[Summary]
When I started testing smartphones, Xiaomi was still an exotic brand that was very little known to the mainstream. Today everyone is talking about Xiaomi so I thought I should explore new horizons and choose a Chinese brand completely unknown in Europe.
The Ulefone Armor 7 is not a phone like the others, it is designed to withstand shocks and the few videos circulating about its solidity are impressive. The Ulefone Armor 7 has a brutal aspect and it is not the kind of phone you will be able to show off with.
Beyond its rough aspect, the specifications are also interesting, if it had a more fashionable look, I could have compared it to a Redmi from Xiaomi.
The Ulefone Armor 7 is available in two versions, the Armor 7 and the Armor 7E. I bought the Armor 7E but the test remains completely valid for the Armor 7 because the phones are not very different.
Manufacturer web site: https://www.ulefone.com/
[device_intro device="smartphone" lg="en"]
Price Ulefone Armor 7E
The list below shows the prices for the Ulefone Armor 7E from more than 50 sites around the world. If you are not satisfied with any price, you can subscribe to a price alert to be the first to be notified when the price drops. [pricelist keyword="174"]
Timeline
12/05/2020 Purchase of Ulefone Armor 7 / 7E on Banggood
05/06/2020 Receiving the phone and start of this review
Why this phone?
I usually test phones that have a good sales potential because since I am alone and not sponsored, I have to make the right choices to hope to make some money. The Ulefone Armor 7 doesn't really meet those conditions and yet I took the risk of testing it.
The Ulefone Armor 7 / 7E is a phone designed to be shock and water resistant, so it is aimed at people who are in an activity that could damage the phone. It is therefore not the kind of phone to be used for showing off. There are many videos on Youtube where the phone is mistreated, here is one from Gearbest:
Beyond the brutal aspect of the telephone, it is solidly equipped with elements that could be of interest to another type of public. It has a large 5500 mAh battery, it has a Mediatek processor offering a performance superior to a Redmi Note 9, it uses a Samsung photo sensor (the same as the Redmi Note 9), it is compatible with many frequencies, ... etc... If we disregard its exterior appearance, this phone could very well compete with very popular devices such as those of the Redmi range.
Structure of my tests
I test the phones according to a pre-established structure (see below) to provide you with as much information as possible. Unfortunately, this takes a long time. Some tests like network performance tests take several days and for photo tests I sometimes have to wait until the weather is suitable to take pictures in good conditions. I am therefore obliged to publish the tests step by step, so I invite you to come back if the test is not complete at the time of your visit.
Unpacking
[specs product="ulefone-armor-7e" category="body"] The box of the Ulefone Armor 7 is much bigger than the boxes I'm used to receive, it's also heavier. The phone alone weighs almost 300 grams but the box is also full of accessories.
The box contains the phone, a charger, a reinforced usb cable, a usb to jack adapter, a normal usb to c type adapter, a usb to usb c type adapter, a strap to hold the phone and a user manual.
The design of the box does not leave too much doubt about what to expect from the phone, I felt like unpacking a toolbox.
First configuration
Not yet available / tested
Finish
Not yet available / tested
TopNot yet available / tested
BottomNot yet available / tested
SidesNot yet available / tested
BackNot yet available / tested
ScreenNot yet available / tested
3G/4G support
Not yet available / tested
3G Frequencies:
na
4G Frequencies:
na
[network_support]
Network/Radio performance
[specs product="ulefone-armor-7e" category="radio"]
Signal 4G
The ability to pick up the network correctly is an essential element for a phone but it is only very rarely measured. To measure a phone's ability to pick up the network, I perform a large number of measurements on the same cells to be able to compare phones under similar conditions. The signal is measured in dBm, a value of -90dBm indicates a worse signal than -70dBm. These measurements are therefore taken under real conditions and not in a laboratory, they are not scientific but give a good indication of performance.
[short_signals]
Comparison Ulefone Armor 7E with another device
The graph below shows the comparison between the two devices. The best device should have the largest number of measurements close to the center. The comparison is made only on the cells common to both devices. The measurements were carried out under the same conditions.
Phone 1:
na
Phone 2:
na
Performance evaluation:Not yet available / tested
Download max speed:
Upload max speed:
na
Download max speed:
na
Performance evaluation:Not yet available / tested
Wifi signal
To test a phone's ability to receive the network properly, I take measurements near my router and then remotely (and always at the same place). This gives me an average in dBm where a value of -90 dBm indicates poorer performance than a value at -30 dBm.
Signal strength close to router:
na
Signal strength away from router:
na
Performance evaluation:Not yet available / tested
Download / Wifi
To test the speed in Wifi, I connect to my router in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz (if available) and use the Ookla application to measure the speed.[specs product="ulefone-armor-7e" category="measures"]
Max upload speed:
na
Max download speed:
na
Performance evaluation:Not yet available / tested
GPS signal
To test the quality of the GPS signal I use the Offline Maps application and I make the same train trip in pedestrian mode. Why? In pedestrian mode, the GPS does not artificially correct the signal to stick to the road, it has no markings, so you can see the actual position.Not yet available / tested
Battery range
[specs product="ulefone-armor-7e" category="battery"]Not yet available / tested
Audio quality
To test the quality of the phone's audio output, I connect the device's audio output to a measuring tool, then play sounds on all frequencies and measure the differences between the original sound and the sound produced by the phone. In this way I measure the phone's ability to correctly reproduce all sounds.
[specs product="%product_life%" category="sound"]
Not yet available / tested
Frequency Response
This test is intended to test the device's ability to correctly reproduce all frequencies. The white line in the middle of the graph is the ideal situation and the other colors come from tests on different phones. A deviation from the reference line indicates a deviation from the ideal situation. To see good sound at all frequencies, it is therefore necessary to get as close as possible to the reference lineNot yet available / tested
Dynamic Range
This test is designed to test a phone's ability to play sounds at different volume levels. Here too, the phones must be as close as possible to the referenceNot yet available / tested
Noise Level
This test aims to identify if the device under test is able to reproduce sounds without too much noise. A high score indicates a low parasite rate, a lower score indicates a higher presence of parasites.Not yet available / tested
Concert recording
The purpose of this test is to measure the recording quality of the phone when there is a lot of ambient noise. Since I don't have the opportunity to go to a concert every time I test a phone, I simulate the noise of a concert in a closed environment.Not yet available / tested
CPU / GPU Performance
[specs product="ulefone-armor-7e" category="hardware"]
CPU/GPU type
Not yet available / tested
Hardware info
The information below comes from the Device Info HW application. The application provides detailed technical information about the tested phone.Not yet available / tested
Benchmark 3DMark
Not yet available / tested
Benchmark Antutu[specs product="ulefone-armor-7e" category="benchmark"]Not yet available / tested
Gaming
To test the performance in game, I download the mobile PUBG game and evaluate the in-game experience, graphics level and depth of vision. This game is quite demanding and should help you evaluating the performance of a phone.Not yet available / tested
Photo camera test
[specs product="ulefone-armor-7e" category="camera"]
Hardware
Not yet available / tested
Photo quality
Default app
Not yet available / tested
Photo test / studio
Not yet available / tested
Photo test / sunny
Not yet available / tested
Photo test / cloudy
Not yet available / tested
Test photo / night
Not yet available / tested
Video quality
Stabilisation
As for each of my tests, I start with a video made under the same conditions to be able to compare the quality and stabilization with the other devices. Not yet available / tested
Video normale conditions
Not yet available / tested
Video low light
Not yet available / tested
Screen quality
To test the screen, I use a colorimetric probe that measures the color accuracy of a screen, as well as other parameters to see if a screen is able to correctly reproduce an image. I also test the brightness level to determine if the screen will be able to display an image in full sunlight.
[specs product="ulefone-armor-7e" category="screen"]
Colorimetry
Not yet available / tested
Brightness
Not yet available / tested
Contrast
Not yet available / tested
Light Absorption/Reflection
The smartphone screen reflect light and sometimes turn them into a real mirror. This mirror effect makes it harder to read.
The absorption index below indicates the percentage of light absorbed by the screen. The readability of a screen is better when the absorption index is high.
[absorb]Not yet available / tested
Biometry
Not yet available / tested
Operating system
Not yet available / tested
Encoutered bugs
Not yet available / tested
Accessories Ulefone Armor 7E
[accessoires type="smartphone" product="ulefone-armor-7e" lg="en"]
Compare Ulefone Armor 7E with the others
[ranks type="smartphone" device="Ulefone Armor 7E"]
Test / Review conclusion
Not yet available / tested
Strengths
Not yet available / tested
Weaknesses
Not yet available / tested
Alternatives to this product
[alternatives]Not yet available / tested