Buying an outdoor mobile phone – what is important?
Outdoor cell phones are characterized above all by their robustness compared to conventional smartphones. However, these are mostly relatively clumsy and cannot keep up optically with the flagship models from Apple or Samsung. We would like to tell you for whom outdoor smartphones are suitable and tell you the most important criteria that play a role when buying an outdoor cell phone.
For whom is an outdoor mobile phone suitable?
Most smartphones available on the market are now waterproof and also have a long battery life. However, cold, heat or tons of dust make it difficult to manage and a fall can seriously damage them.
Outdoor cell phones, on the other hand, are particularly stable and defy almost all conditions in which a conventional smartphone would reach its limits. Outdoor smartphones are therefore ideal for hiking in the forest or in the mountains, on the water and many other outdoor activities. And you don’t have to worry about the weather or how dusty it is with a smartphone this tough.
What can the outdoor mobile phone do?
You can benefit from these features of outdoor smartphones when using an outdoor cell phone:
- Weatherproof: outdoor cell phones defy all weather conditions
- Optimally protected: outdoor cell phones are protected from water, dust and foreign bodies
- Resilience: Outdoor cell phones have a shock-resistant housing and are therefore easier to withstand falls than conventional smartphones
- Always ready for use: outdoor cell phones can often be operated with gloves and have a matte, non-reflective display
- High battery performance: Outdoor cell phones have a longer battery life than conventional smartphones
Purchase criteria for an outdoor smartphone – this is something to consider
Anyone who prefers outdoor activities in their free time should consider the following purchase criteria when buying an outdoor smartphone.
IP protection class
The available outdoor mobile phones are divided into different IP protection classes, with IP standing for International Protection. This is a recognized certification that indicates how resilient an outdoor smartphone is. Anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors should opt for an IP67 or IP68 model, with the first number indicating dust protection and the second number indicating waterproofness.
battery life
A strong battery is extremely important for an outdoor cell phone, since you can’t charge the smartphone regularly when you’re out and about. With a battery capacity between 4000 and 5000 mAh, you are usually extremely well equipped.
storage space
The storage space should also be considered when buying an outdoor smartphone. Because if you are traveling in areas without network coverage, you have to save the maps of the area on your own smartphone in advance. Since most outdoor mobile phones usually only have 64 gigabytes of memory, you should make sure when buying that the memory can be expanded with an SD card.
camera
If you want to capture a few memories from time to time, you should opt for a model with a camera with a resolution of at least 8 megapixels.
A second SIM card
Certain network operators do not work in some areas, which is why a dual slim slot promises significant advantages. Because this enables two different SIM cards, so that you can get network almost everywhere with a clever combination.
operating system
Most of the outdoor smartphones available use Android as the operating system, but not all of them use the latest version. If you value a smartphone with a current operating system version, you should pay attention to this when buying an outdoor cell phone.
display size
The displays of most outdoor cell phones are smaller than the displays of conventional smartphones. If a large display is important to you, you should opt for a device whose dimensions are similar to your everyday cell phone.
extras
Many outdoor smartphones have practical extras such as an integrated flashlight, high-quality loudspeakers, a built-in thermometer or a thermal imaging camera. In addition, some models can be used like a radio, which is why you should consider which functions are advantageous for you before you buy them.