Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2 Pro Reviews

The Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2 is intended to be a rugged companion for fast-paced activity, especially outdoor sports. The manufacturer prepared the device very well for that use. Its protection meets the IP67 standard, and it withstood all the outside stresses we subjected it to during our tests. A short dunk in the bathtub, a little playtime with the author's daughter in the sandbox -- none of it was a problem. In this area we therefore give the Samsung device a "thumbs up". But besides its ruggedness, the smartphone must also prove its merit as a smartphone. Here too it does its job well in many areas, starting with its flawless manufacturing and stability. Samsung chose materials appropriate for the phone's price class. The inner components are also acceptable choices for a mid-class smartphone, and it lacks no important features, though the internal memory is rather limited. At 4 inches the display size is merely average, which is also true of the WVGA resolution. For outdoor use the resolution is sufficient, since the screen content is displayed a little larger than it would be at very high resolutions. The display's brightness is also adequate, though it could be higher, given that the phone is characterized as an outdoor device. But the bottom line is that the display is effective at its job; the color representation is appropriate for its price class as well.

The Samsung S7710 Galaxy Xcover 2 is a niche product - sitting at the intersection between people who need a rugged phone (be it for work or for play) and the people who need a smartphone. It's a major upgrade over the original Galaxy Xcover and since it's been nearly two years since that came out, users might be more than willing to upgrade. New users shouldn't be deterred by the Xcover's focus on toughness - the Galaxy Xcover 2 is as capable as a smartphone as the Galaxy S III mini and in Samsung's books the latter was good enough to carry the Galaxy S brand. If you're willing to take the extra bulk, the Xcover 2 can take the role of your primary phone and do it well. And when you take it to the beach or up the mountain, you won't have to fear the elements damaging your precious smartphone.

If you are looking for a rugged but fairly light and compact Android handset, look no further than the Xcover 2. Granted, it doesn't have the specs or panache of the waterproof Xperia Z, but it is shockproof and won't break the bank for you. Even if you are not the outdoorsy, but rather the careless gadget owner type that tosses their phone around and often goes into the pool with it by accident, Xcover 2 will offer a piece of mind. The specs are enough for powering the Android Jelly Bean device with ease, and the handset takes pretty good pictures and video, too, so it is an alternative to any mid-range smartphone. There are a few quibbles, mainly with the outdoor visibility and the need for manual screen brightness adjustment, but other than that you won't be disappointed, especially when you find out that you can shoot videos underwater without a case, or turn the flashlight on with a touch of a button.