Sonim XP3 (Unlocked, Brand New)

Product Description

With the latest release from Samsung, flip phones have become popular again after almost two decades. But did you know that Sonim XP3 precedes the latest Samsung flip smartphones?

Arguably, it’s the best rugged flip phone on the market. And the XP3 does offer some smart features and it supports LTE.

The following sections take a closer look at what makes this device a great option for demanding professionals.

Sonim XP3 Specifications

Although it doesn’t look like most other rugged smartphones, the XP3 surely does the job well. And it’s one of the most pocketable Sonim’s to date. But there are other features you should know about.

Design

No, this isn’t a brick, but rather a beefy clamshell that might appeal to typical users. Sure, it’s a great device for rangers, contractors, and hotel employees. But the XP3 won’t look out of place in an office or any other desk work environment.

Its shell is reinforced plastic, and the phone comes only in matte gray. Measuring 4.4 x 2.3 x 1.1 inches and weighing 6.88 ounces, it’s one of the smallest and compact rugged smartphones. For comparison, it’s roughly the same size as flip Motorola’s from a decade ago.

Sonim XP3 Durability

Don’t let the small form factor trick you. The XP3 is on pair with Sonim’s bigger models in terms of device protection.

This is a ruggedized model with IP68 and MIL-STD-810G ratings. In English, this means that the phone is waterproof, and you can use the XP3 even when it’s wet. But it gets even better.

You can keep the phone submerged for half an hour, then flip it open and it’ll work. Mind you, the speaker may seem somewhat quiet immediately afterward, but it soon goes away.

Also, you can lean onto the phone heavily when it’s flipped open, and it won’t break. The same goes for dropping it from about six feet.

Internals

The GPU is Snapdragon 210 running at 1GHz, and XP3 uses stripped version of Android 8.1 to fit the device’s design. Sure, this isn’t the fastest rugged phone on the market, but, speed isn’t its main selling point. And it’s not like this phone will keep freezing on you.

However, there’s one quirk. When accessing apps, the home screen may appear blurry (it’ll get sharp in a few seconds). It’s a minor downside indeed and it might be resolved with a future software update.

Sonim XP3 Battery

The XP3 has a 1,500mAh battery, which is kind of modest and LTE and Android can drain it quite a bit. With that said, the talk time is about seven hours, and you’ll typically need to recharge it every three days.

The phone charges via USB-C, or you can use an industrial cradle that connects to pop-port connectors on the phone.

Overall, the charging time and battery life are good, particularly for this type of phone.

Flip to Talk

The XP3 is one of the most versatile phones from Sonim and it has one of the best sound and voice qualities. That makes it a great option for users who don’t need to install demanding apps but would like the benefit of great durability.

Lastly, the industrial charm of this phone is hard to miss. Yes, it’s secondary to everything else, but this isn’t a phone you’d be shy to show off.