Samsung announces the super rugged Galaxy Xcover 4

Remember the Galaxy Xcover 3? It launched way back in 2015, and Samsung marketed as a slim but robust Galaxy smartphone. But by today’s standards, its IP67 rating and 2,200mAh battery seem a bit ridiculous. That’s why Samsung has brought the all-new Galaxy Xcover 4. As you may have guessed, this year’s iteration is all about toughness: though its specs might not be on a par with this year’s flagships, it can withstand pretty much anything.

It’s been around two years since the last Galaxy Xcover. The previous iteration was essentially a dumbed down version of the Galaxy S5 Active, and perhaps a little too dumbed down. Well, Samsung is bringing back the rugged series, this time with some much-needed improvements.

The Galaxy Xcover 4 has a 4.99-inch TFT HD display: that may sound disappointing, but considering the last one had a resolution of 480 x 800, it’s a considerable improvement. The rear camera is now 13 megapixels, much better than the 5-megapixel shooter found on its predecessor, and on the front is a 5-megapixel selfie-shooter. The battery also has been increased from 2,200mAh to 2,800mAh, and it’s powered by a 1.4Ghz quad-core processor coupled with 2GB of RAM. The internal storage is now 16GB instead of 8GB, which can be expanded via a dedicated microSD card slot. Rather surprisingly, the phone will run Android 7.0 Nougat right out of the box.

Of course, we have to talk about how tough this phone is, given its moniker. The Galaxy Xcover 4 now has the IP68 rating which should sound familiar since Samsung’s new flagships and even mid-rangers are now certified as such. And similar to its Galaxy Active series, its toughness is guaranteed by the US military standard MIL-STD 810G, which means that the phone can withstand extreme temperatures, intense solar radiation, salt and dust, harsh weather conditions as well as mechanical shocks and vibrations. If you’re into extreme sports or just prone to dropping your phone a lot, this may be the phone for you.

The Galaxy Xcover 4 will go on sale in Europe for 259€ starting this April. It’s not yet clear whether it’ll make it to North America or any other regions, but we will be sure to keep you updated. In the meantime, check out the gallery below for more pictures: