Telstra has announced the Tough Max 2, a new smartphone designed for tradies, construction workers, miners, farmers, outdoor adventure enthusiasts, those with anger management issues, and anyone seeking extra protection and durability in a smartphone.
The phone is the second iteration of the reliable Tough Max made by ZTE. So GadgetGuy went to ZTE to get the full specifications.
First, it is Telstra 4GX compatible – that means LTE Cat 6 for 300/50Mbps down/upload around most capital cities. 4GX is being rolled out to regional areas. Bands include B1, 3, 7, 8, and 28 – don’t try to use it on a competitor’s network.
Next, it has Telstra Bluetick and an external RF antenna connector to eke out the best possible signal in rural areas.
As a bonus it has Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 and Qi Wireless charge.
Finally, it is IP67 rated. That means dust/mud/snow proof and water immersion up to 1 metre.
So as a Tradies tool it measures up.
Specifications
4G LTE | 2100 (Band 1), 1800 (Band 3), 2600 (Band 7), 900 (Band 8), 700 MHz (Band 28) with 300Mbps downlink, 50Mbps uplink |
3G UMTS | 850, 2100 MHz with 42Mbps DL (HSPA+) |
GSM | 900, 1800 MHz |
SIM Card | Nano SIM, 4FF |
Operating System | Android 7.1.2 |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 MSM8937 Octa core 4 x 1.4GHz + 4 x 1.1GHz
Adreno 505 GPU |
Memory | 3GB RAM
32GB Flash with >26GB user space Up to 128GB microSD external storage |
Display | 5″, IPS, 1280 x 720, capacitive touch |
Camera | Rear 16MP rear camera with digital zoom, auto flash and HDR.
8MP Front-facing camera. Video recording 30 fps @ 720p. |
Audio codecs | MP3, AMR-WB, AMR-NB, AAC, AAC+, EAAC+ |
Audio out | Earpiece, Speakerphone & 3.5mm headset |
Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac; Dual Band, NFC, Hotspot, Bluetooth 4.2 |
FM Radio | Yes |
Sensors | 3 axis Accelerometer, 3 axis Magnetometer, Orientation, Ambient Light, Proximity |
GPS | A-GPS, Stand-alone GPS, GLONASS, Beidou-2 |
External Antenna | For ZTE original and ZTE approved accessories, use only. |
Battery | 3000 mAh Li-ion not user replaceable. 3-4 hours charge from empty |
Wireless Charging | Qi Wireless charging supported |
Talk Time | up to 14hrs talk time |
Standby | up to 500 hours standby |
Size/weight | 144 x 71.5 x 11mm. 153g |
Pre-installed | Commonly used & standard Google Suite applications, Firmware Over the Air (FOTA) upgrade |
In the box |
|
Manual | http://www.ztemobiles.com.au/downloads/User_guides/T85_Help_04.pdf |
GadgetGuy’s take
ZTE is a good smartphone manufacturer, and the durability of its original Max lived up to its name.
This is excellent for the purpose and Google being able to update the device over the air is a bonus.