Rugged phones are a niche category on their own and recently a new brand F150 released its first rugged smartphone in the market called the F150 B2021. The phone is quite unique and special in its design and features.
Why do we say it’s special?
Because this phone not necessarily suited for everyone. Only those who really need its rugged features will ever consider getting one. The B2021 from the brand F150 is aimed at outdoor users and this is evident from its super-rugged design and also the super large battery on board.
The version we’ve got is the 6GB RAM+64GB ROM Sahara version. A simple glance at its design will reveal its ruggedness. At 315g weight, it is destined to be made for “tough people” who often work outdoors. A large part of this weight is due to its heavy protection. There are thick rubbers around the corners, while thick engineering plastic and metal protect the back cover and frame. The front display is protected by the Corning 5th generation Gorilla Glass. Every single port and hole on the phone is covered with a rubber stopper. So it is guaranteed to be not only drop-resistant but also IP68 certified and can last up to 30 minutes underwater at 1.5 m.
The B2021 comes with a fingerprint sensor on the side. This also means that the back is clean. On the other side is a programmable functional button called the “F150 key”. You can use it to customize shortcuts, which is very convenient. The charging port is also Type-C and there is also a 3.5mm headphone jack. There is a small slot for a tether at the charging port. The card slot can hold two nano sims or a nano sim and a TF expansion card. And surprisingly, it’s also equipped with NFC. So you could say it’s pretty well equipped in terms of connectivity and features.
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Let’s talk about its configuration now. It comes with a MediaTek Helio G25, which is not very powerful, but it’s definitely very power efficient. The B2021 is equipped with an 8000 mAh battery. Yes, you read that right, 8000 mAh is about the size of my power bank. With such a power-saving chip, it is possible to get nearly 18 hours of movie playback. Even if you don’t recharge your phone for 3 to 4 days I feel you’ll be fine. It is a pity that it only supports 18w charging. But the charger that comes inside the box is a 10W charger. We recommend that you get a charger that supports PD 18W charging when you get it.
Although the B2021 focuses on its rugged features, it still comes with four cameras. The cameras are designed to look like the headlights of an off-road vehicle. The flashing lights look like the auxiliary lights on the bumper of an off-road vehicle, which is quite interesting. The four cameras include a 13MP primary camera, a 2MP macro camera, a 2MP depth camera, and a QVGA (low light sensor). Rugged phones have never been popular for their cameras. So if you ask me whether it can take good pictures, I’d have to say that it has a usable camera but don’t expect anything more.
As an outdoor phone, it has a few selling points designed specifically for outdoor people. Press and hold the “F150 Key” button on the side to quickly switch between outdoor modes. The compass, noise detection, and other features appear on the display for easy viewing. The F150 B2021 has a ToolBag APP with 10 tools for outdoor measurements. One of my favorites is the Voice simulator. It can simulate the sound of an engine or a dog barking. In case of danger, you can use the Alarm or SOS for help.
Clearly, it’s a phone meant for people who often work or live outdoors. The F150 B2021 is available on AliExpress and Banggood for $169. Though not without drawbacks, the new F150 model is affordable and comes with pretty solid rugged features which makes it a really good option for rugged users. The brand has paid attention to drop, water, and dust resistance as well as battery life on the F150 B2021, which are the most essential features for a rugged smartphone. And those who are in need of a rugged phone will definitely fall in love with it. After all, it’s cheap, comes with useful features, and works well as advertised.
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