Ulefone Armor 2 Review

Design, build and controls

Ulefone Armor 2 has a classic rugged appearance and actually looks quite good for a tough smartphone intended for outdoor use and harsh environments. The device is dust-tight and waterproof. Its IP68 certification means that it can survive submerging in water for up to 1 hour at a depth of 1.5 meters or in concrete for up to 24 hours at a depth of 1 meter. The structural gaps are filled with waterproof taps and sealing rings. In addition, a high-density macro-molecule coating is added to the earpiece, microphone, and speaker that must be exposed to air. The body is an interesting mix of materials, each of which has a specific purpose, just like the various design elements on the back, which looks like being crafted out with a chisel. For starters, most of the body is made of metal, including the frame and partial areas on the back that are non-removable. In addition, the top and bottom frame, including all four corners are covered with a rubbery material with top and bottom bumpers that protect the device from drops and hits - a shock-resistant TPU housing. It is stylishly combined with the metal vertical sides of the frame and is attached to the body with a total of eight screws. This rubbery protector also keeps the display safe from harm as it goes all the way over the front and rear edges. In addition, it protects the display from being scratched, if you place the device with the screen down, as the rubbery shell protrudes a bit. The back is really interesting. It has a trapezoid form with the centre of the body projecting the most. This area is intended for some kind of antennas obviously and has a glass fibre reinforced polycarbonate cover. To the left and right of it, the area is beautiful and textured as to provide a steady grip on either side of the phone. The camera and flash modules are protected by a metal plate. Below it, there's a separate glass fibre reinforced polycarbonate plate with two screws on it. It covers two separate Nano-SIM card slots and a microSD card slot. In order to unscrew them, you have to use the small screwdriver provided in the box. We are sure, that if you do not fidget very often with SIM/microSD cards, this solution will turn out very practical over time. The bottom glass fibre reinforced polycarbonate plate has some kind of texture, too, as to prevent the device from slipping, if it lies on its back. There are speaker holes to both sides of it, so even if the device lies on its back, the sound won't come out too muted. Finally, the device is resistant to extreme temperatures with working range from -40°C and 80°C. The model is available in gold and grey colours. We are reviewing a grey unit. As any other rugged smartphone, Ulefone Armor 2 has dimensions that surpass the average ones. In this specific case, the width (78.3 mm) and height (159 mm) of the model are high even compared to other rugged smartphones with a 5-inch display. It is also thicker (14.5 mm) and heavier (270 grammes) compared to smartphones with 5-inch screens and 4500 mAh and larger batteries. On the front, above the display, from left to right, the following elements are positioned: LED notification light, light/proximity sensor, earpiece, and front-facing camera. Below the display, a touch-sensitive Home button sits, which houses a fingerprint sensor. From the fingerprint menu in the settings, you can choose from several actions that you can associate to a tap and a long touch on the sensor. By default, a tap serves as a back button and a long touch leads to the Home screen. The Navigation bar is software only. The Buttons settings allow you to enable navigation bar hiding and to switch the places of the Back and Menu buttons. On the right-hand side of the frame, there are three buttons - power, PPT and camera. The PPT (push-to-talk) button turns the device into a walkie talkie, which you can use to communicate with other people in group outdoor activities. The camera button starts the app and serves as a shutter. On the left frame, there are two separate buttons for volume up and volume down, and an SOS one. In order to activate it, you have to hold it for 5 seconds in order to make emergency calls or send a message with GPS information to designated contacts. On the back, the primary camera and dual-LED flash are positioned. Below them, there's the housing for the two Nano-SIM card slots and the third slot for a microSD card. Further below, there's the speaker. The top frame is clean, while the bottom features a sealed USB Type-C 2.0 port with OTG support.