Unihertz Titan Pocket Smartphone review – Built-in QWERTY keyboard gives it a retro vibe

REVIEW – If you have not figured it out by now, I will let you in on the secret. I really like testing and reviewing smartphones and especially those that offer extensive features or something unique. Smartphones have evolved quite a bit over the past few years, but there is something to be said about some of the older models. Maybe the key to the most interesting and versatile smartphone is to marry the old with the new. Let’s see if this Unihertz Titan Pocket Smartphone gets it right!!

What is it?

The Unihertz Titan Pocket has a 3.1-inch square touchscreen with a 716×720 resolution, supports dual SIM cards that allow you to have two numbers in one smartphone, and is as tough and drop-resistant as its predecessor, the Titan.

What’s in the box

1 x Unihertz Titan Pocket
1 x Screen Protector
1 x USB-C Cable
1 x AC Charger
1 x SIM Ejector Pin
1 x User Guide
1 x Warranty Card

Design and features

Features

Specifications

The following photos show all sides of the Unihertz Titan Pocket smartphone:

Performance

Once fully charged, the next step is to insert your SIM card. This is again a standard process. The Unihertz Titan Pocket can hold 2 SIM cards and the tray also accommodates a micro SD card.



The following are a few screenshots from the setup process. It is exactly the same as any other Android phone, so I won’t spend time on it.




Moving on to the camera:

The photo below is a selfie shot:

This next photo was taken using the normal default camera settings:
Normal
The Unihertz Titan Pocket also has a “pro” photo mode with several options. The following photos are the same shot taken in the various modes:

Incandescent

Fluorescent

Warm Fluorescent

Daylight

Cloudy

Twilight

Shade

Auto

I also tested out the camera’s video capability by using it to record for a review for a different sample:

So let’s talk about my overall impression of the Unihertz Titan Pocket smartphone. This phone is very sturdy and a compact size that allows me to drop it into any pocket and not be concerned if I miss it and it falls on the ground. I actually threw it through the air across a room for about 8 feet and it landed on a tiled floor sustaining no damage. The touchscreen movement is very responsive and smooth and the fingerprint sensor works every time without a glitch. My fingers are not small, and like the Blackberry, I struggle to use the physical keyboard. However, the buttons on the keyboard feel very nice and are immediately responsive. One of the included apps that I like is the FM Radio, albeit that you need to use wired headphones to listen since the headphone cable serves as the antenna. I tried the included remote control feature via the built-in IR remote control, but I could not get it to work even though the two TV brands that I have and tried are in the default list in the app. Each time after I selected the brand, the next screen just sat there as if frozen.
A missing feature that I think is a big miss, is that the phone is not waterproof. I am not sure what it takes to build a phone with a physical keyboard that is waterproof, but I still want that feature included.

In terms of sound, phone calls are clear for both parties and the volume of the Unihertz Titan Pocket’s speakers is adequate. The battery life could be better. If you use the phone a lot, it will take you through a workday but not from early morning through to late at night. My days start at 5 am and I get back home after 6 pm. With heavy use, this battery might barely make it. One major performance flaw that I experience repeatedly, is that when the phone sits idle for a while, it disconnects from my WiFii and seemingly also from the data connection from my provider. When this happens, I am unable to reconnect via the settings and have to restart the phone to do so.
Note: I have a screen protector that I removed several times and did not reinstall properly which is why the screen looks like that.

It is also important to mention that the Unihertz Titan Pocket is not listed in my provider’s database and for some reason, the connection on the screen shows as 3G. While this phone does not offer any 5G compatibility the specs say LTE connection. This is likely a provider issue.
Regardless, I enjoy my love/hate relationship with this chunky beast that will serve most of your smartphone needs in a compact and robust package, but if you jump overboard with it in your pocket, it will drown!! 🙂

What I like

• The build quality
• The combination of the physical keyboard and touchscreen
• The fluid movement of the screen
• The FM radio feature
• The compact footprint
• The overall features

What I’d change

• Fix the data/internet connectivity issue
• Increase battery life
• Add 5G
• Make it waterproof

Final thoughts

After using the Unihertz Titan Pocket smartphone every day for about a month, I have developed a love/hate relationship with it. I love the design, the built quality, the features, the touchscreen, and the size. I hate that it reminded me that my fingers struggle to deal with a keyboard that size, and I hate the internet connectivity inconsistency. Also, boasting about how well it is built to withstand falls but not making it waterproof is a miss for me, and IMHO any new phone has to be 5G compatible. Still, it is a nice phone and for the price, it should be a great fit for some.

Price: $299
Where to buy: Unihertz website and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Unihertz.