Kyocera DuraForce Pro (Unlocked, Used)

Product Description

Smartphones are great things. Unfortunately, they are also fragile things. Any device which has a large area of glass, be it a phone, TV, or even a car, will always be prone to damage. By using a case designed to protect the phone from impact, drop damage, and more, the Kyocera DuraForce Pro does a great job of addressing the problem.

The case feels incredibly strong and, as long as you don’t mind your smartphone being on the thicker side, looks pretty good as well. It is on the hefty side, at 8.1 ounces, but strength and durability do have their price. The usual Android buttons are part of the case itself, as proper hardware additions. This goes against recent wisdom on smartphone design. However, many do like to have a real feel to button presses, and we like the way it works here.

The 5″ display is protected by the edges of the case having a slight lip. This prevents scratches if the phone is face down for any reason.

In truth, the Kyocera DuraForce Pro is a pretty good-looking smartphone.

Kyocera DuraForce Pro Protection Built-In

It’s more common for smartphones to offer dust and water resistance today than even a few years ago. The DuraForce Pro doesn’t stop there, though. It also complies with MIL-STD 810G. This is the military testing standard that requires devices to have much more protection built-in. The DuraForce Pro is shock, vibration, temperature, and humidity-resistant. It is also less prone to damage from drops thanks to the extra-rugged case.

No smartphone is indestructible, but the DuraForce Pro gets as close to it as any.

Hardware

Often, when building a rugged phone, compromises are inevitable. These help to strengthen the overall device but can mean lower performance. Thankfully, that isn’t the case with the DuraForce Pro. The display has Full HD 1080p resolution, and protection by way of scratch-resistant glass. It is clear and bright and does a great job with movies and games. The 8 core processor means there’s plenty of “oomph” for even the most demanding task, and graphics are silky smooth.

The rear camera is 13MP and the front camera 5MP. The rear camera can shoot Full HD video and offers a wide-angle mode covering an astonishing 135 degrees of view. Not only that, but the camera can record slow motion and even underwater. There are limits to the length of time this is safe to do, but it’s a very smart and unusual feature. The rear flash is LED, and both cameras have autofocus.

There’s a mass of connectivity features on the DuraForce Pro. There’s Bluetooth 4.2 for hands-free systems or accessories such as speakers. Another bonus is Wi-Fi up to 802.11 ac for the fastest possible network speed. GPS allows navigation and location services, and NFC for file transfer or contactless payments such as Apple Pay or Google Pay. The power button also acts as a fingerprint sensor for extra security.

4G

If you’re serious about social media, browsing, online shopping, or online gaming, 4G is essential. The DuraForce Pro is not tied to any network and can be used on any GSM network worldwide. Just buy a local SIM in any of the 190 countries using the GSM system, and get cheap data rates. Voice Over LTE (VoLTE) is also possible, allowing you to make calls over Wi-Fi if you have no cell connection. Your carrier does need to enable this on their network, so check before using.

Size and Power of the Kyocera DuraForce Pro

We’ve already mentioned the 8.1 oz weight, which is more than your average smartphone. Despite this, the DuraForce Pro isn’t much bigger than most at 5.84 x 2.80 x 0.51 inches. It is a little thicker, due to the protective case, but this is to be expected for a rugged smartphone.

The battery is an impressive 3240mAh, providing 20hrs of talk time or 19 days standby power. You get 32GB of internal storage, and you can add a further 256GB via the MicroSD card slot.