Samsung Galaxy XCover7 hands-on review

15 July 2024
We used Samsung's rugged smartphone for business users, and here's what we found about it.

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DarlingYext, 15 Jul 2024Any rugged Ulefone with way better specs, plus accesories i... moreSoftware matters too. No way those beat Samsung.

    Hemedans, 15 Jul 2024This phone has its pro version with sd 778G equivalent whic... more" This phone has its pro version with sd 778G equivalent which is better than Xr20. "

    Sorry but that is NOT true. There is no other alternative, all you get from Samsung is the xCover 7. The Pro version does not exist. If you are thinking of the xCover 6 Pro, that is an older series and it is being phased out. Making this newest update more of a sidegrade, instead of your usual upgrade. I would even call it a downgrade.

    I agree with your other points. However you need to recognise that Samsung is a for-profit corporation and they will alter the value of their designs and devices to keep the gravy train moving. Yes they fleece the mainstream consumers, but they will do the same for their fleet sales as well, and they have been. They won't be making a great device, not anymore. The days when they innovative Samsung S2/Note 1 are over, the days of the consumer-friendly S5/Note 4 are over, we are well into the "age of disappointment" especially with the S20 and later models. The A52-S and xCover 6 Pro were a "mistake" from Samsung, as they were fundamentally a good quality and good value phone. And if you go back you will find my comments, I called it out, I told people to buy them on Day One. If you can find a used one for low price, go for it, but treat them as lower-end devices in this 2025/age rather than their higher-end standing in 2022/release age.

    Alternatively, you could buy a used ex-flagship for really good prices, get the battery replaced, and have it inside a thick rugged case. And that might be a better alternative. You will miss out on features like User Removable Battery, Headphone Jack, microSD card, DualSIM, IrDa Blaster, etc etc. However you will arguably get a faster processor, sharper camera, and wireless charging. It depends on the prices available, but I recommend no lower than a Pixel 6 Pro, Samsung S21U, etc etc. You could even go Apple with a rugged case but that is a very different kettle of fish.

      The Samsung A52-S and xCover 6 Pro were just "too good" for its period.
      Samsung doesn't want to repeat that "mistake" of making a phone that good quality and value. They want things to be as quickly replaceable as they can. Which means high-end phones are heavy, slippery, fragile, hard to repair, low parts available, etc etc. Whereas their enterprise devices can't have those properties, so they opt for a different approach: raise prices and reduce the specifications.

      If a consumer and an enthusiast like me were to design phones, it would be different because we have different views in life and values.
      I would keep it LCD, User Removable Battery, and Long-term Software Support. But I would bump up it's specifications. Maybe just grab the Selfie camera from the S24U and the Main Camera from the S24+. Have a strong LED flash and maybe an Infrared Camera for those tasks. I just won't have a Ultrawide and Zoom Camera, or anything luxury. Bump up the processor to the QC 7g2+ or better, as that is warranted. And have a speaker that is helpful in noisy work environments. Yes, slow 20W charger but it's in the box with a cable, and maybe a earpiece too that can be attached to helmet clips. Overall I would not hold back much, and sell each unit at closer to a USD $400 price, or half that price if you buy for Enterprise/bulk. It's kind of like cars for the fleet deals.

      Samsung could opt for in-house parts, like battery from Samsung instead of Panasonic, OmniVision Cameras instead of Sony Exmor, LCD from Samsung instead of LG, and Exynos instead of Snapdragon. For that last point: I would design it with Samsung 4nm lithography, ARM G720-mc8 iGPU, and a CPU design that is 2+6+0 featuring 2.6-3.1GHz X4, and 1.0-2.5GHz A720, to balance efficiency and performance, no need for the small A520 cores like the MediaTek Dimensity chipsets. Overall this would give me access to departments and drivers for longer term software support, it would save some money, although it would be a downgrade against the third-party solutions, so the price would (USD $300) reflect that.

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        • HardMan
        • YUU
        • 16 Jul 2024

        They could've made it slightly better but they choose not to. I'd buy a rugged phone, especially a branded one, there's some rugged phone on the market but they're sketchy AF

          The older models have been so nice but this? This is borderline useless, especially outside of the house.

            Hemedans, 15 Jul 2024This phone has its pro version with sd 778G equivalent whic... moreIndeed. This phone is made for enterprise customers... if there are individual buyers it just a bonus to Samsung... I've seen warehouses, parcel/delivery companies, restaurants, train inspectors, hospitals, military units, company-issued employees phones, etc using XCover 5. There is even a single sim version of XCover 5 with white body being sold in eBay UK/Europe.

              Small battery doesn't work at all

                Minu, 15 Jul 2024My point here is the base model, not the pro version with s... moreXr20 being enterprise doesn't make it Have those features I mentioned, it use Normal ant theft features, Doesn't have things like Wifi analytic, Automatic deployment of software etc these phones are requested by enterprise not me and You and Walmart requested that kind of Phone and Samsung made it for them.

                HMD has capacity to make 740,000 phones.

                Also we don't know How much Samsung charge Walmart for those replaceable battery or total Device cost. I would take 2 years battery lifespan over 4 years as long as I can change battery easily.

                  • M
                  • Minu
                  • ter
                  • 15 Jul 2024

                  Hemedans, 15 Jul 2024This phone has its pro version with sd 778G equivalent whic... moreMy point here is the base model, not the pro version with supposedly a better chipset and a significant price hike. Still, the XR20 is the better phone overall at $250 or less officially.
                  My point was also regarding value for money, not about higher specifications outside the target market.

                  The XR20 does have an Enterprise edition, and Knox doesn't bring anything special outside the scope of Enterprise-protected stock Android phones. Your point about Knox would've made sense, if it was in 2015-2018.

                  Also, I've already acknowledged that Samsung uses cumulative updates in place of security updates, not consistent and frequent security patches as one might expect. The rugged devices also suffer from the same update fiasco. That makes sense to why the XCover series isn't provided much attention in update announcements, as opposed to Wingtech/Samsung's mass market devices.

                  At the same time, a dated yet removable Li-Ion battery is acceptable, but it gets inflated with a significant loss in capacity after a year or 2 of regular use. The XR20 on the other hand, features a non-removable Li-Po battery that doesn't need replacements as much due to not showing physical aging with use. Instead, it only shows aging when frequent restarts occur during the day, and that happens after 3-4 years of use, with the added benefit of being comparatively cost-effective to replace unlike the Li-Ion batteries.

                  On a side note, Walmart has purchased XCover devices only due to the lack of options, as the XR series were shipped in minimal numbers stateside, as well as the lack of alternatives in an artificially monopolized market.

                    DarlingYext, 15 Jul 2024Any rugged Ulefone with way better specs, plus accesories i... moreDoes ulefone or whatever have removable battery? Anti theft to locate phone when it's lost? Automatic software deployment, software support for years, availability of accessories etc?

                      Hemedans, 15 Jul 2024Mention one better phone, you guys are just clueless lolAny rugged Ulefone with way better specs, plus accesories in the box AND sold separately.

                        DarlingYext, 15 Jul 2024That doesn't matter, there are way way better options ... moreMention one better phone, you guys are just clueless lol

                          Minu, 15 Jul 2024Disregarding flagships, there are better rugged options els... moreThis phone has its pro version with sd 778G equivalent which is better than Xr20.

                          People who buy these phones don't care about those specs you guys mentioned. Samsung used to make flagship rugged phones but they weren't as popular as these midrange.


                          Walmart is good example of targeted customer, they approached Samsung and demanded something like this and bought 740,000 units of Galaxy Xcover 5. Highlight features were
                          -Rugged phone
                          -Removable batteries
                          -lost phone prevention/Ant theft
                          -automatic software deployment to employees
                          -wifi analytics etc.

                          Majority of those things you won't get them anywhere, Xr20 don't have removable batteries of anything like Knox.

                          These phones do target Enterprise customers and those companies together with Samsung they design these phones, there is a reason why they are not easily available in retail market.

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                            • Anonymous
                            • 3SL
                            • 15 Jul 2024

                            Wow, every Ulefone, Oukitel or whatever cheap outdoor phone has higher specs and is even more solid, bigger battery and well better at anything.
                            I'll guess some people will buy it because it says Samsung on the label. Okay.

                              Minu, 15 Jul 2024They could've at least used an Iris scanner instead. I... moreWhy do you think Samsung even stop using iris scanners on their regular consumer lineup?

                                potato4k, 15 Jul 2024Again, stupid. This is not for you, nor any general con... moreThat doesn't matter, there are way way better options for work type phones as well.

                                  DarlingYext, 15 Jul 2024So, an absolutely not secure face unlock is somehow not stu... moreAgain, stupid.

                                  This is not for you, nor any general consumer. Samsung doesn't even make this available at retail.

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                                    • AnonD-1040250
                                    • nGE
                                    • 15 Jul 2024

                                    In terms of workmanship, it looks like cheap plastic waste, it obviously scratches pretty quickly and I wouldn't want to find out unnecessarily whether it is really waterproof or fall-proof. Not really, in my opinion. All just marketing promises...? Samsung you are really a shame and when you also look at what spy software is pre-installed there (com.samsung.android.rubin,...) then you get really sick, just type *#* #4636 #*#* into the phone app and see what's already being recorded there alone... 1984 is no longer fiction and Samsung is a great example of that! Ugh...

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                                      • Anonymous
                                      • Tsr
                                      • 15 Jul 2024

                                      Minu, 15 Jul 2024The only downside to this phone's battery is that it&#... moreWhat?

                                      First time hearing that, and most phones and other devices still use that type of battery.

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • gXJ
                                        • 15 Jul 2024

                                        All other Samsung phones charge at at least 25W speeds. 15W is a joke. Plus no fingerprint sensor and a 60Hz screen? Samsung is pulling an L.

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