This post was last updated on July 8th, 2024 at 08:36 am
As someone who’s enjoyed using the original Sunbeam F1 phone the past couple years, I was curious whether the new F1 Pro would offer a noticeably different experience. In short, it does. The form factor is the same (both flip phones), except the F1 Pro is the rugged version. It is a little larger and about two ounces heavier than the original F1. This extra heft gives it a sturdier feel, particularly at the hinge. In this Sunbeam F1 Pro review, I’ll also discuss differences related to the battery life and the phone’s overall performance.
Before going into more detail about the Sunbeam F1 Pro, it’s important to note that the original F1 (with its Dandelion, Daisy, and Orchid versions) has been discontinued and replaced with the F1 Horizon, which I haven’t used. For the purposes of this review, I’m comparing the F1 Pro to the original F1, which I reviewed in December 2021. Sunbeam offers eight different versions of the F1 Pro, and I’m using an Aspen (more about the different versions later).
Regardless of which Sunbeam version you own, you will receive robust support, including regular software and firmware updates. With a Sunbeam phone, you’re buying not just a phone but a device designed for people who reject the distracting nature of the smartphone lifestyle. All Sunbeam phones feature a customized operating system, creating a powerful barrier between you and the worst of the internet.
Is the price tag worth it?
In full disclosure, Sunbeam provided me with the F1 Pro for the purpose of this review, so I’m not the best person to answer the question whether the $329 price tag is worth it. You can buy cheaper dumbphones, of course, but you won’t necessarily receive dedicated support. I have emailed Sunbeam’s support team while using the original F1, and they’ve always been quick to respond and let me know how they’re addressing any software bugs or performance issues.
So far, I haven’t encountered any problems with the F1 Pro. When considering the price tag, make sure you account for the value of product support, along with the value of working with a company that’s committed to protecting your privacy.
Upgrades for the F1 Pro
One thing I haven’t tested yet is the ruggedness of the F1 Pro. My initial impression is the hinge is more substantial and less “floppy” than the original F1. I will no doubt someday accidentally drop my F1 Pro, but there’s no rush. I dropped my F1 original several times, and it continued working, though one of its plastic corners chipped. As soon as my F1 Pro experiences a few falls, I will update this review and let you know how it fared.
Longer battery life
My one complaint about the original F1 was its meager battery life. It barely lasted a day, which seemed surprising given how little data the phone consumed. With the F1 Pro, the battery lasts two or three days, a substantial upgrade from the original. That’s still a far cry from the days when flip phones on the old 3G networks lasted a full week or more, but I’ll happily take doubling the battery life.
New hotspot capability
Another downside of the original F1 is it lacked hotspot capability. A hotspot receives a cell signal and converts it to a WiFi signal, which you can use to access the internet via another device. This is especially useful in a world that’s erecting more and more of what I call digital gates. Certain businesses make their services available only through apps, requiring you to use a smartphone or tablet to access them. Digital gates often have workarounds but not always. The hotspot allows you to connect to another device to access these gates.
Improved cell signal reception (maybe?)
In terms of signal reception, I noticed that my F1 Pro, when inside certain buildings, picks up cell signals, which my original F1 couldn’t always receive. But I am not sure whether the culprit was a weak cell signal or the original F1 phone’s reception capability.
To try to answer this question about the quality of the F1 Pro’s cell signal reception versus the original F1, I reached out to Sunbeam co-founder Sterling Martin. He explained that cell signal reception quality is “notoriously difficult” to measure because too many variables determine cell signal reception quality. (See his full explanation in the Q&A section below).
All I can say is that I’ve personally had fewer dropped calls with the F1 Pro.
Well-designed navigation and weather tools
Along with a hotspot, I also wanted a phone with weather and navigation tools. The Aspen version of the F1 Pro features two navigation applications, one created by Sunbeam and one called Waze. Over the years, I’ve prided myself on navigating with only physical road maps but found myself recently using the Sunbeam navigation tool after taking a wrong turn while leaving American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (after a Brewers game). I was pleasantly surprised at the navigation tool’s simplicity and ease of use (there are no ads cluttering up the screen). Without any problem, it redirected me to the freeway that I wanted to find.
Better camera quality
The F1 Pro is also equipped with a camera that’s an upgrade from the original F1 in terms of photo quality. It’s not smartphone-level quality but is perfectly adequate for anyone who snaps the occasional photo.
Other useful features
You’ll also find a calculator, flashlight, alarm, and sound recorder on the F1 Pro, all of which I’ve used at one point or another. There is also a music player, though I haven’t tried it yet.
Eight versions of the F1 Pro to choose from
The original F1 had three different models, each offering different tools. The F1 Pro has eight different versions. If you want a hotspot, for example, make sure you select either an Aspen, Maple, or Cypress. As I mentioned earlier, I received the Aspen, which includes every available feature. At the other end of the spectrum is the Cedar, which has no texting, no camera, nor any other tool (except WiFi and Bluetooth). The Cedar is just for calling. Keep in mind, there is no price difference in the phone type. It’s mainly a matter of preference. Check out Sunbeam’s specification sheet to learn more about the different phone types.
While I’ve highlighted a lot of differences between the F1 Pro and original F1 in this review, there are still a lot of similarities. Both phones have an identical set of physical keys. I also didn’t notice any difference in the performance of their touch screens. Both have similar texting capabilities, including the ability to rotate the virtual keyboard to landscape or portrait modes. I prefer the landscape mode because of its larger virtual keys. Perhaps most important, both use the same operating system.
Read: This phone is so dumb, it’s brilliant
Premium subscription is available
All Sunbeam phones offer certain features that are only accessible with a premium Sunbeam subscription ($3.50 a month). Perhaps the biggest benefit is the voice-to-text tool, which makes texting a breeze. (You’ll receive a free premium trial when you first receive your phone. My trial subscription expired, and so I use T9 to speed up the texting process.) For the weather tool, the premium subscription gives you access to hourly forecasts and radar. For the navigation tool, the premium service enables you to perform point-of-interest searches (such as entering “movie theater” to find nearby theaters).
The F1 Pro is a practical choice
If you’re looking to live a simpler lifestyle, it’s hard to go wrong with a Sunbeam phone, no matter what type. It was created for people who want to block out distractions, and you’ll never encounter social media apps or internet browsers on a Sunbeam. For some people, the form factor might be an issue, as they don’t want to be seen using a flip phone. But if you’re like me, you couldn’t care less what other people think about your style of device. For people such as myself, practicality and reliability are the most important considerations, and, on those terms, you can’t do much better than a Sunbeam.
Q & A with Sunbeam co-founder Sterling Martin
Here are Sunbeam co-founder Sterling Martin’s responses to questions that I asked him via email about the Sunbeam F1 Pro.
Frugalmatic: How did your customers’ experience with the original F1 help inform you in developing the F1 Pro?
Sterling Martin: A lot of our customers liked the software and user interface of the original F1, but most found that the hardware was ‘too flimsy.’ A typical customer understands when they drop the phone off a bridge and it breaks. But when they drop it three feet onto carpet, it should survive the fall.
We had solicited feedback from our customers in multiple ways, including email surveys, etc. The feedback we received was that the phone should be more durable, the battery should be larger, and the camera should be better. So we took their feedback into account and created a revision to the original that focused on improving the hardware while retaining the same software user experience.
Frugalmatic: It seems like the F1 Pro has better cell signal reception inside buildings than the original F1. What explains the F1 Pro’s superior reception capability?
Sterling Martin: The cellular reception is notoriously difficult to ascertain outside of a lab. Each individual phone can have a slight variance in the antenna performance. Each carrier employs distinct LTE bands that can make a big difference in the reception. Even the time of year can have an impact, as we find that August is about the most difficult, something I attribute to having dense foliage on trees, etc.
We’re working at introducing LTE B71 onto our phones, which will make a difference for some customers on T-Mobile. It’s possible that this is what you’re seeing, assuming you’re on T-Mobile. Otherwise, there’s no difference in respect to the original F1, unless it’s very minor variances in piece-by-piece antenna quality.
Frugalmatic: What’s next for Sunbeam? Are you already working on the next generation of phones, or do you expect your latest F1 models to be available for a while?
Sterling Martin: We’re not working on the next generation of phones, at least not yet. Instead, we’re focusing on carrier compatibility and making sure that as many carriers as possible work will with the Sunbeam phones.