AGM M1 review – 3G feature phone that is drop, dust and water proof

Since the announcement of Nokia 3310 2017 many users have started showing interest in feature phones. The AGM M1 is one such feature phone that as well can compete with Nokia 3310, the M1 is rugged, it’s dust, drop and water proof and cheaper than 3310.

Unboxing the AGM M1 – Inside the box you will get the handset, user manual, strap, data cable, metal that you can use like a screw driver to remove screw on the back and travel charger 5V/1A.

Design, Display and features

This is a rugged phone and like other rugged phones it comes with extra layer of protection using rubber / metal combination that helps absorb shock waves when handset hits the ground. This extra layer on the body also increases the weight and overall dimensions. But this is needed to make the handset / device rugged / drop proof.

AGM M1 weight is 168 grams, also the handset is not at all slim. It however does feel really good to hold and use. Also when you hold the handset you do feel the strong build. This is a dual SIM handset you can use 2 normal SIM’s plus there is micro SD card slot (max 8GB).

AGM M1 is a feature phone that sports a 2 inch screen (not a touch screen) with 220 x 176 pixels resolution. It is a basic phone meant for making / receiving calls and SMS’s. A little bit of browsing, 3G is supported. Well that’s it, there is not much you can do with feature phones.

This handset comes with a 2MP camera on the back with LED flash.  There are numeric keypads and if you have used a feature phone before you will quickly understand what it can do, and how the menu system works, the 4 day navigational key and the centre ok button.

M1 comes with a 2570 mAh removable battery that is too good for such a feature phone. To remove the back cover you need to remove the two screws. The SIM slots / micro SD slot is below the battery compartment – so you will have to remove the battery to access it. All the ports namely audio jack and charging ports are sealed.

Drop / Water tests

AGM M1 is IP68 certified  – it is dust, water and shock proof. This phone can survive being underwater for up to 1.5m depth for over 30 minutes. I usually do not perform drop test on handsets that are not rugged phones (makes no sense). But since M1 is a rugged phone and company says it is drop proof, so makes sense doing drop / under water test.

I did, threw the phone (not just dropping) many times on a plane surface, there was no scratch or dent. The handset survived. The same test can be performed on uneven ground like tar roads, cement roads etc. The handset will survive but it might get some few scratches and may be some minor  dents.

Screen is still the most delicate part. If screen hits any sharp / pointing object first when it hits ground it will most likely crack.

Camera

Just no good.

Camera sample

Performance and battery life

Loudspeaker sound was very loud, no issues with in-call sound also. Battery life is also very good you will get an easy 5 to 8 days usage time on a single charge.

Verdict

It really makes no sense to buy a feature phone today,  but you can buy one to use it like a backup phone. The AGM M1 is really strong, tough to break and could turn out a very good option for those who frequently damage their phone or for elderly people looking for a rugged phone.

Rating 4 out of 5

AGM M1 is not available in India, but you can get it from international stores. Though the price is just about $34, there should not be any custom duty applicable, and even if there is it will be minimal.

AGM M1 is priced at $34.99 (approx Rs. 2,300).

AGM M1 Giveaway

I am giving away this M1 feature phone for 1 lucky winner do take part in GiveAway.