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Ulefone RugKing: 30-second assessment
The Ulefone RugKing is a fundamental rugged smartphone designed for customers who want sturdiness and reliability in difficult environments. It options strengthened development, water- and dust-resistance, and a 9600 mAh battery, making it appropriate for out of doors actions, development work, or anybody liable to dropping their system.
The weak point of this design is that it makes use of an infamously low-performance SoC, the Unisoc T7255, which I imagine is exclusive to this telephone. It’s based mostly on the Unsoc T616, utilized in Itel, Lava, Realme, and Infinix manufacturers for rising markets. However the T7255 does have a Mali-G57 GPU, which offers the total characteristic set for OpenGL and Vulkan rendering.
One other first rate characteristic is that the 5.99-inch IPS show can ship as much as 910 nits of brightness, making it comparatively simple to see outside.
The first digital camera is the outdated, however stable Samsung JN1, and it even features a 2MP macro sensor. There’s additionally a uSmart connection enabling the attachment of endoscope cameras or microscopes.
The place it is lower than perfect is that the battery can solely be charged by way of USB or an elective dock, and the utmost charging fee is 18W wired and solely 10W by way of the dock. Meaning it takes practically three hours to cost utilizing USB totally, and twice that on the dock.
The opposite caveat right here is that it solely helps 4G, not 5G, in case you have entry to that know-how.
The equation right here is that it is a sub-$200 telephone that may take affordable footage, performs loud music by way of a 126dB speaker on the again, whereas shrugging off water and mud, operating Android 15.
It has plenty of efficiency limitations, however until you particularly want a gaming telephone or need to take higher photographs, then for a lot of prospects, the Rugking works nicely sufficient to be an reasonably priced choice.
The truth that no different telephone makers have joined Ulefone in utilizing the Unisoc T7255 is slightly telling, however it’s tough to argue that there are not any good options right here.
Primarily based purely on efficiency, it gained’t make our greatest rugged telephone round-up, even when it does deserve some accolade for being extraordinarily good worth.
Ulefone RugKing: value and availability
- How a lot does it value? $220/£164/€240
- When is it out? Out there now
- The place are you able to get it? You may get it instantly from Ulefone or by way of many on-line retailers similar to Amazon.
Shopping for instantly from the Ulefone store, the RugKing is $219.99 within the US, €238.70 within the EU and £163.33, making it one of many least expensive rugged telephones accessible.
Nonetheless, if you happen to order it by way of Amazon, it’s even cheaper. On Amazon.com, the telephone by itself (US Model) is $162 (discounted from $190 at time of assessment), and you may get it with the desk charging dock for $209.99 and the improved safety case for $199.99. The UK value by way of Amazon.co.uk is just £135.99, shockingly.
The one benefit of ordering instantly is that Ulefone have a a lot higher choice of equipment that embody the Armor Molle Holster, the Mount Professional, Mount Subsequent-Gen, three endoscope cameras and a microscope.
Whereas for this assessment Ulefone didn’t provide any of those equipment, this model usually does a great job with them in my expertise, and the value is usually modest.
The first rivals for the RugKing are the Ulefone’s personal Armor 21 and 22, the Blackview ROCK 1 and the Doogee S118. These are throughout an identical value level, so it could be value checking these out to see if they’ve a selected characteristic you may want.
Given this system’s capabilities, the value of the RugKing is aggressive, although another telephones provide extra battery capability, higher cameras, and extra highly effective processors. Your ultimate selection would possibly come right down to a single issue, similar to availability in your location.
Ulefone RugKing: Specs
Merchandise | Spec |
|---|---|
CPU: | Unisoc T7255 |
GPU: | Arm Mali-G57 |
NPU: | N/A |
RAM: | 8GB |
Storage: | 256GB |
Display screen: | 5.99-inch IPS Display screen |
Decision: | 720 x 1440 HD+ 910nits |
SIM: | 2x Nano SIM + TF + eSIM (all can be utilized) |
Weight: | 395 grams |
Dimensions: | 173.4 x 83.3 x 18.3 mm |
Rugged Spec: | IP68 IP69K mud/water-resistant (as much as 2m for half-hour), MIL-STD-810H Certification |
Rear cameras: | 50MP Digital camera + 2MP macro |
Entrance digital camera: | 8MP Samsung |
Networking: | 4G bands, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 |
Audio: | 36mm 126dB speaker, 3.5mm audio jack |
OS: | Android 15 |
Battery: | 9600 mAh (Max 18W wired, 10W on dock, 5W reverse cost) |
Colors: | Black |
Ulefone RugKing: design
- Barely heavy
- Speaker dominates design
- uSmart and dock pins
The RugKing was barely heavier than I’d anticipated after I first picked it up, since most telephones with roughly 10000 mAh batteries are normally about 350-360g, and this one is near 400g.
It’s not excessively weighty, however equally it is heavier than a normal telephone, and on the cusp between the extra sensible rugged designs and those that double as boat anchors.
Ulefone likes a selected type that makes use of steel banding on the edges and rubberised corners, and the RugKing doesn’t break these norms. Equally, the location of buttons is normal with the facility/fingerprint reader and quantity rocker on the proper, and the user-customisable button and SIM card on the left. The one variation is that the left facet additionally has the uSmart connector, a characteristic I like the thought of, however have by no means beloved the implementation of, which requires eradicating screws to make use of.
Higher thought-about is the SIM card tray that takes two NANO SIMs and a MicroSD card, and you may fortunately use all three.
The place the RugKing begins to go barely off the acquainted path is the show, which appears method too small for this telephone’s chassis. It appears to be like like this initially was designed for a 6.5-inch panel, after which it ended up with a 5.99-inch one which left borders round all sides, with over a 10mm prime and backside. It appears to be like unusual, and breaks with the usual zero borders look that the majority telephone makers go.
One other oddity is that the USB port is roofed by an enormous rubber cowl as a result of Ulefone determined to place the three.5mm headphone jack beneath, together with the USB. The telephone documentation makes it clear that it’s best to by no means attempt to cost the telephone when it’s moist.
These internet pages additionally point out that liquid harm invalidates the guarantee, earlier than hilariously speaking in regards to the underwater images mode. Clearly, this telephone is waterproof, however solely beneath restricted circumstances the place you don’t by accident invalidate your guarantee, probably by exceeding the 2M depth whereas attempting to seize pictures underwater.
I’ve reviewed waterproof telephones that don’t want rubber bungs to remain dry, and it’s about time some Chinese language rugged telephone makers tried to emulate them.
Different exterior options of notice are the flashlight on the highest edge and the pogo pin positions on the underside rear. The pogo pin pads work with a individually offered desktop dock, however these don’t provide the identical energy throughput because the USB port.
Regardless that the decrease rear of the telephone is flat, Ulefone didn’t embody wi-fi charging, probably because of value.
However the one characteristic that dominates all the pieces on the again of the RugKing is the huge 36mm speaker that Ulefone claims can generate 126dB of sound. The web site even calls it the “loudest rugged monster”.
I hope that quantity is an exaggeration, as a result of the brink for listening to harm with extended publicity is 85dB, and if you happen to don’t use earplugs to guard your ears, sounds of 110–120dB, even for a really brief time, could cause everlasting listening to harm.
Together with doubtlessly endangering your listening to, the scale of the speaker forces the 2 rear digital camera sensors to be extensively positioned, making it unimaginable for them to mix their efforts.
General, the telephone’s design isn’t something particular, with many points dictated by the necessity to maintain element prices down. How you’re feeling in regards to the speaker will most likely be impacted by the final time somebody thought their musical style was so good that it must be extensively shared, and the way a lot you hated that.
Design rating: 3/5
Ulefone RugKing: {hardware}
- Unisoc T7255 SoC
- 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
- A gradual charging battery
Technically, the Unisoc T7255 is the mixture of the UMS9230T CPU, ARM Mali-G57 GPU and the assorted elements that cope with 4G cellular comms, USB, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
It’s an octo-core design with two Cortex-A75 efficiency cores and 6 A55 effectivity cores that’s constructed on an historical 12nm fabrication course of.
Most telephones use 6nm or 4nm chips lately, however it is a rebranded Unisoc T616, a chip that first appeared in early 2021. Designed to compete with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4XX sequence, this SoC was supposed for entry-level telephones 5 years in the past.
Due to this fact, you gained’t be massively stunned to seek out out that it solely helps 4G comms, Wi-Fi 5 and the Bluetooth 5.0 characteristic set, and it was made to assist a show with a most decision of solely 1080p. On this telephone, that’s not a limitation, as a result of the show is decrease decision than 1080p.
Utilizing LPDDR4X 1866MHz RAM, the RugKing has 8GB of RAM that may be expanded to 16GB by mapping a few of the 256GB of the included storage. Unsure that’s a terrific thought with the mediocre efficiency of this system, however it’s an choice.
I’ve seen it claimed on Amazon that this telephone has 16GB of RAM; it doesn’t, and that’s an oversell.
It’s correct to say that this telephone has a 9600 mAh battery. Whereas that’s a good quantity, that capability is sorely tempered by the 12nm SoC and charging electronics that restrict its charging pace 18W. For those who use the dock, that stage is decreased to 10W, and that’s slower than wi-fi charging can usually provide.
In my efficiency testing, the primary half-hour of charging from a completely depleted battery took the proportion from zero to solely 22%. If the battery charged uniformly, and shock, they don’t, that’s two and a half hours to totally cost.
In my testing, it took over three hours to achieve 100% capability, hinting that if you happen to use the dock, it would take 6 hours to hit full capability.
For instance of a telephone that would cost a equally sized battery sooner, the Phonemax M10 wasn’t particularly spectacular, however it might put again 30% in half-hour of its 10000 mAh battery. I’ve no thought why that is so gradual, however it’s.
As an apart to the battery being gradual to recharge, the RugKing can reverse cost, however solely at 5W. Due to this fact, if you happen to tried to reverse cost one RugKing with one other RugKing, it would take 12 hours, or it will if the primary telephone didn’t run out of energy earlier than totally recharging its brother.
Regardless of the appropriate logistical consequence, 5W isn’t sufficient energy to justify utilizing this characteristic for telephones.
Ulefone RugKing: cameras
- 50MP, 2MP on the rear
- 8MP on the entrance
- Three cameras in complete
The Rugking has three cameras:
Rear digital camera: 50MP Samsung JN1 CMOS Sensor, 2 MP Omnivision OV02A10 Macro
Entrance digital camera: 8MP Samsung 4H8
In its day, the Samsung JN1 was a implausible sensor, and so many telephones used it accordingly. Nonetheless, that day was in June 2021, and on this timeframe, we’re much less impressed with Double Tremendous PDAF for improved low-light efficiency and quick autofocus.
It will possibly take some good footage, as could be seen by a few of the examples I’ve included right here.
Relying on the telephone’s chipset, the JN1 helps 4K video at 60fps and Full HD at 240fps, however the chip on this telephone or the digital camera’s software program has declined these alternatives and the most effective video on provide right here is just 1080p.
I’d point out the 2MP Omnivision OV02A10 Macro, however it delivers exceptionally grainy outcomes, and little that you’d need to print or maintain.
That telephones nonetheless include 8MP sensors was a shock to this reviewer after I found that the selfie digital camera makes use of the 8MP Samsung 4H8 sensor. For those who thought the JN1 was an outdated sensor, it’s a spring rooster in comparison with the know-how within the 4H8.
Whereas I couldn’t discover an official launch date for this sensor, it has a 1.12µm ISOCELL pixel, one thing Samsung rolled out in 2013 with the S5K4H5YB.
The one different telephone that makes use of this, I imagine, is the Blackview A9 Professional, a sub-$100 telephone.
What barely bemuses me about this sensor is that Samsung has any of those mendacity round to promote to rugged telephone makers, since it may’t nonetheless be manufactured, certainly?
I’m not going to tear strips off Ulefone for the digital camera sensors on this telephone additional. The JN1 works for nonetheless picture work if you’re not anticipating to compete with costlier telephones, otherwise you want higher than 1080p video.
There is no such thing as a optical zoom, however it does have a Professional mode, and it creates these tedious AI Emojis, if you’re not uninterested in including cat ears to individuals.
If you’d like a rugged telephone to take footage, until you have got an exceptionally restricted finances, then this telephone isn’t the proper selection.
Ulefone RugKing Digital camera samples
Picture 1 of 14
Ulefone RugKing: efficiency
- Outdated SoC know-how
- GPU helps OpenGL 3.1 and Vulkan 1.3
- Not energy environment friendly
Telephone | Header Cell – Column 1 | Ulefone RugKing | RugOne Xever 7 Professional |
|---|---|---|---|
SoC | Row 0 – Cell 1 | Unisoc T7255 | MediaTek Dimensity 7025 |
GPU | Row 1 – Cell 1 | Mali-G57 MP1 | IMG BXM-8-256 |
NPU | Row 2 – Cell 1 | N/A | N/A |
Reminiscence | Row 3 – Cell 1 | 8GB/256GB | 12GB/512GB |
Weight | Row 4 – Cell 1 | 397g | 325g |
Battery | Row 5 – Cell 1 | 9600 | 5550 |
Geekbench | Single | 469 | 940 |
| Row 7 – Cell 0 | Multi | 1581 | 2283 |
| Row 8 – Cell 0 | OpenCL | 623 | 136 (fail) |
| Row 9 – Cell 0 | Vulkan | 634 | 133 (fail) |
GFX | Aztec Open Regular | 6.4 | 19 |
| Row 11 – Cell 0 | Aztec Vulkan Norm. | 5.5 | 18 |
| Row 12 – Cell 0 | Automotive Chase | 5.9 | 16 |
| Row 13 – Cell 0 | Manhattan 3.1 | 9.7 | 33 |
PCMark | 3.0 Rating | 8810 | 11353 |
| Row 15 – Cell 0 | Battery | 21h 58m | 17h 53m |
Cost 30 | % | 22 | 33 |
Passmark | Rating | 6867 | 10999 |
| Row 18 – Cell 0 | CPU | 3300 | 5367 |
3DMark | Slingshot OGL | 1697 | 3777 |
| Row 20 – Cell 0 | Slingshot Ex. OGL | 1126 | 2600 |
| Row 21 – Cell 0 | Slingshot Ex. Vulkan | 1123 | 2665 |
| Row 22 – Cell 0 | Wildlife | 499 | N/A |
| Row 23 – Cell 0 | Nomad Lite | 57 | N/A |
On the face of it, evaluating a sub-$200 RugKing with the RugOne Xever 7 Professional I lately reviewed, which is greater than thrice the value, won’t appear applicable.
Nonetheless, what I needed to discover right here is how the evolution of SoC know-how impacts points of a telephone that aren’t computing-related, particularly battery life.
With 9600 mAh of battery, the RugKing ought to final significantly longer than the RugOne Xever 7 Professional and its extra modest 5550 mAh. And the RugKing does last more, however nowhere close to so long as it ought to.
With virtually 73% extra capability on the RugKing, the 17 hours and 53 minutes that the RugOne lasts must be prolonged to 30 hours and 55 minutes roughly.
But, it solely lasts 21 hours and 58 minutes?
The twist right here is the facility effectivity of the SoC, and the 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 7025 is way superior to the 12nm Unisoc T7255, which permits it to run virtually as lengthy with a fraction of the battery capability.
If we take a look at the opposite outcomes, the RugOne Xever 7 Professional is clearly a way more highly effective SoC, though its weak point is the sorry GPU it was saddled with. The Mali-G57 MP1 won’t be the quickest choice, and it has an outdated CPU pushing it, however a minimum of it helps all of the OpenGL 3.1 and Vulkan 1.3 options.
Whereas these two telephones don’t compete in the identical market house, extra of a priority for the RugKing is that a few of the equally priced alternate options use the older MediaTek Helio G99, a chip that may obtain PassMark scores in extra of 9000 factors. And with the higher Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, it affords a 3DMark Wild Life rating of round 1200. And, importantly on this context, it is fabricated at 6nm. Making it, in concept, extra energy environment friendly.
Nonetheless, the numbers are moved round, and that that is the one telephone that makes use of this SoC tells a narrative, and that narrative is that everybody else didn’t need know-how this outdated of their newest units.
I’m not suggesting that it doesn’t work, and you may’t have a superbly good expertise with this system. It’s simply not concurrent sufficient in a know-how house the place two years is an epoch of time, comparatively.
Ulefone RugKing: Last verdict
It’s tempting to only take a look at the value of one thing after which attempt to ignore the crimson flags, as I did initially with this system. And there can typically be nothing fallacious with remodeling older know-how for a brand new market if it is able to delivering the proper expertise.
Sadly, the RugKing has taken that premise slightly too far: the age of the know-how used within the SoC and the digital camera sensors has exceeded their sell-by date by some appreciable margin, and this cheese has gone runny and a bit pungent.
That stated, I’m positive there are individuals who wouldn’t have any difficulty with the efficiency of this telephone, or the standard of the photographs it may take or the video it captures. It’s all about expectations, and people should be low to not expertise purchaser’s regret right here.
One attainable justification for this system is the uSmart connector, for the reason that RugKing and an endoscope digital camera could be had for lower than $250. For those who restore automobile engines, then this might be a worthwhile funding.
Ought to I purchase a Ulefone RugKing?
Attributes | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
Worth | Low-cost for a feature-filled rugged telephone | 4/5 |
Design | Sensible design, however the display border and excessively bigger speaker aren’t enticing | 3/5 |
{Hardware} | Distinctive and historical SoC know-how mixed with gradual battery charging isn’t perfect | 3/5 |
Digital camera | Outdated Samsung JN1 major sensor with solely 1080p video seize | 2.5/5 |
Efficiency | An SoC no person else makes use of, and poor battery effectivity | 3/5 |
General | An incredible value, however some poor {hardware} decisions had been made | 3.5/5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
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