AGM H6 rugged smartphone review

AGM H6 rugged smartphone: 30-second review

The AGM H6 Rugged Mobile Phone follows the usual tough design yet still manages to keep the overall look and feel of the smartphone slim and stylish. The rubberized plastic surround provides a decent grip, and the few buttons placed around the edge are a decent size and easy enough to find and use.

Adding to the durability of this phone is the IP68 rating, which means it can be submerged underwater, making it a great solution for anyone needing a phone that can keep up with life outdoors. It's also built to MIL-STD-810H standards, ensuring that if you drop it under most normal conditions, the phone won't be affected.

As you look over the phone, you'll also notice that rubber flaps cover all ports, and the back of the phone is textured to give a better overall grip to the device in any condition.

There are also a few more interesting features, such as the three-card slot that enables you to add two SIM cards and a TF Card up to 512GB, greatly expanding the already decent 256GB that comes as standard.

In speed tests, the phone didn't hold up so well against most other recent releases, with relatively low Geekbench and 3D Mark scores. However, when just running Google apps for business, that power is more than sufficient.

We've tested out quite a number of the best rugged smartphones and the best rugged tablets, and the AGM H6 Rugged Mobile Phone is for anyone wanting a simple, tough, no-fuss Android phone. It offers all the classic Google tools such as Mail, Docs, Sheets, and Calendar, without the bloat often found on other phones at a budget price.

AGM H6 rugged smartphone: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? Starting from $219 in US, 249 Euros in Europe
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? You can get it directly from the retailer, Amazon, and others

The AGM H6 Rugged Mobile phone is available directly from the AGM website as well as on Amazon.com and many other online resellers

• Value: 4 / 5

AGM H6 rugged smartphone: Specifications

AGM H6 rugged smartphone: Design

• Robust
• Large Screen 
• Decent battery life

The design of the AGM H6 rugged mobile phone is a departure from traditional tough smartphones, featuring a slimline, lightweight form factor and a large floating-style screen akin to mainstream smartphones. However, once you pick it up, you can feel the solid build and slightly rubberized texture of the surround, along with detailing on the back that ensures a firm grip in all conditions.

The big selling points of this phone are toughness and simplicity, and everything about the design reinforces this. As you look over the phone, you'll see that all ports, including the USB Type-C and 3.5mm headphone jack, are covered with rubber bungs to ensure no water gets into the electronics if the phone gets wet or is dropped into water.

The power button on the right side of the phone gives a precise click as you switch the device on and also doubles as a fingerprint scanner. Above this is the volume control, again with a precise click. On the opposite side is a bright yellow button that can be customized in your settings to give quick access to an app of your choice. This button highlights the smartphone's key focus on simplicity of use.

As is standard on all smartphones, there are two cameras: an 8MP front camera for video calls and a 50MP rear camera.

The rest of the exterior is very simple, with the large 6.56-inch screen covering the front, the rubberized surround adding protection while keeping the phone slimline and stylish, and the build being IP68 rated, meaning it's waterproof and MIL-STD-810H certified, ensuring you can drop it without worry.

In line with the physical design elements of the phone, the software is equally streamlined. Unlike every other phone I've opened recently, the AGM H6 is sparse. On the home screen, there's only the basic Google suite of apps along with the settings icon. Scrolling to the second screen shows the camera, but really, AGM has kept the phone lightweight in terms of apps and demands on the phone's resources.

An interesting addition to the design is the three-card slot that allows you to insert two SIM cards and a TF Card up to 512GB in capacity, adding to the standard 256GB of internal storage. This means you can have both your work and personal number on the same phone, and the additional storage is there if you need to capture images, store work files, and more.

The design of the AGM H6 is aimed at those less fussed with the latest apps, games, and smartphone gimmicks and more focused on using a phone for making calls, checking and updating documents while knowing that, come rain or shine, the phone will continue working.

• Design: 4 / 5

AGM H6 rugged smartphone: Features

• Octa-Core Unisoc T606
• Android 13

The AGM H6 is designed as a rugged phone and packs features to support its use in almost any condition, yet it still manages to blend that durability with a sleek design. The phone, considering its rugged label, is remarkably thin at just 10.75 mm and weighs in at 240g, not what you would usually expect from a rugged smartphone.

With IP68/IP69K water and dust resistance, plus MIL-STD-810H shock resistance, it's built to survive drops from up to 1.8 meters, so it will suit anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors for work or leisure.

At the heart of the AGM H6 is an Octa-Core T606 processor that enables the phone to run Android 13. The processor, backed by 16 GB of RAM (8 GB physical + 8 GB virtual), ensures there's plenty of memory for opening multiple apps at once. In comparison, the 256 GB storage, expandable up to 512 GB with an optional TF Card, provides ample space for apps, photos, and files.

Those three card slots are a standout feature of the AGM H6 – two for nano SIMs and one for a TF card, negating the need for constant swapping. The inclusion of NFC, fingerprint and face recognition, alongside GPS, Beidou, and Galileo, rounds off an impressive list of advanced features.

While not specifically aimed at photography, the camera sports a 50 MP primary camera alongside a 2 MP macro lens and an 8 MP front camera for video calls. The camera's 50MP sensor uses the Samsung JN1+GC02M1, which is a good middle-of-the-road imaging sensor.

Ensuring a decent battery life, the phone includes a 4900 mAh battery, supporting 18W fast charging. This capacity enables up to 24 hours of talk time, over 22 hours of music, and a decent amount of web browsing and video playback. However, these last two activities will drain the battery faster.

• Features: 4 / 5

AGM H6 rugged smartphone: Performance

• Good for google apps
• Robust build quality

As this is a rugged smartphone, it only seems fair to start the test off with some rugged tests. Using the phone for making calls, alongside the pre-installed apps, WhatsApp, and a few other chosen selections, the H6 was fast and responsive, with the large touchscreen responding well in most conditions.

As the screen became wet, the usual issue arose with the responsiveness of the screen, as the moisture confuses the capacitive technology. However, a quick wipe away of the moisture returns the responsiveness.

Listening to music or watching videos through the phone handles all with ease, although the built-in speaker is a little lacking in audio quality. Plugging in some headphones or linking to a speaker, everything sounded fine.

For everyday use, there's little to fault with the H6. The only time it did struggle was when Adobe Lightroom and a few other video editing apps, such as Quik, were installed. While the apps themselves run absolutely fine, the smoothness of the experience isn't the same as you would get with more powerful phones. However, it could still do the work, which was impressive.

When it came to the benchmark tests, the results showed the limitations of the device, with middle to lower scores across the board. However, this phone isn't aimed at the higher end of the market; it's a simple, rugged phone designed to be used by people who need something simple and tough for tasks like making calls, reading emails, and updating documents. For this, the power is absolutely spot on. Below are the results of the benchmark tests.

• Performance: 4 / 5

AGM H6 rugged smartphone: Verdict

The AGM H6 Rugged Mobile Phone strikes a balance between rugged durability and user-friendly design. It's a phone that doesn't try to be more than it is, and that's its biggest strength. For anyone who prioritizes simplicity and reliability over high-end specs, the AGM H6 is a perfect fit. Its slimline design, coupled with IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810H certifications, makes it ideal for outdoor enthusiasts or professionals who face various environments, from wet and windy to hot and dusty. 

While it may not lead the pack in performance benchmarks, it offers more than enough power for essential tasks like calls, emails, and document handling. The added convenience of a three-card slot and a decent camera setup make it versatile for various needs. At its core, the AGM H6 is a no-frills, dependable smartphone that delivers on its promise of being a rugged, simple-to-use device at an accessible price point, making it a solid choice for the practical user.

Should you buy an AGM H6 rugged smartphone?

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