Samsung Xcover is the first smartphone of this Korean manufacturer, which boasts dust protection against moisture. In the future, two more generations of this device appeared on the market. A mobile secure phone has also been released , which also belongs to this series of devices. These four gadgets will be discussed in detail in our material.
Niche
People leading an active lifestyle need special smartphones that can boast of high protection against dust and moisture. It is for them that the Xcover series of devices has been developed. It includes 4 devices. Initially in 2011, the S5690 smartphone and Samsung B2710 Xcover cell phone appeared on sale. In 2013, the world saw the second generation of the Xcover 2 smartphone, which was designated S7710. The next update of the device of this line occurred in 2015, when Xcover 3, or SM-G388F, appeared on store shelves. It is immediately worth noting that these devices cannot boast of a high level of performance. And their autonomy is not at a very high level. Their main advantage is a high degree of housing protection. Therefore, this line is of most interest precisely for those who want to get a high-quality “smart” phone with protection against moisture and dust. At the same time, for this feature of it, you will have to overpay and lose some of the functionality in comparison with a regular device.
Kit
All devices of this series, including Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2, boast the following equipment:
- The device itself.
- Accumulator battery.
- Charger.
Other additional accessories (case, protective film, stereo headset and flash drive) will have to be purchased separately.
Design, ergonomics and control
All devices of this series come in plastic reinforced cases. All communication ports are protected by special rubber plugs. Buttons in these devices are mechanical. There is also a separate button for controlling the camera. Such a design solution allows you to shoot, for example, using the Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2, even while in the water. The display diagonal of the largest smartphone in this Xcover 3 series is 4.5 inches. All control buttons on the side faces of the gadget are grouped. As a result, to manage this device only with the fingers of one hand is not difficult. The same statement is true for other representatives of this line of gadgets.
CPU
Regarding the cell phone Samsung B2710 Xcover there is no specific information about the type of chip used, this can only be guessed at. The first generation of smartphones in this series was based on the Marvell MG2 processor. It consists of only one computing core, capable of overclocking to 800 MHz at the most intense load. The second-generation Samsung Xcover is built on the basis of the dual-core NovaThor U8500 chip developed by Ericsson. Its clock frequency can increase up to 1 GHz. The most productive chip installed in Xcover 3 - ARMADA PXA1908, designed by Marvell. It consists of 4 computing modules, which in the highest load mode are accelerated to 1.2 GHz. As can be seen from the above specifications, only the third generation of this device can boast of an acceptable level of performance today.
Display and graphics card
Each XCover smartphone is equipped with a graphics accelerator. This reasonable engineering solution can significantly reduce the load on the central processor due to the fact that the graphics processing falls on the video adapter. The most modest graphics accelerator installed in the Samsung Xcover S5690. This is AdrCG800. Its computing capabilities are quite enough for processing images in the resolution of 320x480 (this is exactly the resolution on the display of this gadget). The screen is based on the TFT matrix. Accordingly, when deviating from the right viewing angle, the image is distorted on the display. Moreover, this remark is true for all devices in this series. Significantly better technical specifications in Xcover 2. It already has a display diagonal of 4 inches, and a resolution of 800x480. At the same time, the image output is provided by the Mali 400MP graphic adapter. Even better are the settings in the Samsung Xcover 3. It has a Vivante GC7000UL graphics chip. The screen size in this case is increased and is 4.5 inches. But the resolution is exactly the same as its predecessor - 800 x 480. The most modest parameters of the graphics system in this family of devices are in the B2710 cell phone. The screen size is 2 inches, and its resolution is 240x320.
Cameras, photo and video features
All Xcover gadgets have the ability to take photos and record videos. The most modest camera features in the Samsung Xcover GT - B2710. She has a 2 megapixel sensor. There are no additional technologies (autofocus, stabilization system, backlight). Therefore, the quality of the photo is very, very modest in good light. Well, in the dark, the situation will be even worse. With video recording, the situation is similar. The device can record videos in the resolution of 160x128. A slightly better camera in the first generation Xcover. She already has a 3.2MP sensor and has an LED backlight. And in Xcover 2 the sensor is already at 5MP, there is LED backlight and autofocus. The quality of the photo is acceptable. Video this device can record in 720 p. An identical touch element is installed in the Samsung Xcover 3. With the photo, everything is the same, but he can record video in the format already 1080 p. There is also a 2 megapixel front camera with which you can make video calls.
Memory
Only 40 MB is installed in the Samsung Xcover cell phone. This is clearly not enough for comfortable work, and in order to solve the problem of lack of memory, the owner of this gadget will have to install an additional flash card, the maximum size of which can reach 32 GB. Moreover, the problem of lack of capacity of the built-in drive is typical for all devices of this series. It can only be solved using an external drive. In the first smartphone of this series, the amount of RAM is 512 MB, and the capacity of the built-in drive is 150 MB. The second generation of Xcover 2 is already equipped with 1 GB of RAM and 4 GB of integrated drive (of which only 1 GB is allocated for installing programs and storing user personal data). The situation with memory in Xcover 3 is even better. There is already 1.5 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage (in this case, the owner of the gadget can count on 3 GB).
Autonomy
A high degree of autonomy boasts a cell phone of this line. Its battery capacity is 1300 mAh. We add only one SIM card and a 2-inch diagonal to this and get 4-5 days of battery life in the “dialer” mode (that is, only for calls and SMS). If the device is used as a compass, then the specified number of days will be reduced to 3. Well, in the maximum saving mode, this device can last 7 days. The battery capacity of 1500 mAh allows you to expect 2-3 days of work on a single charge at an average load level. In the most intensive mode, this value will be reduced to 1 day, but in the maximum saving mode, this gadget can work for 4 days. The proportional increase in Xcover 2 battery capacity up to 1700 mAh and a screen up to 4 inches allows you to count on exactly the same parameters of autonomy. Even more battery in Samsung Galaxy Xcover 3 - 2200 mAh. But at the same time, a more efficient central processor is used and the screen diagonal is increased to 4.5 inches. As a result, the autonomy of this smartphone is almost identical to those of its two predecessors.
Data exchange
The most modest set of interfaces in a cell phone of this series. It has only “Bluetooth” (for exchanging information with similar devices), GSM (provides making calls, receiving and receiving SMS and MMS and an Internet connection), GPS (allows you to use the gadget as a full-fledged navigator) and “MicroUSB” (synchronization with PC, a stereo headset is connected to the same jack). Smartphones of this series boast the presence of the following interfaces:
- One slot for installing a SIM card. In the first smartphone only GSM networks were supported, in the Samsung Galaxy Xcover S7710 this list expanded to 3G. Well, in Xcover 3, LTE was also added. All this allows you to make calls, exchange SMS and MMS, receive information from the Internet.
- Wi-Fi is the main wireless interface that allows you to receive and send information from the Global Web.
- “Bluetooth” allows you to connect a wireless headset to your smartphone, share files with similar mobile devices.
- The presence of GPS sensors and support for A-GPS technology allows you to accurately and very quickly determine the location of the device.
- The micro-USB port allows gadgets of this series to synchronize with a PC. It is also used to charge the battery.
System software
The cell phone of this series uses an operating system with a minimum set of functions. All smartphones of this series use the most popular software platform for mobile devices - “Android” as system software. The first device operates under the control of its version 2.3. The second gadget has version 4.1 installed. Well, the Samsung Galaxy Xcover 3 is equipped with a fairly recent version 4.4. From the point of view of software compatibility, it is the 3rd revision of this gadget that looks most optimal. All existing applications should be installed on it without problems.
Price
Buy Samsung Galaxy Xcover first generation is no longer possible. It has long been discontinued, and its stocks are sold out. The same is true for the B2710 mobile phone. This is not surprising. After all, their sales started more than four years ago, and during this time they are outdated both morally and physically. Xcover 2 is still available from stock. Its current value is $ 180. This is a fairly high price for a device with such hardware characteristics. But, as noted earlier, this cost is due to the special design of the case. The same is true for Xcover 3, whose sales started relatively recently. The cost of this device is $ 250.
Owner reviews
Samsung Galaxy Xcover of the first generation managed to perfectly prove itself. Most of the reviews about this device are positive: case quality, processor performance, display diagonal - this is far from all of its advantages. But there are only two drawbacks: a small degree of autonomy and only 150 Mb of integrated storage capacity. The first question can be solved by installing an additional external battery, and the second - by installing an external flash card. But Xcover 2 does not have these disadvantages. Such claims are made to him: the glossy finish of the case and the low brightness of the screen. In the first case, everything is solved with the help of a protective case and a film. But to solve the problem with a lack of brightness, you can use a matte protective film. The only drawback of the third generation of this device is the low level of CPU performance, which is not enough to solve demanding tasks. But this device is bought for everyday tasks, and this gadget has no problems with them.
Summary
Of all the devices in the Samsung Xcover line, only the third-generation smartphone is relevant. He and the hardware component allows you to solve most everyday tasks, and the software part is quite fresh. The remaining representatives of this lineup are outdated both morally and physically.