already filled with hundreds of photos and critical reviews of the powerful Xcover Pro. Let's keep up with the public?

Appearance

You can solve the riddle of the ruler without even looking at the model. 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 quite presentable and are often lagging behind trends, as if they froze back in 2012 (which is 8 years ago, for a second). This is exactly what the 2017 model was, 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 is 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 drops (up to -50 degrees). It is also completely waterproof with the ability to work at depths of up to 1.5 meters for 35 minutes. Useful trick in light of recent events, isn't it?

Let's get back to the design. The battery of the phone is removable and the case cover is made of aluminum. In the lower part of it is the brand logo, in the upper left corner there is a block of two cameras and an LED flash.The side edges, which are prone to scratches and chips, are prudently rubberized. The back side will delight us with a large screen with a diagonal of 6.3 inches. An almost invisible 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 swing is immediately responsible for music, flashlight, alarm clock and so on.

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 casing with a gradient and overflows at a quarry or a factory, so it presents a smartphone only in black, non-brand colors.

Otherwise, the equipment does not differ from others:

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

And the main plus is that you don't have to spend money on a cover, first try to break the phone itself!

Specifications

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 skimp on the latest version of protection from Corning Gorilla Glass 5. It hides an impressive 6.3-inch LCD screen. Popularly, the matrix is ​​better known as IPS. Quite budgetary, but at the same time bright and hardy, what is needed 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 409 ppi, like a good suite, although many phones with ip68 support do not have a high-quality display. Here, the opposite is true. A big advantage is given by the Android 10 OS (which we will talk about later), because it becomes possible to adjust the color gamut and shades (warm, cold).

In general, Xcover cannot be called the apparatus of industrialists, in ordinary life, free from constant threat, it also adapts well, mimicking inexpensive novelties. The main screen is bright, colors are saturated (up to 16 million), thanks to which it will show itself well both while working on drawings and during lunchtime with 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 purchasing a glowing brick that can be used for self-defense. However, how are things with Samsung's brainchild?

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

Forget Qualcomm, forget HiSilicon and Kirin, today we'll talk about the real mystery - the powerful Exynos 9611 processor. The 10nm chip is the creation of a South Korean brand. He has 8 nimble cores, 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 (Cortex-A53) is designed to support the system. The Mali-G72 MP3 video processor complements it as support. Together, they can effortlessly play 4K HD footage at 30 frames per second.

Often, this processor is pitted against the well-known 7th generation Snapdragon. 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's chipsets have room for growth, but for a brand whose main specialization is processors, the result is significant.

Autonomy

This aspect is essential for shockproof smartphones. They must be not only strong, 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. Within the framework of real 7000 mAh monsters, this is not enough, but do not forget that the larger the battery, the thicker the phone!

The characteristics of Xcover are quite enough for 4 days without recharging in active use mode. Games non-stop will discharge it in a day. In standby mode, it will last up to a week. In an extreme situation, the battery can be replaced with another one and, of course, resort to the power-bank docking station. Samsung shocks us again, Xcover even comes with 15 Volt Quick Charge.

Camera

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

The main camera has two lenses. The first is 25 megapixel with f / 1.8 aperture. Passable 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 wide viewing angle.

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

Advantages and disadvantages

• Beautiful design;
• Large battery capacity;
• Powerful processor;
• Large, bright screen;
• Water resistant and armored body;
• Works under extreme conditions;
• Easy;
• Fast charging function.

• Mediocre camera
• The case heats up;
• Some of the characteristics of the regular flagship for 2020 are missing.

Where to buy and at what price

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