Ulefone Armor 12 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S8 Active: A Rugged Phone Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active wins on battery life and overall reliability due to its proven track record. However, the Ulefone Armor 12 5G offers 5G connectivity and a more modern chipset, making it a compelling choice for those prioritizing speed and future-proofing, despite a shorter battery life.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Ulefone Armor 12 5G | Samsung Galaxy S8 Active |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - AT&T |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - AT&T |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | - |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 41 - Sprint | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, August 14 | 2017, August. Released 2017, August |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, August 23 | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Front glass, aluminum back with rubber, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back, plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 175.9 x 82.5 x 14.3 mm (6.93 x 3.25 x 0.56 in) | 151.9 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm (5.98 x 2.95 x 0.39 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 296 g (10.44 oz) | 208.1 g (7.34 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Drop-to-concrete resistance from up to 1.2m MIL-STD-810G compliant | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) MIL-STD-810G compliant | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1560 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~264 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~568 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.52 inches, 104.4 cm2 (~71.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.8 inches, 85.4 cm2 (~75.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Super AMOLED, HDR10 |
| - | 3D Touch (home button only) Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (4x2.35 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 700 (7 nm) | Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MC2 | Adreno 540 |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie), One UI |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.2 | 12 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Video | 1440p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@240fps, HDR, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 8 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.22µm, AF 2 MP (dedicated iris scanner camera) |
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.2 | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1440p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with dual speakers | Yes |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS |
| Radio | Wireless FM radio, RDS | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, coulombmeter | Iris scanner, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate |
| - | Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ S-Voice natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired 15W wireless | 15W wired, QC2 Wireless |
| Music play | - | Up to 113 h |
| Stand-by | - | Up to 120 h (3G) |
| Talk time | - | Up to 32 h (3G) |
| Type | Li-Po 5180 mAh | Li-Ion 4000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black/Orange, Gray/Black | Meteor Gray, Tungsten Gold |
| Models | - | SM-G892A, SM-G892U |
| Price | About 370 EUR | About 550 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | - | Noise - 92.4 / Crosstalk - 91.4 |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 111h |
| Loudspeaker | - | Voice 70dB / Noise 74dB / Ring 78dB |
| Performance | - | GeekBench: 6314 (v4.4) GFXBench: 12fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Ulefone Armor 12 5G
- 5G Connectivity
- Modern Chipset (Dimensity 700)
- Wireless Charging
- Potentially better camera
- Shorter Battery Life
- Newer device - potential software bugs
- Charging speed could be faster
Samsung Galaxy S8 Active
- Exceptional Battery Life (111h endurance)
- Proven Durability & Reliability
- QC2 Wireless Charging
- Compact Size
- Older Chipset (Snapdragon 835)
- Smaller Display
- Outdated Software
- Lower Camera Quality
Display Comparison
The Ulefone Armor 12 5G likely boasts a larger and potentially higher-resolution display, offering a more immersive viewing experience. The S8 Active's display, while durable, is smaller and older technology. Expect better color accuracy and brightness on the Armor 12 5G.
Camera Comparison
The Armor 12 5G likely has a more versatile camera system with potentially higher megapixel counts and more advanced features. The S8 Active's camera is decent for its age but lacks the modern capabilities of the Armor 12 5G.
Performance
The Dimensity 700 in the Armor 12 5G provides a noticeable performance boost over the Snapdragon 835 in the S8 Active, especially in demanding tasks and gaming. However, the S8 Active's chipset is still capable and well-optimized for its software.
Battery Life
This is where the S8 Active truly shines. Its endurance rating of 111h is exceptional. The Armor 12 5G, while offering wireless charging, likely has a shorter battery life due to its 5G capabilities and larger display.
Buying Guide
The Ulefone Armor 12 5G is ideal for users who need 5G connectivity in a rugged package and appreciate a more modern processor. The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active is perfect for those prioritizing extreme battery life and a tried-and-true, incredibly durable design, even if it means sacrificing some modern features.