RugOne Xever 7 Wants to be Rugged Phone That Keeps Going with Hot-Swap Batteries

RugOne, a new brand spun out of Ulefone, made a strong impression at this year’s IFA in Berlin. The Xever 7 series is now available, with two smartphones to pick from: the regular Xever 7 and the higher-end Xever 7 Pro. Both of these devices are based on a basic but extremely useful concept: fixing an issue that many people face when they’re on the go all day or, worse, stuck somewhere without an outlet.

When you’re on a lengthy trip or working in a remote location away from civilization, most phones suffer from a lack of battery life. External battery packs can be inconvenient, adding weight and bulk to your phone, and even wireless choices like MagSafe packs can make things a little too bulky. RugOne took a completely different approach, and it’s a true game changer. They developed a replaceable 5,550 mAh battery that can be swapped without having to turn off your phone. There’s a small internal battery that will keep things running for up to 3 minutes, allowing you to change in a new pack without losing your spot or needing to reconnect. Every box includes a spare battery and an extra sealed rear cover to keep things watertight while you swap the batteries.

So, how does this work? You take the rear cover off, remove the old battery, replace it with the charged one, and seal everything back up. The phone briefly switches to low power mode before returning to normal operation. And the best bit? You may have many spares on hand if you need to be off the grid for a few weeks, or replace the battery years later when it begins to wear out. The good news is that this solution retains the full IP68 and IP69K certifications, indicating that your phone may be submerged underwater, as well as MIL-STD-810H certification to protect it from drops of up to 2 meters.

The build quality feels quite sturdy at 325 grams, which is a little heavier than you’re used to with your everyday phone, but it’s definitely balanced enough to carry in your hand for hours at a time. They’ve included a stronger frame that wraps around the body, and you can even change up the rear plate to match your style, including a great camouflage variant. On the bottom, there are some exposed charging connections that connect to a really useful folding dock. This accessory not only charges your phone at 28 watts, but it also recharges a spare battery and stands the phone upright on your desk for you. In addition, the box includes a 33-watt wall plug and reverse charging, which allows you to charge your earbuds or other small gadgets via the phone’s USB-C connection.

The display is a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen that runs at a silky smooth 120 Hz, capable of reaching a maximum brightness of 2,200 nits, which is a substantial cut through direct sunlight. Gorilla Glass protects the screen from scratches, and Android 15 is the operating system of choice, with updates planned for at least three more major versions. You have a MediaTek Dimensity 7025 processor, 12 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage. And if you ever need more space, you can simply insert a microSD card up to 2TB. With the addition of eSIM functionality, you can transfer providers without having to deal with a SIM card.

On the camera front, things become interesting. Both models have a 50-megapixel primary sensor with optical stabilization, which is ideal for taking stable images underwater or while on the move. But then there’s the 64-megapixel night vision camera, which employs four infrared LEDs to see things you’d never see in complete darkness. If you upgrade to the Pro model, you get a FLIR Lepton 3.5 thermal sensor, which can detect heat from minus 10 degrees Celsius to 450 degrees.

Other notable additions include a dedicated button for a 230-lumen flashlight with adjustable brightness, excellent for navigation, a classic 3.5mm headphone jack, and a side fingerprint scanner for easy phone access. A programmable shortcut key on the frame allows you to rapidly access features such as the built-in light and camera as needed.

The standard Xever 7 starts about $500, but the Pro with thermal imaging will set you back at least $660, with both available through RugOne’s online store or AliExpress.
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