Some people need more than a rugged case, and the need for more of a rugged smartphone. For the latter group, some options can match the comprehensive warranty that backs every product Sonim. The XP6 ($ 149.99 with contract) is exceptionally rugged and well suited for environments that seek tactile feedback, but as an Android smartphone, it is hamstrung by a comically small display. It was like a miniature Android smartphone is slapped with a strong feature of the phone, rather than a rugged exterior that is not built around a normal Android smartphone. The smartphone features will work in a pinch, and may point field of work that require this level of protection is probably not involved heavily Emailing or browsing the Web. If you put Android smartphone features, see the larger Sonim XP7, our current Editors 'Choice' for ultra-rugged phones.Design, Features, Quality Call
Like all products Sonim, the XP6 is an absolute brick of a device, discussed a combination of molded rubber bumper and matte hard plastic. Silhouette of the phone near the XP7 observed, with protruding antenna and speaker combinations in the top right corner. It is a great handset to 5.39 by 2.54 by 0.81 inches (HWD) and a massive 9.52 ounces. It looks like it belongs on a construction site. Around its perimeter you will find a whole host of rubberized buttons, including Volume, Power, and push-to-talk, while the 3.5mm headphone jack is covered by an easily opened flap. Below you will find the proprietary charging port that connects magnetically with included cable. It is convenient for charging without fiddling with port cover, but non-standard connector means that you are bound to be single with cable
-and Replacement cable costs $ 30.
XP6 is a throwback, sporting a relatively small 2.64-inch display at the top of the familiar numerical keypad. There are also physical buttons for Android navigation at the bottom of the screen, but instead of the usual buttons have a Recent Apps button more dated Menu. The End Call button acts as a wake-screen button, which is more convenient than the awkwardly placed Power button on the left corner. All numerical keys felt too springy and delivered excellent feedback-they're a little tight to do, but with the XP6 Medium thick gloves can be made.
In a modest resolution 320-by-432-pixel (204ppi) and slender maximum brightness, the 2.64-inch TFT LCD leave plenty to be desired. Icons are very small and many apps are not properly formatted for such a small display, but more on that shortly. It pales in comparison with a 4.5-inch 720p screen Kyocera DuraForce that.
XP6 meets IP68, IP69 and MIL-STD 810G standards for durability and ingress protection. That means it will stand up to drops onto concrete from more than six feet high and can withstand submersion in six feet of water for 30 minutes. We did our best to rough up the XP6, dunking them in vats of ice water, kicking it around a concrete sidewalk, and mercilessly tossing it about our lab. Who escaped with nothing more than a few scuffs and scratches around its abundant exterior.
AT & T, supported XP6 GSM / GPRS / EDGE (850/900/1800 / 1900MHz), 3G UMTS (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), and 4G LTE (Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 , 7, and 17). Call quality is good overall, with an emphasis on clear, if somewhat unnatural, audio. Earpiece is louder than average, but exploded unbelievably loud speakerphone. Voices come through the earpiece get help trebly that verges on cruel, but can cut through the noise of the environment. Shipping via mic is clear and easy to understand, but could use more tones and sounds a bit unnatural. Noise cancellation worked well in my tests, but many outside noise made its way through the speakerphone calls.
Rounding out the connectivity options are dual-band 802.11b / g / n Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth 4.0 LE, everything worked without issue on my test.
On a battery rundown test, in which we streamed a video on YouTube over LTE with the screen brightness set to max, the 4,800mAh battery lasted XP6 for 6 hours, 15 minutes. It was a solid result, but I honestly expected a little better considering the small, low-res display and relatively large-capacity battery.