This Ultra Rugged Android Phone Has Every Battery Feature You Can Imagine

This Ultra Rugged Android Phone Has Every Battery Feature You Can Imagine – Hong Kong-based Blackview promises drop protection of up to 1.2 meters, or about 4 feet. It is priced at P7,900.

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This Ultra Rugged Android Phone Has Every Battery Feature You Can Imagine

You’ve probably never heard of Blackview before. I haven’t for this engagement either, so I don’t blame you. They’re not exactly a household name here in the Philippines – maybe not yet – and that’s because they seem to cater to a niche rather than the general public.  

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Unlike other major brands here, Blackview specializes in rugged phones. These are smartphones that are designed to withstand the weather. They are extremely durable and strong, usually with some sort of waterproof, dustproof, dropproof, and shockproof certification. They’re also incredibly resilient, packing huge batteries that can last days on a single charge.

These are all features of the Blackview BV6600, one of the Hong Kong brand’s recent rugged releases. I got some hands on time with the phone and here are my thoughts. 

If you’ve never seen or held a rugged phone before, the first thing that strikes you about these phones is their large size and weight. I’ve seen rugged phones before, but I was still a little surprised by the BV6600’s chunkiness. This phone weighs about 325 grams and is about 18 mm thick. It almost feels like you have a brick in your hand. But of course there is an explanation for why it was designed this way.

The BV6600 houses a substantial 8,580mAh battery, which Blackview says gives the phone up to 430 hours of standby time – that’s more than two weeks – with 4G and WiFi on. I should note that I wasn’t able to hit those numbers, but I did manage to get it to last about a week and a half with the phone completely on standby – still impressive, in my opinion.

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For moderate to heavy use, you can probably get at least two days of battery life here. I managed to get it to last a day longer, mostly using the phone to surf the web and stream videos here and there. For the most part, the battery is very resilient, as expected from an incredibly high peak capacity.

A warning is that it takes about two hours to fully charge from zero. It’s a long time to have the phone plugged in. Charging may take longer if you are not using the adapter included in the package.

Another part of the phone that adds a lot of bulk is the shock and drop resistant chassis. Instead of using glass, the phone’s body is mostly made of strong metal. In my own drop tests, I barely saw any signs of damage to the phone after dropping it from about four feet multiple times. Blackview says that based on their lab tests, the phone is only drop resistant up to 1.2 meters, which is close to four feet.

Don’t take this as advice, but I think it can survive a six or seven foot drop, depending on how it lands. The phone has rubber pads on each of the four corners, which greatly reduce the impact when it falls. So if it hits one of those pads when it falls, it’ll probably just bounce a bit before planting on the ground.

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The phone is also waterproof. Blackview claims that the internal elements are coated with a special membrane that is resistant to water. The USB-C charging port also has a nice rubber stopper for added protection against wetness.

The brand adds that the phone can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. I tested this by dropping the phone into a small pot of water. After leaving it in the dip for about two minutes, I pulled it out and it was still working as usual. But if I were you, I’d still do my best to try to avoid dropping this into a pool just to be safe.

Once again, there are trade-offs to accommodate these features. Some of the usual bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from a modern phone are missing a few here. The 5.7-inch screen is limited to 1440×720 resolution, and the bezel around it is quite large. The fingerprint scanner on the side is touch or miss. And there is no 5G connection.

Powering the phone is a MediaTek Helio A25 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM. In terms of performance, it’s about par for the course for an entry-level chipset – no less. It could probably use a bit more optimization with Android 10, which is the software the phone runs on. But for many of the basic functions, I think it works just fine.

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You also get a 16MP rear and an 8MP front sensor. What’s interesting about this phone’s camera setup is that, according to Blackview, you can shoot underwater. I can’t talk about this particular feature yet as I haven’t tested it. For normal use I think the cameras are just fine. You don’t have the option of shot sizes either since you only get one sensor.

Anyone who has ever dropped their phone before can probably attest to how fragile modern cell phones are. I’ve met people who cracked their screens for months to buy their new phones. And regardless of the materials they’re made of or the third-party case you wrap them in, most phones aren’t built to survive being dropped on the ground. And this is where rugged phones come in.

They are purposely built for the outdoors, making them the perfect electronic companion for extreme sports enthusiasts or anyone working in industrial jobs.

I know many people today love cycling and I think this phone is appropriate for the activity. You can carry it with you without having to worry about damaging it if it rains unexpectedly, for example. And considering how the BV6600 is relatively affordable at P7,900, it might make sense to have it as a second phone when you, say, want to travel. You certainly don’t want to take your new flagship for a hike and risk damaging it, right?

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Just remember that this phone can be a bit dated – like a budget phone from five years ago. I mean if you are looking for the latest features you should look elsewhere. –When it comes to rugged phones, Phonemax’s latest update to the R4 rugged smartphone stands out despite its small size. 

But in the field of best rugged phones and durable devices, what makes this a strong choice for outdoor and on-site professionals? 

The Phonemax R4GT is widely available and can be purchased directly from the Phonemax website or major retailers such as Amazon and AliExpress.

Availability and pricing may vary by retailer and region, but it is now available on the Phonemax website by clicking here. You can also find it on Amazon US, Amazon UK and other online stores.

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Designed as an ultra-rugged phone, the Phonemax R4GT features a sturdy outer casing with rubberized corners and edges to protect against drops and bumps. The phones stand out due to their compact dimensions of 121 x 59.2 x 18.3mm and weighing just 190g, making it one of the lightest rugged smartphones out there.

The front has a 4.3-inch screen with a resolution of 540 x 1200 and a 13 MP front camera. At the back, it has a thermal camera (256 x 192 pixels), a 64MP AF primary camera and a 20MP night vision sensor for low-light photography.

One useful feature is the dual SIM slot, which allows two numbers or a SIM and a microSD card for extra storage. Both the Dual Sim slot and the USB Type-C port on the bottom of the phone are covered by push-fit rubber tabs that, when in position, slide against the body of the phone, ensuring it’s fully waterproof and dustproof.

Physically in size and weight, the R4GT is compact, ideal for hikers, mountain bikers or outdoor enthusiasts who need a phone that can withstand water, dust and rough environments without the bulk of a rugged device. This size also means it fits easily into any jacket pocket or backpack without adding too much bulk or weight which is important if you’re traveling light.

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To ensure that the phone can withstand all environments and almost anything you throw at it, it comes certified with IP68, IP69K and MIL-STD-810H.

Many of the key features of the Phonemax R4GT revolve around its compact size, making it easy to carry along with other kit you need on the trail. At 190g, it’s slightly heavier than larger smartphones like the iPhone 6 which weighs 170g, but doesn’t have the bulk of most other tough phones like the Doogee VMAX Plus which weighs 541g.

The small 4.3 inch touchscreen

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