Archos 50 Saphir

Archos 50 Saphir is an IP68 certified smartphone which is tough with decent hardware specification. IP68 is a special waterproof, dustproof and shockproof certification which indicates that no dust can enter the enclosure of the smartphone, as well as capable of staying in more than 1 metre of water for at least 30 minutes. This is slightly higher than the usual IP57 or even IP67 usually offered by manufacturers. With protective features built into the smartphone, it is suitable for users who require a more resistant smartphone that can survive in a harsh outdoor environment such as mountain climbers or underwater divers. It even looks the path with its hard shell and rugged design. The phone looks something like the Samsung Galaxy Active series. For hardware specification, the smartphone comes with a quad-core MediaTek MTK6737 processor clocked at 1.5 GHz, 2 GB of RAM, and 16GB internal memory. The smartphone support expandable storage up to 128GB. The ARCHOS 50 Saphir is powered by Android 6.0 Marshmallow, boosted with features such as Google Now on Tap, case-by-case app permissions, and Doze to monitor battery usage. The display of the Archos 50 Saphir is a 5” IPS screen with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixel. The screen is also protected by the Corning Gorilla glass 4 to resist scratches and impact. Despite supporting only a HD resolution, the 5

inch display looks good and provides enough brightness for outdoor usage.

Also intended for professionals, the ARCHOS 50 Saphir embarks a very high capacity battery to guarantee maximum autonomy. The smartphone comes with a huge 5000 mAh battery that should provide a usage time of over 2 days without having to charge it. Besides that, it can standby in 2G mode for up to 740 hours and 3G mode for up to 550 hours. The capacity of the battery in this smartphone is uncommon as most smartphones only come with 2000-4000 mAh battery. As for the camera, the ARCHOS 50 Saphir is equipped with two cameras: a 13-megapixel back camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The 13-megapixel rear camera is further featured with LED flash to capture images under low light environment while the 5-megapixel front shooter allows for selfies and video calls. The Archos 50 Saphir support dual SIM that accepts Nano SIM. Wireless connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and FM. It also includes sensors such as Proximity sensor, Accelerometer and Ambient light sensor. As for input and output ports, it features audio out 3.5mm jack, Micro USB v2.0 port and USB OTG port. With its extreme ruggedness and attractive price, the Archos 5- Saphir will be good for people who are actively involved in outdoor activities, athletes or even people who work in a more vigorous environment.

Hands-on article by Jagadisa Rajarathnam