SAMSUNG

Galaxy XCover Pro – What we (don't) like about the outdoor phone

Samsung has returned to old virtues and not only fitted the XCover Pro with a waterproof case but also an analogue headphone jack as well as a user-replaceable battery. Here, we summarized the results of the tests we performed on the outdoor smartphone.
Smartphones for rough environments often go hand in hand with industrial designs that like to show off visible screws and metal elements. The aesthetics of the Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro are more reserved and based on a plain black color scheme with pleasantly rounded-off edges and a textured back.
Meanwhile, the manufacturer has not neglected the robustness of the outdoor phone, which comes with a protruding frame that protects the display and rubberized surfaces for safe handling. Users can remove the back cover in order to gain access to two SIM and one microSD card slot and of course the user-replaceable battery, which achieved a decent runtime of 12:11 hours in our Wi-Fi test.
The smartphone's quick charge technology is relatively slow and the performance fluctuates in stressful scenarios. However, the mid-range SoC itself is definitely capable of handling the vast majority of apps. As shown in our review, the image quality of the cameras is good and the Wi-Fi performance tops all other devices in our comparison.
However, some aspects of the Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro are not as convincing: For one, the call quality is mediocre and plagued by heavy background noise. The speaker's performance does not manage to impress, either.
That said, Samsung has created a good outdoor smartphone with very modern software and business features such as support for POGO charging docks, which can charge multiple smartphones simultaneously.
Combining a case that is both robust and subtle with fast storage even makes the Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro an interesting choice for home users.
Our in-depth review of the smartphone with an MSRP of 499 Euros (~$556) can be found here. It contains numerous additional measurements and more information on the Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro.

by Florian Schmitt