Samsung produces some interesting flagship phones, but the company has also made ruggedized phones for more than ten years under the XCover series. Tactical Edition variations of its early-year flagships have been offered for a number of years now, separately. The company is currently introducing the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro Tactical Edition to the US market along with the Galaxy S23 Tactical Edition. This year’s Special Operations Forces Week in May saw the announcement of the latter. Midway through 2022 saw the release of the standard Galaxy XCover 6 Pro, although in a few markets.

These two phones were made specifically for officials and employees of the Department of Defence, according to a statement from Samsung America’s Senior VP & GM of B2B, Brad Haczynski. This likewise explains why the business withholds the prices for both Tactical Edition smartphones. However, average people have long had access to the standard Galaxy XCover 6 Pro in the US via Samsung and merchants like Amazon.

We do get a look at the hardware requirements for the Galaxy S23 Tactical Edition, despite the secrecy surrounding the price. Samsung is including the same potent ‘For Galaxy’ version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC underneath the handset, albeit using the Galaxy S23 brand. Although the display size isn’t specified, military clients will discover a Dynamic AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate.

A pro-grade 50MP camera sensor is also mentioned by the maker as a feature that should allow users to capture high-resolution images and films in dim lighting “without giving away their position.” In order to create military-grade cases for the Galaxy S23 Tactical Edition, Samsung also says that it collaborated with Juggernaut Case and Kagwerks.

Samsung did not identify the Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset used in the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro Tactical Edition, but we assume that it is the same as the one found in the standard model. According to the manufacturer, it complies with MIL-STD-810H standards and can withstand drops from a height of up to 1.5 metres as well as endure high altitudes, heat, vibration, and humidity.

A microSD card slot (up to 1TB supported) and Glove Mode, which was present in earlier incarnations of the Galaxy XCover series but went by a different name, are two more interesting features. These devices are positioned as a potential alternative to the larger computers that military personnel often carry by emphasising the detachable battery’s weight (under 8.5 oz) and width (less than 1.5 inches).

Another crucial component of these secure phones is on-device security, which is also handled by the dependable Samsung Knox. Both phones have Knox Dual Data at Rest (DualDAR) and dual VPN chaining, which together offer an unmatched level of security for critical documents.

Last but not least, according to Samsung, both Tactical Edition phones will be supported with a four-year cycle of “software maintenance,” guaranteeing that the phones will get essential updates until January 2027. By completing a form on the Samsung US page, qualified customers can express interest in any of the two Tactical Edition handsets.

We advise purchasing the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro’s regular model, which is currently selling for $600, if you want a rugged phone without any of the military-grade features.