Ulefone launched the Armor 28 Ultra at IFA 2024 – and we went hands-on with this pretty slick rugged phone
Launched at IFA 2024, the Ulefone Armor 28 Ultra is a rugged Android smartphone powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chip. I took the device for a spin myself to get a feel for the company’s latest rugged phone.
Ulefone makes some of the best rugged phones we’ve tested: well-built, well-designed, and reliably durable. And while the performance isn’t always the fastest, the company’s phones and rugged tablets survived every shock and drop test we threw at them.
So I was curious to see how the new Ulefone Armor 28 Ultra felt in the hand. In short, it feels like a thoughtfully designed beast. Swipe through the gallery below for more close-up shots.
Hard blows
The Armor 28 Ultra comes with all the specs you’d expect from a phone built for extreme conditions and hostile environments. Alongside the higher-performing Dimensity 9300+ processor, the 5G-ready device comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The 10,600mAh battery supports both wired and wireless charging. In terms of performance, the Android 14 phone proved to be snappy, although there was no opportunity to really push the demo unit to its limits. It’ll be interesting to see if it solves the issues of sluggish software on rugged phones.
At 6.86 x 3.29 x 0.76 inches, it felt pleasantly thick in my hand with a good amount of heft to it. The chassis is hardened, machined, contoured, and reinforced. In terms of durability, it’s MIL-STD 810H, IP68, and IP69K rated, making it resistant to dust and water, and should survive drops of up to two meters. Rubber port covers for the USB-C charging and audio jacks fit well, closed firmly, and—from my brief time with the device—felt like they stayed in place reliably and protected the device.
Image 1 by 14
The AMOLED display is a good-sized 6.67-inch with Full HD+ (1080 x 2400) resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Under the lights of the exhibition hall, this looked sharp, clear and bright. Expect similar results outdoors, especially with the device’s peak luminance of 2,200 nits.
Flip the phone over to reveal the camera array. The device packs both a 50MP front-facing camera, a 50MP ultra-wide camera with thermal imaging, and a 64MP night vision camera. We’re interested to see how these fare in real-world tests – night vision is notoriously difficult to capture in the well-lit Messe Berlin. Those rear-facing cameras are housed in a frame that looks not unlike a man’s watch. Fittingly, at the center of the optical array is a small display with an analog clock. Users can swipe across this mini display for extra-quick access to apps, without having to unlock the phone and all the distractions of the home screen. It’s an elegant touch and a thoughtful design element that helps set this model apart from others on the market.
So, some impressive specs for working on location and in the field, if not the best of the best. Overall, the Armor 28 Ultra is a bit clunky, and those with particularly small hands may struggle to get a full, secure grip on it. But that’s part of the appeal of a phone like this. It should be built like a tank – and feel like one.
The company has yet to reveal the price of the Ulefone Armor 28 Ultra. Users won’t see pre-orders available until November, but we hope Ulefone continues its trend of reasonably priced devices that offer a decent amount of bang for your buck.
