The Ulefone Armor X31 Pro is here as one of the most rugged budget phones of 2025. Priced at around $200, this phone is designed for people who need a device that can handle the rough and tumble of everyday life. Ulefone has packed this phone with features that make it stand out in the crowded rugged phone market, including a 64MP Sony camera, 5G connectivity, and a massive 6,050mAh battery that just won’t quit.
Of course, no phone is perfect, and the Armor X31 Pro has its share of compromises. The mono speaker is a bit of a letdown, and the display resolution isn’t Full HD. But for $200, this phone offers a lot of value. So, is the Ulefone Armor X31 Pro the rugged phone of your dreams?
Design and Build Quality
The Ulefone Armor X31 Pro screams durability, but it also has a bit of flair that sets it apart from the typical boring, all-black rugged devices. The Armor X31 Pro has a bold, industrial, functional, and eye-catching look. The back of the phone features a textured plastic finish that resists fingerprints and provides a solid grip, so you’re less likely to drop it in the first place. The circular camera module on the back gives it a unique, almost futuristic look, and the orange accents (also available in green and black) add a pop of color that makes it stand out from other rugged phones.
The Armor X31 Pro is surprisingly lightweight for a rugged phone at 310 grams. It’s not the slimmest phone out there, but it’s compact enough to fit comfortably in your hand or pocket. Compared to other rugged phones like the Doogee V40 Pro, it’s actually lighter and more manageable. The included strap is a nice bonus, letting you secure the phone to your bag or belt if you’re on the move.
When stacked against other rugged phones in its price range, like the IIIF150 Air 3 or the Doogee V40 Pro, the Armor X31 Pro holds its own. It’s chunkier than the IIIF150 Air 3 but makes up for it with a bigger battery and better durability. And while it’s lighter than the Doogee V40 Pro, it doesn’t sacrifice any of the ruggedness.
I can say that It’s built like a tank, and it’s got the certifications to prove it. It comes with IP68 and IP69K ratings, which means it’s fully dustproof and can handle being submerged in water up to 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes. But Ulefone didn’t stop there—this phone also meets the MIL-STD-810H military standard, meaning it can withstand drops, shocks, and extreme temperatures.
On the right side, you’ll find the power button, which doubles as a fingerprint scanner, and the volume controls. The fingerprint scanner is fast and reliable, even if your hands are wet or dirty—something you’ll appreciate if you’re using this phone outdoors. On the left side, there’s a dual SIM and microSD card slot, along with a programmable button that you can customize to launch your favorite apps or functions, like the flashlight or camera.
At the top, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack (yes, it’s still here in 2025!) and an IR blaster, which lets you use your phone as a universal remote for your TV, air conditioner, or other infrared devices. The bottom houses the USB-C port, a microphone, and a mono speaker. All these ports are covered with protective flaps to keep out dust and water, which is a must for any rugged phone.
Display Quality
Rugged phones often skimp on screen quality, but Ulefone has made sure the Armor X31 Pro holds its own, even if it’s not perfect. Features a 6.56-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1612 x 720 pixels. Now, let’s be honest—this isn’t Full HD, and if you’re coming from a flagship phone, you might notice the difference in sharpness. Text and images aren’t as crisp as they could be, but for a rugged phone in this price range, it’s pretty standard. The screen size is great for watching videos, scrolling through social media, or navigating maps, but don’t expect it to blow you away with pixel-perfect detail.
Here’s where things get interesting—the Armor X31 Pro has a 120Hz refresh rate. For those who don’t know, a higher refresh rate means smoother scrolling, better responsiveness, and a more fluid overall experience. That said, the lower resolution means you won’t get the same level of detail as you would on a higher-end phone, even with the smoother refresh rate. But for casual use, it’s a great feature that adds a bit of polish to the overall experience.
One area where the Armor X31 Pro shines is brightness. With a peak brightness of 800 nits, this display can handle bright sunlight. This is a big deal for a rugged phone, as outdoor visibility is crucial for its target audience. The display also has wide viewing angles, so you can share your screen with others without losing color accuracy.
The Armor X31 Pro’s display uses OGS (One Glass Solution) technology, which helps improve color accuracy and brightness. Colors are vibrant and punchy, making photos and videos look lively and engaging. It’s not the most color-accurate display out there—some shades can look a bit oversaturated—but for most, it’s more than good enough.
Of course, a rugged phone needs a rugged display, and Ulefone hasn’t cut corners here. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which adds an extra layer of protection against scratches and impacts. While it’s not completely indestructible, it’s more than enough to handle the bumps and scrapes that come with outdoor adventures or tough work environments. Plus, the phone comes with a pre-installed screen protector, so you don’t have to worry about adding one yourself.
Performance & Gaming
Ulefone Armor X31 Pro is packing some decent hardware for a rugged phone in its price range. It’s not going to compete with flagship devices, but for a $200 rugged phone, it’s more than capable of handling everyday tasks, light gaming, and even some multitasking.
At the heart of the Armor X31 Pro is the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, built on a 6nm process. This is a mid-range processor, but it’s no slouch. It’s designed to balance performance and power efficiency with an 8-core CPU (clocked at up to 2.4GHz) and a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. This chipset is more than enough to keep things running smoothly for everyday tasks like browsing the web, checking emails, or scrolling through social media.
The Armor X31 Pro comes with 8GB of RAM, which is pretty impressive for a rugged phone at this price point. But Ulefone didn’t stop there—they’ve also included virtual RAM expansion, allowing you to add up to 4GB of extra RAM (for a total of 12GB) by using part of the internal storage. You get 256GB of internal storage, which is more than enough for most. But if you need even more room for photos, videos, or apps, there’s a microSD card slot that supports expansion up to 2TB.
For storage performance, the AndroBench test shows that the Armor X31 Pro has a sequential read speed of around 500-600 MB/s and a sequential write speed of around 250-300 MB/s. These numbers reflect the performance of the UFS 2.2 storage, which is decent for a budget device. While it’s not the fastest storage available, it ensures that apps and files load quickly, and it’s more than enough for most users.
Gaming Performance
If you’re into mobile gaming, the Armor X31 Pro can handle most casual games without any issues. Games like Candy Crush, Subway Surfers, and Asphalt 9 run smoothly, even with the graphics settings turned up. However, when it comes to more demanding games like Genshin Impact, you’ll need to dial down the settings to get playable frame rates. The Mali-G57 GPU isn’t built for high-end gaming, but it’s more than enough for casual gamers.
One thing to note is the mono speaker. While it gets loud enough for gaming, the lack of stereo sound can be a bit of a letdown, especially in landscape mode where your hand might block the speaker. If you’re serious about gaming, you’ll want to use a pair of wired headphones for a better audio experience.
Benchmarks Scores
In benchmark tests, the Armor X31 Pro performs as expected for a mid-range device. It’s not going to set any records, but it’s more than capable of handling everyday tasks and light gaming. In Geekbench 6, which tests CPU performance scores around 750-800 in single-core tests. This reflects how well the phone handles single-threaded tasks like opening apps or browsing the web. While it’s not groundbreaking, it’s decent for a mid-range chip. In multi-core tests, the phone scores around 2,000-2,200, showing its ability to handle multitasking and running multiple apps simultaneously. It’s good enough for everyday use but doesn’t come close to flagship-level performance.
For GPU performance, the 3DMark Wild Life test gives the Armor X31 Pro a score of around 1,200-1,400. This benchmark measures how well the phone handles gaming and graphics-intensive tasks.
In the AnTuTu benchmark, which provides an overall score combining CPU, GPU, memory, and UX performance, the Armor X31 Pro scores around 350,000-400,000. This places it firmly in the mid-range category, making it a good choice for everyday tasks and light gaming but not for heavy workloads or high-end gaming. It’s a respectable score for a rugged phone at this price point.
The PCMark Work 3.0 benchmark, which tests everyday tasks like web browsing, video editing, and photo editing, gives the Armor X31 Pro a score of around 8,000-9,000. This indicates that the phone is well-suited for productivity tasks and general use. It’s not the fastest device out there, but it’s more than capable of handling most day-to-day activities without slowing down.
Connectivity
One of the standout features of the Armor X31 Pro is its 5G connectivity. This future-proofs the phone and ensures you’ll have fast internet speeds wherever 5G is available. Other connectivity options include Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC for contactless payments, and an IR blaster for controlling your TV or other devices.
Software
The Armor X31 Pro runs on Android 14, the latest version of Android at the time of its release. Ulefone has opted for a near-stock Android experience, meaning you won’t find any heavy custom skins or bloatware cluttering up the interface. This is a big win for anyone who prefers a clean, simple, and fast user experience. The menus are easy to navigate, the settings are straightforward, and the overall feel is smooth and responsive.
One of the benefits of a near-stock Android experience is that it’s lightweight and efficient. The phone doesn’t waste resources on unnecessary animations or background processes, which helps keep performance snappy and battery life strong. It’s not as polished as something like a Google Pixel, but for a rugged phone, it’s more than good enough.
One of the best things about the Armor X31 Pro’s software is the lack of bloatware. Unlike some other brands that load their phones with unnecessary apps, Ulefone keeps things minimal. You’ll find the usual suite of Google apps (like Gmail, Maps, and YouTube) pre-installed, but there’s no junk clogging up your storage. This is a refreshing change, especially for a budget phone, and it helps keep the user experience clean and efficient.
Ulefone has included a few practical tools that are especially useful for a rugged phone. For example, there’s a system optimizer that helps keep your phone running smoothly by clearing out junk files and managing background processes. There’s also a toolbox with handy utilities like a compass, level, and sound meter.
Camera System
When you think of rugged phones, cameras aren’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. Most rugged devices prioritize durability over photography, but the Ulefone Armor X31 Pro is here to change that. With a 64MP Sony main camera, a 25MP night vision camera, and a 2MP macro lens, this phone is packing some serious hardware for a rugged device.
The show’s star is the 64MP Sony IMX682 sensor, which is a pretty impressive choice for a rugged phone at this price point. In good lighting conditions, this camera shines. Photos are detailed, with solid dynamic range and accurate colors. The 64MP mode is there if you want to zoom in and crop your photos without losing too much detail, but for most, the default 16MP binned shots will be more than enough.
One thing to note is that the camera app is pretty basic. It doesn’t have all the fancy features you’d find on a flagship phone, but it gets the job done. You get the usual modes like HDR, panorama, and portrait, along with a dedicated night mode for low-light photography. The autofocus is fast and reliable, and the overall experience is smooth, even if it’s not as polished as something like a Google Pixel.
When the sun goes down, the Armor X31 Pro’s camera performance takes a bit of a hit, but it’s not terrible. The dedicated night mode helps brighten up dark scenes and reduce noise, but don’t expect miracles. Photos in low light are usable, but they can look a bit soft and grainy, especially if you’re not using the flash. This is pretty typical for a mid-range phone, though, so it’s not a dealbreaker.
Now, here’s where things get interesting—the 25MP night vision camera. This unique feature sets the Armor X31 Pro apart from other rugged phones. Using infrared technology, this camera can capture images in complete darkness, making it perfect for nighttime adventures, wildlife observation, or even security purposes. The results are impressive for what it is, with clear and detailed images in pitch-black conditions. However, it’s worth noting that the night vision camera is more of a niche feature. It’s fun to play around with, but most users won’t need it on a daily basis.
Macro Camera
The 2MP macro camera is another interesting addition, but it’s not exactly a game-changer. If you’re into close-up photography, this lens lets you get up close and personal with your subject, capturing details that the main camera might miss. However, the quality isn’t amazing, and the lack of autofocus can make it tricky to get sharp shots. It’s a nice-to-have feature, but it’s not something you’ll use daily.
Video Performance
Regarding the video, the Armor X31 Pro can record in 2K resolution, which is a nice touch for a rugged phone. The footage is clear and detailed in good lighting, but the lack of stabilization is a big downside. The footage can look shaky and unstable if you’re walking or moving while recording. This is where the phone’s rugged design works against it—while it’s built to handle drops and shocks, it doesn’t have the advanced stabilization features you’d find on more expensive devices. The video quality is fine for casual use, but don’t expect it to replace a dedicated camera or a high-end smartphone.
Selfie Camera
On the front, the Armor X31 Pro has a 16MP selfie camera. It’s not the best selfie camera out there, but it does the job. Selfies are sharp and detailed in good lighting, with decent color accuracy. However, the quality drops significantly in low light, and the lack of a front-facing flash or night mode doesn’t help. That said, it’s perfectly fine for video calls and the occasional selfie.
Battery Life & Charging
If there’s one thing that stands out about the Ulefone Armor X31 Pro, it’s the 6,050mAh battery. This battery is an absolute monster, and it’s one of the rugged phone’s biggest selling points. For comparison, many flagship phones come with batteries around 4,500-5,000mAh, so Ulefone has gone above and beyond here. This massive battery capacity allows you to get 2-3 days of moderate use on a single charge. If you’re a light user, you might even stretch it to 4 days—yes, it’s that good.
In real-world testing, the Armor X31 Pro’s battery life is nothing short of impressive. With a mix of activities like browsing the web, watching videos, scrolling through social media, and making calls, the phone consistently lasted 2 full days without recharging. Even with more intensive tasks like gaming (Call of Duty Mobile, Asphalt 9) or streaming videos, the battery held up remarkably well, often lasting through a full day of heavy use.
While the battery life is stellar, the charging speed is a bit of a mixed bag. The Armor X31 Pro supports 18W fast charging, but it still takes just under 3 hours to charge the massive 6,050mAh battery fully. That’s not exactly blazing fast, especially compared to mid-range phones offering 30W or even 65W charging. However, this is pretty standard for a rugged phone, and the long battery life more than makes up for the slower charging speed.
One thing to note is that there’s no wireless charging here. But let’s be honest—if you’re using this phone on a worksite or out in the wilderness, wireless charging probably isn’t a priority anyway. The included USB-C cable and fast charger are all you need to keep this phone powered up.
Final Verdict
After spending some serious time with the Ulefone Armor X31 Pro, it’s clear that this rugged phone is a solid choice for anyone who needs a durable, reliable device without breaking the bank. Priced at around $200, it offers a lot of value for the money.
It’s not perfect—the mono speaker and lower-resolution display are reminders of its budget roots—but it gets the basics right. With stellar battery life, solid performance, and impressive durability, it’s a phone that’s built to last. And at $200, it’s a fantastic value for what you’re getting.
