Blackview BL9000 Pro with FLIR camera hands-on review

07 September 2024

Blackview, a Hong Kong-based company known for its rugged smartphones, but recently also expanded its lineup with the Hero 10 flip foldable. Now, we got to try its Blackview BL9000 Pro - a more traditional for the company rugged smartphone that stands out for its FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared) camera, providing thermal imaging capabilities.

What's impressive, particularly when you consider the prices of FLIR cameras, is that this phone is priced at just $430 and that's for an very generous 12 GB RAM and 512 GB storage version.

The retail package includes the 412-gram phone, a 120W charger, and a USB-C cable. While the phone doesn’t need a protective case, it does come with a pre-applied screen protector, which is a bit flimsy and came off during unpacking.

For a rugged phone, the BL9000 Pro feels reasonably comfortable in hand. It has rubberized sides and back for grip, although it lacks a lanyard slot, so be careful - no so much that you'll drop and break it, but more so because dropping it on your foot could hurt!

The phone is certified IP68 and IP69K for water and dust resistance, and it meets the MIL-STD-810H standard, making it resistant to extreme temperatures, vibrations, shocks, and altitudes up to 15,000 ft/4,500m.

The BL9000 Pro is powered by the Dimensity 8020 chipset, a 6nm midrange platform by Mediatek. It features a 6.78” LCD with Full HD+ resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate, protected by Gorilla Glass Victus.

The side-mounted fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button is easy to set up, and a multipurpose button on the left can trigger up to three different actions. The phone also boasts dual stereo speakers developed in collaboration with Harman Kardon, although it lacks a 3.5 mm audio jack.

The back features a 50 MP main camera with PDAF, a 13 MP ultra-wide camera with AF, and a third camera that assists the FLIR sensor in mapping temperature readings. The infrared camera captures heat data and converts it into an electronic image, displaying surface temperatures through a range of colors, which can be adjusted in the MyFLIR app.

The BL9000 Pro uses the Lepton 3.5 module with a resolution of 160 x 120 pixels, suitable for close-up thermal imaging but less effective at long distances.

It can measure temperatures from -10 to +400 degrees Celsius and offers both Full Infrared Mode and Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging (MSX). VividIR, another feature, enhances tiny surface details, though it's more for aesthetics than functionality.

Running on Android 14 with Doke-OS 4.0, the phone includes the MyFLIR app and several Blackview apps, like Child Mode and Notebook (with stylus support). The user interface closely resembles stock Android, which is a plus.

The device is powered by an 8,800 mAh battery with 120W fast charging and 5W reverse wired charging via USB-C. That means not only it will comfortably last for days, but it also recharges quite fast.

For its price the Blackview BL9000 Pro is turly a bargain as long as you have some use for the FLIR camera and you are aware of the limitations caused by its relatively low resolution.

Even beyond that it's a decently performing mid-ranger with loads of storage, but the size alone probably makes it unsuitable for mainstream users. Those working in harsher environments would do well to keep it on their shortlist.