Ulefone Armor 29 Pro

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• Ulefone Armor 29 Pro $699.00
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The Ulefone Armor 29 Pro is the new flagship in the manufacturer’s Armor series and comes in two versions, differing solely in the integration of a thermal imaging camera. We tested the Thermal version, which aims to impress with its thermal imaging capabilities. It also boasts a massive 21,200mAh battery, 120W fast charging, an AMOLED display, and a promising triple-camera setup.

Design and workmanship

The Armor 29 Pro Thermal measures 177.35 x 85.6 x 33.8 mm (34.5mm at the camera module) and weighs a hefty 691 grams. This makes it one of the heaviest and thickest smartphones on the market, even for outdoor use. The Armor 29 Pro Thermal has the usual IP68, IP69K, and MIL-STD-810H certifications. Its extreme dimensions are due to the large battery, the camera imaging module, and the massive LED light.

The back is made of plastic with a rubberized, textured surface that provides a good grip. The design is dominated by the large, octagonal camera module with the secondary display, which is protected from drops by slight raised corners. Equally prominent are the numerous LEDs below, which Ulefone highlights as an “Iron Man helmet” design. The two “eyes” contain red LEDs on one side and blue LEDs on the other, which can be controlled via an app to light up or flash; a matching siren sound is also available.

The light underneath consists of 570 LEDs, which together generate a power output of 5W and achieve a maximum brightness of 1,000 lumens. It’s intended to serve as a replacement for a flashlight or camping light. In practice, this works well.

On the front, the display is surrounded by approximately 3mm wide bezels on the left and right, and 5mm at the top and bottom. Ulefone has opted for a punch-hole notch for the front camera. Above the display, next to the earpiece, are the sensors and a notification LED. The frame around the display is slightly raised to protect it.

The side panels are made of metal, as usual. On the right side are the volume buttons, the power button with integrated fingerprint sensor, and the camera button. On the left side are the SIM card slot, the special function button, and the uSmart Expansion Connector. All buttons have a precise pressure point and are firmly seated in the casing.

The USB-C port is located on the underside, protected by a rubber cover. The same applies to the 3.5mm headphone jack on the top. The infrared transmitter for the remote control functions is also located on the top.

The build quality of the Ulefone Armor 29 Pro is excellent overall and leaves nothing to be desired. However, its weight and thickness are extreme, even by outdoor standards, and significantly limit its everyday usability. It doesn’t fit in a trouser pocket, and the weight and thickness are cumbersome to use. I already found the Oukitel WP33 Pro, with its 22,000mAh battery and 28mm thickness, unwieldy, but at least it had a practical hand strap that significantly improved handling. The Armor 29 Pro is not only 5mm thicker but also offers no option for a wrist strap.

Performance: A Real Step Up

Where the RugKing 5 Pro stumbled with its Unisoc T7250 chipset, the Armor 29 Pro delivers a massive upgrade with the MediaTek Dimensity 7400. Built on a 4nm process, this octa-core processor features four Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.6 GHz and four Cortex-A55 efficiency cores.

What does this mean in practice?

Everyday performance: The phone runs Android 15 smoothly with zero lag in daily tasks

Gaming: The Mali-G615 MC2 GPU handles demanding 3D games competently

Multitasking: With 16GB of physical RAM and 512GB of storage, the phone can juggle multiple apps effortlessly

5G connectivity: Unlike the RugKing 5 Pro, the Armor 29 Pro supports full 5G networking

In benchmark comparisons, the Dimensity 7400 offers a significant leap over competitors like the Doogee S98 Pro’s Helio G96 and the Nokia XR20’s Snapdragon 480.

Camera System: A Four-Lens Powerhouse

The Armor 29 Pro’s camera array is one of its most impressive features, rivaling mainstream flagships:

The main camera’s 1/1.31-inch sensor is the same size as the one found in the Google Pixel 10 Pro. According to reviews, the main sensor “copes even with evening shots if they are not full of moving objects”. The phone supports 4K video recording at 30fps and Full HD at 30/60fps.

The night vision camera is a genuine utility feature for camping, nighttime inspections, or wildlife observation, capturing clear black-and-white images in complete darkness.

Battery Life: Absolute Monstrosity

The 21,200mAh battery is the Armor 29 Pro’s crown jewel. Here’s what that translates to in real-world terms:

• Standby time: Up to 1,140 hours (over 47 days)
• Mixed use: Several days of heavy usage on a single charge
• Real-world test: One user reported being on their “third day of playing with it, settings, uninstalling google stuff, installing open source apps” with the battery still at 78%

120W Flash Charging

When you do need to recharge, the 120W flash charging gets you back in action fast—up to 20% in just 10 minutes. The phone also supports 10W reverse wired charging via OTG, allowing it to function as a power bank for other devices.

Competitor Comparison

Here’s how the Armor 29 Pro stacks up against key competitors in the rugged phone space:

Summary

The Ulefone Armor 29 Pro Thermal is an extreme niche smartphone distinguished by its special features. Its strengths clearly lie in the massive 21,200mAh battery, which provides outstanding battery life and can be quickly recharged thanks to 120W fast charging. Another highlight is the bright and smooth 120Hz AMOLED display. Special features such as the versatile thermal imaging camera, the large camping light on the back, and the practical triple-SIM slot set it apart from the competition.

However, the disadvantages are equally significant. Weighing almost 700 grams and measuring around 34 millimeters thick, the device is extremely unwieldy and hardly practical for everyday use. Although the camera setup looks promising on paper, the software delivers only average results that fall short of expectations. Furthermore, the availability of updates from the manufacturer is uncertain, which is a clear drawback for a device in this price range.

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