How I Use This Android Phone With Heat Vision Superpowers (And Why You Need It)

ZDNET Key Points

• The Blackview BL9000 Pro Regularly priced at $800, but currently $640 on Amazon with coupon.
• This is a solid, feature-rich phone that’s ready for anything and has a great battery life.
• Its thick and chunky design is definitely not for everyone.

I have been a fan of Blackview Smartphone since i first put my hands on BV9000 Professional back in 2018. It’s big, it’s solid, and it’s incredibly sturdy. It’s so sturdy that you can use it as an improvised hammer, and I did so once (the smartphone doesn’t think anything of it).

I loved that phone, and I still use it to this day when I want a device with extreme reliability. So imagine my surprise and excitement when an updated version was delivered to my door in the form of BL9000 Professional.

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The BL9000 Pro is built to last. It’s the perfect Android smartphone for engineers, mechanics, or technicians who need a rugged, durable smartphone that can withstand drops, kicks, and a few punches.

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Blackview BL9000 Pro Specifications

• Display: 6.78 inches, 1,080 x 2,460, 20:9 ratio, 396 pixels per inch, 120Hz refresh rate
• CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 8020
• RAM/ROM memory: 12GB with 512GB storage
• Front camera: SK Hynix 5022Q 50 megapixel with f2.45 aperture lens
• Rear camera:
  – 50 megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GN5 main camera, f1.88 aperture lens
  – FLIR Lepton 3.5 Ultra-small Thermal Camera Module, 160×120 LWIR
  – Hi-1336 13 megapixel camera 120° super wide angle & super close-up up to 2cm, f2.2 aperture lens
• Operating system: DokeOS4.0, based on Android 14
• Battery: 8,800mAh, 120W/6A super fast charging
• Loudspeaker: Dual Harman Kardon Smart-PA speakers, Sound by Harman AudioEFX
• Color: Black and yellow
• Weight: 412g

First of all, if you like your smartphone thin and light, this is not the phone for you. The BL9000 Pro is a brick, but it is a brick that can survive a 1.2 meter drop onto hard ground or a 1.5 meter submersion in water for 30 minutes. Whether it is freezing at -20°C/-4°F or burning hot at 60°C/140°F, the BL9000 Pro will not miss a beat.

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Additionally, the display is significantly more scratch and abrasion resistant, and the phone can withstand more drops than any typical smartphone could handle.

I have no concerns about this smartphone’s ability to survive the experiences I put it through. It’s built to withstand harsh conditions, making it the perfect companion for your adventures in any environment you can think of.

The performance of this phone is impressive, with a powerful processor ensuring a smooth, lag-free user experience that exceeded my expectations. The battery life is also good, lasting all day with heavy use and up to a couple of days with moderate use. Left alone in a bag or pocket, it can last almost a month on standby.

Since I know some people like benchmark results, I ran Geekbench 6 on this phone and got single-core and multi-core CPU scores of 1,117 and 2,859 respectively, and a GPU score of 4,458, putting the performance on par with the Samsung Galaxy S21 or Google Pixel 7.

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I’ve had issues with some rugged smartphones overheating when pushed to the limit, but I haven’t had any issues with the BL9000 Pro. This is due to the use of 3D copper tube liquid cooling technology and graphite/copper foil to conduct heat away from the processor and into the environment.

When it comes time to recharge, the phone supports 120W fast charging, which can charge the massive 8,800mAh battery from empty to 50% in just 20 minutes and from empty to full in less than an hour. This combination of performance and battery efficiency makes it a standout choice for anyone looking for reliability and power in a smartphone.

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The BL9000 Pro’s display is both crisp and bright, excelling in a variety of lighting conditions, from dark environments to direct sunlight. Additionally, its speakers are quite good for a phone, making it perfect for speakerphone calls, watching movies, and playing music.

Equipped with three visible light cameras — one on the front and two on the back — the BL9000 Pro delivers solid results. While they may not match the detail and vibrancy of photos taken with an Apple iPhone or Google Pixel, these cameras are more than adequate for social media enthusiasts, engineers, and mechanics who need to document repairs or create detailed reports.

The BL9000 Pro is a great smartphone, but what really sets it apart is the thermal camera. This feature is the crown jewel of the device, offering capabilities that go beyond the usual. Whether you use it for professional applications or just explore its unique functionality, the thermal camera is the standout feature that makes the BL9000 Pro an attractive choice.

The FLIR Lepton 3.5 thermal imager offers a wide 57° field of view, 160 x 120 pixel resolution, and a temperature range of -10 to 400°C (14 to 752°F). It’s perfect for a variety of applications, from locating your cat hiding in the bedroom to identifying a broken component on a circuit board. It’s no exaggeration to say that a thermal camera is a diagnostic and repair essential, on par with tools like a multimeter and a soldering iron.

I use thermal cameras so often and so often that I forget how much I rely on them. Being able to see heat is a superpower that I find incredibly useful. The other day, I discovered a blockage in my car’s radiator and traced an electrical issue to an overheated outlet using only a thermal camera.

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Sure, you can buy separate thermal cameras for your smartphone, but the downside is the name — they’re separate — and that means they’re easy to forget about. Integrate them into your smartphone and you’ll always have them when you need them.

ZDNET Buying Advice

Yes or no Blackview BL9000 Pro Ultimately, whether or not that phone is right for you depends on your need for a durable smartphone that can withstand being dropped on concrete, submerged in water, or grilled on a car dashboard.

Given the features and quality of the thermal camera, the price is hard to argue with. However, if you’re looking for the cutting edge in a smartphone — or if you’re an iPhone user — you’ll probably be better off with separate thermal camera that you can attach to your existing device.

If you are considering getting one Cat S62 Prothen the BL9000 Pro might be worth considering. While the thermal cameras on both are the same, the BL9000 Pro has a larger screen, faster processor, more RAM, more storage, and a better camera.