The Chinese company Ulefone rightfully occupies one of the most important places among independent developers of Android smartphones. It seems that today this is the only company that allows itself to aim at full-fledged flagships.
But Ulefone does not shy away from creating unique niche solutions. Such as Ulefone Armor 5 - the only protected smartphone in a housing made of impact-resistant acrylic. And even with a unibrow. There was also a place for other trends.
Specifications Ulefone Armor 5 
Screen: 5.85 ", 1512×720, Gorilla glass, 5 touches, OGS
Processor: Mediatek Helio P23 (8 x 2 GHz, 64 bit, 16 nm)
Graphics processor (video chip / GPU): Mali G71 MP (2 x 770 MHz)
Random access memory (RAM): 4 GB
Internal memory (ROM): 64 GB
Expansion slots: MicroSD, support for cards up to 256GB
Main camera: 13 MP + 5 MP, dual LED flash
Selfie camera: 8 MP, no flash
Communication: 2 nanoSIM or nanoSIM + microSD
Supported frequencies: 2G (GSM): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz 3G (WCDMA): 800 / 850 / 1900 MHz 4G (FDD-LTE): B1(2100) / B3(1800) / B7(2600)
Operating system: Android 8.1
Wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC
Navigation: GPS, A-GPS, GLONAS
Battery capacity: 5000 mAh, non-removable, fast charging
Dimensions (size): 158.3 x 76 x 12.6 mm
Weight: 228 grams
Appearance
Among the rugged smartphones, Ulefone Armor 5 has the most advantageous, eye-catching appearance. Of course, you won’t find acrylic rugged smartphones anymore – but this is the material the company chose to make the back of the case.
It looks impressive, since the cover is more similar to the body of the new glossy Huawei. Indescribably cool, isn't it. Stylish! There is a blue and black version to choose from. I recommend the blue one!
The Armor 5's frame is made from a single-piece milled piece of aircraft-grade aluminum, topped with a rubber-like polymer for added shock absorption. Due to this, the frames are huge, but it's worth it.
The outer panel is completely covered with protective Gorilla Glass. However, there remains a slot for the speaker, which engineers had to close from the inside. And why didn't others think of this before? The external speaker grille on the back cover uses the same protection principle. Finally, rubber plugs cover the headphone jack and USB-C.
Due to such all-round protection, Ulefone Armor 5 received an IP68 dust and moisture protection certificate, which allows it not to be afraid of splashes, sand, and dust. Rain or a short dive to a depth of up to a meter won’t do anything to it either.
Display
The screen of Ulefone Armor 5 has become a tribute to fashion - it is today’s classic “frameless” panel for the iPhone with a “monobrow” for the earpiece and front camera.
The screen itself uses a 5.85-inch TN panel with an aspect ratio of 19:9 and a resolution of 1512x720 pixels. Due to the small diagonal, the reduced dot density is not noticeable and plays a role in reducing power consumption.
The screen's properties are close to IPS due to maximum viewing angles and the absence of a visible grid. The brightness is significantly increased compared to standard smartphones - so the display remains clear even in very bright sunlight.
Color reproduction corresponds to budget panels, although in the system settings you can select a profile that brings it closer to AMOLED standards.
Ease of use
Ulefone Armor 5 differs from most rugged smartphones not only in the mirror finish of the rear panel, but also in its noticeably smaller dimensions. Even Blackview smartphones with a diagonal of 4.5 inches look larger - and they fit worse in the hand.
This applies to all Armor 5 geometric parameters. In addition, a rubberized bumper around the body improves tactile sensations. The smartphone will definitely not fall out even from wet gloves. By the way, the touch layer of the screen is optimized for this, and after activating the corresponding function, you can use Armor 5 even in water.
Some problems are caused by rubber plugs - they fit too well, so you have to sweat to gain access to the connectors. Although for a secure smartphone this is a big plus, not a minus.
Hardware platform
Engineers chose the balanced Mediatek Helio P23 processor as the Ulefone Armor 5 platform. Well, that is, “energy efficient”. It's enough to work with a smartphone screen, so you can run small games - even PUBG on medium settings.
This is largely due to the 4GB of modern RAM and the excellent MaliG71MP2 video accelerator. There will be no problems with programs and heavy office files either.
The user will be able to store applications, movies and music both on 64GB of ROM and microSD cards, which significantly expand the amount of internal storage - the smartphone supports up to 256GB of external storage. Instead of one of the sim cards.
operating system
The operating system of Ulefone Armor 5 is pure Android 8.1 Oreo without pre-installed applications. Google services are on board in full, including the application store.
The interface fully complies with Android One program standards, including the launcher. This time the company decided not to use a proprietary desktop, thereby giving the user the opportunity to decide for themselves.
Cameras
The main camera uses a dual module, combined from unknown 16 and 5 megapixel sensors. The double module is used for color correction and bokeh effect. The resolution is fair, without interpolation. The quality of the pictures is not bad, although it does not reach the latest Xiaomi models.
Daytime photos look great. Excess shadows and complex lighting become an insurmountable obstacle for the camera - but not so much as to give up shooting in twilight or complete darkness. Night photos are saved by HDR, bringing images up to modern standards.
The front camera has a resolution of 13 megapixels. You don't have to expect anything special, but with a lot of skill it is possible to create very decent photographs.
Autonomous operation
The Ulefone Armor 5 battery has a capacity of 5000 mAh, which is confirmed by tests. Since the company used the Mediatek chip, the smartphone supports fast charging according to the Mediatek Pump Express 3.0 standard with a power of up to 18 W (5V/7V/9V ~2A, 12V ~1.5A). A suitable adapter is included in the scope of delivery.
In mixed mode of use, the energy reserve is enough for 3-4 days of use. Active surfing and an always-on screen will drain the battery within 2 days.
On average, the screen at full brightness with wireless interfaces enabled lasts up to 12 hours. Airplane mode increases it to 18 hours. An excellent result for a protected gadget.
Communication capabilities
The smartphone supports all frequencies used in Russia and the CIS - both 2G and LTE. In addition, Armor 5 is equipped with a modern dual-band Wi-Fi module, but Bluetooth received support for version 4.1, so it clearly lags behind current standards.
The device supports wireless payment using the NFC module and Google Pay support. It is worth noting that the module allows recording on the corresponding cards - “Troika” is freely replenished.
The navigation module starts “cold” in 5-10 seconds, providing accuracy of up to 3 meters on the ground.
conclusions
Ulefone Armor 5 has become a rare rugged smartphone for the company, in which it has applied all the current developments of past years. This device cannot be called a budget device, since it shows excellent characteristics in its class and will last for a very long time.
In addition, the gadget stands out from the bulk of rugged smartphones with its eye-catching appearance. Perhaps this is the most pleasant of all IP68 smartphones on sale.
At the moment, the cost of Ulefone Armor 5 is $190, which is several dozen less than its closest competitors. You can take it.
