This 20,000mAh Android phone completely dwarfed my iPhone 17 Pro Max – but there's more to it

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

---

I love my iPhone 17 Pro Max, but even this phone gives me battery anxiety on days when I know I’ll be away from a charger for an extended period. So I’m forever attaching wired or wireless power banks. I’m turning a sleek, thin, and light phone into a gigantic, unwieldy brick.

So why not start with a gigantic, unwieldy brick instead of a power bank?

Also: I thought this iPhone screen protector was overrated – until I hit it with a brass knuckle

If this sounds like something you want to do, then the Blackview Xplore 2 might be the smartphone for you.

Blackview has been producing large, ruggedized smartphones with huge batteries for years. If you wanted a rugged smartphone, Blackview was your go-to manufacturer. And with good reason, because these handsets really delivered on quality and reliability.

The Xplore 2 builds on this heritage, creating a smartphone for those who demand ruggedness, reliability, and a big battery.

Also: The best products we tested in 2025: ZDNET’s picks for phones, laptops, TVs, and more

There are three versions of the Xplore 2 — a standard version, a version with a built-in projector, and a satellite version.

At the core the Xplore 2 is a 4-nanometer quad-core MediaTek Dimensity 8300 chipset — quite a powerhouse as these chipsets go, and on par with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 — with 16GB of RAM, the option to add 24GB of virtual RAM on top of that (which I suggest you do because you get a lot of performance bump for little cost), and 256GB or 512GB of storage, depending on which model you buy.

The handset supports both 5G and Wi-Fi 6E, ensuring a future-proofed investment. That’s a decent hardware base to build on. 

The display is also very good here. You get a huge 6.73-inch, 1,440 x 3,200 display offering a pixel density of 521 pixels per inch with a dynamic refresh rate of 120 Hz. The system runs Doke OS 4.2, a modified version of Android 15.

The screen is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5, designed to withstand 1.2-meter, waist-high drops onto hard, rough surfaces. It’s also fairly bright, emitting a maximum of 2,600 nits, which makes it suitable for use in sunlight.

Built into the display is the fingerprint reader, which is a switch from other Blackview smartphones I’ve used that have it on a button. I like the placement, especially on such a big phone.

Regarding the unit’s durability, the Xplore 2 is built to withstand everything that the MIL-STD-810H certification demands, and is IP68/IP69K rated for dust and water resistance. Put this into real terms: this smartphone is designed to be completely dustproof, withstand drops from up to 6 meters at any angle on any surface, withstand temperature ranges of -4°F to 140°F (-20 °C to +60°C), high-temp/high-pressure water jets, and immersion, and is crushproof to 500 kg. 

It pulls this level of protection thanks to its five layers of protection — the Gorilla Glass 5 layer, an aluminum/titanium alloy, an aluminum/titanium alloy battery bracket, a shock-absorbing polymer base, and a reinforced armor back.

Also: 10 most popular gadgets this year, according to thousands of readers (including surprise picks)

This is a really tough handset, but this armor adds a lot of size and mass to the Xplore 2. At 1.14 inches thick and 1.5 pounds, in no way it cannot be considered thin or light.

On the back are two cameras — there’s a 50-megapixel Samsung unit with an f1.88 lens, and alongside this is a 20-megapixel night vision camera. There’s also a 50-megapixel selfie camera with an f/2.5 lens. Both cameras support 4K video at 60 frames per second, as well as HDR, and offer excellent performance. 

Also on the rear is a dual LED light that can output a blinding — and I mean that — 467 lumen camping light. The power output is adjustable, so you’re not constantly dealing with a searchlight, which is a good thing. It can also be set to strobe and to punch out SOS if needed. 

For content consumption, stereo speakers located at the bottom of the unit produce exceptional audio when watching movies or listening to music.

And that USB-C port is built to withstand water and is fully water-resistant on its own, without needing the cover flap to be fitted — a nice touch.

Also: I stopped leaving these 7 gadgets plugged in, and my electric bill thanked me

You do get an IR remote control feature, which allows you to control your TV, air conditioning unit, DVD player (remember those), and such. The most practical application I had for this was to annoy people around me by remotely fiddling with things. This is one of those things that you either have a use for or you don’t.

Let’s get to the bit that I’m really excited about — the battery. Inside the Xplore 2 is a huge 20,000mAh battery. To put that into perspective, small power banks typically have a capacity of around 5,000mAh, medium ones about 10,000mAh, and large ones 20,000mAh. If they exceed 27,000mAh, you can’t take them onto a commercial airliner.

The battery is large enough to keep the Xplore 2 running for 1,008 hours in standby mode (that’s a whopping 42 days), 84 hours of talk time, 23 hours of video playback, or 20 hours of gaming. It gives the Xplore 2 an unbelievably long battery life. 

If battery life is a priority for you, this is the handset to consider. And when you do manage to run the battery down, the 120W fast charging support means you’re back up and running in no time. 

Also: I found an AirTag alternative that beats the Bluetooth tracker in meaningful ways (including price)

My version of the Xplore 2 also came with a built-in projector. This is a 480p manual focus projector unit built into the front, capable of projecting a screen up to 100 inches across. It works, and once you’ve spent time getting it focused, the picture quality is acceptable enough to do the job. However, you do need to be in a darkened room, because brightness is on the low side. 

Like the IR remote, this is something you’ll really want and love, or just look at as a gimmick. For me, this is more of a gimmick, but since you can buy a version without this feature, I don’t see it being a problem.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The non-projector version of the Blackview Xplore 2 comes with 256GB or 512GB of storage, and is priced at $600 and $660, respectively. That’s a lot of money, but you’re getting a lot of phone for the money. I appreciate that Blackview is making the projector optional, as not everyone needs that feature. 

Performance-wise, the Xplore 2 is among the best. It’s not flagship-level performance, but it’s definitely at the high end of mainstream, which means you’re not compromising on power to get ruggedness.