Sonim XP5 Ultra Rugged (Unlocked, Brand New)

Product Description

Rugged phones are nothing new, and most at least try to live up to the name with some hits and misses. The Sonim XP 5700 (also known as the Sonim XP5 Ultra Rugged), takes the rugged concept to a whole new level.

First things first, the XP5700 isn’t trying to be something it isn’t. It isn’t pretending to be a smartphone. Nor is it even pretending to be a full-featured cell phone of any kind. What the Sonim XP5700 claims to be, and what it actually is, is a phone for making calls, sending texts and emails, and taking the odd picture. Really though, when we write it down, the words don’t come close to telling the full story about how great the XP5 is as a tough phone for tough environments.

In truth, with the exception of the hi-res display, the Sonim XP5 Ultra Rugged is actually capable of many things. The Sonim XP5 uses their own proprietary operating system. That’s probably the biggest tell that it isn’t trying to be an app-happy status symbol. But it has just about everything else.

So, What has it Got Then?

Like we mentioned earlier, it does not have a full face display like smartphones do. Yet that’s perfectly okay in this case. It has a powerful quad core processor that you would normally find in high-end devices. It has 4GB of built in storage and a MicroSD so you can add up to 64GB of additional memory. There’s a 3180mAh battery that will provide up to 18hrs of talk time or over 11 days of standby.

The 5MP camera has an LED flash, face-detection, a self-timer, geo-tagging and HDR mode. It can also record 720p HD video. The XP5 has quad-band 4G capability. Like most Mr Aberthon phones, it is unlocked and ready for use in over 290 countries. Email is available via the built in app, as are custom ring tones for everybody in your address book.

It has Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n dual band Wi-Fi with twin antennae and hotspot tethering. It has a built in GPS as well. All this gives plenty of connectivity options. While unusual for cell phones, there’s a full size USB connector for both file transfer and charging.

Between a Rock and a Rugged Place

When we talk about rugged phones, most will meet both the IP68 and MIL-810 standards. IP68 compliance means the device is dust-proof, and waterproof to a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. The MIL-810 standard is the same as used by the US military for testing much of the equipment in use by the armed forces. For mobile phones, including the XP5700, the testing is pretty tough. It will have passed shock resistance, thermal shock, vibration, water, solar radiation, extreme temperatures and more. Once the phone passes all the appropriate tests it will be MIL-810 compliant.

The XP5700 is made to survive conditions tougher than the knocks and bumps of everyday life. Let’s say you have a job or a hobby that routinely puts yourself and anything you have with you at risk of damage or extremes of physical stress. Then the Sonim XP5700 is probably your best bet, it will survive the day with you. The phone is pretty hefty for a smaller phone, it weighs 8.29oz. But it makes it feel secure in your hand and pocket. It also means that a small drop wont break it like most smartphones will.

The Sonim XP5 Ultra Rugged is solid and well built. It has more power than traditional candy bar style phones. A processor and other components that you’d normally see in fully-fledged smartphones means performance isn’t compromised. It just made the XP5700 tougher than a bag full of very tough things.