Unihertz Atom XL hands-on: Four-inch display, 48MP camera, and DMR support for less than $330

With the start of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G we see smartphones starting at an astronomical $1,399 cost. When there is a lot of innovation in these large priced telephones, they are also glass sandwiches and vulnerable to problems if dropped. If you shell out time outside or in the field and want a cell phone that can get a beating then you should critically think about the new Unihertz Atom L/XL that can be obtained for as minimal as $209.

A few of years in the past I analyzed the tiny Unihertz Atom and it was a good cell phone to get fly fishing, mountaineering, and working. On the other hand, it was so compact that it was challenging to get a great deal operate performed on it. The new Atom L/XL is a greater edition of the Atom with enhanced inside requirements and a measurement that helps make it far more usable for field operate.

Also: Unihertz Atom fingers-on: Rugged tiny 4G smartphone retains you linked in the field for a lot less than $three hundred

Specs

• Processor: MediaTek Helio P60 octa-main two. GHz
• Show: 4. inch 1136×640 pixels resolution TFT Liquid crystal display, Gorilla Glass
• Working procedure: Android 10
• RAM: 6GB
• Storage: 128GB inside storage with microSD assist
• Cameras: 48-megapixel rear digicam and eight-megapixel entrance-experiencing digicam
• Wi-fi know-how: 802.eleven a/b/g/n/ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.two, NFC, GPS/BEIDOU/GLONASS, FM radio, infrared
• Longevity scores: IP68 dust and drinking water resistant and MIL-STD-810G shock resistance/li>
• Sensors: Fingerprint (entrance-mounted), accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, ambient light-weight, barometer, and compass
• Battery: 4,300mAh battery
• Proportions: 134.five x sixty five x seventeen.5mm and 224.five grams

One component that is critical for your consideration are the bands that are supported by this unlocked cell phone. It is a dual-SIM cell phone far too so you can carry your operate and personal SIM at the exact time. Unihertz offered the next facts on wireless bands:

• GSM: Band two/three/five/eight
• WCDMA: Band 1/two/4/five/eight/19
• TDSCDMA: Band 34/39
• FDD/TDD-LTE: Bands B1/two/three/4/five/6/seven/eight/twelve/13/seventeen/eighteen/19/twenty/twenty five/26/28A/B28B/34/38/39/40/forty one/sixty six
• CDMA2000: BC0/BC1

The Unihertz Atom XL also supports Electronic Cell Radio (DMR) so you can use the cell phone, with the integrated antenna, as a walkie-talkie when there is no cellular connectivity readily available. This is a good function for these performing or playing outside.

The Unihertz Atom L/XL Kickstarter Early Fowl cost is $239 with another pricing amount of $259. The full retail cost, with a prepared delivery of June 2020, will be $329. You can also pick up the Atom L, exact cell phone without having the DMR assist, for $209 with a prepared MSRP of $279. Numerous device pricing solutions are also readily available.

Hardware

The Unihertz Atom L and XL are the actual exact cell phone with the exception of the DMR features. There is a $50 top quality for this supplemental features and so much I have been unable to exam out this capability, although it seems to be wonderful for campers, hikers, and other outdoor adventurists.

The cell phone isn’t really introduced nevertheless, the Kickstarter task has blown past its intention and will be funded, with a marketing campaign that finishes on 26 March and envisioned delivery of June 2020. Presented that the cell phone is produced in China, there may be some delays owing to the coronavirus outbreak. It arrived in a plain white box with the DMR antenna and charging cable/adapter.

When I initial taken off it from the packaging, I right away assumed of the Unihertz Atom considering that it has many of the exact design and style aspects (purple and black colour, entrance rectangular fingerprint sensor, rugged shell) and just seems to be like a greater product. It is in fact putting to put both equally next to each and every other and see how noticeably greater the Atom XL is when when compared to the Atom.

Beginning at the entrance, we have the 4-inch Liquid crystal display screen. The major and base bezels are large whilst the side bezels only a couple mm vast. The display is far more than ample adequate to get operate performed and I hardly ever felt cramped when looking through e-mail, checking out documents, getting images, and far more so it presents a excellent equilibrium of display measurement and ability to nevertheless be pocketable. The display is flawlessly fantastic, but is not likely to get any awards for brilliance.

The headset speaker and entrance experiencing digicam are over the display. Under the viewable screen we uncover the rectangular fingerprint sensor that also acts as a property button when you touch it. There is a endeavor switcher capacitive button to the suitable and a again button to the remaining of the fingerprint sensor. These are haptic buttons with decent vibration responses.

A regular three.5mm headset jack is uncovered on the base with an uncovered open up USB-C port for charging and USB OTG. A purple button is on the remaining side and it at this time will take a screenshot with 1 press and turns on the flashlight with a press and hold. I have nevertheless to uncover a utility to customize this button. Previously mentioned this button on the remaining side is the dual SIM/microSD card slot.

Along the major we have the IR port and a go over for the DMR antenna relationship position. There is computer software integrated on the cell phone so you can manipulate remote controls for many digital merchandise. Power and volume buttons are on the suitable side. The sides are covered in steel with another metallic strip together the centre of the again.

Each individual corner has ridges and purple highlighted locations that appear to present supplemental corner safety. There is a lanyard loop on the base of the again whilst most of the again has a textured rubber finish for supplemental grip. The 48-megapixel digicam is uncovered centered at the major of the again with a flash down below the digicam. There is a loud mono speaker opening on the decrease remaining of the again.

The cameras done fantastic with timelapse, movie, image, and handbook modes readily available. There is no portrait method assist and the images do not have many innovative inventive aspects, but they get the occupation performed for field operate. There are a few of samples of pictures in Seattle in my picture gallery.

Also: Unihertz Titan initial impressions: Massive, rugged, long-lasting, QWERTY Android cell phone

Software program

The Atom XL launches with Android 10 out of the box and the exam device I have arrived with the January five, 2020 safety update. I fired up the two calendar year previous compact Atom and uncovered it has Android eight.1 with the April five, 2018 computer software update so it isn’t going to appear you can count on a great deal computer software assist right after start.

The cell phone operates a stock edition of Android with a property site experience like the Apple iphone the place you can only put app shortcuts in folders, but all appear throughout many property pages. There is no way I could uncover to switch to an app launcher interface. The Google Uncover site is readily available when you swipe all the way from remaining to suitable to the initial panel.

In addition to the Google fundamental principles this sort of as calculator, calendar, digicam, Chrome, Gmail, Maps, Messages, and far more, you get a couple apps from Unihertz. These include a file supervisor, FM radio, DMR software, IR remote command app, new music player, audio recorder, and Toolbox.

The Toolbox is exceptionally handy and flawlessly enhances the fitness and outdoor experience focus of the Atom XL. The resources in the Toolbox include a audio meter, compass, flashlight, bubble amount, photo hanger tool, coronary heart charge check, peak measuring utility, magnifier, strain sensor, speedometer, underwater digicam, alarm, plumb bob, and protractor. It is interesting to see the digicam made use of with some of these resources to supply an augmented actuality experience that provides you with a product for exact measurements.

The property screen supports typical app widgets far too so you can customize your Android experience.

Day by day usage ordeals

The Unihertz Atom XL is readily available to order now on Kickstarter with some early unique price ranges nevertheless readily available. There is not a great deal that competes down in this $three hundred assortment and when you think about this cell phone is constructed to withstand so a great deal I do not know why anyone would not pick 1 up to have a sound backup cell phone to get with you outside.

It is a best cell phone for getting fishing, mountaineering, or tenting and I can also see it mounted on a bike as a best bike pc. It did very well with T-Cell on my everyday route with calls sounding good on both equally finishes.

The remaining side button steps bothered me a little bit as I held double urgent it and capturing errant screenshots whilst a press and hold launched the flashlight at the very least two times as a great deal as I desired. The fingerprint sensor worked well to unlock the cell phone and get me property so that is a nice function.

The Atom XL noticeably increases the utility of this Unihertz design and style as the Atom was just far too compact to be very successful. There was no problem for me to conduct company on the Atom XL with ease.

The battery also did very well, lasting me for far more than two days with normal usage and several hours of screen time. I was very impressed with the battery general performance and could truthfully use this as my everyday driver whilst also not possessing to get worried about dropping it off my bike or whilst on the coach.

Unihertz has had a couple prosperous Kickstarter campaigns with these rugged telephones and this 1 is off to a good start off with approximately $500,000 pledged when I submitted this short article. There are nevertheless twenty days to go so I extremely endorse you think about this as a sound backup cell phone or a major 1 to use on your outdoor adventures.