Lastly, a rugged Android telephone that does not appear like a brick (and will not break the financial institution)

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Oukitel WP35 is accessible now from Amazon for $329. 
• It provides a formidable battery life, a case that protects the telephone from the weather, and efficiency that belies it is sub-$300 price ticket.
• The telephone is heavy and requires a little bit of tweaking to get a standard Android expertise.

I’ve reviewed plenty of finances Android telephones. Most of them fall into one among three classes:

1. Handsome however underpowered.
2. Ugly however performs properly.
3. Good wanting and performs higher than anticipated.

I am at all times stunned at what number of fall beneath the third class, particularly as the worth vary drops beneath $300. One such telephone is the Oukitel WP35 5G. Consistent with Oukitel’s custom, this can be a massive, rugged telephone with an enormous battery. 

Additionally: How one can manufacturing facility reset your Android telephone with out unlocking it

Oukitel has been cranking out these kind of units for some time now and so far as the market is worried, the clear chief by far. The WP35 is not fairly as beefy as, say, the Doogee V Max Plus, however it’s definitely shut. And at half the price of the Doogee, the Oukitel makes for a formidable system.

View at Amazon

Oukitel WP35 5G tech specs

• CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ 5G chipset
• Storage: 264GB (expandable to 2TB)
• RAM: 8GB + 16GB digital prolonged
• Cameras: 64MP principal digicam (Sony @IMX682) with a 1/1.73″ sensor, a 8MP evening imaginative and prescient digicam, and a 2MP macro digicam
• Battery: 11000 mAh for 60 days of standby, 75 hours of calling, 60 hours music, 15 hours video, and 12 hours gaming
• Show: 6.6″ 2.4K at 1080 X 2408 decision with 400 PPI Pixel Density and Corning Gorilla Glass 5
• Sturdiness: Navy-grade drop resistance and IP68 & IP69K waterproof score
• Biometrics: Fingerprint and face unlock
• OS: Android 14
• Twin Nano SIM help
• Worth: $329 on Amazon or $299 on the Oukitel website

My expertise

What stunned me probably the most concerning the WP35 is the dimensions. Regardless that the telephone contains an 11000 mAh battery, it is not almost as thick as different telephones with the identical large energy supply. The WP35 is barely 14.9 mm thick, the place related telephones (with similarly-sized batteries) might be over 20 mm thick.

Additionally: How one can clear your Google search cache on Android (and why you need to)

The subsequent factor that caught my consideration was its UI. Oukitel has accomplished a stupendous job with the aesthetics of the interface, giving it an virtually iPhone-like look. Pull down the notification shade and you will get a pleasant blurred background with elegant icons and notifications, and the animations total are easy and well-integrated, with nearly no lag.

Relating to the telephone’s biometrics, the facial unlock is sort of instantaneous, and the fingerprint scanner (positioned on the facet of the system), does not really feel like an affordable afterthought prefer it does on similarly-priced telephones. Actually, every little thing concerning the WP35 is rock strong. 

In fact, the large draw to this system is the battery, and boy does it overachieve. You’ll not discover a telephone from the key gamers (Google, Samsung, Nothing, OnePlus, Apple, and so forth.) that may compete with the battery life of those Godzilla-sized telephones. If you’d like a tool with a battery that can final and final, (and final and final) that is the one for you (particularly when you’re not interested by paying flagship costs).

Additionally: I stress-tested this rugged exterior drive. Now, it goes with me all over the place

By way of performance, I’ve no complaints. Apps set up and open shortly, the show is greater than vivid sufficient, and there are some moderately attention-grabbing options you will not discover on different units (such because the underwater mode for the digicam that makes it attainable so that you can faucet the display and take a photograph, even when underwater).

In the event you’re in search of a telephone that may take a beating, final days between fees, performs properly, and will not break the financial institution, the Oukitel WP35 is an excellent possibility. It isn’t with out it is misses although.

First off, like most Oukitel telephones, the UI does not embody an App Drawer, which bothers me to no finish. I favor a minimal house display, however with this system, all apps set up their launchers to the house display (ala iOS), which implies it is unimaginable to sport a minimal UI. 

Additionally: How Apple including Google Gemini to iOS will make your iPhone extra helpful

Fortuitously, that is simply the default configuration. In the event you go to open Dwelling Settings (long-press the Homescreen and faucet the Settings icon), after which faucet Launcher Type, you’ll be able to allow the App Drawer. After enabling the App Drawer, you’ll be able to then configure Android to not set up new apps to the Dwelling Display screen and also you’re good to go.

One other nit to select is the sound. It is surprisingly quiet. Even maxed out, YouTube movies aren’t actually loud sufficient to get pleasure from. In fact, to get round that, join a pair of headphones and it is effective. 

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

The Oukitel WP35 is an impressive cut price that can serve anybody who does not thoughts carrying a telephone of their pocket that checks the energy and integrity of their belt. The WP35 weighs about as a lot as my Pixel 7 Professional and Pixel 8 Professional mixed (455 grams), so sure, it is heavy, however it’s because of the protecting chassis and battery. And for a way properly it is made, it is price each gram.