Outdoor cell phone AGM H Max in test

The AGM H Max is relatively thin for an outdoor cell phone, but still offers long battery life. We tested cheap smartphones.

An outdoor cell phone is for users who need a particularly stable and waterproof smartphone. However, most rugged mobile devices are often heavy and bulky. The AGM H Max dares to balance a lot of stamina in a significantly thinner housing than other outdoor cell phones. with a price of 188 euros This seems like a real bargain. In this test report we will show if there are any issues and how the smartphone performs in practice.

For an outdoor cell phone, the AGM H Max feels almost fragile. With dimensions of 172.6 × 79.6 × 17 mm, it’s clearly better than normal smartphones, but still relatively manageable for a device with such a powerful battery capacity. The weight of 324 grams is quite light for an outdoor device, even though it is almost twice as heavy as a typical smartphone.

Unlike many outdoor devices, the housing is not octagonal, but has a very classic shape. The AGM H Max is rubberized all around and very sturdy. The mobile phone has been additionally strengthened at the rounded corners. The camera is integrated at the back. The USB port is also covered with a rubber tab.

Common certifications for IP68, IP69K and MIL-STD-810H are available. So the device is waterproof (for 30 minutes at a depth of one metre) and can withstand drops from 1.5 meters onto hard ground. So we dropped it on a curb on the road, the device survived the ordeal – apart from small scratches on the rubberized surface. An orange, programmable button is also on board.

The IPS panel and LCD with a diagonal of 6.56 inches provide a refresh rate of up to 90 Hz, this has a positive effect when scrolling or watching animations. However, the resolution of 1612×720 pixels is quite low. If you look closely, you can still see individual pixels, so the cell phone is not suitable for Full HD video. Furthermore, the image quality is still good and offers high viewing angle stability, distinct colors and good contrast.

However, the brightness is quite low i.e. less than 400 nits. Especially with an outdoor cell phone, you want the display to be easy to read even in sunlight. This usually works well during the day with the AGM H Max. However, it may be difficult to see the display clearly in bright sunlight.

The camera setup is very simple: a 13-megapixel main camera paired with a macro lens of only 2 megapixels. The resolution of the front camera is 5 megapixels. It is really very low and not up to date even in this price range.

Photos lack sharp details and dynamic range is quite weak. Photos taken in bad weather look very sad. Furthermore, the colors appear very light, with a slight inclination towards blue. It’s even more stark with the macro lens and front camera, which offer only moderate sharpness and some image detail. The AGM H Max’s camera is therefore more suitable for occasional snapshots. Despite the night mode, it gets dull quickly in the dark.

The processor is the Unisoc Tiger T7200 (formerly T606), which we know from cheap tablets and smartphones priced under 100 euros. The chip is now 6 years old and performs only mediocrely. This is generally sufficient for everyday tasks, even if minor stuttering is always clearly noticeable. PCMark’s 8100 score is in the bottom third of our test results. Could not install 3DMark on AGM H Max. However, our experiences from other tests with this chipset clearly show that the processor is not suitable for heavy gaming.

The internal memory capacity is 128 GB, which is also a bit thin. At least it is possible to upgrade using a microSD card. RAM is 4 GB. In parallel with the microSD card, the AGM H Max can accommodate up to two Nano-SIM cards, so it offers dual SIM. Mobile surfing is only possible with LTE.

The AGM H Max uses GPS, GLONASS and Galileo for positioning. However, the accuracy of 6 meters according to GPS testing leaves something to be desired. Most smartphones are around 3 meters tall. The programmable button on the left can be assigned up to three functions (short, double and long press).

The AGM H Max ships with Android 14 and its own user interface, but the structure is largely based on vanilla Android. By default there is an app drawer and classic Android icons for navigation. The security patch is no longer current and is dated October 2024. Unfortunately, regular updates are not expected from the AGM.

A large battery with a capacity of 10,000 mAh is good for an outdoor cell phone, but not unusual. This turns the smartphone into a power bank if necessary, as reverse charging is possible. In battery testing, we achieved an average of 21 hours of simulated continuous runtime. With normal everyday use, the device should last for three days; “Typical” smartphones last up to 14 hours.

If you use the device a lot outside for tracking purposes, the battery will definitely drain more quickly. But it’s guaranteed to have enough stamina for the next outdoor adventurer. However, patience is required while charging as the power supply only charges at 10 watts. This means that the charging process takes about 4 hours. Wireless charging doesn’t work.

AGM sells the H Max for around 200 euros. You can already get outdoor cell phones at MindFactory 188 euros Plus 10 euros for shipping. In Jacob you get tools for this 193 euros With free shipping.

If you’re looking for a sturdy outdoor cell phone with very long battery life, the AGM H Max is an inexpensive option. In addition, despite the powerful battery, the robust phone is still quite serviceable for this type of mobile device, however, the hardware only meets simple requirements. The LCD offers 90Hz, but it only has HD resolution and the display isn’t very bright in the lower mid area. Only LTE is available for mobile surfing, and the camera can only be used for snapshots. The AGM H Max is affordable for an outdoor smartphone at under 200 euros.