Unihertz Atom XL review: Walkie-talkie meets smartphone

The Atom XL is Unihertz’s most rugged, top-of-the-line phone, giving it a noticeable head start on a 4-inch screen from the 2.45-inch of the original Atom. Maybe size really does matter and begs the question: is 4 inches enough?

See more: The Best Rugged Phones You Can Buy Right Now

• Unihertz Atom XL (6GB / 128GB): $ 339.99 / £ 274.99

The Atom XL is the latest rugged smartphone from Unihertz that outperforms the Atom L and the original Atom. It’s exactly the same phone as the Atom L, with an additional antenna for walkie-talkie functionality. Unihertz sent us a test model that we tested for five days with Android 10 with Build Unihertz_Atom_XL_20200312 on top.

The phone is designed for tough work and is IP68 water and dust resistant. It also has a MIL-STD-810G rating for protection against shock, vibration, heat, cold, moisture and more. The display is made of oleophobic Gorilla Glass 3 and the phone comes with two protective plastic films.

Continue reading: Guide to MIL-STD-810G

Only one color and equipment option is available for the Atom XL. It comes with a Helio P60 octa-core CPU, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of expandable storage and a 4,300 mAh non-removable battery.

At just 4 inches, the display is much smaller than the 6- and 7-inch displays found on most modern flagship smartphones. However, due to the large battery and the protective layers of metal and rubber housing, the Atom XL still weighs a whopping 243.5 g.

Biometrics includes a fingerprint reader, face unlock (software-based via the front-facing camera), and a heart rate sensor (via the rear-facing camera). Android 10 runs out of the box on the Unihertz Atom XL; However, the company informed us that it plans to update the phone to Android 11 by the end of August.

As a mobile phone for on the go, the Unihertz Atom XL offers a wide range of productivity functions. By default, the red button on the side of the phone is set to Push-to-Talk (PTT) mode. So if you press and hold it, the walkie-talkie feature will start immediately when the antenna is installed. However, if you turn off the PTT mode, the button becomes a hotkey and you can set custom short press, long press and double press functions.

The walkie-talkie functionality works great, with a range of 5 miles to keep you connected. Eight digital channels and eight analog channels can be selected in the intercom app. There are also options to add contacts, send messages, and select geographic zones from within the app.

A toolbox app is preinstalled on the phone that includes a variety of functions including a noise test, compass, heart rate monitor, barometer, speedometer and an underwater camera mode. Underwater camera mode disables the touchscreen and uses the buttons to control switching between camera modes and photo / video recording.

The battery life of the Unihertz Atom XL is really good. Despite a 4,300 mAh cell that is smaller than competing rugged phones, the phone can easily withstand a full day of intensive use. If you use the phone sparingly, you can extend it to a full week.

The performance of the Atom XL is comparable to other rugged phones. It won’t be challenging the best Android phones anytime soon, but everyday apps will run smoothly.

What’s not so good?

Many of the portability benefits associated with a smaller screen phone are sacrificed to those huge bezels, bulky design, and heavy weight. While Unihertz has a clear function over form approach, a large part of the competition has succeeded in developing equally robust telephones that are slimmer and lighter and larger screens fit into a similarly sized housing. It also doesn’t have the higher MIL-STD-810H rating or 5G connectivity that some more expensive rugged phones offer.

While this tiny 4-inch display is still ready to use for most tasks, I would have liked the extra bezel on the front of the phone to be used to add an extra inch or two to the display. A slightly larger display would greatly improve typing, content viewing, and multitasking on the phone. Still, the display is bright enough to be used outdoors, and the 1,136 x 640 resolution is actually pretty sharp and pixel-dense on such a small display.

The phone has a quick charge function, which, according to Unihertz, is twice as fast as normal 5V / 2A charging technology. However, it still takes three to four hours to fully charge the 4,300 mAh battery. There’s no wireless charging compatibility either, although that’s to be expected at this price point.

There is a flap to protect the antenna port, but there are no flaps on the USB charging port or headphone jack. While the ports are still waterproof, it would be nice to have protective flaps to keep dust and dirt from getting stuck inside.

Another weird omission on the phone is an app drawer that Unihertz excluded from the build of Android 10. Android enthusiasts might resent the company’s attempts to model the interface based on iOS.

Unihertz Atom XL camera examples

If you are looking for a second phone for work or travel and you appreciate the walkie-talkie function, then you should not hesitate to buy the Unihertz Atom XL. It performs well for its price, and offers enough rugged protection to tackle almost any adventure you go into, even if it’s not the most durable rugged phone money can buy.

If you’re looking for an even more durable phone and aren’t interested in the unique features of the Atom XL, there are more well-rounded alternatives that may be better suited to your needs. For a little more money, the BlackView BV9900 Pro ($ 499) offers stronger protection, a much nicer display, and additional tools like a UV meter and hygrometer.

The Doogee S96 Pro ($ 399) is now also on sale for roughly the same price as the Atom XL. It has four rear-facing cameras, including an infrared night vision sensor. If you’re in the Samsung ecosystem, the Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro ($ 499) is also worth a look.

However, if you want a walkie-talkie phone and don’t mind a small display, the Unihertz Atom XL is the right choice. Click below to grab one for yourself.