Ulefone Power Armor 16S smartphone review
Ulefone Power Armor 16S Smartphone Review: Ulefone smartphone often launches its armored series phone quietly, without any big event or special sale. But for many years they have been producing decent phones that cater to a specific audience. For about a decade, the company has been introducing exceptional phones in the armored segment. Recently, the smartphone makers launched the Ulefeon Power Armor 16S.
Unlike its flagship phones like the Ulefone Power Armor 18T Ultra and 18 Ultra, the Armor 16S falls into the entry-level segment. For that reason, you will notice downgraded specifications when it comes to the chipset, display, and especially the camera department. However, there is no denying that you are getting the best build quality on this phone. It’s just an overview and there are a lot of things we need to cover, so let’s review the Ulefone Power Armor 16S to find out if it is worth buying.
Ulefone Power Armor 16S smartphone review
Reflexes
- The phone comes with a 5.93-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 720p.
- In terms of the software interface, you get an Android 13 interface with an almost standard skin.
- Under the hood, the device brings the Unisoc Tiger T616 chipset with a decent graphics unit.
- A 50MP dual camera will appear on the back panel with an 8MP selfie camera on the front.
- Under the hood, the Power Armor 16S is powered by a 9600 mAh Li-Po battery with 18W and 5W wired reverse charging support.
Design and display
The Ulefone Power Armor 16S arrives with a unique circular camera setup and offers a bulky build. In addition to this, the Ulefone branding is noticeable on the back panel with a military-grade outer casing. The corners come with soft material, which will reduce damage from falling. In addition, the company also did not forget to add IP68 and IP69K certifications. All of these protection attributes are quite common to see on an Ulefone.
The back panel has a black and orange color combination, although you won’t find any color options. Instead, you should rely on the standard configuration. But the phone has a dedicated flashlight button, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and an accessory connector port. Through this, you might get an idea about the built phone.
Now, let’s move on to the front screen. The Ulefone Power Armor 16S comes with a 5.93-inch IPS LCD panel with HD+ resolution. With this setting, you can expect average colors during streaming and gaming. However, the brightness level is low compared to the regular phone. But still, it offers decent screen time.
Memory and internal
Coming to the performance department, the phone offers a standard 12nm Unisoc Tiger T616 chipset with average processing speed. With this chipset, the Armor 16S can support normal activities, handle casual gaming, and offer multitasking to some extent. You can perform daily activities with the CPU.
However, the processing speed of the CPU is not as good if you are multitasking. The octa-core processor can provide a hiding speed of up to 2×2.0 GHz, which is considerably decent for an entry-level phone. In terms of GPU support, the images and graphics are marginally good. But the phone is not designed to withstand long hours of gaming.
On the other hand, the device arrives with the Android 13 skin. However, the company did not give a clear answer about Android and security updates. However, you get enough apps and system tools within the interface. As for storage, the phone comes with 128GB eMMC 5.1 space with 8GB RAM configuration. With this phone, you will get a dedicated microSD slot.
Camera
The camera department has never been the strong point of the Ulefone Power Armor 16s devices. But recently they have shown good camera quality with the standard smartphone. With the Power Armor 16S, you can easily expect decent daylight photographs with the 50MP main lens. Apart from this, you also get a 2MP secondary depth lens, which will be responsible for enhancing portrait images.
However, the camera setup is pretty average if you’re looking for dynamic range colors. In addition to this, the native camera struggles to capture details in low-light environments. You will notice grains and light flashes even if you are using night mode. Sometimes colors are oversaturated and lose detail. However, the camera app tries its best to enhance the images with software, but the results are not as satisfactory.
On the other hand, the Armor 16S comes with an 8MP selfie camera that will provide impressive colors and contrast control, thanks to the improvement in technology. But still, you need better selfie results whether you click photos in normal or night mode. In terms of video recording, the device supports up to 1080p resolution from both ends, although it also lacks video stabilization software.
Battery and others
Overall, the Ulefone Power Armor 16S would be a great option for those users who want long battery life. Under the hood, the phone brings a 9600 mAh Li-Po battery setup, which can provide more than three days of battery life. Plus, if you use the phone in battery saving mode, it could even stay active for half a week. Although screen time will depend on use.
If you are using the phone to consume media, the phone will provide up to 8+ hours of screen time. With this, you can enjoy a web series without any problem. In addition to this, the device will be powered through the 18W wired charger, while you will have to wait approximately two hours to recharge the battery from 0 to 100%. There is no doubt that slow charging is one of the main shortcomings of this phone.
On top of that, the device is equipped with a standard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth sensor, and it’s good to see that the company added NFC support. In terms of sound output, it can produce up to 122 decibels of sound and offers a dedicated port for a 3.5mm jack. Finally, let’s talk about the price, the Ulefeon Power Armor 16S costs around $113 (Rs 9,500 in India) approximately which makes this phone affordable.
Pros and cons of the Ulefone Power Armor 16S
Detail of the specifications of the Ulefone Power Armor 16S
Below you can see the Ulefone Power Armor 16S Smartphone Full Specifications.
Specifications | Ulefone Power Armor 16S |
Grid | 2G, 3G, 4G |
Announced | March 2024 |
SIM | Dual SIM |
Dimensions | 6.83×3.28×0.72 inch |
Weight | 406 grams |
Size | 5.93 inches |
Show | IPS LCD 18:9 ratio ~271 PPI density |
Protection/Others | IP68/IP69K dust/water resistant Resistance to falls on concrete of up to 1.5 m. Compliant with MIL-STD-810H Flashlight with dedicated button accessory connector |
Resolution | 720 x 1440 pixels |
SW | android 13 |
chipset | 12nm – Unisoc Tiger T616 |
CPU | Eight cores Cortex-A75 2 × 2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 6 × 1.8 GHz |
GPU | Mali-G57 MP1 |
card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
RAM | 8GB |
Internal | 128GB eMMC 5.1 |
Camera | 50 MP (wide), PDAF 2 MP (depth) LED flash, HDR, panorama Maximum: 1080p at 30 fps |
selfie | 8 megapixels (wide) Maximum: 1080p at 30 fps |
Loudspeaker | Yes (122 decibels) |
3.5mm jack | Yeah |
Wifi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual band |
Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
GPS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
NFC | Yeah |
infrared port | No |
Radio | Wireless FM radio, RDS, recording. |
USB | USB Type C 2.0, OTG, Magnetic Connector |
Sensors | Side fingerprint, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, compass |
Battery | Li-Po 9600 mAh 18W wired 5W reverse wiring |
Colors | Black/Orange |
Expected price | $113 (Rs 9500 in India) approximately |
Conclusion
The Ulefone Power Armor 16S is a valuable deal if you want a budget-friendly armored smartphone. The device will provide incredible support when it comes to the software interface and battery life. The device is not your average joe when you want decent screen time. At the same time, the phone has an average camera setup and display.
However, if you’re looking for an alternative option, consider looking at a basic phone like the OnePlus Nord N30 SE. It would provide immersive customization attributes, beautiful camera results, and stable hardware support. But still, if you are looking for an armored phone, you should consider getting the Armor 16S. Meanwhile, choose the phone according to your needs.