Oukitel WP35 5G smartphone review – Robust with good battery life and not so expensive
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Possible competitors compared
Bewertung | Datum | Modell | Gewicht | Laufwerk | Groesse | Aufloesung | Preis ab |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
79.6 % v7 (old) | 06 / 2024 | Oukitel WP35 Dimensity 6100+, Mali-G57 MP2 | 360 g | 256 GB eMMC 5.1 Flash | 6.60" | 2408x1080 | |
80.1 % v7 (old) | 02 / 2024 | Oukitel WP33 Pro 5G Dimensity 6100+, Mali-G57 MP2 | 577.5 g | 256 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | 6.60" | 2408x1080 | |
81.9 % v7 (old) | 08 / 2022 | Samsung Galaxy XCover 6 Pro SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L | 235 g | 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | 6.60" | 2408x1080 | |
82.3 % v7 (old) | 06 / 2023 | Nokia XR21 SD 695 5G, Adreno 619 | 231 g | 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | 6.49" | 2400x1080 | |
78.3 % v7 (old) | 04 / 2023 | CAT S53 SD 480, Adreno 619 | 320 g | 128 GB eMMC Flash | 6.50" | 1600x720 |
Case and features – A stylish diamond design
The Chinese manufacturer Oukitel is well-known for its water and shock-resistant cell phones which can also be used in tough environments. Phones such as the WP33 Pro which we recently reviewed. Very long runtimes are possible with this phone thanks to its huge battery. However, in doing so, you'll have to put up with a weight of 577 grams.
In this review, the Oukitel WP35 comes with a slightly smaller battery but is also significantly lighter and more compact: At 360 grams and 15.3 millimeters, the case thickness is still heftier than a typical smartphone but, in everyday use, it's considerably easier to have on the go than the WP33 Pro.
At first glance, the robust case also doesn't scream "outdoor phone". However, it has an attractive design with lighter color options such as blue, green and brown and a diamond-patterned rear. The WP35 is IP68/IP69K and MIL STD 810G certified. Being dust and waterproof makes it immune to several environmental influences. The front display is protected by a slightly protruding frame and Gorilla Glass 5.
A mass storage size of 256 GB is decent but only the relatively slow eMMC flash is used. On top of that, we have 8 GB of RAM. The manufacturer only hits its advertized 24 GB of RAM via a slow swap file in the data storage.
NFC is on board, meaning you can, for example, also use the phone for wireless payment transactions. Internally, the USB connector only uses the USB 2.0 standard leading to uninspiring data transfer speeds. In addition, it's not possible to send image signals to an external monitor.
You can either insert two nano SIMs into the 5G phone or use one nano and an eSIM. Choosing the latter option means you can only use one microSD to expand the storage.
In our test with the Angelbird V60 reference memory card, we measured high card reader speeds for this category of device. This means nothing is stopping you from outsourcing less frequently used data to a memory card.
SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
Oukitel WP35 (Angelbird V60) | |
CAT S53 (Angelbird V60) | |
Average of class Smartphone (7.7 - 77, n=81, last 2 years) | |
Samsung Galaxy XCover 6 Pro (Angelbird V60) |
Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)
Communication, software and operation – 5G also internationally
With the Oukitel WP35, we are dealing with a 5G phone that mostly sports a wide range of 4G and 5G frequencies. This makes it good for mobile internet either closer to home or on the go. In a direct comparison with high-end smartphones, in city environments, the reception is not quite on the same high level but you usually get good signal strength.
When it comes to Wi-Fi, the device has the fastest standard - WiFi 5 - on board and its 300 to 500 MBit/s data speeds appear realistic. In this area, the WP35 is more on the lower end of the scale but, overall, it still manages to deliver a relatively stable average transfer speed of 300 MBit/s.
The manufacturer has installed Android 14 and, as well as the wallpaper and widgets, it has also changed small things regarding the system's appearance which complement the settings. A few additional apps are preinstalled such as a simple launcher for kids or senior users, a spirit level, a volume meter and a radio application. However, there are no third-party advertizing apps.
At the time of testing, the operating system possesses security patches from March 2024 which are still relatively up to date. However, Oukiel has not disclosed how often and for how long there will be updates. Nevertheless, the software is downloadable which means if there are any problems, it can, for example, be installed via a PC.
The display's 60 Hz refresh rate means it is not just as smooth to operate as other outdoor phones. Generally, however, it is reliable and responsive right into every display corner. The physical buttons on the right-hand side of the case have a nice feel to them and are easy to operate for both left and right-handed users.
A fingerprint sensor is housed inside the standby button and touching it results in a short delay when unlocking the device. In addition, it always briefly displays the lock screen before the recently used screen appears. But, all in all, it works reliably and without a hitch. The button can also be used for other operational functions via gestures. 2D face recognition is also on board and works very speedily as long the lighting conditions are good.
On the left-hand side of the case, there is another freely assignable button which can be assigned either to a system function or to open an app.
Networking | |
Oukitel WP35 | |
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
Oukitel WP33 Pro 5G | |
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
Samsung Galaxy XCover 6 Pro | |
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
Nokia XR21 | |
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
CAT S53 | |
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
Cameras – It can see at night
Initially, the camera setup seems less than spectacular: The main camera captures 64-megapixel images, but normally uses a resolution of 16 megapixels with large pixels to capture more light. On top of that, we are dealing with a low-resolution macro camera which is intended for taking extreme closeups.
The third camera on the rear of the device is, however, something special: Oukitel has installed a 8 MP night vision camera complete with an infrared diode meaning it can still take photos, even in complete darkness. We tried it in a darkened room and we actually got decent results both close to and a few meters away from the object. But, the night vision photos are only available in black and white.
By contrast, the main camera can also do colors, albeit with some difficulty when it comes to backlight: The HDR function allows images to be recorded with different brightness levels. This normally results in a well-exposed image in every area but that is not the case here. When it comes to normal shots, the color accuracy is impressively natural. Considering its price and status as an outdoor phone, the level of detail is appropriate. However, under low light conditions, the camera's performance takes a hit since it is almost impossible to see anything in dark areas:
In our lab images at 1 lux illumination, nothing can be seen but, when it comes to full studio lighting, there is a good level of detail and decent sharpness, even at the edges.
The front camera captures 32-megapixel images but, in addition, it usually only uses a quarter of the resolution. The resulting selfies are a bit dark, even under good lighting conditions and, although they possess quite a cool color reproduction, they still offer a passable level of detail when magnified.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Main camera plantMain camera environmentMain camera low light

Display – A PWM-free IPS display
With its slightly increased Full HD resolution, the Oukitel WP35 represents the class norm. The IPS panel also has decent brightness and, in our tests, it had an average of 549 cd/m² at its disposal. This means you can also use the device outdoors on summer days if the sun doesn't shine directly onto the display.
The black level is slightly lower than the competition and, together with decent brightness, we recorded a relatively good contrast ratio of 1,314:1.
We noticed quite a hefty blue tint in the tests with the spectral photometer and the CalMAN software. Blue tones are displayed in a way that deviates heavily from the optimum color space. However, there are visible differences with almost every color nuance.
We didn't detect any PWM flickering but the display's response times are too slow for professional users.
|
Brightness Distribution: 94 %
Center on Battery: 552 cd/m²
Contrast: 1314:1 (Black: 0.42 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7.22 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.9
ΔE Greyscale 10.1 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
96.4% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 1.785
Oukitel WP35 IPS, 2408x1080, 6.6" | Oukitel WP33 Pro 5G IPS, 2408x1080, 6.6" | Samsung Galaxy XCover 6 Pro PLS, 2408x1080, 6.6" | Nokia XR21 TFT-LCD, 2400x1080, 6.5" | CAT S53 IPS, 1600x720, 6.5" | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Response Times | 16% | 34% | 2% | -10% | |
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 40.6 ? | 32.5 ? 20% | 31 ? 24% | 42.05 ? -4% | 53 ? -31% |
Response Time Black / White * | 24.4 ? | 21.6 ? 11% | 14 ? 43% | 22.54 ? 8% | 21.4 ? 12% |
PWM Frequency | 55100 | ||||
Screen | -22% | -7% | 20% | 6% | |
Brightness middle | 552 | 539 -2% | 510 -8% | 503 -9% | 476 -14% |
Brightness | 549 | 517 -6% | 495 -10% | 487 -11% | 504 -8% |
Brightness Distribution | 94 | 90 -4% | 92 -2% | 94 0% | 82 -13% |
Black Level * | 0.42 | 0.5 -19% | 0.46 -10% | 0.45 -7% | 0.6 -43% |
Contrast | 1314 | 1078 -18% | 1109 -16% | 1118 -15% | 793 -40% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 7.22 | 11.88 -65% | 7.41 -3% | 2.4 67% | 3.18 56% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 13.09 | 17.9 -37% | 13.26 -1% | 6.6 50% | 5.86 55% |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 10.1 | 12.9 -28% | 10.6 -5% | 1.9 81% | 4.2 58% |
Gamma | 1.785 123% | 1.597 138% | 2.518 87% | 2.22 99% | 2.268 97% |
CCT | 9036 72% | 9933 65% | 10050 65% | 6602 98% | 7234 90% |
Total Average (Program / Settings) | -3% /
-15% | 14% /
1% | 11% /
16% | -2% /
3% |
* ... smaller is better
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
24.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 13 ms rise | |
↘ 11.4 ms fall | ||
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 54 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
40.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 23.4 ms rise | |
↘ 17.2 ms fall | ||
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 61 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.7 ms). |
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
Screen flickering / PWM not detected | |||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8627 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. |
Performance, emissions and battery runtimes – Excellent stamina
The MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ is an SoC that is mostly sufficient for smooth everyday operation but doesn't possess much in the way of performance reserves if confronted with more demanding tasks. For example, stutter-free 1080p streaming on YouTube is possible, although the full quality offered by many streaming services is not available due to the lack of Widevine L1 certification.
However, you should expect occasional waiting times when switching apps or when loading larger content. This is also due to the sluggish eMMC memory. There are significantly more powerful outdoor phones such as the Nokia XR21 or the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro but as long as you don't run demanding apps, the Oukitel WP35 will suit your needs.
Even after sustained load, the increase in case temperatures remains very reasonable and we failed to detect any SoC throttling using the 3DMark stress test.
The mono speaker on the bottom edge of the phone reproduces sound with an emphasis on high frequencies making voices sound less present. Listening to music or film sound is not much fun so you should either consider connecting an external speaker or headphones via the USB-C port or Bluetooth. These go without a hitch and both methods result in good quality sound. Numerous codecs are available for wireless audio transmission and more unusual options such as Opus or LC3 are available.
The 11,000 mAh battery is certainly one of the highlights of this device and it manages to enable good run times: In our Wi-Fi test, the smartphone ran for 1,659 minutes or 27 hours and 39 minutes. That is considerably less than the Oukitel WP33 Pro but, in return, you won't have to carry as much weight around. This means you should be able to get through two days of moderate phone use.
The charging process, however, is a slow affair: Since the phone can only be charged at 18 watts, you should expect a full charging cycle to take around 5 hours. Other devices can be charged at up to 5 watts via wired reverse charging.
Oukitel WP35 | Oukitel WP33 Pro 5G | Samsung Galaxy XCover 6 Pro | Nokia XR21 | CAT S53 | Average 256 GB eMMC 5.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AndroBench 3-5 | 897% | 665% | 543% | 412% | 156% | 1280% | |
Sequential Read 256KB | 292 | 482.1 65% | 841.6 188% | 509.76 75% | 510.9 75% | 272 ? -7% | 1919 ? 557% |
Sequential Write 256KB | 149.5 | 515.6 245% | 484.7 224% | 465.31 211% | 208.2 39% | 221 ? 48% | 1536 ? 927% |
Random Read 4KB | 61.7 | 253.9 312% | 170.6 176% | 187.51 204% | 140.7 128% | 81.3 ? 32% | 279 ? 352% |
Random Write 4KB | 9.4 | 288 2964% | 204.2 2072% | 167.51 1682% | 141.4 1404% | 61 ? 549% | 318 ? 3283% |
Temperature
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 35.9 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 31.9 °C / 89 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.7 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.
3DMark Wild Life Stress Test
Speakers
Oukitel WP35 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 36.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (30.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 77% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 19% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 88% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 10% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
CAT S53 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 32.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 7.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 31% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 60% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 51% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 41% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Battery life
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing | |
Oukitel WP33 Pro 5G | |
Oukitel WP35 | |
CAT S53 | |
Average of class Smartphone (476 - 3244, n=200, last 2 years) | |
Nokia XR21 | |
Samsung Galaxy XCover 6 Pro |
Pros
Cons
Verdict – The Oukitel phone is for extreme enviroments
The Oukitel WP35 5G is a good compromise for anyone who requires long battery life and doesn't want to lug around a monster such as the Oukitel WP33 Pro: In our Wi-Fi test, our review device got through 27 hours and all in a well-proportioned (and not overly heavy) package. The WP35 has smart looks but still manages to be robustly built and well-protected from environmental influences.
An additional special feature is the night vision camera which is very suitable for both photos and orientation in the dark. Likewise, eSIM support as well as NFC are not always standard in outdoor phones.
The display gets bright enough for outdoor use on overcast days and performance is on a good level.
One annoyance is that Oukitel has opted against Widevine L1 certification meaning HD streams on many streaming platforms are not possible. In addition, there is only sluggish eMMC storage which should, by now, have disappeared from every mobile device.
The Oukitel WP35 5G is a special outdoor phone: The night vision camera and the large battery make it a survival specialist with good features. Nevertheless, you'll have to live with a heavy device and slow storage.
Anyone for whom weight isn't an issue should go for the Oukitel WP33 Pro which offers significantly better battery life. The Nokia XR21, for example, is considerably lighter but has a much shorter battery life.
Price and availability
From June 2024, the Oukitel WP35 is available directly from the manufacturer, Oukitel with delivery to Europe a possibility and soon it will be available on Amazon.
Oukitel WP35
- 05/31/2024 v7 (old)
Florian Schmitt
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The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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