Verdict
A solid phone for work , the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 lack battery life and carrying into action compared to similarly priced options , but otherwise is an imposingly broken gimmick .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
calculate for a rugged Android phone that ’ll survive a spill or just about anything else ? The Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 might be the pick of the bunch .
It ’s not often you’re able to call a telephone focused on being borderline bulletproof a “ looker ” , but the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 might be the closest yet . It shun the heftiness of interchangeable framework while still offering a racy casing , and an almost all - CRT screen front with a large , bright 6.6 - column inch showing .
It also has Android 14 running the right way out of the box , as well as a promise of years of update – something many of its competitors ca n’t offer . Sadly , the Samsung name comes with a heftier price tag that the execution ca n’t quite populate up to , but with 5 G included and a replaceable assault and battery , it could make for an idealistic endeavor leverage .
Design
As I observe in my introduction , the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 is remarkably good - look for a telephone mean to be tough . That may sound like a backhand compliment , but it ’s utterly intend as a positive .
The bleak body feel premium , while the blood-red / orangish accents on the flashlight button and camera mental faculty look sleek – like Samsung has been take note from theApple Watch Ultra .
The 6.6 - inch exhibit dominates the front , and while there are definite bezel here , they ’re likely part of adding to the lastingness of the gadget . There ’s a slight notch at the top for the front - face tv camera , and a ‘ chin ’ at the base .
There ’s a mono speaker on the bottom , as well as a USB - deoxycytidine monophosphate charging port , while the top has a 3.5 mm headphone shit port . On the right , you ’ll receive a volume cradle and sopor / viewing / index button , while the left has a button that , by nonpayment , activates the flashlight .
That can be switched to just about any app , though , which is very handy indeed – particularly if you need quick access to the photographic camera ( more on that shortly ) .
On the back , there ’s a modest opening with which to pop the back cover off , uncover the obliterable shelling , SIM slot , and microSD slot . When you ’re done , it snap back into place gratifyingly , too .
It ’s that back plane section that ’s important , and while Samsung will perhaps be beaming to know I did n’t put my review unit under the wheels of my machine or anything like that , there ’s essentially zero bend when putting imperativeness on the headphone .
There ’s also a subtle ‘ lip ’ where the outer edge is raised above the exhibit to minimise middleman meter with the ground if you were to drop it , and subtly stumpy corner to forestall the inside case , or the screen ’s corner , taking the brunt of impact .
I ’ve previously checked out options like the Doogee S98 Pro , which feels considerably chunky in the mitt . In a luck of ways , the greatest compliment I can give the XCover 7 is that , for daily use of goods and services , it simply feel like a normal smartphone should feel , and at 240 g , it ’s only a minuscule heavier than my day-by-day driveriPhone 15 Pro Max .
And , with MIL - STD-810H certified drop ohmic resistance andIP68dust and water impedance , I have it off which one I ’d feel safe taking to a mental synthesis site .
Screen
The video display is just as rugged as the exterior here , with Corning ’s Gorilla Glass Victus+ help oneself to protect against scuffs , cracks , and shattering . It ’s a heavy projection screen , too , at 6.6 inches , and it gets plenty burnished for an LCD presentation .
I ’m very pleased to say that it offers a decent resolution , too , with a 20:9 proportion , 1080×2408 pixel display that ’s sharp enough for mean solar day - to - day utilization and works nicely when bask some YouTube at the conclusion of the Clarence Day .
The only real letdown is the refresh charge per unit ; it ’s sting at 60Hz . While that would ’ve been fine a few age ago , even phones that be half the price of the XCover 7 make out with a90Hzrefresh rate at the least .
I ’m a little disappointed to only get one mono talker at the stem of the phone , but I ’d imagine that ’s down to the more broken nature trying to minimise ingress into the chassis from dirt and debris . There ’s always that 3.5 mm headphone jack and Bluetooth connectivity , at least .
Cameras
Samsung ’s flagships extend excellent photography options , but thing naturally get less impressive the further you go down the intersection line .
That ’s not to say this is a bad common snapping turtle , though , and rather than offering a handful of sub - part lens , Samsung has lead all - in on the single main sensor . More specifically , it ’s a 50MP master detector with pel binning that trims images down to 12.5MP to hike visible radiation and contingent . It ’s decent , and for capturing contingent on a construction site visit , it ’ll more than do the job .
The contingent devolve a fairish amount in low - light scenario , but for a headphone in this category , you ’re perhaps less likely to be snapping pic in nightclubs and more likely to use it for capturing figure on a construction site or other work purposes . With that in judgment , it definitely ticks enough box – just do n’t try and use it to capture video for TikTok or Instagram selfies .
That ’s because the selfie camera is as characterless as you may get , with a 5MP sensor , while video gaining control on the rear sensor caps out at 1080p and 30fps .
Performance
Rugged phones lean to sacrifice overall carrying into action for strength , and that ’s essentially the history with the XCover 7 and the Dimensity 6100 + found within . It ’s a upstanding performer for the price , but you ’ll find more brawny headphone like the Honor Magic 6 Lite at a similar cost stop . The difference is that it would n’t survive a 1.8 - meter drop .
Anyway , the good news is that the included 5 gravitational constant connectivity is reliable , and the 6 GB of RAM is great for multitasking in just about any received app .
In fact , during my testing , I was able-bodied to respond to emails , control societal spiritualist , and do some web browsing , all while streaming from Spotify with very few issue . Gaming is less impressive on the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 , though . Not only are games like Genshin Impact only really playable at a lower skeleton pace , but the phone gets somewhat warm when playing , too .
It ’s not something that ’s likely to affect you if you ’re just logging on for Candy Crush or Marvel Snap , but if you ’re hoping to trifle more adventurous titles you ’ll be disappointed .
However , give the phone ’s focus on enterprise , most users will not regain themselves doing this all that often . Well , they should n’t be , anyway …
Software
The Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 runs Android 14 from the jump but with Samsung ’s OneUI 6.0 sheathing on top .
That means it look courteous , and it ’s easy to pilot , but might be a little jarring come from stock Android . It ’s not quite a sporty install either , but we ’ve unquestionably fare a long way of life from the bloatware you ’d find just a few years ago .
Samsung has entrust to five years of surety update , which is telling even at this price range . That ’s not to be put off with full - blown atomic number 8 updates , however . You ’ll have to pass a little more if you want multiple OS upgrades from your rugged gadget .
You ’ll find the “ XCover Button ” setting in the advanced options , which dictate what that side button with the bring orange hue does . By nonremittal , a press toggles the flashlight , while you may hold it for a camera clitoris . you could tack either of these to literally any Android app you ’d like .
That means if you ’re always in need of your calendar , your calculator , or just about anything else , it ’s at your fingertips . It ’s worth noting that you’re able to switch the feature film off , but you ’ll also not be capable to trip any form of automation like with the iPhone 15 Pro ’s Action Button . So while you could have it open up your contacts , for instance , I ’ve not found a way to open a specific contact lens .
Battery life
There ’s good news and bad news when it comes to the assault and battery animation in the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 . On the one hand , it ’s obliterable , so you’re able to switch multiple batteries to last you multiple day .
On the other , it ’s a comparatively bantam 4050mAh cadre which , while it ’ll last a twenty-four hour period , is n’t going to wow anyone with its seniority before needing charging . Still , in solar day - to - day employment , I found myself unplugging it from its charger at 8 am and plugging it back in close to midnight just as it reached around the 20 % mark .
speak of charge , there ’s no arranger in the box , but with a easy lay direction speed of 18W , do n’t expect it to move all that apace .
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
The Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 is a groovy option for anyone convey website visits .
The Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 offers solid public presentation , but likewise priced steady phones will get along better in real - world use .
Final Thoughts
Given the Leontyne Price , I ’d wait a trivial more performance and a big battery here , but that ’s typical of the broken telephone set market – some features have to be sacrifice to proffer that extra durable design , especially one at the gimcrack end of the market .
apart from that , the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 is a solid all - rounder . Its presentation is big and bright , it ’s got 5 G , and the removable electric battery , coupled with deal of software updates and the long-lasting flesh , means it could be an enterprise keystone for years to come .
Trusted Score
How we test
We examine every nomadic headphone we brush up good . We expend industriousness - standard exam to compare features the right way and we use the phone as our main gadget over the reassessment menses . We ’ll always tell you what we happen and we never , ever , swallow money to review a product .
Find out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
It offers 18W fast complaint capability , but you ’ll require to source your own 18W power adapter one by one .
It propose IP68 junk and water resistance , as well as MIL - STD-810H free fall ohmic resistance up to 1.8 meters .
Test Data
Full Specs
