Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra: A Rugged Smartphone for All Environments

Introduction

The Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra is one of the latest rugged smartphones from Ulefone, a company known for making tough, durable phones. This phone is designed to withstand extreme conditions while also delivering solid performance and long battery life.

Some key features and specs of the Power Armor 18 Ultra include:

• Rugged, IP68/IP69K rated body – can handle dust, dirt, sand, drops, shock, water immersion up to 1.5m for 30 mins, and extreme temperatures
• 6.7″ FHD+ display with Gorilla Glass protection
• Octa-core Helio G99 processor
• 128GB storage + 6GB RAM
• Quad camera system (64MP main + 20MP night vision + 8MP ultrawide + 2MP macro)
• 13000mAh battery with 33W fast charging
• Side fingerprint sensor and face unlock
• Dual SIM slots
• Android 12 OS

With its robust build, long battery life, ample storage and solid specs under the hood, the Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra is designed to be an uncompromising rugged phone that can keep up with demanding outdoor use.

Design

The Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra features an extremely rugged and durable design meant to withstand the toughest environments. This phone has an IP68 rating, meaning it is fully dustproof and can be submerged in 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes without damage.

The Power Armor 18 Ultra is also built to military-grade MIL-STD-810H standards. It can survive drops onto concrete from 1.2 meters, extreme temperatures ranging from -30°C to 70°C, 95% humidity, and vibration/shock resistance. The phone’s rugged body is reinforced with aviation-grade aluminum alloy materials.

Despite its tank-like durability, the Power Armor 18 Ultra maintains a surprisingly compact size for a rugged phone at 171 x 82.6 x 15.5mm and a weight of only 320g. The textured pattern on the back and sides provides a secure grip. Large physical buttons are easy to press while wearing gloves. An integrated clip holster allows you to securely attach the phone for convenient access.

Overall, the Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra delivers uncompromising ruggedness and durability without sacrificing portability. Its IP68, MIL-STD-810H design can withstand practically any environment from worksites to outdoor adventures while still fitting comfortably in your pocket.

Display

The Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra features a large 6.81-inch touchscreen display, making it ideal for watching videos or gaming on the go. With a HD+ resolution of 2460 x 1080 pixels, images and videos appear sharp and vibrant on the screen.

The display utilizes LCD technology and has a pixel density of about 387 ppi. This high pixel density results in crisp and clear visuals. Even small text is readable without any pixilation.

To withstand rugged use, Ulefone has equipped the display with Corning Gorilla Glass for enhanced scratch resistance. The Gorilla Glass protects the screen from scratches and scuffs during everyday use. Users don’t have to worry about keys or coins scratching the display in their pocket or bag.

Overall, the big and bright display on the Power Armor 18 Ultra delivers an immersive viewing experience while standing up to scrapes and scratches during active use. It’s a display designed for heavy-duty applications.

Camera

The Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra features a triple rear camera setup and a single front-facing camera.

Rear Camera

• 64MP main camera
• 8MP ultrawide camera
• 2MP depth camera

The rear camera setup utilizes a 64MP main camera for capturing highly detailed photos. It’s combined with an 8MP ultrawide camera with a 120-degree field of view, enabling you to fit more of the scene into each shot. The 2MP depth camera aids in blurring backgrounds for professional looking portrait photos.

Front Camera

The front-facing camera is 16MP, which provides plenty of resolution for crisp and clear selfies. It also allows the camera to finely render facial details.

Camera Features

• Autofocus and tap to focus
• LED flash
• Digital zoom up to 8x
• Panorama mode
• Automatic scene detection
• Beauty mode
• Timelapse video
• Slow motion video (120fps)

The Power Armor 18 Ultra has several useful camera modes and settings like autofocus, tap to focus, and automatic scene detection to help you capture the best possible photos without much effort. The LED flash ensures your photos come out bright and vivid even in low light.

Performance

With a MediaTek Helio G96 processor and 8GB of RAM, the Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra delivers solid performance for a rugged smartphone. The Helio G96 is an octa-core chipset built on a 12nm process, with two high-performance Arm Cortex-A76 cores clocked at up to 2.05GHz and six efficiency Arm Cortex-A55 cores.

In day-to-day use, the phone feels responsive when launching apps, switching between open apps, and browsing the web. The 8GB RAM ensures you can keep numerous apps running in the background without slowdowns. Gaming performance is also solid thanks to the Mali-G57 MC2 graphics. You’ll be able to play most games smoothly, though graphics-intensive titles may require turning down settings for the best experience.

For storage, the phone comes with 128GB of internal storage. That provides ample room for apps, photos, videos, and files. If you need more, you can add up to 512GB of additional storage via the microSD card slot.

Battery Life

The Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra packs an impressive 11,000 mAh battery. With such a massive battery capacity, you can expect extremely long battery life. Ulefone estimates the Power Armor 18 Ultra can last for up to 5 days of normal use on a single charge.

Of course, actual battery life will vary depending on your usage, but with moderate use you should easily get 2-3 days out of it before needing to recharge. This makes the Power Armor 18 Ultra a great choice for those who need maximum battery endurance from their phone and don’t want to worry about charging it every night.

Even with heavy usage like gaming, streaming videos, or using GPS navigation, the huge 11,000 mAh battery should still be able to last you through a full day before needing a recharge. The Power Armor 18 Ultra sets a new standard for ultra long battery life smartphones.

Software

The Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra runs Android 12 out of the box. Ulefone has included some useful pre-installed apps and software features:

• Ulefone Note: This note-taking app allows you to jot down notes, memos, checklists, and more. You can categorize and organize your notes for easy access.

• Toolbox: The toolbox app provides quick access to useful tools like a compass, sound recorder, calendar, file manager, and more.

• Smart Gestures: Configure tap and swipe gestures to quickly launch apps and functions. For example, a double tap to wake the screen or a swipe to access the camera.

• App Cloner: Duplicate apps so you can have multiple accounts running at the same time. Useful for apps like Facebook or WhatsApp.

• Phone Clone: Easily transfer data from an old phone to the Power Armor 18 Ultra. Transfers contacts, photos, videos, apps, and more.

• Kids Mode: Create a child-friendly space by limiting app usage and access. Set time restrictions and customize allowed apps.

• FM Radio: Listen to FM radio stations by plugging in wired headphones, which act as the antenna.

Ulefone has kept the software experience close to stock Android for a clean user interface. But they’ve added useful enhancements on top to improve productivity and customization.

Special Features

The Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra stands out from other rugged smartphones thanks to some unique special features not found on competing models.

One of the most noteworthy special features is the built-in thermal camera. The Power Armor 18 Ultra has a FLIR Lepton 3.5 thermal camera, allowing you to see heat signatures in total darkness. This can be incredibly useful for emergencies, detecting heat loss, identifying electrical faults, and other applications where thermal imaging comes in handy. No other rugged phone includes an integrated thermal camera like this.

Another special feature is the air quality monitor. The Power Armor 18 Ultra has built-in sensors to measure particulate matter, VOC gases, temperature, and humidity. A dedicated app shows you real-time readings and air quality index. You can check indoor and outdoor air quality on the go. This kind of air monitoring isn’t found on any competing rugged smartphones.

Additional special features include a laser rangefinder, UV light, wireless charging, and more. With its unique built-in thermal camera, air quality monitor, and other specialty tools, the Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra stands out as the most feature-packed rugged phone available today. These special features make it appealing for outdoor, industrial, emergency response, and preparedness use cases where no other smartphone can provide the same functionality.

Pricing and Availability

The Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra has pricing starting at $299.99. This puts it on the more affordable side for rugged phones with flagship specs. It can be purchased directly from Ulefone’s website or from Amazon.

On Ulefone’s website, the phone is currently listed for $299.99 for the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage model. This is the global version that supports all major 4G LTE bands for top connectivity around the world.

For Amazon, pricing varies slightly depending on the selected model:

• 8GB + 128GB model: $289.99
• 8GB + 256GB model: $299.99
• 12GB + 256GB model: $339.99

Amazon carries the global version of the phone, so you can expect full worldwide LTE support if purchasing there. Free shipping is included with Amazon Prime.

The most affordable pricing can be found on Ulefone’s website, especially if any coupons or discounts are available. But Amazon provides fast, free shipping for Prime members along with seamless returns if needed. Either retailer is a great option when purchasing this rugged smartphone.

Comparisons to Other Rugged Phones

The Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra stands out among other rugged phones with its extremely long battery life, large display, and high megapixel cameras. Here’s how it compares to some other popular rugged phone models:

The Oukitel WP19 has a smaller 5.93” HD+ display compared to the Ulefone’s 6.81” FHD+ screen. However, the WP19 does have a larger 21,000 mAh battery versus 18,000 mAh in the Ulefone. Both have 64MP main cameras.

The Blackview BV9900E pro has a 6.3″ screen and 16,000 mAh battery, making it smaller in both display size and battery capacity. However, it does feature an IR night vision camera that the Ulefone lacks.

The Doogee S98 Pro is most similar in specs, with a 6.3″ HD+ display, 21,000 mAh battery, and 64MP main camera like the Ulefone. However, the Ulefone edges it out in screen size and resolution.

The Oukitel WP10 has a bigger 8,000 mAh battery than the Ulefone but only 48MP cameras. The display is smaller at 6.67 inches.

Overall, the Ulefone Power Armor 18 Ultra is one of the leaders in screen size, resolution, and battery capacity compared to competitors. Its cameras are on par with other flagship rugged phones. For those needing a big screen, long battery life, and high resolution in a rugged device, the Ulefone delivers excellent specs.