REVIEW: Sonim XP3 Enduro

"Sonim - Built For Life," that's the slogan of the American company Sonim, which builds probably the most rugged mobile phones in the world. Mission phones for outdoor and military use. A year ago, we treated ourselves to the Sonim XP3 Enduro, and we want to share our experience with it with you. One thing is for sure, it's the most stable phone we have ever owned. It measures 120*55*25 mm, weighs 160 g, has endured numerous drops and "dives," and still works flawlessly.

Completely flawless? Unfortunately not. The early versions of this phone unfortunately had a microphone that was not of high quality, so after three months, no one could hear us anymore, except through the headset, of course. Fortunately, Sonim offers a 3-year warranty. With this, our phone was repaired free of charge.

The keys are arranged in such a way that you can easily type a text message even while wearing gloves. The Enduro does not have a camera or any other extras, those who need that must opt for the XP3 Quest.

The battery compartment is screwed shut and therefore always secure, the sticker seen in the picture is not included. When the battery cover is unscrewed, you can see the 1180 mAh battery and the sealing rubber.

The advantages of this phone are the very good impact resistance, battery life of up to a week, and good water resistance against splashing water and brief immersion. Just for fun, we even made a call with it in the shower. It is also worth mentioning that it is very loud, almost impossible to overlook at maximum volume. It can be connected to a PC, and with a small program, it is possible to manage calendars, image and sound files, and contacts.

But as with everything, there are a few downsides: The biggest one is the microphone issue mentioned earlier. The software is sometimes a bit "buggy." For example, a word may disappear in the middle of typing a text message. And once the device completely froze. The SIM card holder could also be a bit more stable, as it shifts with strong impacts. In that case, one has to unscrew the battery cover, but Duct Tape helps. The last drawback is the small internal memory for media files of only 10 MB, but it's enough for ringtones.

In this photo, you can see the Sonim XP3 during and after the dive, it's still in good health.

Conclusion: If you need a sturdy phone just for making calls, you will love it. Those who only think they need a sturdy phone will not always be satisfied, as it is simply not a smartphone. Overall, the Sonim XP3 is a good mission phone for outdoor use.

Available at various phone vendors in Yellow and Black from €250