Last year I was impressed with the newcomer AGM mobile’s line of smartphones. The rugged AGM M7 and H3 smartphones I reviewed were excellent. And the brand’s latest model, the AGM Glory rugged smartphone, seems to be really, really impressive.
I noticed two things as soon as I took the smartphone out of its box. The screen is very large and the top of the device is very heavy, due to the presence of a very large speaker located on the back.
This means that the phone doesn’t lay flat on the desk, but tilts towards you slightly, making it very easy to read the screen.
The battery issue
The Glory is rated IP68 / IP69K, which means it is waterproof, dustproof and hermetically sealed. It is also drop tested from a height of 1.5m in accordance with MIL-STD-810H.
The rubber bumper around the screen is raised slightly to minimize damage from impact to the screen. The corners of the phone are curved rubber, which makes it easier to grip.
Inside the Glory is an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 processor chip, released in 2021, with two Kryo 460 Gold cores running up to 2.0 GHz and six Kryo 460 Silver cores running up to 1.8. GHz. This chip will support 5G if you are in an area that covers it. The graphics GPU is a high performance Qualcomm Adreno 619.
The Glory range comes with 8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and storage of 128 or 256 GB, depending on the option chosen.
The device is large – 174.8 x 84.2 x 17.5mm – but it doesn’t feel uncomfortable in my medium sized hands. The phone feels heavy and sturdy, weighing in at 360g – likely due to its impressive 6,200mAh battery, which will give you up to two days of use.
The Glory range supports wireless charging, or you can plug in the phone using the supplied USB type A or USB type C cable. You can also purchase an optional desktop charger for the phone from AGM and place the four pogo pins of the phone on the charger.
The battery is larger than that of the Oukitel WP8 Pro (5,000 mAh), but it still has some way to go before reaching the 8,000 mAh of the Oukitel WP10 or the 8,500 mAh of the Doogee S86.
Operation in extreme cold
However, this device beats all of its competition when it comes to its ability to continue operating at low temperatures, down to -27 degrees. AGM claims the phone will continue to operate at these temperatures for up to 24 hours before shutting down. I have not tested this feature because my freezer only goes down to -19 degrees Celsius.
The Glory has a 6.53 inch incell screen. Its definition is 2340 x 1080 pixels. It is helpful to be able to navigate the phone with wet fingers and use it in extreme conditions like cold, snow and rain.
The AGM Glory has an impressive four-lens camera: a 48Mp Sony IMX582 autofocus lens, a 20Mp Sony IMX350 infrared night lens, an F2.4 macro lens and a thermal camera. Infrared LEDs and an LED flash make it possible to see objects up to 20 meters away.
The 16MP front camera takes very good photos. AGM also offers other additional features, such as a thermal camera, a very useful flashlight located on the top of the device and a laser rangefinder that can reach 40 meters.
If you buy the base Glory SE model, the night vision camera is replaced with a flashlight. If you buy the mid-range Glory model, the thermal camera is replaced with a flashlight.
AGM’s Glory Phone runs Android 11 and has few additional OEM bloatware apps that slow the phone down. Only the IR camera app and the Zello app are added to the usual version of Android 11.
The 3.5W speaker on the back of the phone is really impressive. You will certainly never miss a phone call when the media volume is turned up to maximum. The music is loud with little distortion and the bass is really good for a mobile device.
The speaker has a good range of sounds. You won’t need to carry a portable Bluetooth speaker with you when you travel – this phone will give you enough volume (up to 110dB according to AGM) to keep you going.
I love the thermal imager. It makes it possible to obtain images of objects located up to 5 meters away. There are two modes: human mode and industrial mode. Here are some pictures taken after dark, while I was drinking a cup of coffee.
Image: Eileen Brown.
The human mode recognizes temperatures from 30 to 45 degrees Celsius, and the industrial mode recognizes temperatures ranging from -15 to 550 degrees Celsius. The resolution is good and clear, and there are a plethora of settings to adjust to get the perfect shot.
Fortunately, the phone does support Wi-Fi calling. These can be a boon when you are in an area with poor cell reception.
The Glory line consists of three products, with different prices and characteristics. Make sure you know which option you want and which model you are purchasing. AGM’s website is not clear on the specifications of the different models.
The AGM Glory SE costs 434 euros, the Glory 520 euros and the Glory Pro, the top-of-the-range model, 940 euros. These aren’t cheap phones, but the material quality makes this phone a great buy.
If you need laser ranging, infrared, or thermal imaging, this phone is definitely worth a look.
The AGM Glory Pro 5G smartphone at 940 euros on Amazon
Source: ZDNet.com