It's named Samsung Galaxy and it runs OneUI, and yet, it's quite different from other Samsung smartphones we've reviewed so far. Galaxy Xcover7 It's a strange beast, and doesn't conform to the traditional price vs. spec ratio. But still, this is no traditional phone. Instead of focusing on the usual aspects like performance, camera quality, etc., it focuses on durability, reliability, longevity, and manageability.
As an enterprise-grade phone, and a rugged phone at that, the Galaxy XCover7 shouldn't be judged by its cover… so to speak. Let's dive a little deeper and get inside its rugged exterior.
Decision
The Samsung Galaxy XCover7 is a handset designed for enterprise use and focuses on aspects that cater to businesses. It can't be compared to consumer smartphones, at least in terms of general specifications, but as said, it stands out in terms of durability and manageability, offering a number of features that adapt to specific scenarios and usage. Should come in handy in cases of.
Enterprise Features
Before I get to the general aspects of the phone, it's important to get the gist of the enterprise-oriented features offered here:
- For one, the
- There's a programmable key on the side, which can be configured to run any app of your choice. Not only this, it can also be used for walkie-talkie communication (for those working in restaurants or large warehouses), scanning barcodes (useful for those working in logistics), etc.
- Loud volume output at maximum levels can be useful in noisy environments such as factories and construction sites.
- The phone has a few pogo-pin connectors at the bottom. Using the 5-slot POGO charger accessory (sold separately), multiple handsets can be easily charged simultaneously.
- Thanks to the removable battery, the use of the phone can continue without interruption for multiple shifts. Additionally, if the phone is connected to a charger, it can stay on for a few seconds even when the battery is removed, allowing you to pop-in another battery without interrupting usage.
- Samsung Knox Vault promises to protect important information in separate tamper-resistant hardware. Plus. Samsung also promises frequent OS and security updates for the XCover7, giving device administrators peace of mind regarding security and manageability.
- Samsung includes a 1-year subscription to its Knox suite for free with the phone and offers a 50 percent discount for the second year.
Design and performance
Although I'm sure that's not where the “cover” in its moniker comes from, as soon as you take it out of its box the handset looks like it's inside a cover. I'm told the phone can be any color, as long as it's black. Although, in all seriousness, black is quite appropriate for a phone like this. It appears to be built like a tank, it has a thick outer shell with a pattern on the back, which gives it good grip, as well as making it look quite interesting. There are also appropriately raised spots on the sides for added grip. The orange-accented camera ring stands out… and keep in mind, there's only one snapper available here.
The same bright orange color can also be found on a large key placed on the left spine, and it's a programmable button that can do basically what you want. The placement of ports and controls is quite typical, otherwise a 3.5mm headset socket marks its presence at the top. The XCover7's richly decorated hats include an IP68 rating across the wings, which has been tested to withstand drops of up to 1.5 meters, a Gorilla Glass Victus layer on the display, and MIL-proofing for some military-grade peace of mind. STD-810H standards are followed. And what's surprising is that the rear panel can actually be opened to reveal the SIM slot and removable battery. Now I can't remember the last time I wrote the words “removable” and “battery” together in a sentence, there is a method to the madness, and I'll get to that in a bit.
The 6.6-inch, FHD+ display is actually of the TFT variety and can go up to 600 nits in terms of peak brightness. Although it can't match consumer-grade devices (it has a 60Hz refresh rate and has thick bezels), it gets the job done and has a toggle that increases touch sensitivity so you can use it with work gloves. Can, and when the screen is wet. The water drop-style notch for the front camera looks a bit dated, but keep in mind that this phone isn't really meant for the masses.
camera
The offering sports a single 50MP snapper on the back, while the front houses a 5MP camera housed in a waterdrop notch. Let's say the XCover7's cameras won't win any photography awards, but you should keep in mind that they serve a bigger purpose than just capturing memories. Given the phone's intended target audience, the XCover7's primary camera is more likely to be used for barcode scanning than shooting sunsets (for example), while the front camera is more suitable for user authentication than selfies. It is possible
Shooting modes on offer include standard modes like Slow Mo, Hyperlapse, Panorama, Pro, Night and Portrait etc. There's also a fun mode that offers Snapchat-style face filters, although to tell you the truth, use may be limited (except for a few lunch-time pranks) given the target audience.
Image quality is quite good, especially in daylight. Low-light shots are also quite serviceable and show adequate detail, although I feel light glare could have been handled better. There is a little bit of skin softening visible in selfies, but other than that, it delivers good image quality. More than just needing improvements in image quality, I think the Galaxy XCover7 could do with some versatility, like what an additional ultrawide sensor could provide, for example. But then again, something like that might not be very useful in enterprise use.
Software, performance and battery
Software-wise, the XCover7 runs One UI 6 on Android 14. It has the usual assortment of apps from Google, Samsung, and Microsoft. However most of them can be uninstalled if you have no use for them. The ecosystem features enabled by signing in to your Samsung account (including cloud-based features, app continuity, etc.) are all present.
The MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ SoC handles the performance along with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. These are minor features and won't set any performance charts on fire. However, the XCover7 works smoothly and doesn't show signs of lag, at least with regular, daily use. However, you should keep your expectations in check when running heavy apps.
The 4,050mAh battery also seems a bit weak, but overall provides good battery life. It recorded about 14 hours of run time on the PC Mark battery test. However, the 15W charging speed is quite slow, and Samsung, as usual, has included a charger right out of the box. On the positive side, you get the option to limit the charge level to 85 percent for better battery health.
In keeping with the overall business theme of the handset, some of the frills we are usually accustomed to have been removed. For example, the phone does not have stereo speakers and relies on a single speaker for audio output. However, the lack of a fingerprint scanner seems a bit strange, as security is considered an important aspect for a smartphone, and even more so in this case since it is an enterprise phone.
final call
The Galaxy XCover7 is priced at around Rs 27,500 and is available through enterprises and employee purchase programs. One thing to note is that the ratings here are only indicative as the handset cannot be directly compared with other smartphones. If you look at it just based on its price and specs, it can hardly match consumer phones. However, it is not for everyone and is a niche tool. However, for the space it should cater to, it ticks most of the boxes, standing out in aspects such as build quality, manageability and features like customizable keys.
Editor's Rating: 7.5/10
Reasons to buy:
- Military-grade ruggedness, IP68 rating, and Gorilla Glass Victus make it solid.
- The enterprise and manageability features seem extremely useful.
- The performance is good and the battery life is also good.
Reasons for not buying:
- The display is limited to 60Hz and has wide bezels.
- Charging speed is slow.
- There is no fingerprint scanner.
