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tvOS will come with a handful of performance boosts, but Apple is leaving two models out of the update.

Some local internet providers score higher than the big national names we hear often, but there's one winner that's an all-around favorite.

All the ways for you to stream the opening ceremony of the World Cup as Michael Buble, Shakira, Burna Boy and Katy Perry performing.

Corsair Galleon 100 SD one minute review

I still don't quite know what to make of Corsair's Galleon 100 SD gaming keyboard. On the one hand, the ethos of this thing, the switches, the design, the implementation are generally very well thought out, and it's solidly built too.

Sound-dampening is decent, the linear MLX switches are delightful to type on, and the Stream Deck integration on the right-hand panel gives the whole thing a lot more versatility than you first might think.

Whereas before your Stream Deck buttons sat beside your monitor, the Galleon 100 SD brings them within reach, taking up that numpad position instead. That makes it a more natural flow while you're gaming and streaming at the same time.

That's a long-winded way of saying you can actually use all of the Stream Deck's vast utility in-game, finally, without stretching halfway across your desk to do it. Not only can you have all of those macros and keybinds added into the numpad directly, with visual indicators as to what they actually do, but the display element gives you key system stats while you do it.

The bigger issue lies in the absolute bonanza of software you need to get this thing running. The Galleon, by default, requires two separate programs to fully function. Corsair's Web Hub, a PWA interface (or website effectively) that replaces the desktop iCUE app, allowing you to change your lighting, keybinds, polling rate, all with a lightweight web page rather than a full-blown software suite. And then the standalone desktop Stream Deck app, which you need to configure, well, the Stream Deck.

(Image credit: Future)

The worst part about that is that the Galleon's not backwards compatible with iCUE directly, and similarly, a lot of the "legacy" Corsair hardware hasn't made its way to the Web Hub either yet (there's a promise it's coming, but nothing confirmed). So, if you're running RGB lighting with some older fans, or a different mouse that isn't supported by Web Hub, you're effectively running iCUE, Web Hub, and the Stream Deck app to keep all of your Corsair products in line, and that just feels messy.

Then there's the price. It isn't cheap, by any measure. Yes, you are technically getting a full Stream Deck in here as well, so there's that to bear in mind, but it's near enough $100 more than the likes of Corsair's Makr Pro line (a markedly better keyboard if your sole aim is gaming).

It's a good board, and if you're not phased by the ludicrous software setup and the price tag, you'll get along with it just fine. Arguably for many, that expanded Stream Deck utility might make it one of the best gaming keyboards you could buy. But you really need to be able to justify what you gain from the Stream Deck itself. If you hesitate even for a moment on that thought, you might be better off looking elsewhere.

Corsair Galleon 100 SD review: Price & availability

• Priced astonishingly high for a standard mechanical keyboard
• Available globally today
• Only worth it if the Stream Deck is for you

Perhaps the biggest talking point of the Galleon 100 SD is that price tag. $350 and £310 (around AU$500) for a keyboard of this magnitude is a tough pill to swallow, particularly because at its bare bones, the keyboard itself doesn't really outclass boards a third of the cost.

Like yes, the MLX switches are lush to type on, pre-lubed, and there's plenty of sound dampening going on here, but those aren't exactly Corsair exclusives, and you can find a number of full-size boards from other manufacturers that feature exactly that, for a lot less.

Now, yes, of course, you do get that Stream Deck baked into the side here, sacrificing a full numpad for it (although technically that is a function that's available with a quick profile swap), but if you've already got a Stream Deck in any form, it's quite hard to justify the extra cost.

• Value: 3/5

(Image credit: Future)Corsair Galleon 100 SD review: Specs

Price

$349.99 / £309.99 / AU$599

Layout

Full-size "Extended"

Switch

Corsair MLX Pulse

Switch specs

45g actuation; 2.0mm actuation point; 3.6mm travel; 80M keystrokes

Keycaps

Shine-through PBT

Dimensions

448 × 159 × 42mm (17.6 × 6.3 × 1.65")

Connectivity

Wired USB-A; 2× USB 2.0 Type-C passthrough

Polling rate

Up to 8,000Hz (wired)

Rollover / anti-ghosting

Full-key rollover (NKRO), 100% anti-ghosting

Weight

1.392kg (3.07lb), excl. palm rest

Corsair Galleon 100 SD review: Design

• Lush aluminum frame, dense and filled with sound-dampening
• Stream Deck replacing the numpad is wildly cool
• Twin dials is highly divisive, and the lighting is average

From a pure design perspective, there's a lot here that generally leans positive. The aluminum body is clean, solid, and it feels durable. There's little, if any, flex in the shell, and the sound dampening is doing its work nicely.

There's no errant pings or metallic rattlings going on here at all. Certainly not compared to the 2022 generation of K70 keyboards, that's a fact. And without a doubt, Corsair's keyboard design and build quality has come a long way in the last few years; that's very easy to see. Still, it's not quite as solid as the Makr line, nor does it feel as heavy.

Styling on the whole is a bit of a mixed bag. The aluminum outer shell mimics most of Corsair's product line right now with soft bevelled edges and this relatively satin-esque finish.

(Image credit: Future)

The top LED bar is a bit gauche. You've got this quite bizarre, triangular three-point pattern running along the length of it as a plastic strip with the Corsair logo embedded in the middle, which, if I'm honest, looks quite cheap. It would've been far better suited just to have a singular Corsair logo, and that's it. In fact, that's something that the Makr line does well.

I'm not entirely sold on the twin dial setup either. There's just something about it that looks a bit diabolical, and I can't quite place it. This is a bit of a hangover from the Stream Deck Plus, and I get the utility here being able to configure two dials to two different operations (particularly useful for video scrubbing, or creative work), but visually it's a bit eugh.

(Image credit: Future)

There's also a few other bells and whistles here, too. Namely, for some reason (despite there being a fully dedicated Stream Deck with 12 buttons, media controls, and twin dials over to the right) a fully embedded set of function keys here too. I mean, sure, why not? It's not like you're losing anything by having them.

Keycaps are clean, too. The font face is professional and sensible, more subdued than some of the more custom units out there, and the PBT touch is comfortable enough to type on, that's for sure. Corsair's also included two USB Type-C passthroughs on this thing as well.

Corsair Galleon 100 SD review: Performance

• MLX Pulse switches are smooth and satisfying, if over-damped.
• Stream Deck's finally usable in-game properly
• The three-app software stack drags the whole experience down

So the good news is, typing and gaming on the Galleon 100 is a real treat. It's smooth to use on those linear MLX switches feel buttery under touch. It's not quite as pleasant an experience for me as on the Makr Pro, or Asus ROG Strix Scope II RX, but it's still top quality. If you like a linear switch, and you're not quite as heavy-handed as I am, bottoming out every key strike, you'll love this thing.

The Stream Deck, too, is immensely satisfying to use. Once you've got it set up and it's swapping into profiles on game load, with your keybinds and macros set, it's a real treat. I've already mentioned, but having the keys within reach like that makes it far more useful than leaning across your desk to whack a macro real fast. Star Citizen in particular, and well, any simulator, rife with keybinds, benefits a ton.

I will say, the feel of those switches, though, sucks. Certainly, when you have the direct comparison of a mechanical switch right next to them. That's particularly jarring if you just need to use a numpad quickly to enter a pin, or your phone number. It's mentally very jarring. Almost like you're going back in time for a second, using a membrane board.

(Image credit: Future)

Then there's the software stack. Oh boy. You effectively need two programs to run this board efficiently. The Stream Deck app, to configure your deck profiles and each key, along with the display. That's local, sits on your desktop. Then, the Web Hub to configure the Corsair side of the keyboard. That's web-based (although you can install it on desktop via the "Save and Share -> Install page as an app" feature).

Web Hub is effectively a lighter-weight replacement for iCUE. You access it via URL. Configure your settings once, and it disappears into the ether. The problem with it is that it's not entirely backwards compatible with the rest of Corsair's legacy hardware. So, older products still need to be configured and set up via iCUE on your desktop. What's worse is that the Galleon isn't compatible with iCUE, so if you are embedded in the Corsair ecosystem, you're then left in a position where you have effectively three apps to control your products.

There's a more pressing issue, too, in that Web Hub isn't supported by all browsers currently. In short, it uses two browser APIs to access the keyboard directly via USB: WebHID, and WebUSB. Firefox doesn't natively support those APIs as it (rightly) views it as a harmful fingerprint/security attack vector that exposes your USB hardware unnecessarily to web pages. So it's not even a case of "Mozilla will catch up eventually", the company has taken a philosophical stance against the implementation of it, and it doesn't have anyone working on it.

Similarly, Brave, although Chromium-based, will only allow device configuration through Web Hub with permission enabled, and doesn't allow you to update the firmware at all. If you want to do any of that, you're effectively forced to install Chrome, Edge, or Opera.

It's a tricky one to justify. Particularly as iCUE itself was already stripped down in the last few years anyway. Currently, it only installs modules based on what you actually need and what products you have plugged in, rather than the entire back catalog.

Theoretically, yes, you could install a second browser specifically just for Web Hub. Then install that as a PWA app, but this just feels so hard to justify from a user experience perspective. It'd be far better just to add compatibility into iCUE directly, and it's hard to see why Corsair didn't.

Should I buy the Corsair Galleon 100 SD?Corsair Galleon 100 SD Scorecard

Attribute

Notes

Score

Performance

Switches are a dream to type on, ideal if you don't bottom them out, and having access to that Stream deck gives it greater in-game utility, but the software stack leaves a lot to be desired, particularly if you use Firefox or are security-conscious.

3/5

Design

Clean, crisp, professional with plenty of sound dampening, and quality switches. The implementation of the Stream Deck is top-tier, but the lighting strip could use some work.

4/5

Value

Thoroughly expensive compared to other mechanical boards with similar build quality but you do get a full display and Stream Deck thrown in for good measure.

3/5

Buy it if…

You want a keyboard and a stream deck, but not both
The Galleon 100 SD's claim to fame is that Stream Deck is baked in on the side, replacing the numpad. With twin dials and a cornucopia of profiles you can set up, it becomes one of the best gaming utilities out there.View Deal

You create as much as you game
It's those twin dials that are game-changing, and if you're a streamer, then you're doubly equipped with quick camera options, lighting controls, scene setups, the works, all at your fingertips.View Deal

You miss the older K70 keyboards
There's a certain K70"ness" about the Galleon 100. Naming conventions aside, the size, the layout, the build quality, it's got all the hallmarks of that legendary line.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You're fed up with software bloat
Embedded in Corsair's ecosystem already? Be prepared to install Elgato's Stream Deck app, Corsair's Web Hub, and iCUE as well, just to get everything playing nicely, and that's without mentioning the security risk and lack of Firefox support.View Deal

You're after a budget keyboard
She's seriously pricey, and you can get similarly performing keyboards at a fraction of the cost, with sound-dampening and pre-lubed linear switches if you'd like. Although you lose out on that Stream Deck.View Deal

You want a slimmer form factor
Its extended form factor makes it wide, seriously wide, which can be an issue if you're thinking about your ergonomics or have a narrow desk.View Deal

Also consider

Corsair Makr Pro 75

Want the premium Corsair build without the Stream Deck sprawl, and $100 off? The Makr Pro 75 is the better-built, hall-effect sibling, with adjustable magnetic switches and eight layers of dampening to the Galleon's 6. Sure, you lose out on the big ol display and squishy media keys, but it dominates this thing in almost every other area, with 33% off.View Deal

Asus ROG Strix Scope II RX

You don't have to break the bank to get a good ol' lubed-up keyboard these days. Asus' Strix Scope II RX is a seriously slick alternative: superb RX Red optical switches, proper sound dampening, PBT keycaps, and an actual numpad, all for about $110, roughly a third of the price. The catch? No Stream Deck to spam your buddies with gifs. Still, you could buy this and a standard one, and still save $100.

Read our full Asus ROG Strix Scope II RX reviewView Deal

How I tested the Corsair Galleon 100 SD

• Tested over three weeks as my daily driver
• Used for gaming, professional writing, and creative work
• Full Stream Deck integration tested
• Compared to competitors and my back catalogue, with 11 years of experience in the tech field

I lived with the Galleon 100 SD for about three weeks, running it as my main board. I tested it across all manner of different tasks, from creative agency work to freelance journalism and, of course, gaming sessions in Total War: Warhammer 3 and World of Warcraft as well.

During my time with it, it was the Stream Deck that I focused on most; after all, keyboards are very similar, and Corsair's got a name for making good ones, but implementing a Stream Deck into the side of it and swapping out the numpad? Had to be put through its paces.

I benchmarked it against a selection of modern-day keyboards I have in-house, and compared it to the wider market at the time of testing, including the Makr Pro 75, which I'd just finished up reviewing as well. I've spent over a decade testing PC hardware and peripherals, so I've got plenty of knowledge to draw on when it comes to mechanical keebs and the plucky old Stream Deck, too.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: June 2026

Corsair's Galleon 100 SD keyboard is a confusing thing. Good? Yes. But the software stack leaves a lot to be desired.

Whether your dad is more of a movie guy or an audiobook fan, there's a subscription that'll win him over here.

RugOne Xever 8: 30-second review

While this phone won’t make our best rugged phone collection, what it offers might be perfect for some customers, and it is reasonably affordable for a phone with a swappable battery.

RugOne is Ulefone's premium rugged sub-brand, launched in late 2025. It targets buyers who want a genuinely capable device rather than a cheap, rough-and-ready handset. The Xever 8 is the entry point to the second generation of that vision. It arrived in May 2026 and carries forward the headline idea from the Xever 7 series: a battery you can swap without powering down the phone.

That concept matures here into what RugOne calls Swappable Battery 2.0. The claim is that critical apps stay running throughout the swap, and within quite narrow criteria, it achieves that.

I can confirm that the Xever 8 ships with two 4,800mAh batteries and a charging dock in the box. For field workers and outdoor users who simply cannot afford downtime, the proposition is clear.

There is a catch, though, and it is worth addressing upfront. The Xever 7 was a 5G device with a Dimensity 8020 chipset. The Xever 8 steps down to a Helio G200 on a 4G-only platform. For a phone launching in 2026, that is a significant concession, and it, to some degree, negates some of the advantages this phone has over its previous generation. RugOne made a deliberate trade-off, prioritising the battery system and audio hardware over performance. Whether buyers agree that trade is fair depends heavily on what they need most.

With a better SoC, this might have been one of the best rugged phones, but it appears that we might need to wait until the Xever 9 to get all these ducks in a row.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)RugOne Xever 8: price and availability

• How much does it cost? $368/£380
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? You can get it directly from RugOne or via many online retailers such as AliExpress.

The RugOne Xever 8 comes in two colors, Back and Sand Dune, and each of these offers two SKUs, one with 128GB of storage and another with 256GB.

While the machine is shown on the RugOne website, there isn’t any option to buy it from the maker, and I was forced to search for it elsewhere. The only place I could find it was AliExpress, and for US customers, the only option is the 128GB model for $367.99.

UK customers get both capacity phones, with the 128GB being £379.39 and the 256GB option (reviewed here) being £414.59. Spending £35.20 and getting an extra 128GB of storage doesn’t seem like a poor deal. It doesn’t appear to be available to those in the EU at this time, but I suspect it will be at some point.

I complained that the previous RugOne Xever 7 Pro was too expensive, and admittedly, its predecessor, the Xever 8, is cheaper. However, given its specifications, it should be less.

The obvious competitor for this phone is the Samsung Galaxy XCover7 Pro, a phone that sells for roughly $560 in the USA, and £425 in the UK. That’s for a phone with only 128GB of storage and a single battery. Batteries are freely available for around £22 each. The Samsung Galaxy XCover7 Pro uses a Snapdragon 7 Gen3 SoC, making it a substantially more powerful device, justifying some of that extra cost.

The Xever 8 is a better value than its Xever 7 Pro predecessor, but it's hardly a bargain in the remarkably competitive rugged phone sector. What helps RugOne justify the price somewhat is the relatively small number of designs with replaceable batteries.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• Value score: 4/5

RugOne Xever 8: Specs

Item

Spec

CPU:

MediaTek Helio G200 (6nm)

GPU:

Mali-G57 MC2

NPU:

N/A

RAM:

8GB

Storage:

256GB UFS 2.2

Screen:

6.5-inch IPS Screen

Resolution:

1080 x 2400 FHD+, 120Hz, 680 nits

SIM:

2x Nano SIM + TF + eSIM (all can be used)

Weight:

320 grams

Dimensions:

168 x 80 x 14mm

Rugged Spec:

IP68 IP69K dust/water resistant (up to 2m for 30 minutes), MIL-STD-810H Certification

Rear cameras:

64MP Main Camera + 20 MP Night Vision Camera

Front camera:

32MP

Networking:

4G LTE. WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.2

Audio:

3.5mm audio jack for headphones

OS:

Android 15 (updates promised)

Battery:

4600 mAh (Max 33W wired, dock included) hot-swapable

Colours:

Sand Dune, Black

RugOne Xever 8: Design

• Industrial aesthetic
• Extra custom buttons
• Easily swappable batteries

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

In many ways, this phone is a derivative of the Xever 7 Pro, but with some extra elegance and refinement in places. That it comes with the charging stand, a second battery, a charger, and a bunch of other accessories does make it feel more worthy of the asking price.

The Xever 8 measures 168 x 80 x 14mm and weighs 320g. It is not especially light or slim, but it fits better into a pocket than some rugged phones I’ve reviewed. That is the reality of a phone engineered to survive two-metre drops, high-pressure water jets, and the demands of MIL-STD-810H testing. The IP69K rating alongside IP68 is notable. IP69K specifically covers resistance to high-temperature, high-pressure water streams, which is relevant in agricultural and industrial settings where a regular waterproof phone would fail.

RugOne has tried to soften the bulk with bevelled edges designed for grip. The company calls the speaker and camera module arrangement symmetrical, which is unusual in this category. Two colourways are available: Black and Sand Dune. The latter is a muted, low-saturation tone clearly inspired by the rugged outdoor aesthetic that is now common across the category.

The rear cover is removable, obviously, since the battery sits beneath it. The dual-latch system on that cover is a practical addition. An internal latch secures the battery cell itself, and the outer cover adds a second retention point. The claim is that this significantly improves drop resistance at the point where a single-latch design would typically allow the battery to shift on impact.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

A dedicated button on the side can be used to activate the TorchX flashlight, rated at 230 lumens. That is a useful addition for anyone working in unlit environments. The 3.5mm headphone jack is also present on the top edge. These are small decisions that matter to the people this phone is built for.

The Xever 8 uses a 6.5-inch IPS LCD panel running at 1080 x 2400 pixels. At 405 pixels per inch, sharpness is not an issue. The 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and navigation feel fluid. Peak brightness reaches 680 nits in high brightness mode, which should be adequate for outdoor use in most conditions, though it does not match the 1,000-plus nit figures now appearing on flagship OLED panels.

Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protects the display. That is two generations behind Gorilla Glass 5 and four behind Gorilla Glass Victus, both of which appear on competing devices in this price range. It is functional protection, and the overall rugged construction means the chassis absorbs much of the shock that would otherwise reach the screen, but it is worth noting for buyers who have had cracked screens before.

The aspect ratio is 20:9, which suits one-handed use in portrait mode. RugOne says the display is grip-friendly, and the physical dimensions suggest the narrower 80mm width helps with that. All the buttons are metal, which does give the Xever 8 a premium feel.

Design score: 4/5

RugOne Xever 8: Hardware

• MediaTek Helio G200
• UFS 2.2 storage
• Swappable batteries

The MediaTek Helio G200 is a 6nm octa-core chip running two Cortex-A76 performance cores at 2.2GHz alongside six Cortex-A55 efficiency cores at 2.0GHz. The GPU is a Mali-G57 MC2.

If you didn’t read the clues in those statements, this is a mid-range platform, not a flagship one. For everyday use, including calls, navigation, messaging, and camera work, it will perform without complaint. Gaming above casual titles and GPU-intensive tasks is where this chip reaches its ceiling.

The RAM configuration is 8GB physical with an additional 8GB of virtual dynamic RAM. Storage ships in 128GB and 256GB variants, both using UFS 2.2. That is an area where the Xever 7 series outshone this device. UFS 2.2 is not slow, but the step from higher-grade storage feels like a backwards move in a product that otherwise claims to be purpose-built for professional use.

USB connectivity is USB 2.0. There is no video output. For a field worker wanting to mirror the screen to a display or transfer large files quickly, that is a real limitation. The Xever 7 Pro carried the same USB 2.0 restriction and received criticism for it. The Xever 8 repeats that choice, though that’s another feature that hinges on the choice of the SoC.

Where the Xever 8 makes its strongest argument is in the battery department, because in theory, it could have a massive capacity. Each battery holds 4,800mAh. Two are included.

The Swappable Battery 2.0 system allows one to be replaced while the phone keeps running. A small internal power buffer maintains the system during the swap. RugOne states that critical apps, calls, and GPS remain active throughout, provided the swap is completed within two minutes. Beyond two minutes, the phone enters a 60-second safety lockout to protect data.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

In practice, that means a user carrying one spare battery has access to something approaching 9,600mAh of usable capacity across a working day without needing a cable at all. The four-in-one charging station that comes in the box charges batteries independently, so the spare can top up while the device is in use.

However, where this scheme trips up somewhat is with respect to charging, which peaks at 18W wired. That is not fast by 2026 standards, but the swappable system largely renders charging speed less critical than it is on sealed-battery devices. The phone also supports 10W reverse wired charging, allowing it to top up other devices.

One concern raised in early community commentary is that RugOne's customer support has indicated that additional batteries are not sold separately. Buyers receive what comes in the box and cannot stock spare cells beyond that. This is a significant limitation if a battery degrades over time, or you wish to carry more than one replacement.

For this reviewer, the biggest issue here is the G200 CPU, as it's far from modern phone technology, and it doesn’t support 5G comms, only 4G LTE. This choice seems to fly in the face of the notion that newer designs should have better technology.

As a platform, the Xever 8 is underwhelming.

• Hardware score: 3/5

RugOne Xever 8: Cameras

• 64MP, 20MP on the rear
• 32MP on the front
• Three cameras in total

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The RugOne Xever 8 has three cameras:

Rear camera: 64MP Sony IMX682, 20MP Sony IMX350 Night vision,
Front camera: 32MP GalaxyCore GC32E1

The main sensor is a 64MP Sony IMX682 with an f/1.9 aperture and PDAF. This is a well-regarded 1/1.7-inch sensor that appears across a range of mid-to-high-end devices. Paired with sufficient processing and a capable aperture, it can produce usable results in daylight. Video tops out at 2K at 30fps, which is adequate but hardly wonderful.

The second rear camera is the more interesting choice for this category. It is a 20MP night vision camera with an f/1.8 aperture and two integrated infrared emitters. In total darkness, without any visible light, this sensor can produce usable images and video.

The applications this is suitable for are straightforward: wildlife observation, search and rescue, perimeter checks, and pinhole camera detection. It is a genuinely specialist capability that most smartphones simply do not offer.

Oddly, in the supported camera section of Android, it mentions that this version of the OS was compiled with support for the GalaxyCore GC8034, an 8MP sensor often used for special focus scenarios like Bokeh mode. But I couldn’t find any evidence for this hardware in the camera app, so it might have been omitted from the final phone.

On the front, a 32MP f/2.5 selfie camera covers video calls and self-documentation. The 0.7-micron pixel size is small, which may limit low-light performance, but the resolution is generous for the category.

An underwater camera mode is included, accessible via side buttons to avoid touchscreen failures when submerged. Given the realistic limits on how deep you can submerge a phone like this, I’m not sure providing an underwater mode is a good idea. Take it much beyond the two-metre depth limit, and pressure will force water inside, ending the fun abruptly.

For still image capture, the primary camera on the Xever 8 is effective, and the night vision sensor is a tried-and-tested solution. There are also plenty of special modes such as slow motion, time lapse, panorama, document capture, group photo, dual video, sports and Pro controls.

What’s less wonderful is that there are only two levels of digital zoom, and the maximum video resolution is only 2K. Note that the Sony IMX682 supports 4K capture, whereas the G200 SoC can only handle 2K video. Yet another way that the SoC choice stymied this design.

RugOne Xever 8 Camera samplesMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark Pickavance

• Camera score: 3.5/5

RugOne Xever 8: Performance

• 6nm SoC
• Mid-tier performance

Phone

 

RugOne Xever 8

RugOne Xever 7 Pro

SoC

 

MediaTek Helio G200

MediaTek Dimensity 7025

GPU

 

Mali-G57 MC2

IMG BXM-8-256

NPU

 

N/A

N/A

Memory

 

8GB/256GB

12GB/512GB

Weight

 

320g

325g

Battery

 

4800

5550

Geekbench

Single

728

940

 

Multi

1952

2283

 

OpenCL

1657

136*

 

Vulkan

1747

133*

PCMark

3.0 Score

9357

11353

 

Battery

15h 18m (15%)

17h 53m

Charge 30

%

35

33

Passmark

Score

5914

10999

 

CPU

4616

5367

3DMark

Slingshot OGL

3346

3777

 

Slingshot Ex. OGL

2531

2600

 

Slingshot Ex. Vulkan

2746

2665

 

Wildlife

1427

N/A

Nomad Lite

162

N/A

If the Xever 7 Pro were made by a different brand, then perhaps comparing it to the Xever 8 might be considered unfair, but it's mostly the numbering convention here that sends a confused signal.

From a hardware perspective, the Xever 8 is a retrograde step, with the exception of graphics. The IMG BXM-8-256 used on the Xever 7 Pro is a horrific GPU that doesn’t support OpenGL or Vulkan properly, and it gets outperformed by the modest Mali-G57 MC2. To anchor that assessment, the Xever 8 still isn’t a gaming phone, or anything approaching that.

Where these scores get interesting is when we look at the battery, because the Xever 8 has a smaller battery than the Xever 7 Pro, but manages similar efficiency. As I recall, on the Xever 7 Pro, the phone was entirely exhausted after the battery benchmark, but the Xever 8 still had 15% battery left. If you at 15% to the running time of the Xever 8, it’s almost exactly the same time as the Xever 7 Pro.

Except, it has 14% less battery capacity. That demonstrates that the Helio G200 is more efficient than the Dimensity 7025. But compared to a modern 4nm SoC, it's not that efficient.

Overall, neither of these devices is anything more than a mid-tier device, and by the end of this year, they’ll be entry-level. But if you do invest in the Xever 8, it’s nice to know you have more than 30 hours of runtime with both batteries.

• Performance score: 3/5

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)RugOne Xever 8: Final verdict

Before I wrote this review, I immediately looked at my RugOne Xever 7 Pro piece, and was amused by the first paragraph in that verdict. I’d said the Xever 7 Pro design had gone somewhat off the rails when they discovered that the 5550mAh battery in that phone wasn’t enough for the SoC that RugOne had probably planned for it. It was a guess on my part that the Dimensity 7025 used in that design was an alternative that better fitted the battery capacity.

And, now in the Xever 8, I’m getting the same vibe. Instead of starting with the SoC and then designing the battery system to work with that, it looks like RugOne started with the battery and worked backwards. Which is how this machine ended up with the G200 SoC.

For those familiar with MediaTek’s range, the G200 only appeared in mid-2025, although its technology dates back to the G100 (2024) and the G99 (2022). And, the giveaway about the underlying age of this design is that it's fabricated at 6nm, not the 4nm that MediaTek sells for mid-tier designs, or the 3nm (soon to be 2nm) on its flagship chips. The G99 wasn’t entirely new when it was launched, and the G200 is three iterations from that.

The irony is that a newer SoC might have allowed the battery in the Xever 8 to last even longer if used correctly, and enabled more concurrent features like 5G comms and 4K video.

Overall, for someone who can work with these specifications, the Xever 8 is a workable solution, but, like the Xever 7 Pro, it's compromised in several important areas.

Should I buy a RugOne Xever 8?RugOne Xever 8 Score Card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Better value than the Xever 7 Pro, but it needed a better SoC for this price

4/5

Design

Easy to handle and includes an elegant battery tech

4/5

Hardware

The G200 SoC isn’t modern tech and lacks 5G

3/5

Camera

Good primary camera sensor and night vision, but only 2K video

3.5/5

Performance

Not a great performer for its price

3/5

Overall

Swappable batteries don’t overshadow some of this phone limitations

3.5/5

Buy it if...

You need a phone for outdoors
The water and dust resistance on the Xever 8 is enough to handle submersion and drops. And the battery-swap technology also helps avoid it being overly heavy.

You need battery capacity
One critical feature of this design is the swappable battery, and how that feature translates into running time. However, RugOne doesn’t appear to sell extra batteries yet, which is crazy.

Don't buy it if...

You need the best photography
The sensors on this phone aren't exceptional, but they're also not rubbish. However, the camera app doesn't allow you to exploit what the sensors can do, and video capture is capped at only 2K resolution.

You need 5G
The SoC in the Xever 8 only supports 4G comms, so this isn’t the phone for those who live and work in an area supported by 5G.

Also Consider

Blackview Oscal Tank 1
An inexpensive phone with a 20000 mAh. But in this case, it comes with a superior SoC platform and a better camera cluster. Therefore, you get 4K video recording on both rear and front sensors, and you also get an SoC that supports 5G comms.

Read my full Blackview Oscal Tank 1 reviewView Deal

RugOne Xever 7 Pro
A previous RugOne design has similar swappable battery technology, but slightly larger batteries. The one critical advantage of this design is its thermal imaging camera. However, it costs more than the Xever 8, because of that feature.

Read my RugOne Xever 7 Pro review

For more ruggedized devices, we've reviewed the best rugged tablets, the best rugged laptops, and the best rugged hard drives

The RugOne Xever 8 is a lightweight rugged design that uses swapable batteries to extend runtime.

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