UNIHERTZ TICK TOCK S – Half RUGGED dual DISPLAY
Unihertz Tick Tock S certainly cannot be mistaken for any rugged smartphone, due to a unique feature in its category, namely the presence of a dual display, which performs some functions that we could associate with those of a smartwatch. So let's find out performance together and if it's worth buying a phone of this kind.
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World First Unihertz Ticktock S Rugged 5G Smartphone 8GB 256GB Mobile Phone 5200mAh Mobile Phone 64MP Camera 30W Dimensity 700
to April 24, 2024 1:09
Price trend
Statistics
| Current price | 259,43€ | April 24 2024 |
| Highest price | 259,43€ | April 24 2024 |
| Lowest price | 180,51€ | March 18 2024 |
Last price change
| 259,43€ | April 24 2024 |
| 243,02€ | April 16 2024 |
| 254,52€ | April 9 2024 |
| 256,25€ | April 2 2024 |
| 181,74€ | March 25 2024 |
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
The Tick Tock S is definitely not one of those pocket phones, with dimensions of 168.5 × 82.5 × 14.3mm and a weight of 294g but it is undoubtedly extremely solid, with a mix of rubber and metal surrounding the phone. We find the IP68 certification, therefore resistant to diving so much so that there is a software-level feature that allows you to use the camera underwater. At the display level, as anticipated, we find two, the main 6,53-inch one while on the rear we have a 360-inch 360 × 1,3 pixel touch-enabled secondary display. Surprisingly, on the upper profile we find an IR transmitter and on the left side instead two red buttons used for recalling applications or shortcut functions, enabling even more features by customizing the recall between single and double touch or long press. The profiles are in metal with exposed torch screws that give the smartphone an industrial and elegant look at the same time. Then we find the SIM tray capable of hosting two in nano format with dual 5G connectivity but absent memory expansion.
On the right profile we instead have the volume rocker available with knurled keys for easy recognition even in the dark and the power key which also incorporates the biometric sensor for unlocking the device by means of a fingerprint. Unfortunately, the operation of this is not so reliable, probably due to a protrusion of the key poco pronounced. We should therefore sometimes rely on unlocking with the face, less secure and in any case not performing in dark conditions. Finally, on the lower profile there is the main microphone and the USB Type-C input with OTG function and support for fast charging at 30W, but no video output. This inlet is protected by a silicone flap which also helps prevent isolation from third party agents such as water and dust. No headphone jack input but in the package you will find the adapter that will allow you to take advantage of your wired earphones, also useful for using the FM radio.
For the rugged aspect of the Tick Tock S at the software level we find the toolbox app which offers many functions including sound level meter, compass, flashlight, heart rate monitor, speedometer and more. Returning instead to the back of the smartphone, to accommodate the secondary display we also find two cameras and LED flash while further down we have a slit, which hides the only speaker of the device. An unfortunately unfortunate position because when the smartphone is placed on a surface, the audio that comes out of it is occluded, which, adding to a not exactly high quality, does not make the Unihertz Tick Tock S shine in terms of sound performance. The volume, however, is generous which makes it useful for hands-free conversations.
DISPLAY
The front display, of the IPS type and protected by PANDA MN228 glass (a sort of cheaper Gorilla Glass), has a Full HD+ resolution (1080×2340 pixels) with a refresh rate of only 60Hz. The maximum brightness is not among the most powerful and this is a negative point considering that the type of user this Tick Tock S is aimed at could exploit the device a lot in direct sunlight, such as drivers or construction workers etc. Apart from that, the display was always fluid but above all it does not disappoint the reproduction of multimedia contents, even if the Widevine L1 DRMs are absent, but overall the reproduced colors are quite faithful. There is no AOD function as it is not an AMOLED panel and unfortunately we don't even have a status LED, but what about the secondary display that has been inserted for?
HARDWARE AND PERFORMANCE
With a MediaTek Dimensity 700 (octacore solution clocked at 2.2 GHz), the smartphone proposed by Unihertz does not disappoint in terms of performance, even if we push it into the twisted world of gaming. We can manage multiple actions simultaneously with extreme fluidity and without running into slowdowns or overheating. In this regard, one of the points in favor of this device is the autonomy which with standard use also extends beyond 2 days. There is a sort of fast charging at 30W while wireless charging is absent which would avoid wasting time with cables, also considering the presence of the rubber door of the USB port.
At the hardware level, Tick Tock S defends itself quite well as it is supplied with 8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256 GB of non-expandable UFS 2.2 internal memory, which contribute to the good performance of the phone. Then there is the NFC sensor for mobile payments, WiFi Dual, Bluetooth 5.3 and GPS, elements that enjoy good functioning, which is not exactly obvious in this product category. I have not been able to test the 5G but I can tell you that overall I have always enjoyed a good browsing speed even if the 4G+ is not hooked up, therefore being able to only take advantage of the standard 4G. Also the quality of the calls is indisputable and moreover at the software level we can record the calls.
The software is based on Android 12 in a practically stock version and therefore with no bloatware, while the patches are still in December 2022. The translation of the menus into Italian leaves much to be desired, so much so that many are not really translated and this is to say that on the updates side , Unihertz Tick Tock S probably won't receive any major updates. Therefore if you are attentive to this area, he but also many other devices of the same category are not suitable and therefore better to leave it alone.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Dimensions: 168,5x82,5x14,3mm
- Weight: 294 g (with battery)
- CPU: Dimension 700 Octa-Core (up to 2,2GHz)
- Operating system: Android 12
- Memory: 8GB LPDDR4X RAM + 256GB UFS 2.2
- Battery: 5200 mAh
- SIM card: dual Nano SIM card
- microSD: no exp
- Display cover glass: panda glass MN228
- Display Size: main screen: 6,53 inch / sub screen: 1,3 inch
- Resolution: main screen: 1080×2340 pixels, sub screen: 360×360 pixels
- Rear camera: 64MP AF + 2MP macro lens
- Front camera: 32MP FF
- Telephone bandwidth: 2G GSM (Banda 2/3/5/8), 3G WCDMA (Banda 1/2/4/5/6/8/19), 3G CDMA2000 (Banda BC0/BC1), 4G FDD-LTE (Banda 1 /2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/25/26/28A/28B/66), 4G TDD-LTE (Banda 34/38/39/40/ 41), 5G NR (Banda N1/2/3/5/7/8/12/20/25/28/38/40/41/66/77/78)
- Wi-Fi: WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2,4GHz/5GHz, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.3
- NFC: Yup
- GPS: GPS + GLONASS + BeiDou + Galileo
- Sensors: fingerprint (integrated with power button), G-sensor, gyroscope, proximity, ambient light sensor, compass, barometer
- Facial recognition: Yup
- Infrared port: Yup
- USB: USB type C
- USB OTG: Yes
- Programmable rates: Yup
- 3,5mm Headphone Jack: No
- Wireless Charging: No
- FM radio: Yup
- Certification: IP68 resistant to water and dust
CAMERA
At the photographic level, we find a 64 MP main sensor of unknown origin and with an aperture of f/2.8. There is support for (electronic) video stabilization, which itself goes up to 2K resolution but there is no optical image stabilization for still images. In this regard, the stabilization in general is really lacking and of poor quality. On the other side of the rear display there is a macro camera (2 megapixels) f.2.8, with overall acceptable performance. There's not much to say about either camera other than that they're functional and perform quite eloquently in good light. Unihertz has yet to include a specific night mode in its camera app, so there's no way to get a good quality picture in the dark.
The 32-megapixel selfie camera on the front is fine, but a key feature of this phone is that secondary display that lets you use the 64-megapixel camera instead. Flip the phone over and you can use the rear display as a viewfinder and take pictures with the top camera.
All in all, the cameras aren't particularly exciting, and Unihertz needs to work on improving its camera application if it's to make its devices more appealing to a wider audience. Fortunately, a particular version of GCam modified ad hoc for such devices comes to the rescue, which does not offer miracles, but at least allows you to take images in Portrait mode, take advantage of HDR and overall improve the performance of photos and videos.
I have to dedicate a separate chapter to the secondary display, of which I'll tell you I don't find who knows what use other than the one just mentioned above. You can choose in the settings which watch face you want to display with personalization also through personal photos and decide how long you want the display to be active. You can enable it with a short tap of one of the hotkeys or a double tap on the display itself or alternatively you can choose to have it always on, but even with the 5200mAh battery the consumption will increase by 1/2% per hour . The smoothness of scrolling isn't lightning fast here, but it works well enough for basic notifications or checking your music.
World First Unihertz Ticktock S Rugged 5G Smartphone 8GB 256GB Mobile Phone 5200mAh Mobile Phone 64MP Camera 30W Dimensity 700
to April 24, 2024 1:09
Price trend
Statistics
| Current price | 259,43€ | April 24 2024 |
| Highest price | 259,43€ | April 24 2024 |
| Lowest price | 180,51€ | March 18 2024 |
Last price change
| 259,43€ | April 24 2024 |
| 243,02€ | April 16 2024 |
| 254,52€ | April 9 2024 |
| 256,25€ | April 2 2024 |
| 181,74€ | March 25 2024 |
PROJECTED IMPACT
The Unihertz TickTock S is a rugged phone that doesn't give up on a premium and particular look. The dual display with functions like a smartwatch is interesting, even if this very presence makes the phone less "rugged" which, however resistant and armored, does not affect the possibility of breaking the display if it falls to the ground against a stone or other. Excellent autonomy that allows you to use it even for several days but above all the performance does not disappoint, both for standard use and in the gaming field.
Signs against are the audio due to the position of the speaker and the photographic and video rendering, also counting on the absence of a wide angle, which I would have preferred instead of the macro one, but overall the possibility of installing an alternative GCam is interesting for the MediaTek CPUs, which actually improves photos and videos, even if the absence of stabilization is felt. At a price of around 250 euros at the exchange rate, on the official store and on AliExpress, it becomes an interesting and competitive smartphone compared to models belonging to the same market category.
