Ulefone Power Armor 13 Review

Design, build and controls

The Ulefone Power Armor 13 is a ruggedized smartphone designed to withstand most of the environmental challenges and still offer significant battery life after that. The MIL-STD-810G military rating certifies that it meets the military standard for resistance to dust, shock, water, humidity, drops. It is also IP68 rated for water and dust resistance which in this case means that it can withstand immersion in up to 1.5 m of water for up to 30 minutes. The IP69K rating of the model means it is protected against water pressure and extreme temperatures. The device can be buried in up to 1 meter of concrete for 24 hours and survive without damage. It also withstands drops from up to 1.2 m f height. In addition, it can survive low-pressure conditions (57kPa) for up to 4 hours at temperatures of 25℃. The device works in a high humidity environment (50%-90%), within a wide range of temperatures (23-60℃), for up to 6-8 hours. For up to 20 hours it can withstand 1120W/m² of solar radiation at a temperature of 49℃. Finally, it can withstand an acidic atmosphere with pH 4.17 at 35℃ - 2 hours of spraying or 22 hours of storage in such conditions. The Ulefone Power Armor 13 has a solid structure and uses advanced sealing technology to back up its ruggedized qualities. The metal chassis ensures sturdiness. The visible metal parts comprise the two side frames, each with four visible screws that attach them to the chassis. The top and bottom frames, corners, and the back panel are covered with tough polycarbonate that has a gently rubberized finish. On one hand, this ensures additional cushioning. On the other, it provides a better grip for this device, which is quite big and a challenge to hold with one hand.

The Ulefone Power Armor 13 strikes with its massive body. This smartphone not only has a mammoth battery - 13200 mAh but also a big display - 6.81 inches. Coupled with its specific to a ruggedized smartphone build, this results in a device that's almost half a kilogram heavy (492 g to be exact). It is the special structure of the device that weighs 150 grams. The 13200 mAh battery weighs additional 165 grams, so this weight is not a surprise. Expectedly, the smartphone is also very thick - more than 2 cm (20.8 mm). The device is also 85.3 mm wide and 183.7 mm high. The front of the model is occupied mainly by the display that has a polycarbonate rim protruding from the glass surface and protecting it from breaking if the smartphone falls flat on an even surface. The oleophobic coating does a great job. The type of protective glass is not specified. The bezels are very thick - a typical feature for ruggedized smartphones. The side bezels are 4 mm thick. The top one is 7 mm and the bottom one - 8 mm thick. The top notch houses the light/proximity sensor and the LED notification light. The device supports gesture navigation and it is on by default. You can switch to an on-screen navigation bar in case you prefer that type of interaction with the device. A punch hole in the top left corner is the home for the 16MP selfie camera. The rear shell has a sculpted appearance with a relief that ensures a better grip. There are plenty of elements here, including the camera module which has three of the cameras vertically aligned and the fourth shooter with the penta-LED flash positioned to their right. A pentagonal plate with Ulefone's logo is placed at the bottom end just above the rear-firing speaker. Holes for pressure relief and barometer are visible on the back together with eight screws. The top frame houses the infrared rangefinder module. The bottom one is occupied by the USB Type-C port and the 3.5 mm jack, both covered with an insulating cap, and a microphone hole. The left-hand side frame comprises three elements. The first is the hybrid, dual Nano-SIM card tray. It can be easily removed without the need of a pin. An insulating red band is clearly visible. Below it, there's a physical button that can be customized from the System Settings. It has a distinctive red color and striped relief for an improved tactile experience. Finally, there's the endoscope interface. The right frame is the home of the Volume Up/Down and Power buttons, which also have a striped relief. A capacitive, side-mounted fingerprint sensor is positioned below the Power button.