The Sonim XP Pro ($549.99) is a rugged phone built to survive work and play in demanding environments. We like its battle-ready toughness, waterproof build, sleek design, and full 5G support on Verizon, all of which make it reliable whether you're at a jobsite or in the backwoods. We wish its display was a little brighter, its battery was removable, and its cameras were sharper, however. While the Sonim XP Pro is practically bulletproof and a decent pick for workers and adventurers alike, we prefer the Samsung XCover6 Pro ($599.99) for its swappable battery, better cameras, and longer software commitment for just a little more money. It's also unlocked, so you can use it on more carriers than just Verizon.

Design: Built Tough

The Sonim XP Pro looks every bit the rugged device it’s meant to be. Measuring 6.73 by 3.15 by 0.47 inches (HWD) and weighing 9.77 ounces, it’s lighter than the $569.99 Sonim XP10 (6.3 by 3.0 by 0.6 inches, 11.3 ounces) but taller and thicker than the Galaxy XCover6 Pro (6.65 by 3.15 by 0.39 inches, 8.29 ounces).

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protects the front panel, and the phone’s overall construction feels solid and sturdy in the hand. There is no flex to the device, and its rubbery back surface provides a good grip. The screen is surrounded by a sizable bezel with a large chin to help protect against drops. Sonim makes a notable design shift by sealing in the XP Pro's battery. Older Sonim phones featured user-replaceable batteries.

The XP Pro is built to survive extreme environments—it’s rated IP68 and IPX9K, meaning it’s not only dust-tight and water-resistant, but it can also withstand high-pressure water jets and full submersion in up to 6.5 feet of water for 30 minutes. Sonim says the phone meets MIL-STD-810H certification for durability. It can survive 6-foot drops onto concrete, operates in temperatures ranging from -4 to 131 degrees Fahrenheit, and handles lots of physical abuse, such as shock and vibration. The XP Pro is also chemical-resistant and can be disinfected using bleach or rubbing alcohol, so it's ready for exposure to dangerous workplaces, such as labs.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

Sonim places the combined power button and fingerprint sensor right in the middle of the right edge. I find this placement a bit too low and awkward for a natural thumb press and frequently missed it. The fingerprint sensor works very well, though. The phone has face unlock, too, which Sonim says is as secure as the fingerprint sensor.

An expansion slot above the power button is compatible with audio accessories like a remote speaker or microphone with a coiled cable. Meanwhile, the combined SIM/microSD card tray, customizable push-to-talk (PTT) button, and volume rocker all populate the left edge. The proximity of the PTT button to the volume controls caused me to hit it by mistake often.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

The top of the phone houses a programmable SOS button, while the bottom features a USB-C port (3.1 Gen 1) with a soft rubber cover. The cover isn’t required for waterproofing and is instead meant to keep debris out of the port. Two pogo pin connectors on the back allow for docked charging. The XP Pro is available in black only, underscoring its no-nonsense, utility-first design.

Display: Could Be Brighter

The XP Pro features a 6.58-inch LCD with a resolution of 2,408 by 1,080 pixels, a 90Hz refresh rate, and a maximum brightness of 550 nits. A U-shaped notch at the top of the screen houses the front-facing camera.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

The screen is bright enough for easy viewing inside, but outdoors is a different story. The glass is highly reflective, and the screen simply doesn’t get bright enough to combat direct sunlight, making outdoor visibility a challenge. This is a surprising limitation, considering the phone is largely meant for outdoor use.

In comparison, the Galaxy XCover6 Pro has a 6.6-inch LCD with the same resolution as the XP Pro, a smoother 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 480 nits. It could also stand to be brighter.

Performance: It Gets the Job Done

The Sonim XP Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chip, paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. If you need more space, the phone supports microSD cards up to 2TB.

(Credit: Geekbench/PCMark/GFXBench/PCMag)

In Geekbench 6, which measures raw CPU performance, the XP Pro scored 1,180 on the single-core test and 3,135 on the multi-core test. That outpaces the Galaxy XCover6 Pro, which uses a Snapdragon 778G and scored 1,106 and 2,834 on the same tests.

On the PCMark Work 3.0 test, which simulates everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing, the XP Pro scored 12,939, edging out the XCover6 Pro’s 12,677.

In the GFXBench Aztec Ruins test, which we use to gauge gaming potential, the XP Pro managed 33 frames per second (fps), easily beating the XP10’s 11fps.

For real-world gaming performance, I play Genshin Impact. In a 15-minute session, the XP Pro handled the game without issue at medium graphics settings and 60fps. Even at the highest graphics settings and 60fps, the phone held up with smooth animation and gameplay. The back became warm but remained comfortable.

Battery Life: A Swappable Battery Would Be Preferable

The Sonim XP Pro packs a 5,000mAh battery that supports 18W wired charging and 15W wireless charging but not reverse wireless charging. It comes with its own charger in the box.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

In our battery rundown test, in which we stream a 1080p video over Wi-Fi with the screen at full brightness, the XP Pro lasted 9 hours and 25 minutes. That’s a decent showing compared with the XCover6 Pro (8 hours and 45 minutes). That said, a swappable battery would provide peace of mind when you're not near a charger. This is one area in which the XCover6 Pro clearly comes out ahead.

As for charging times, the XP Pro reached 20% in 15 minutes, 38% in 30 minutes, and 100% in 2 hours.

Connectivity: Fast 5G and Solid Wi-Fi

For connectivity, the XP Pro supports all forms of Verizon 5G (sub-6GHz, C-band, and mmWave), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, and Wi-Fi 6. It can hold one physical SIM and supports one eSIM.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

On Verizon's 5G UW network in New York City, the phone reached a maximum download speed of 692Mbps and a maximum upload speed of 72.4Mbps. For comparison, an Apple iPhone 15 Plus reached 677Mbps down and 91.5Mbps up when tested in the same location.

When connected to a Wi-Fi 6 access point, the XP Pro reached peak speeds of 240Mbps down and 19.9Mbps up. A Samsung Galaxy S24 hit 436Mbps down and 20.4Mbps up from the same spot. When I took the phones to the limits of my Wi-Fi network, both performed well. The XP Pro reached 234Mbps down and 15.9Mbps up, while the Galaxy S24 fared a little better with 252Mbps down and 20.7Mbps up.

Audio: Loud and Clear

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

Call quality is very good. In test recordings, my voice sounded clear and easy to understand, even with background noise. There is no hint of the loud background music in the recording.

To test the speaker, I placed our decibel meter right up against the earpiece and made a test call with the phone set to full volume. It reached a loud 94.5dB. For the speakerphone, I placed the decibel meter six inches away from the down-firing speaker, which is set at full volume, and repeated the test. In this case, the speakerphone reached 72.1dB. I find volumes at or above 70dB to be easy to hear, so the XP Pro meets that threshold.

I perform the same six-inch test for media playback. When playing Metallica's "Enter Sandman," the XP Pro reached 100.8dB—right at the 100dB max that Sonim markets. It has good midrange audio, though it isn't particularly rich. The lowest bass notes of our bass test track, The Knife's "Silent Shout," are barely noticeable unless your ear is right up against the speakers. For fuller audio, get a pair of Bluetooth headphones.

Cameras: Not for Creators

Cameras on rugged devices are usually meant for utilitarian purposes, such as recording progress at a work site, and are not meant to replace your standalone camera. In terms of hardware, the XP Pro has a 50MP main shooter, a 13MP wide-angle camera, and a 2MP macro lens.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

By default, the main and ultra-wide cameras produce images with the same color palette. The main camera uses pixel binning to take 12.5MP pictures, and colors look muted. Far-off details are muddy and overly smooth.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

You can shoot at the full 50MP resolution if you wish, and colors take on a different look. In the sample photo below, the sky is blown out and the details aren't clear. The building's bricks change to a lighter tone compared with the 12.5MP image.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

The 13MP ultra-wide camera struggles to extract detail from shadowy areas, and distant objects appear soft and indistinct. The lawn looks more like a rug than grass.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

The 2MP macro camera takes grainy shots even with plenty of light, and at full resolution, it's still limited to just 2MP. I found that cropping regular 12.5MP or 50MP images led to better-quality close-ups.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

The 16MP front-facing camera takes images with good color, though harsh light will cast shadows. Portrait mode is not a strong suit. The blurring effect around areas like hair or glasses produces unnatural results.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

The rear camera's video quality tops out at 4K30, while the front-facing camera maxes out at 1080p30. They both produce similar results with blurry details and muted colors. None of the cameras feature optical image stabilization, so videos look bumpy.

In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro features a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 13MP front-facing camera. Its photos are more in line with what you’d expect from a modern smartphone, with oversaturated colors (typical of Samsung phones) and better detail overall.

Software: A Simple Affair

The XP Pro ships with the older Android 14 system and will receive OS updates until Android 16, with five years of security updates. Samsung's XCover6 Pro will also receive five years of security fixes but is more future-proof with four OS updates up to Android 17.

Sonim has a light hand on the software, so the user interface is relatively untouched, and most aspects of Android behave as you'd expect. You can customize the extra buttons in Settings to open almost any app. There are a few Verizon-specific apps preinstalled, like Verizon Cloud and Verizon MDM (for remote device management), but they aren't intrusive.