This Rugged Samsung Phone Is Nearly Indestructible

Smartphones are typically designed for everyday use in the most common settings — in an office, around the house, or in town on your daily routines. They're built to be tough and may be able to withstand drops, but one Samsung phone is specifically made for frontline workers who may find themselves in industrial or challenging outdoor environments. 

The Galaxy XCover7 Pro is a rugged smartphone produced for those in the construction, transportation, manufacturing, public safety, and similar careers. Its military-grade strength sits alongside decent performance specs that you would find in everyday smartphones. The phone can withstand being held in front of a lighter flame so it could be suitable for firefighters, police officers, first responders, or anyone working on construction sites. 

While most smartphones are built to simply make calls, send and receive texts, stream videos, and more while you are out and about, the Galaxy XCover7 Pro is made for those who don't just sit behind a desk. Tests have shown that its durability makes it capable of being used just about anywhere without fear of causing noticeable damage to it. It may even make a good phone for hiking, travel, and going off-grid.

The Samsung Galaxy XCover7 Pro is a follow-up to the Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro. It's available for around $600 through Samsung. However, as it's designed for businesses that may encounter tougher conditions, outdoor environments, and construction sites, if you own a business and need it for employees, you may be able to get the smartphone at a discount.

When it comes to ruggedness, the XCover7 Pro has been put through some challenging tests including 22 of the MIL-STD-810 lab tests which are designed to determine how dependable a smartphone can be under specific situations. The experiment found that the Samsung phone survived 26 drops from a height of around 1.5 meters, exposure to consistent vibrations, 160 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures, solar radiation, spray from salt and rain, and being dunked in ice cold water. 

As for all the tech running and powering the XCover7 Pro, it features an octa-core CPU with speeds of 2.5GHz, 2.4GHz, and 1.8GHz. It also includes a 1080 x 2408 FHD+ PLS LCD display, multiple rear cameras, a front-facing camera, and several sensors including an accelerometer, barometer, and geomagnetic sensor. It also comes with a removable 4,350 mAh battery, which bucks a trend, as most smartphone makers stopped making removable batteries.

Those who have actually used the XCover7 Pro say there is a lot to like about the rugged smartphone — it has a very useful removable battery, and a durable glass display that ranks between levels 6 and 7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale.

Professional tech reviewer JerryRigEverything found the programmable buttons on the XCover7 Pro to be great. They can be used as a walkie talkie, using cellular data, via apps such as Microsoft Teams to connect with other users on the same team. The buttons can also be used to access an app without unlocking the phone. It can even register touch through gloves.

There are features that aren't beloved by users. The camera is said to be lackluster, while the processor is slow, and the LCD display is noticeably worse than standard smartphones. However, that's all to be expected for customers who do their research. The XCover7 Pro is specifically designed to be used by emergency personnel, first responders, and frontline workers. Alternatively, you can get a rugged phone case to better protect your phone.