Our verdict
The FOSSiBOT F116 Pro is a conditional shortlist for a compact second phone. We would hold off on buying it as a dependable US primary phone or a proven action-camera replacement until its unresolved essentials match your needs. Its appeal is consolidation: a small phone and a mountable recording device in one body. The cost is committing both jobs to a product whose camera behavior, carrier acceptance and long-term support we have not established on a test unit. [1]
Research-based review · Not scored · Checked November 3, 2026. We have not used an F116 Pro. This assessment compares manufacturer documents, storefront data, original device-data reporting and carrier guidance. It contains no FlawCheck battery, camera, brightness, gaming or durability measurements.
Investigate if the thick body suits your carrying setup and your carrier accepts the exact unit.
Wait for representative footage, firmware details and the recording modes you need.
Hold off if a firm support horizon, clear returns or predictable calling features are essential.
Three takeaways govern the review: small footprint does not mean thin; camera specifications do not demonstrate recording quality; and an Android version is not an update guarantee.
Strengths and weaknesses
The strongest reason to investigate the F116 Pro is its format. A mountable device that also handles calls, maps and sharing could reduce the number of items you carry. That is a potential convenience, rather than a result we have tested. The trade-off is dependence: recording, navigation and communication draw on the same phone, battery and software.
- Compact front footprint
- The manufacturer-listed body is still 23mm thick.
- Integrated mounting thread
- Accessories and usable stabilization need separate checks.
- Stated physical RAM
- Keep expansion advertising separate from physical capacity.
- One device for two jobs
- A battery or software problem can interrupt both roles.
These are reasons to investigate or avoid a purchase, not measured failure rates. The unresolved issues do not establish that every unit is defective. For the wider lineup, start with our FOSSiBOT phone buying guide.
Design and pocketability
FOSSiBOT’s own crowdfunding article lists 114.5 × 59.6 × 23mm and 210g. Those are manufacturer figures. We have not measured a retail unit or established how the thickness is defined around protrusions. [1][2][3][4]
A short, narrow front can help when your main objection to larger phones is reaching across them. It does not resolve every carrying problem. Someone using a shallow shirt pocket, a close-fitting trouser pocket or an existing vehicle clamp should check the depth as carefully as the front dimensions. We cannot turn the dimensions into a claim that it feels comfortable all day.
The built-in 1/4-inch thread is central to the product’s pitch. Check the whole mounting setup: adapter clearance, lens obstruction, microphone exposure, button access and the security of the attachment. A matching thread alone does not validate every outdoor mount or recording position. The retail package artwork does not list the crowdfunding neck mounts and other promotional extras as standard contents. [1]
Before paying: compare the listed dimensions with your actual pocket or mount. Obtain a written package list for the selected US offer rather than relying on a campaign photograph.
Small front. Check the depth.
- Height
- 114.5mm
- Width
- 59.6mm
- Depth
- 23mm
- Weight
- 210g
Compare with your pocket or mount. Dimensions do not measure comfort.
Display and everyday usability
The maker promotes an IPS screen with a 4-inch diagonal and 120Hz refresh rate. These specifications describe different properties: diagonal concerns physical size, while refresh rate concerns how frequently the image can update. Neither establishes how comfortably you can type, read a route or operate a particular application. [1][2][3]
The DevCheck device entry reports 540 × 1172 pixels. We have not tied that report to the exact US retail unit, and it is not our panel measurement. Its provenance does not settle outdoor brightness, reflections, automatic brightness or application scaling. [1]
For this format, the important check is whether the apps you rely on fit the available space. Test the keyboard, map labels, two-factor prompts and camera controls during a return period that explicitly permits such testing. Do not assume an unused-item return policy will cover an opened and configured phone.
Our display conclusion is about suitability, not a blanket quality judgment: buyers needing large controls or extensive reading should resolve the small-screen workflow before choosing this format. We have no evidence for calling its outdoor readability good or bad.
Performance, memory and storage
FOSSiBOT names the Dimensity 7300 as the processor. We have no sustained-performance or thermal testing from this phone. The chip name does not establish how a long video session, navigation and background applications behave together. Our processor specifications guide explains that distinction. [1]
The advertised 36GB memory total combines 12GB of physical RAM with up to 24GB of expansion; it is not 36GB of physical RAM. The manufacturer’s memory artwork makes that split visible. We have not measured whether enabling expansion benefits any workload on this device. Our virtual RAM guide provides the broader context. [1][2][3]
| The headline | What the evidence supports | Before you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Compact rugged phone | Manufacturer lists 114.5 × 59.6 × 23mm and 210g. Small front, substantial depth.Source | Check your pocket, clamp and carrying position. |
| Action camera with OIS | OIS is advertised; device metadata differs. Current stabilized footage has not been tested here.Source | Ask for exact firmware, modes, crop and representative audio/video. |
| Up to 36GB RAM | 12GB physical RAM plus up to 24GB expansion. No 36GB physical-memory claim is justified.Source | Evaluate the physical RAM and actual app behavior separately. |
| Global 5G connectivity | A band list does not confirm US activation, VoLTE or Wi-Fi calling on your unit.Source | Obtain an IMEI-based answer from your carrier. |
| Rugged protection | Advertised ratings do not establish liquid-damage warranty coverage or permanent sealing.Source | Read the exact exclusions and the return route. |
Storage is advertised as 256GB, with TF expansion up to 1TB. These are capacities, not a statement of free space after setup or of storage speed. The slot artwork shows a shared second-SIM/card arrangement; confirm the exact tray if you need two SIMs and extra storage simultaneously. We have not established the internal storage technology or whether your applications support any use of the card beyond file storage. [1][2][3]
Action camera and regular cameras
The retail page distinguishes a 50MP main camera, a 48MP action camera and a 32MP front camera. It advertises a 152.6-degree action-camera view and assigns OIS to that camera. We have not independently confirmed the stabilization hardware or evaluated footage. [1][2][3][4][5]
Stabilization is the unresolved headline
There is an evidence discrepancy worth keeping visible. The maker advertises OIS, while DevCheck’s camera metadata marks OIS as absent for both rear entries. Separately, the creator’s March campaign FAQ described work on electronic stabilization, horizon leveling and distortion correction before shipment. [1][2]
These observations do not prove that the retail phone lacks OIS or that announced software features never shipped. Metadata can be incomplete, and historical development statements are not a current firmware inspection. We would need the exact build, lens-specific capability information and representative recordings to resolve the discrepancy.
Three cameras. Separate evidence.
Main camera
50MPEveryday photographs.
Image quality untested.
Action camera
48MP152.6° view advertised.
OIS claim unresolved.
Front camera
32MPSelfies and video calls.
Output quality untested.
OIS is advertised. EIS was discussed during development. Neither is a FlawCheck stabilization test.
Check the recording workflow, not just resolution
The FAQ lists 4K at 30fps and lower-resolution 30/60fps options, without establishing the full lens-by-lens stabilization matrix we need. Before replacing an action camera, ask which combinations are available together: resolution, frame rate, stabilization and effective field of view. Also check wind noise, microphone placement, clip limits, heat-related interruptions, file transfer and whether a connected accessory interferes with charging. [1]
Our camera verdict: the mount and advertised wide view make the idea interesting. They do not demonstrate dependable action footage. No sample image, stabilization comparison or recording-runtime figure here is a FlawCheck test result.
The regular cameras remain equally untested for detail, moving subjects, low light and focus behavior. We do not assign a particular sensor to a lens solely from an ambiguous campaign answer. If documenting work is the reason to buy, obtain examples that show readable detail under your working conditions, not just scenic promotional imagery.
Battery and charging
The manufacturer lists 3,700mAh, 33W charging and 10W reverse charging. Capacity and maximum advertised charging power are useful inputs, but we cannot translate them into a day’s navigation, a full-charge time or reliable energy delivered to another device. [1][2][3]
The practical question is how much redundancy you want. If this is both your communication device and your recording device, recording consumes resources you may need later for calls or directions. That is a workload-planning issue, not proof that the battery lasts poorly. A separate camera can separate those jobs; this phone combines them.
The package artwork lists a 33W charger and USB cable. Its illustration uses EU prongs even though the storefront offers a US plug selection. Confirm the adapter supplied with your order, and any cable needed for reverse charging. We have no charging curve, temperature data or wireless-charging test. Read our charging and battery heat guide for context, not F116 Pro measurements. [1]
Connectivity, software and ownership
US activation remains unconfirmed
We have not confirmed activation, VoLTE or Wi-Fi calling for the exact F116 Pro unit on a US carrier; a band list is not carrier approval. The maker’s band artwork is a specification claim, not a carrier-side acceptance result.
T-Mobile directs buyers to an IMEI compatibility check; Verizon also requires compatible hardware and software. We have no IMEI result for this phone. We did not find F116 Pro in the AT&T list inspected, dated March 27, 2026. Absence from that dated document does not establish that every current unit will fail.
The campaign FAQ suggests using certain SIMs after activation in another certified device. That is the maker’s advice, not carrier confirmation, and we do not recommend relying on it as a workaround. Check the exact unit and the calling features you need with your provider. The FAQ specifies physical SIMs; NFC support likewise does not establish successful payments with your bank and wallet service. [1][2][3]
There is a written update statement, with important limits
FOSSiBOT describes typical bug-fix support, but does not specify a guaranteed major-Android upgrade count or a fixed security-support end date for the F116 Pro. Its creator FAQ describes a conditional two-to-three-year period and typical bug-fix intervals, with potential extensions linked to the model’s sales. [1]
We do not convert that wording into three years of guaranteed security patches, a calendar expiry date, or a promised number of Android upgrades. It would also be wrong to say that no written update statement exists. Android 16 is advertised, but the current patch level and installed retail build remain unconfirmed. There is no basis here for calling delivery on time or behind. [1]
Warranty and returns need written clarification
The current warranty policy states 24 months, but the older maker blog distinguishes shorter retail coverage from backer coverage. Do not assume historical campaign benefits apply to today’s order. [1]
The same warranty page uses both a 30-day refund description and a requirement to initiate returns within 15 days. The separate return policy describes 30 days, unused-item conditions and buyer-paid round-trip shipping for non-defect returns. These pages need clarification for the selected phone offer; we have no phone-specific return-cost quote or confirmed US service address. [1][2]
The warranty exclusions include damage from liquids. Advertised IP68/IP69K protection does not establish that a water-related claim will be covered. Our water resistance and warranty guide explains why that distinction matters. We have not reviewed a model-specific independent durability test report. [1][2][3]
Alternatives and value
Our chosen reference offer is US / Orange, 12GB/256GB, SKU USFOSSiBOT-F116Pro-Orange. The variant data listed $399.99 on November 3, 2026. This is a storefront observation, not a verified delivered total. We have not confirmed coupons, tax, destination shipping charges or a ZIP-specific arrival date. The default EU selection showed a different price. [1]
The general shipping policy describes contiguous-US coverage with address restrictions. It does not confirm this unit’s warehouse, actual dispatch or delivery. A malformed delivery placeholder on the product page must not become an ETA in a buying recommendation. [1]
One device, or separate the jobs?
Compare complete setups rather than awarding a winner from specifications:
| Your setup | Why consider it | The compromise |
|---|---|---|
| F116 Pro as a second phone | Compact, mountable communication and occasional capture in one device. | Confirm activation, body depth, recording behavior and returns. |
| A conventional small phone | Prioritize the everyday apps, screen controls and calling features you need. | Check exact dimensions and support policy; mounting and action capture remain separate. |
| Phone + separate action camera | Separate recording from the device and battery used for communication. | Carry and charge another device; compare the full cost and mounting system. |
We have not locked matched alternative offers, so there is no evidence-backed claim that one setup is cheaper. Nor do we treat the historical crowdfunding price or a crossed-out retail price as today’s savings. An existing phone may be the lowest-effort starting point if its size and recording already meet your needs.
Final verdict
Investigate the F116 Pro if its compact format solves a specific problem and you can accept a research-based, conditional purchase decision. The physical-memory specification and built-in mount are meaningful features to assess. They do not erase the need to confirm calling, camera workflow and the terms for returning an unsuitable unit.
If you need a primary US phone with predictable long-term support, or an action camera whose footage you already know you can depend on, we would wait for the missing evidence or choose a setup with those requirements established. We are withholding a numerical score and a firm value award because we have not tested the device or verified the full transaction.
Frequently asked questions
Is the F116 Pro really a 36GB RAM phone? Its advertised total includes 12GB physical RAM plus up to 24GB expansion. Those are different memory resources.
Can it replace an action camera? That remains unproven in this assessment. Confirm current firmware, stabilized recording modes, footage, audio and mounting before relying on it for that job.
Will it work on my US network? We have not confirmed the exact unit. Obtain an IMEI-based answer from your provider and check VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling separately.
Does it have guaranteed Android upgrades? The written statement reviewed describes conditional support focused mainly on fixes; it does not establish a guaranteed major-upgrade count or a fixed security end date.
Sources and method
This is a Research-based review prepared from documents checked on November 3, 2026. The target is the direct-store US / Orange 12GB/256GB offer. Global marketing and campaign statements have not been verified against a physical unit. Leo Conrad Nguyen is the named editorial author; pending evidence decisions are not represented as completed human approval.
Primary material includes the retail specification page, the selected US offer, storefront variant data, the maker’s crowdfunding article, its creator FAQ, and the policy pages linked above. Campaign answers are historical statements, not proof of delivered firmware features.
We use the original DevCheck device-data entry to identify unresolved specification differences, not as our own hardware inspection. Carrier guidance establishes the checking process, not acceptance of this particular phone. The distinction between advertised features, reported data, our buying analysis and untested outcomes remains visible throughout.
We have no test unit, firmware dump, sample footage, controlled battery run, charging log, brightness measurement or unit-specific IMEI result. Manufacturer-supplied imagery and the conceptual size illustration are not test photographs. No affiliate links or numerical product scores are used.
