Sunbeam F1 Review 2026: Best Texting Dumbphone?

There is a dirty secret in the dumbphone community.

We post aesthetic photos of our flip phones. We talk about the peace of mind. We brag about disconnecting. But we rarely talk about the frustration of receiving a long text message from a friend and realizing we have to reply using a T9 keypad.

Tap-tap-tap. Pause. Tap-tap. Delete. Tap-tap-tap.

It takes two minutes to write “I’ll be there in 10 minutes.”

For many people, this friction is a dealbreaker. You want to disconnect from social media, not from communication. You want a simpler phone, not a slower life.

Enter the Sunbeam F1.

This device was built by a company in Missouri originally for the Mennonite community (who require technology without the “worldliness” of the internet). But in 2026, it has become the gold standard for digital minimalists.

Why? Because it solves the texting problem. It combines a retro flip phone body with a modern touchscreen and the best Voice-to-Text engine on the market.

But with the release of their new lineup—the F1 Horizon and the F1 Pro—choosing the right model has become confusing.

Here is a deep-dive comparison to help you decide which Sunbeam F1 fits your lifestyle.

The Secret Weapon Voice-to-Text

Before we compare the hardware, we have to talk about the software.

The Sunbeam F1 runs a proprietary OS (BasicOS) that is stripped of everything except the essentials. No browser. No App Store. No social media.

But the “Killer Feature” is the Voice-to-Text.

Unlike the clunky voice assistants of the past, Sunbeam uses a dedicated Microsoft Azure integration (sandboxed for privacy). You simply hold a button on the side, speak naturally, and let go.

The phone transcribes your speech instantly and accurately. It handles punctuation. It handles speed. It is faster than typing on an iPhone.

This changes everything. It means you can reply to a paragraph-long text from your boss while walking down the street, without stopping to peck at buttons. It bridges the gap between “Dumbphone Peace” and “Smartphone Convenience.”

The Hardware Showdown Horizon vs. Pro

Sunbeam offers two distinct hardware models. They run the same software, but they are built for different lives.

1. The Sunbeam F1 Horizon (The Daily Driver)

Best For: Office workers, Parents, and Casual Users.

The Horizon is the spiritual successor to the original F1. It is designed to be sleek, pocketable, and comfortable.

Build: It feels solid but refined. It fits easily into skinny jeans or a small purse.
Durability: It has a reinforced hinge (metal) and a user-replaceable battery, but it is not designed to be dropped in a lake.
Battery: 1400mAh. It easily lasts a day of heavy use or two days of light use.
The Vibe: It looks like a classic, friendly flip phone. It doesn’t scream “rugged.” It fits in at a nice dinner or a board meeting.

2. The Sunbeam F1 Pro (The Tank)

Best For: Construction workers, Hikers, and the Clumsy.

The Pro is a beast. If the Horizon is a sedan, the Pro is a Humvee.

Rugged Rating: It is IP68 Water and Dust Proof. You can drop it in a puddle, get it covered in sawdust, or rinse it in the sink. It meets MIL-STD-810H standards for drops and shocks.
Battery: A massive upgrade to 1800mAh. Because it lacks background apps draining power, this battery makes the Pro a multi-day warrior.
Charging: It features Pogo Pin charging contacts on the back (optional drop-in dock) plus USB-C. This is great if you don’t want to fiddle with cables.
The Speaker: It has a significantly louder (90dB+) front-facing speaker, designed to be heard on noisy job sites.
The Trade-off: It is thicker, heavier, and looks more utilitarian.

The Software Tiers: Choose Your Level of Disconnect

Sunbeam does something unique. They don’t just sell you the phone; they sell you different “Software Levels” depending on how disconnected you want to be.

You choose your model (like “Bluebird” or “Daisy”) based on the features you need.

The “Lemming” / “Dandelion” (Level 0):
- Features: Calls only. No texting.
- For: Kids or extreme detoxers.
The “Daisy” (Level 1):
- Features: Calls + Texting. No touchscreen. No Voice-to-Text.
- For: Purists who love T9.
The “Bluebird” (Level 3 – Most Popular):
- Features: Calls, Text, Voice-to-Text, Camera, Weather, and Waze Navigation.
- For: Modern adults who need to get around.

A Note on Navigation (Waze): The “Bluebird” model includes a navigation app powered by HERE/Waze data. It is excellent. It gives you turn-by-turn directions on the small screen. It has live traffic updates. It saves you from needing to keep a smartphone in the glovebox for maps.

The Daily Experience

Living with a Sunbeam F1 feels… efficient.

When you open the phone, you are greeted by a simple list menu. You tap “Navigation,” type or speak your destination, and go. You tap “Messages,” dictate a reply, and close the phone.

The Touchscreen

Having a touchscreen on a flip phone sounds weird, but it is genius. It allows you to scroll through lists or pan around a map intuitively, while still having physical buttons for dialing numbers. It is the best of both worlds.

Privacy

Sunbeam’s business model is simple: You pay for the phone, and they don’t sell your data. There are no ads. Your location data isn’t being harvested. In 2026, paying a premium for privacy is often worth it.

Who Should Buy Which?

Buy the F1 Horizon if:

You work in an office or stay mostly indoors.
You want a phone that disappears in your pocket.
Aesthetics matter to you.
You want the classic flip phone experience with modern superpowers.

Buy the F1 Pro if:

You work in trades (construction, plumbing, landscaping).
You are an outdoor enthusiast (hiking, camping).
You are a “Butterfingers” who constantly drops phones.
You need maximum battery life and loud audio.

Verdict: The Bridge Between Two Worlds

The Sunbeam F1 is not the cheapest dumbphone. At around $200-$300 (depending on the model), it is an investment.

But it is the most livable dumbphone on the market.

Other phones (like the Nokia 2780) force you to give up convenience for peace. The Sunbeam F1 lets you keep the convenience (Maps, fast texting) while eliminating the distraction (Apps, Browser).

It removes the friction of “dumb” tasks (texting/navigating) but adds infinite friction to “addictive” tasks (scrolling).

If you have tried other dumbphones and quit because texting was too hard, the Sunbeam F1 is the answer you have been waiting for.

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