When 5G first launched in 2019, the new global wireless standard first appeared on flagship phones like the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. Now even rugged smartphones from Blackview, Ulefone and Oukitel come with 5G connectivity. So far, all three major rugged smartphone vendors have released a 5G-equipped device in the form of the Ulefone Armor 10, Oukitel WP10, and Blackview BL6000 Pro. However, while the BL6000 Pro we recently reviewed may be the first smartphone from Blackview with 5G lacks some features, such as a flap covering the USB-C port that would make the device a rugged outdoor smartphone. For this reason, Blackview has announced the upcoming release of its flagship rugged smartphone, the BL8000.
BlackView BL8000
Blackview's next rugged smartphone will use the recently launched MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC and the BL8000 will be available this year. MediaTek's 5nm 6G chipset will enable users to connect to 5G networks and the inclusion of WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and dual-band GNSS (L1 + L5) will increase connectivity. The chipset also supports fast charging up to 65W and the BL8000 can be charged in a matter of minutes. In terms of performance, the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC has a single Cortex-A78 core clocked at 3 GHz, three Cortex A78 cores clocked at 2.6 GHz, and four A-55 cores clocked at 2 GHz to handle low-power tasks. The BL8000's display supports a refresh rate of up to 168Hz, while Hyper Engine 3.0 will enhance gaming and the device's 12GB of RAM will further enhance multitasking. We will likely know more about Blackview's new flagship smartphone once the device is ready to launch later this year.