What you need to know
- Samsung has announced the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro, its latest rugged smartphone.
- The device is the first of its kind to include 5G support, along with Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.
- It will be available in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East starting in July.
Samsung's XCover line is getting a new member. The Galaxy XCover 6 Pro has gone official, with features you'd expect to see in a 2022 model, as well as the return of a key feature we've missed.
The device is Samsung's first rugged smartphone with 5G support, coupled with Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, the company announced. The latter should give you faster wireless speeds and lower latencies, though this depends on a number of factors, including the network provider and user environment.
It is powered by Qualcomm's 6nm-based Snapdragon 778G chipset, making it a worthy contender for the best cheap Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy A53 or OnePlus Nord N20. The phone includes 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which can be expanded up to 1TB via a microSD card slot.
That said, it's primarily intended to challenge the best rugged Android phones. The ruggedized smartphone is not short on features that keep it safe from the elements. It has an IP68 dust and water-resistance rating, along with an MIL-STD-810H-certified design.
Samsung's latest rugged phone also sports a 6.6-inch FHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen is touted for its increased receptiveness even when used in the rain or while wearing gloves. Furthermore, its screen is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus+.
What makes this phone stand out in a crowded market is its removable battery. This means that you can swap out its 4,050mAh battery whenever it runs out of power. You can also juice up multiple accessories simultaneously thanks to its POGO charging capabilities.
For those working remotely, the Galaxy XCover6 Pro features Samsung DeX, which allows them to set up a portable workspace with an external display, keyboard, and mouse.
The handset ships with Android 12 out of the box, but Samsung promises up to five years of security updates and four additional One UI and OS upgrades. You can also remap two programmable keys, including the XCover and top keys, to do specific functions like launching an app or activating its push-to-talk feature.
The Galaxy XCover6 Pro will be up for grabs starting this month in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Later this year, Samsung will expand its availability to other regions.
