As some of you may know, Nomu is a company specialized in making rugged phones. Their products range from older style cellphones to the latest smartphones running Android 7.0 Nougat. In the latter category we find the Nomu S30 Mini which we’ll be checking out today in our full review.
Nomu S30 Mini Specifications
| Processor | Mediatek MTK6737VWT 64bit quad-core 1.5GHz |
| Display | 4.7″ LTPS HD |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Storage | 32GB eMMC – microSD slot |
| Operating System | Android 7.0 Nougat |
| Cameras | 8MP rear camera, 2MP front |
| Battery | 3000mAh |
| Physical Dimensions | 181g, 144*74*12.6mm |
Nomu S30 Mini Unboxing
The Nomu S30 Mini comes in a very simple packaging; inside the beige colored box we find the smartphone, a micro USB cable for charging and data transferring, and a power adapter with EU plug, in my case.
Nomu S30 Mini Design and Build Quality
After having reviewed the Blackview BV8000 Pro which is a monster both in his size and specs, I must say I prefer the path Nomu has taken. The S30 Mini is indeed much smaller and lighter, and sure you don’t get the same performance, but as you’ll see in the dedicated part of the review, that’s not an issue.
So back to the phone itself. Would you believe me if I told you the only thing I didn’t like about the S30 Mini’s design is the placement of the power button and volume rockers? That’s because they’re positioned on the opposite side of where they usually are, so we have the volume rockers on the right side of the phone and the power button on the left.
Similarly to that, the micro USB port has been placed on the top of the handset, I don’t understand why they did that as there seems to be enough space in the bottom chin, but so it is.
All of that aside, I really like the smartphone, it feels really solid with its plastic and metal construction, it’s light at 181 grams (at least for me) and if you consider that it’s also IP68 rated and shock resistant then it’s not that bad.
Nomu S30 Mini Display
The display on the Nomu S30 Mini is smaller than I’d like at 4.7-inch, meanwhile HD resolution is more than enough for the size. What bothers me is that the display isn’t as bright as I’d hoped for, this is a rugged phone after all and you’re supposed to use it outside most of the time.
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Well, being honest, compared to other Chinese phones it’s probably right in the average range, so it’s not too bad. You can see the screen even under direct sun light without problems. I just expected too much.
Nomu S30 Mini Hardware and Performance
The Nomu S30 Mini behaves pretty well under normal load, it’s fluid and I haven’t had any problems this far. It’ll run most apps and light games effortlessly, without struggling.
The Mediatek 6737VWT is a relatively good CPU for a smartphone this size and typology — you aren’t getting a rugged phone to play games on it. It scores 34470 points over at AnTuTu and 1385 points on Geekbench. The S30 Mini also features a good 3GB of RAM, once again nothing amazing but I find it the right amount for phone’s category and potential use scenarios.
As far as connectivity and GPS goes, great for the first and just “OK” for the second one. The phone works on 4G networks (Band 20 included) and as you’ll see in the screenshot below, speeds are quite good, on the flip side, GPS is somewhat slow and not that accurate.
Battery life on the S30 Mini isn’t amazing and you can expect 1 day of autonomy maximum with average use.
What surprised me the most about the Nomu S30 Mini (positively) is the speaker at the bottom of the phone. It’s indeed very loud and while sounds tends to degrade at max volume, it’s still remarkable given the phone’s IP68 rating and thus being entirely sealed.
Nomu S30 Mini Camera
The camera department has been another good surprise for me. The smartphone doesn’t take amazing photos and they do have some issues, but what’s nice is the speed at which the camera app opens up; it’s the fastest I’ve seen on a Mediatek device, and probably ever as well.
Photos quality is average and color reproduction is good, the problem in most images is noise, which is visible even at really low ISO, mostly when there’s sky involved. If you then use HDR image noise spreads even more. Either way, you can check the photos down below and judge yourself!
Nomu S30 Mini Gallery
Nomu S30 Mini Conclusion
I must say the Nomu S30 Mini has been a pleasant surprise; it’s compact, well made and it simply works. If I were to buy a rugged phone as a secondary device, I’d definitely consider getting this one.
Pricing has to be slightly adjusted in my opinion though, as $149.99 may be a little too much considering what you can get on the Xiaomi side, but well, those aren’t this durable.
Nice device，interested in this phone，especially waterproof USB port
Nice device，interested in this phone，especially waterproof USB port
My friend has recommended me this brand of movil, i feel like to buy one after saw the review about it.
My friend has recommended me this brand of movil, i feel like to buy one after saw the review about it.
NOMU S30 mini-The best protected phone for fishermen and hunters for their money
NOMU S30 mini-The best protected phone for fishermen and hunters for their money
Dirt cheap quality! 6 month old phone and the rubber started to peel off,broken speaker, faulty battery, muffled mic and no after sales service! Get it together NOMU! Stop decieving people!
Dirt cheap quality! 6 month old phone and the rubber started to peel off,broken speaker, faulty battery, muffled mic and no after sales service! Get it together NOMU! Stop decieving people!
Hi there, I do not think so. The Nomu team has good after-sale service. If you have any problems, you can contact their tech support. Their products have good qualities.
i like JESY J9S. this phone fullfill my all requirement. JESY J9S main
features is waterproof, 16mp camera, big 6150 battery, infrared and many
more features.
i like very much JESY J9S. this phone fullfill my all requirement. JESY J9S main
features is waterproof, 16mp camera, big 6150 battery, infrared & many
more features.
i like very much JESY J9S. this phone fullfill my all requirement. JESY J9S main
features is waterproof, 16mp camera, big 6150 battery, infrared & many
more features.
Good phone and good price
Good phone and good price
Jesy J9s is amazing phone.we can easily move even with such a huge device, without feeling uncomfrotable. the case is completely rubberized, on the back of the smartphone are- camera, flash, fingerprint sensor, and connector for quick charging.
It’s a truly functional rugged phone. Besides excellent water-proof and
drop-proof performance, it has walkie-talkie, fingerprint unlock,
external camera, NFC, OTG, etc. It’s totally an all-in-one device.
Excellent!
Excellent phone! No need to fear my phone dropping again, either on
ground or into water. Super strong.
I like Nomu S30. it’s pretty clear that the NOMU S30 touts its toughness
as the primary selling point and, I’m happy to say that it seems to
deliver on that front as far as my general testing was concerned. This
might appeal to those who work in electronics-unfriendly conditions like
construction, or in various other outdoor occupations. Outside of work
scenarios, the phone can be suitable for those who may be somewhat
accident prone with their gadgets, or are maybe looking for a secondary
device to use at the beach or around the pool without fear of sand or
liquid ruining the device.
Perfect for me Nomu s30. Love the solid feel and exceptional battery life, charge it every two to three days for a couple of hours, and not having to worry about dropping it, knocking it, getting it wet when it rains…. perfect for the outdoors person… recommended.
S30 really has a huge battery. last weekend, our family went camping together, and i forgot bringing my charge cable. I thought it would be a problem, but it proved that i concerned too much. The battery is totally enough for these two days
This silver device is shinning enough, i always feel i am the center in crowd when i hold this phone.
Although i have a trendy phone, I’d like to buy this rugged phone for a backup. Whenever i want travel or do outdoor activities, it’s more safe and convenient to carry it.
Nomu S50 pro is just like the rugged phone that i am thinking. Passed the extreme water, drop test. Assuring a lot.
I have heard many trendy phone have the function of waterproof, but it may not what i mean for that. they can only work when only few water splashed on the phone, and when they are completely flooded, the device will be useless. I guess that why these trendy phone brands usually didn’t boast their waterproof function. On the contrary, this nomu rugged phone are trying to make their phone more tougher. It seems they have a big ambition to attract more people to use their phone.
When people ask me what kind of phone i use, is it good, is it costly, i’d like to let them know the nomu. A good price can buy a good phone. And now they release this product, good to hear it is more tougher.
It is very important to keep safe when traveling in the wild. Good signal can ensure normal communication with the outside world, so it seems this phone is doing quite well.
There is a time i find fast charge is really important. Because of the delay of the airplane, my phone runs out of battery and i find a place to charge in the waiting hall. after 1 hours the electricity is enough for me to go through the whole flying time and contact the receiver of hotel. I just can’t imagine what will happen if my phone didn’t work. I am glad to see that the S50pro has big battery and fast charge.
When people ask me what kind of phone i use, is it good, is it costly, i’d like to let them know the nomu. A good price can buy a good phone. And now they release this product, good to hear it is more tougher.
It is easy to get hot when the phone is used for a long time. If the temperature is too high, the potential safety hazard can not be ignored. this phone highly emphasis on its battery safety, its no doubt an attractive aspect. ,
There is a time i find fast charge is really important. Because of the delay of the airplane, my phone runs out of battery and i find a place to charge in the waiting hall. after 1 hours the electricity is enough for me to go through the whole flying time and contact the receiver of hotel. I just can’t imagine what will happen if my phone didn’t work. I am glad to see that the S50pro has big battery and fast charge.
Speaking of the signal, I have to mention the iPhone signal.When you get into the elevator, the signal goes down, I think these famous brands of mobile phones should learn something from this rugged phone.
Because of my work, i have broken at least 2 phones, my heart broken as well. My colleague advise me to buy a shockproof phone. I think this S50pro is a good choice.
This phone support underwater photo taking, I think this function is very practical. You don’t need to wear a troublesome waterproof cover on the phone when go swimming at the beach, now s50 pro makes it quite convenient.
There is a time i find fast charge is really important. Because of the delay of the airplane, my phone runs out of battery and i find a place to charge in the waiting hall. after 1 hours the electricity is enough for me to go through the whole flying time and contact the receiver of hotel. I just can’t imagine what will happen if my phone didn’t work. I am glad to see that the S50pro has big battery and fast charge.
One of the troubles brought by mobile phone to me is that when something urgent needs to be communicated, the signal suddenly is not so good, which leads to the delay of work. This is also the most appealing part of this rugged mobile phone, which has excellent signal.
Speaking of the signal, I have to mention the iPhone signal.When you get into the elevator, the signal goes down, I think these famous brands of mobile phones should learn something from this rugged phone.
It’s really important that the phone runs smoothly, NOMU S50pro is doing good about this, good to know.
Now a phone needs to download a lot of applications, if the processor does not work well it will be really troublesome. Luckily the nomu S50 pro took note of this, making it a more powerful rugged phone.
I am a person who loves outdoor travel, and like to record the beautiful scenery in the journey with clear photo. This phone quite meet my expectations.
Before the weather gets more colder, i think it’s necessary to get a NOMUS50pro. Anyway, i don’t wanna the phone goes wrong once extreme cold come.
I just can’t imagine such a durable phone is $229.99 now! I really like its cold resistance.
I totally need it, my working place is severe cold… i hope this phone can have a larger discount.
Every time I use a phone for a long time, it likes get a fever, a little worried about this, this nomu phone can withstand 55 ℃ high-temperature use, nice.
I can hardly imagine that a phone can work at such a low temperature. What will happen on the later phone? Sure enough, with the development of science and technology, all limits will be broken.
waterproof effect of this phone is very good, worth buying
I really really a phone that can run well at extreme cold… i am sick of frequent shut down of my device.
I like nomu, i have been expecting for its new product for a long time.
The square-like phone gets me a lot. No matter the big battery or the really tough features. it’s quite convenient to bring this phone to do some outdoor activities.
This S50 pro, simple and firm design. Although it only play it’s role when i need to go out for a travelling and it’s not a usual case, i have it when i need it.
For a long long time, i have used the trendy phone, but it’s really fragile and i tend to use it very carefully. Now, I’d like to a rugged phone, there is no worries to play it in any environments.