The Crosscall Core-Z5 rugged smartphone, photo Moctar KANE.
Crosscall is recognized for its rugged smartphones, resistant to different types of treatment, from immersion in water to drops on hard surfaces. The Core Z-5 is rated IP68, so theoretically capable of fully resisting dust but also immersion in water at a depth greater than one meter.
But the particularity of several Crosscall smartphones, unlike most high-end competitors which are also IP68 (from the iPhone 14 Pro Max to the Samsung S23), is that they are certified for use not only in the fresh water but also in sea water. And we were able to see it ourselves, the Core Z-5 emerges unscathed after a stay in salt water.
The strengths of the Crosscall Core-Z5
- Great physical resistances in various conditions.
- Great ergonomics.
- Customization of several buttons.
- Long warranty period.
- Repairability.
- Quality dedicated accessory system.
- X-Space desktop interface.
- Presence of the audio jack.
The weak points of the Crosscall Core-Z5
- Limited camera function.
- X-Talk app bugs.
- Update to Android 13 not assured.
Crosscall Core-Z5, photo Crosscall.
The technical characteristics of the Crosscall Core-Z5
- Connectivity : 5G/Wifi 6/6E, Bluetooth 5.2/ NFC.
- RAM/Storage : 4GB/64GB or 6GB/128GB.
- Micro SD card reader : yes, up to 1TB.
- SIM: dual nano-SIM card.
- Screen : 6.08”, aspect ratio 19:9, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, 1520×720 pixels, 500 cd/m².
- Battery : 4950mAh.
- Resistors : IP68, seawater resistance, drops to 2 m. -25°C/ +60°C.
- Video : 4K at 30 fps. Photo: 48 MP rear, 8 MP front.
- Taken : USB Type-C 3.2 Gen1, 3.5mm audio jack
- Weight : 281g
- Price : 850 €
The differentiating elements of the Crosscall Core-Z5
We haven’t verified it, but Crosscall says the Core Z-5 is also resistant to most solvents and chemicals, and also works in 60° heat and -20° cold. On the shock resistance side, we tested the Core Z-5’s drop resistance. We dropped it five times in a row, at a height of two meters, screen pointing towards the ground. The smartphone is still working properly, as on the first day of our test, which started several months ago.
In addition, the Core Z-5 is guaranteed for 5 years! This duration is rare in the smartphone market, despite the almost universal discourse on the need to extend the durability of tech products. Logically, Crosscall ensures a security update during the same period of 5 years. But, on the other hand, the smartphone, currently running Android 12, will not visibly experience a higher OS version.
This smartphone is also easily repairable. Disassembling it, for example, to replace its battery, was rather easy.
A smartphone that holds very well in hand
The Crosscall Core Z-5 has a very stretched profile with its 19/9 format for a screen diagonal of 6”. Or the same length as the iPhone 14 Pro. In the hand, it’s not the lightest of smartphones. It weighs 281 g (nano-SIM card inside) compared to 240 g for the iPhone 14 Pro Max (nano-SIM card also included). But in our 40g protective case, Apple’s device weighs within a gram of the Crosscall. The Core Z-5 does not need any additional protection.
Crosscall Core-Z5 rugged smartphone, photo Moctar KANE/ZDnet France.
What is remarkable above all is that the grip of the rugged device is very good. Firstly because of this relatively elongated profile but also thanks to the two side strips at the back which serve as grip with their slightly rough surface.
And there are those many buttons, seven in all, that don’t go unnoticed on the Core Z-5. They are wide enough to guarantee efficient handling. This is possible even through thick gloves. Like the other smartphones in Crosscall’s Core range, the Z-5 is primarily intended for professionals, construction workers, rescuers, firefighters, divers, etc.
And these buttons are all the more useful since four of them are customizable. For example to light the torch, launch an emergency number, start a specific application, or activate the camera and the Walkie-Talkie function.
As you will have understood, this Crosscall Core Z-5, tough but accommodating in its use, should satisfy many professionals in the field. But in an office, it can also be used.
Smartphone desktop options
When we started our test, X-Space was not yet available. What is it? It’s a desktop interface: it launches and is automatically displayed on a screen to which the Core Z-5 is connected via a USB-C/HDMI socket. Then just connect a physical keyboard and a mouse to use everything as if you were working with a computer. Crosscall is not the first to offer this kind of solution. For example, Samsung launched its own Dex several years ago for its smartphones (specifically the Galaxy S line).
Crosscall’s X-Space desktop interface, Crosscall image.
The X-Space desktop interface is very neat and uncluttered. There is a selection of apps already present on the desktop, you can easily add others by dragging and dropping from the app drawer. During the test, we connected the Core Z-5 to a mini USB-C adapter (a dock) having, among other things, two USB-A sockets and a female HMDI socket. This accessory served as an intermediary between the smartphone and an external monitor.
And a specific dongle plugged into one of the USB-A sockets enabled the use of a keyboard and mouse. But without this dock, you should get by by connecting your wireless keyboard and mouse via Bluetooth. All in all, we were able to surf the Web, take notes, display photos stored in the smartphone on the big screen. All of the tasks are carried out in a sufficiently fluid manner, although this could be improved. But overall, this experience of switching to this desktop environment has been very satisfactory.
Provided you have a USB-C/HDMI adapter, a keyboard and a mouse, this X-Space solution is interesting for the mobile worker. Obviously, Crosscall highlights this feature in its speech for businesses. The company declares that it would be more economical and flexible in terms of mobility to have a rugged smartphone that can be used as a computer by adding three accessories to it than to invest in a more fragile computer.
Especially on a fleet scale. Especially since a lost or stolen smartphone is more easily located and erased due to its connection (here 5G), adds the company in its argument. There is at least one downside to this, the processing power remains less on this smartphone than on a computer. But yes, for light tasks, X-Space should suffice.
Little by little, the ecosystem is blooming
Unlike Motorola with its Mods, Crosscall perseveres by maintaining a proprietary type of connection for the use of several accessories. The manufacturer has been using X-Link for several years, a system combining a magnetic attachment and an electrical contact. Thanks to this X-Link connection located at the back of a Crosscall smartphone, it is possible to attach an additional battery or a micro-SD card reader to it, for example, to place it on a base to recharge it, or yet to connect it to a computer or a screen.
Crosscall X-Bike accessory, photo Crosscall.
Each Crosscall smartphone for several years (Trekker-X4, Action-X5, Core-X4, …) is delivered with an X-Link compatible accessory, it is the X-Blocker. As its name suggests, it is a kind of clamp whose role is to reinforce the attachment of the smartphone with another X-Link accessory. Thus the X-Blocker will be used with a bike support, X-Bike, which has proven to be very practical for being guided by GPS with the smartphone.
Smartphone Crosscall Core-Z5 with X-COMM, photo Moctar KANE/ZDnet France.
Among the latest accessories added to what gradually looks like an ecosystem, there is also the X-Comm. It is intended for professionals working as a team in the field and needing to communicate at all times, infrastructure technicians, first aiders, firefighters, even members of intervention forces.
This remote speaker acts as a walkie-talkie. It is connected via Bluetooth or via its X-Link cable to the smartphone. We tested the X-Comm. It is very well made, solid. Its finish is neat. It also has well-sized buttons, like on the Core Z-5. Its handling is excellent.
With the X-Talk home app, it is possible to chat with one or more people from the same group who have installed the Android app on their smartphone (which does not need to be a Crosscall).
Unfortunately, with this X-Talk app there is at least one bug. Our tests have shown that at times the communication remains inaudible! You must then stop the app and restart everything with the X-Comm. There is still work to be done by Crosscall to make X-Talk work properly. In this case, the Core Z-5 and X-Comm combination would really be a very efficient system for many professionals. But for now, it’s hard to imagine rescuers or other professionals relying on this app in the field.
The photo in the background
A few words about autonomy. We had the Crosscall Core-Z5 continuously play a video with the screen brightness and volume set to maximum. It lasted about 7:30. It’s satisfying but not overwhelming. Note that the iPhone 14 Pro Max, in this test, held 8:45. In practice, however, you can, in many cases, count on at least a day’s use of the Core Z-5.
Where the margin for improvement is high is in terms of the camera function of this Core Z-5 smartphone! Not only because it is equipped with only one lens, which is rare all the same now, but above all because the quality of still images is average, down compared to the competition. The photo, like the video, even if it is in 4K on this Core-Z5, is really not the strong point of the Core-Z5.
Contrary to several other competitors, Crosscall keeps the audio jack, and that’s very good. It’s a pity that the manufacturer has abandoned the FM radio on this model (including any headphones plugged into the jack socket that served as an antenna). This radio still remains a channel for the dissemination of information not dependent on the Internet or digital. For this type of smartphone, which a rescue worker had presented as a survival tool in certain cases, this abandonment is a small regret.
To conclude on the Crosscall Core-Z5
Overall, this Crosscall Core Z-5 smartphone is a success. A reliable and very ergonomic tool for operating in difficult conditions. While it’s aimed at professionals in the field, it should appeal to anyone who wants to keep their device longer, thanks to its long warranty and repairability.
And this even if this smartphone should not benefit from future versions of Android, and its photos are even less flattering than many mid-range smartphones. The good surprise is its desktop interface, a flexible solution that could also be of interest to those who work in a suit or a tailor.