Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 Review
One of Samsung's most durable phones to date, with IP68 dust and water resistance and MIL-STD-810H ratings to boot.
Verdict
A solid phone for work, the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 lacks battery life and performance compared to similarly priced options, but otherwise is an impressively rugged device.
Pros
- Big, bright display
- Rugged, durable form factor
- Programmable XCover button
Cons
- Small (but replaceable) battery
- Mono speaker
- Lacks power for gaming
Key Features
- Durable designWith IP68 dust and water resistance, MIL-STD-810H drop resistance and a durable shell, the XCover 7 is a great option for those working outdoors.
- Lengthy software promiseYou’ll continue to get software updates for the XCover 7 all the way until 2029, lasting much longer than similarly priced alternatives.
- Programmable XCover buttonProgrammable buttons are a rarity these days, especially in anything but top-end phones, making the inclusion of the XCover Button on the XCover 7 a particular selling point.
Introduction
Looking for a rugged Android phone that’ll survive a fall or just about anything else? The Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 might be the pick of the bunch.
It’s not often you can call a phone focused on being borderline bulletproof a “looker”, but the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 might be the closest yet. It eschews the heft of similar models while still offering a robust casing, and an almost all-screen front with a big, bright 6.6-inch display.
It also has Android 14 running right out of the box, as well as a promise of years of updates – something many of its competitors can’t offer. Sadly, the Samsung name comes with a heftier price tag that the performance can’t quite live up to, but with 5G included and a replaceable battery, it could make for an ideal enterprise purchase.
Design
- Durable design
- IP68 & MIL-STD-810H rated
- Not as chunky as similarly rugged phones
As I mentioned in my intro, the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 is remarkably good-looking for a phone meant to be tough. That may sound like a backhanded compliment, but it’s absolutely meant as a positive.
The black body feels premium, while the reddish/orange accents on the flashlight button and camera module look sleek – like Samsung has been taking notes from the Apple Watch Ultra.
The 6.6-inch display dominates the front, and while there are definite bezels here, they’re likely part of adding to the durability of the device. There’s a slight notch at the top for the front-facing camera, and a ‘chin’ at the base.
There’s a mono speaker on the bottom, as well as a USB-C charging port, while the top has a 3.5mm headphone jack port. On the right, you’ll find a volume rocker and sleep/wake/power button, while the left has a button that, by default, activates the flashlight.
That can be switched to just about any app, though, which is very handy indeed – particularly if you need quick access to the camera (more on that shortly).
On the back, there’s a small opening with which to pop the back cover off, exposing the removable battery, SIM slot, and microSD slot. When you’re done, it clicks back into place satisfyingly, too.
It’s that back section that’s important, and while Samsung will perhaps be glad to know I didn’t put my review unit under the wheels of my car or anything like that, there’s essentially zero bend when putting pressure on the phone.
There’s also a subtle ‘lip’ where the outer edge is raised above the display to minimise contact time with the ground if you were to drop it, and subtly chunkier corners to prevent the inner casing, or the screen’s corners, taking the brunt of impact.
I’ve previously checked out options like the Doogee S98 Pro, which feels considerably chunkier in the hand. In a lot of ways, the greatest compliment I can give the XCover 7 is that, for everyday use, it simply feels like a normal smartphone should feel, and at 240g, it’s only a little heavier than my daily driver iPhone 15 Pro Max.
And, with MIL-STD-810H certified drop resistance and IP68 dust and water resistance, I know which one I’d feel safest taking to a construction site.
Screen
- 6.6-inch LCD display
- Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection
- Only 60Hz
The display is just as rugged as the exterior here, with Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus+ helping to protect against scuffs, cracks, and shattering. It’s a big screen, too, at 6.6 inches, and it gets plenty bright for an LCD display.
I’m very pleased to say that it offers a decent resolution, too, with a 20:9 ratio, 1080×2408 pixel display that’s sharp enough for day-to-day use and works nicely when enjoying some YouTube at the end of the day.
The only real disappointment is the refresh rate; it’s stuck at 60Hz. While that would’ve been fine a few years ago, even phones that cost half the price of the XCover 7 come with a 90Hz refresh rate at the least.
I’m a little disappointed to only get one mono speaker at the base of the phone, but I’d imagine that’s down to the more rugged nature trying to minimise ingress into the chassis from dirt and debris. There’s always that 3.5mm headphone jack and Bluetooth connectivity, at least.
Cameras
- Single 50MP rear-facing camera
- Pixel binning tech
- 5MP front-facing camera
Samsung’s flagships offer excellent photography options, but things naturally get less impressive the further you go down the product line.
That’s not to say this is a bad snapper, though, and rather than offering a smattering of sub-part lenses, Samsung has gone all-in on the single main sensor. More specifically, it’s a 50MP main sensor with pixel binning that trims images down to 12.5MP to boost light and detail. It’s decent, and for capturing details on a building site visit, it’ll more than do the job.
The detail drops a fair amount in low-light scenarios, but for a phone in this category, you’re perhaps less likely to be snapping pictures in nightclubs and more likely to use it for capturing images on a construction site or other work purposes. With that in mind, it definitely ticks enough boxes – just don’t try and use it to capture video for TikTok or Instagram selfies.
That’s because the selfie camera is as nondescript as you can get, with a 5MP sensor, while video capture on the rear sensor caps out at 1080p and 30fps.
Performance
- MediaTek Dimensity 6100+
- 6GB of RAM
- Decent everyday performance
Rugged phones tend to sacrifice overall performance for durability, and that’s essentially the story with the XCover 7 and the Dimensity 6100+ found within. It’s a solid performer for the price, but you’ll find more powerful phones like the Honor Magic 6 Lite at a similar price point. The difference is that it wouldn’t survive a 1.8-meter drop.
Anyway, the good news is that the included 5G connectivity is reliable, and the 6GB of RAM is great for multitasking in just about any standard app.
In fact, during my testing, I was able to respond to emails, check social media, and do some web browsing, all while streaming from Spotify with very few issues. Gaming is less impressive on the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7, though. Not only are games like Genshin Impact only really playable at a lower frame rate, but the phone gets pretty warm when playing, too.
It’s not something that’s likely to affect you if you’re just logging on for Candy Crush or Marvel Snap, but if you’re hoping to play more adventurous titles you’ll be disappointed.
However, given the phone’s focus on enterprise, most users will not find themselves doing this all that often. Well, they shouldn’t be, anyway…
Software
- Android 14
- OneUI 6
- Five years of security patches
The Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 runs Android 14 from the jump but with Samsung’s OneUI 6.0 overlay on top.
That means it looks nice, and it’s easy to navigate, but might be a little jarring coming from stock Android. It’s not quite a clean install either, but we’ve definitely come a long way from the bloatware you’d find just a few years ago.
Samsung has committed to five years of security updates, which is impressive even at this price range. That’s not to be confused with full-blown OS updates, however. You’ll have to spend a little more if you want multiple OS upgrades from your rugged device.
You’ll find the “XCover Button” settings in the advanced settings, which dictate what that side button with the fetching orange hue does. By default, a press toggles the flashlight, while you can hold it for a camera button. You can switch either of these to literally any Android app you’d like.
That means if you’re always in need of your calendar, your calculator, or just about anything else, it’s at your fingertips. It’s worth noting that you can switch the feature off, but you’ll also not be able to trigger any kind of automation like with the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action Button. So while you can have it open your contacts, for example, I’ve not found a way to open a specific contact.
Battery life
- 4050mAh battery
- Replaceable battery design
- 18W charging
There’s good news and bad news when it comes to the battery life in the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7. On the one hand, it’s removable, so you can switch multiple batteries to last you multiple days.
On the other, it’s a relatively tiny 4050mAh cell which, while it’ll last a day, isn’t going to wow anyone with its longevity before needing charging. Still, in day-to-day use, I found myself unplugging it from its charger at 8am and plugging it back in close to midnight just as it reached around the 20% mark.
Speaking of charging, there’s no adapter in the box, but with a max charge speed of 18W, don’t expect it to move all that quickly.
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Should you buy it?
You want a durable, 5G-capable phone
The Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 is a great option for anyone conducting site visits.
You want more performance
The Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 offers solid performance, but similarly priced regular phones will fare better in real-world use.
Final Thoughts
Given the price, I’d expect a little more performance and a bigger battery here, but that’s typical of the rugged phone market – some features have to be sacrificed to offer that extra durable design, especially ones at the cheap end of the market.
Aside from that, the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 is a solid all-rounder. Its display is big and bright, it’s got 5G, and the removable battery, coupled with plenty of software updates and the durable build, means it could be an enterprise mainstay for years to come.
How we test
We test every mobile phone we review thoroughly. We use industry-standard tests to compare features properly and we use the phone as our main device over the review period. We’ll always tell you what we find and we never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Used as a main phone for a week
Thorough camera testing in a variety of conditions
Tested and benchmarked using respected industry tests and real-world data
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FAQs
It offers 18W fast charge capabilities, but you’ll need to source your own 18W power adapter separately.
It offers IP68 dust and water resistance, as well as MIL-STD-810H drop resistance up to 1.8 meters.
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
