The 5G revolution has reached durable mobile handsets after almost two years.
We got the first taste of a 5G-enabled rugged smartphone thanks to Ulefone, one of the three manufacturers – the other two being Blackview and Oukitel – to have unveiled (or promised to release) a 5G device before the end of 2020. The Armor 10 5G is an improvement on the award winning Ulefone Armor 9, which was the first Ulefone model to come with a FLIR thermal camera sensor. At the time of writing, you can buy the Armor 10 from Banggood for $399.99, a 27% saving from its official selling price of $549.99. The Armor 10 faithfully follows the design philosophy of previous Ulefone smartphones. Reinforced rubber corners, a metal frame and a larger than average bezel. With a 6.7-inch display, it does qualify as a phablet, offering almost the same display size as a tablet like the Pebble Gear. Its dimensions – 176.5 x 82.8 x 14.55mm – and weight (333g) means that it is a far cry, very far cry from the svelte profile of its non-rugged brethren. A big battery and additional protections – essential to get the MIL-STD-810G/IP69K certifications – unsurprisingly just make it heavier. A flap covering a Type-C connector is located at the bottom of the Armor 10. A volume rocker and the power button can be found on the right while a dedicated customizable button and the SIM/memory card tray can be found on the left side. The rear accommodates a speaker grill as well as four camera sensors next to the logotypes 5G and Ulefone. Sandwiched between the two is an inconspicuous octagonal fingerprint reader. We’re slightly concerned about the island design though as it protrudes so ever slightly that the fragile sensors might take the full force of a fall when falling flat on a hard surface.
