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The Oukitel WP21 has a watch on its back and a 9,800 mAh battery with 66W charging

By Stanislav Serbezov

Published: Nov 21, 2022, 9:38 AM

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The Oukitel WP21 has a watch on its back and a 9,800 mAh battery with 66W charging

Oukitel is a China-based company, which manufactures not only smartphones and tablets but also power stations (which are basically more capable, giant battery banks). They’ve also got a slew of rugged phones, which typically have immense battery capacities, high resistance ratings, and very sturdy builds.

The latest phone in the series, the Oukitel WP21, not only continues that tradition with a massive battery capable of charging quickly, but also introduces a unique look to the series. A dual-screen setup allows the phone to simulate having a watch on its back.

The body of the Oukitel WP21 is completely sealed, allowing for a high IP68 rating.

What are the specs of the Oukitel WP21?

Before we get to the juicy specifics, namely the watch on the back, let’s go through a quick overview of the features that the smartphone has:

A 6.78-inch FHD+ screen with a 120Hz refresh rate
Equipped with the MediaTek Helio G99
Dual-speaker setup
12GB of RAM
256GB of internal storage
microSD expandable storage slot
A massive 9,800mAh battery, which supports ultra-fast 66W charging
Capable of charging other devices via USB
A second AMOLED circular screen on the phone’s back
Rated IP68 and IP69K

That massive battery instantly gets your attention. Oukitel is saying that a single charge is capable of 115 hours of standby or 12 hours of active video viewing. In comparison, the 5,000 mAh capacity of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra manages just above 13 hours of regular usage and about 7 hours of video streaming in our own battery test.

The phone itself is also capable of withstanding quite a beating. The IP69K rating means that it’s completely dust-proof and waterproof when submerged in water up to 5 feet deep and that IP69K addition proves that it can also withstand high-pressure streams of water too. Oukitel is also listing it as drop-proof, claiming that accidental drops from up to 1,5 m (~5 ft) of height won’t damage the device.

Lastly, the MediaTek Helio G99 is an interesting fit. It’s no Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but it is a really capable 6nm chip. It’s only limited to 4G connections, but it features an octa-core processor and an Arm Mali G57-class GPU.

The phone is also equipped with a triple-camera setup, consisting of:

A 64MP main camera with Sony IMX686 sensor
A 20MP Night Vision camera with Sony’s IMX350 sensor
A 2MP macro camera
Unspecified front-facing selfie camera

The IMX686 sensor supports pixel-binning, so we can expect extra clarity on photos taken with it. It is also capable of recording 4K video at 60 FPS, even though that’s not specified on the spec sheet of the WP21.

It’s also notable that the WP21 has a dedicated night-vision camera. While this isn’t the first smartphone with Night Vision, it’s impressive that Oukitel fitted the phone with a dedicated one.

A demo of the night vision mode of the WP21.

The camera setup manages to impress further with what it’s capable of. Oukitel is listing it as being able to work in extremely low-temperature conditions, and capable of taking videos while the phone is fully submerged underwater.

What functions does the second screen of the Oukitel WP21 have?

Well, it can’t be just about always knowing what time it is. Naturally, if that’s what you are interested in, the WP21 will offer you several options in terms of watch faces, but it can also do more.

Starting off, it shows notifications and incoming calls, so you can see who is trying to reach you even when the phone is placed screen-down. It can also act as a viewfinder when you are taking photos, or as a quick-access menu for controlling your music player.

As of now, there hasn’t been much word on customizing its look or utilities beyond what’s already available. We do know that it has an always-on function, which we’re guessing can be turned off to make the phone’s massive battery last you even longer.

Who is the Oukitel WP21 for?

Oukitel seems to have a specific audience for its line of rugged phones. Those are the people that want a device, capable of both feeling modern and withstanding extreme conditions.

The WP21 is possibly aiming to provide that audience with a phone that also has a unique look. The dual-screen setup is a great step in making rugged phones stand out in a world, where cool-looking (but less sturdy) foldable phones are slowly taking over.

Even with its impressive stats, we don’t expect the Oukitel WP21 to be crowned among the best devices in 2022. What we do expect of it is a smartphone, which is capable and efficient, while managing to be impressively robust and durable.

As reported by GSMArena, the Oukitel WP21 is already listed online via AliExpress and is expected to become available for purchase on November 24th of this year. Its price point is set at $280, which definitely positions it s a unique choice for a budget phone.

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Stan, also known as Stako, is a smartphone enthusiast who loves exploring the limits of Android customization. His journey with mobile tech began with the Nokia 5110 and evolved with devices like the BlackBerry 9350 Curve and Samsung Galaxy A4. Despite his love for Android, he holds equal respect for Apple, considering the iPhone 4s as a significant milestone in mobile tech. Stan started his writing career early, contributing to MetalWorld, and harbors a passion for creative writing. Beyond smartphones, he's interested in photography, design, composition, and gaming, often preferring solo projects to hone his objective thinking. He's also an avid student of open-source technology and consoles, with a special fondness for the Pebble Watch, Arduboy, and Playdate.