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Cedar CP3 by Juniper Systems

From rugged computing experts, an economically priced, dual-SIM, IP68-sealed 5.5-inch Android handheld designed for harsh environments
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

The Cedar CP3 rugged handheld/smartphone was made available Fall 2018 by Juniper Systems as a more powerful and more technologically up-to-date successor to the earlier Cedar CT5.

The Cedar product line was launched by Juniper Systems a few years ago to meet customer demand for a lower-cost, ruggedized Android line that would serve as a more suitable alternative to fragile consumer devices for outdoor applications. One that was built from the ground up for ruggedness, supports the cell bands used in the United States (including 4G LTE), has the requisite IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number for security, and one that has, of course, passed all the requisite FCC & CE compliance testing.

Below you can see what the Cedar CP3 looks like front, back and sides. It's an attractive, purposeful design instantly recognizable as a tool for the job. No need for a protective case here (though a special "floatable" boot/case seems to be either included or available).

Measuring 6.6 x 3.25 inches (about 10% larger in each direction than the iPhone 8 Plus) but just 0.55 inch thick, the CP3 remains pocketable, and it weighs under nine ounces. Its 5.5-inch screen is the same size as that of an iPhone 8, and the display's 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution matches that of the iPhone 8 Plus as well. 401 pixels per inch is super-sharp, and it's an AMOLED screen, which means it has great viewing angles from all directions, radiant colors, and deep blacks.

For hardware controls, on its right side the CP3 handheld has the power button on the right and volume up/down controls on the left. An additional button on the left can be used for the camera. The three capacitive standard Android control buttons (Menu, Home, Back) look like they are beneath the display, but they actually seem implemented in software on the display itself.

Impressive technology

As for the technology under the hood, the Cedar CP3, which is based on Android 7 ("Nougat"), uses a 1.95 GHz octa-core QualComm Snapdragon 653 and includes an Adreno 510 graphics processor. This is a popular chip used in various devices from Samsung, OPPO, Gionee Vivo and others. Juniper says the CP3 offers considerably higher performance than the Cedar CT5 which has been in Juniper's lineup for a couple of years. That's great news, as even the CT5 was quite quick.

There's 6GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC Flash for storage, plus up to 128GB in the micro SDHC card slot. On the rear are dual 12mp Sony autofocus cameras with f/2.0 lens and LED flash, and on the front is a 16mp Samsung vidcam. A powerful but non-removable 22.8 watt-hour Li-Polymer battery provides 14-16 hours runtime on a charge.

For wireless communication there's dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 BLE, integrated GNSS (GPS/GLONASS), as well as 2G, 3G and 4G LTE cellular radio (AT&T and T-Mobile in the US). Note that of the two nan-SIM card, one serves double-duty as a microSD card slot. For wired communication there is a USB Type-C port (which also serves for charging) and a 3.5mm audio jack.

The Cedar CP3 has the wealth of integrated sensors common to all modern handhelds, plus one that we haven't seen before. It's called VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) and can be used to measure air quality. A fingerprint reader is on the back.

Much tougher than consumer phones

The CP3's housing and construction suggests toughness considerably beyond what a consumer phone can handle. We haven't taken one apart yet, but expect a polycarbonate/metal housing over an inner metal frame. For a rugged device the CP3 is quite thin, and the design seems suited for a Juniper-style two-tone color scheme, although units currently shown are all dark gray/black.

Just how much tougher is the Cedar CP3 than your typical consumer smartphone? That's hard to say without hands-on, but probably quite a bit. Oddly, the drop spec is only listed as "MIL-STD-810G". The operating temperature range is a very wide -22 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The CP3 is IP68 rated, which means it's totally dustproof, and can also handle full immersion down to two meters (6.6 feet) for half an hour. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 from breakage and scratching. What would be really good to have is a full listing of the usual ruggedness specs.

Cedar CP3 by Juniper Systems

We don't know yet the price of the CP3, but it's likely less than a premium consumer smartphone. Why does Juniper offer these comparatively inexpensive Cedar-branded handhelds? Because not every job requires Juniper's high-end, built-forever handhelds. So sometimes an economical solution from an experienced, trusted vendor who offers free, live, local support is the answer. -- Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, October 2018
Specifications: Cedar CP3 Handheld
Added/updated Added October 2018
Type Android rugged handheld
Processor Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 MSM8976SG
Graphics Adreno 510 GPU
CPU Speed 1.95GHz
OS Android 7.1.2 Nougat
RAM/ROM 6GB LPDDR3 RAM/max 64GMB eMMC Flash (+ up to 128GB via microSD card)
Card slots 2 x nano SIM card (one used either by SIM or micro SD card up to 128GB)
Display type Samsung AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 5
Display size/res 5.5" widescreen 1920 x 1080 pixel, 401 dpi
Digitizer/pens Capacitive multi-touch
Buttons Power, volume, camera
Housing Polycarbonate housing, aluminum frame
Operating Temp -22° to 140°F (-30° to 60°C)
Sealing IP68 (30 minutes in 2 meters of water)
Drop MIL-STD-810G
Tumble Unknown
Size (WxHxD) 6.6 x 3.25 x 0.55 inches (168 x 83 x 14 mm)
Weight 8.8 oz. (250 grams)
Power Non-removable 3.8V 6,000mAH, 22.8 watt-hour Li-Polymer ("14-16 hours"), Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
Cameras Front: 16mp Samsung S5K3P3; rear: 12mp + 12mp f/2.0 Sony IMX386 (1080p/30 video)
Sensors Fingerprint, G-sensor, light, e-compass, humidity, pressure, proximity, VOC (Volatile Organic Compound; air quality sensor)
Interface 1 x USB Type-C, USB OTG, 3.5mm audio
Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth v4.0 BLE, NFC, 2G/3G/4G LTE (Bands 2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 17), GPS/GLONASS/Beidou
List price Inquire
Contact Cedar CP3 web page
Brochure Cedar CP3 brochure (PDF)
Warranty One year