Ahead of the Galaxy S24’s launch, Samsung announced its new rugged Galaxy XCover 7 and Galaxy Tab Active 5. These are the company’s toughest smartphone and tablet to date and offer numerous upgrades in different aspects from their respective lines.
Samsung Galaxy XCover 7
The Galaxy XCover 7 has been leaked multiple times, but we are finally able to confirm what we’re getting. Its front is headlined by a 6.6-inch LCD screen with Full HD resolution and a notch design similar to the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro (review). The refresh rate is stuck at 60 Hz, which is unlike the latter with a 120 Hz refresh rate. A more durable Gorilla Glass Victus+ protects the panel and comes with adjustable touch sensitivity to suit different glove types.
Samsung’s Galaxy XCover 7 is IP68 certified for dust and waterproofing and MIL-STD-810H rated according to the military-grade standard. It’s also drop-resistant on concrete from 1.5 meters high. There is a programmable button and removable back cover to access the user-replaceable 4,050 mAh battery cell. The handset comes with No Battery Mode, similar to the Tab Active 5 and supports charging via USB-C and POGO connectors.
What powers the Galaxy XCover 7 is an unnamed 6 nm chipset (rumored to be a Dimensity 6100+ SoC) paired with a bigger 6 GB RAM and expandable 128 GB storage. Both physical SIM and eSIM are supported along with 5G, NFC, and Wi-Fi 5 connectivity. The device features a single 50 MP main camera and a 5 MP selfie shooter.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 5
The Galaxy Tab Active 5 features a more compact design compared to the last rugged and tough tablet from Samsung, the Galaxy Tab Active 4. It boasts an 8-inch LCD screen and Full HD+ resolution with a surprising 120 Hz refresh rate. The glass protection is rather ordinary with a Gorilla Glass 5 panel, though this would be enough to withstand typical scratches.
At the same time, there is an option to adjust the touch sensitivity level. The tablet is also IP68 and MIL-STD-810H rated. However, you’ll need to an optional case to protect it from accidental drops and to house the waterproof S Pen stylus. In addition, you can find a programmable key and POGO interface from the device as well.
The battery life is not specified, but the 5,050 mAh cell is also replaceable. A No Battery Mode can also be toggled to directly power it through an adapter.
Samsung did not disclose the chip that powers the device apart from it being manufactured using the 5 nm process. However, this is believed to be an in-house Exynos 1380 SoC, which is the same as the Galaxy Tab S9 FE. It can be configured with up to 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage on top of a microSD card slot.
The new tablet features a 13 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front-facing sensor. Its connectivity is a slight upgrade with Wi-Fi 6 on board in addition to 5G, NFC, and Bluetooth 5.3.
Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 and Galaxy Tab Active 5 availability and price
Some key selling points of the Galaxy XCover 7 and Galaxy Tab Active 5 are attributed to its software. They boot on Android 14 and ship with Samsung Knox Vault for enterprise-level security and Knox Capture for easy barcode scanning and compatibility with mPOS (mobile point of sales).
There is no word how much the Galaxy XCover 7 and Galaxy Tab Active 5 will cost. However, they should be priced cheaper than the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro and Tab Active 4 Pro, which retailed for $650 a pop. Samsung added that both will be available starting this month.
