5 Best Rugged Smartphones You Can Buy In 2023

The Top 5 Rugged Smartphones You Can Purchase In 2023

RUGGED SMARTPHONES – Here are the top five (5) rugged smartphones you can purchase in 2023. These phones can withstand shocks, drops, and rough weather.

The finest rugged smartphones have the ability to endure shocks, falls, and harsh weather conditions, while also incorporating modern processors, substantial batteries, and other desirable features.

Most of the current leading smartphones come with glass backs that match their glass displays. However, this glass construction renders the phones vulnerable to damage if accidentally dropped. While phone manufacturers and wireless carriers are eager to offer insurance or heavy-duty cases to protect against breakage, there exists a potentially superior alternative: rugged phones.

RUGGED-SMARTPHONES-1 — Photo Source: Astronautech

5 Best Rugged Phones You Can Buy In 2023

1. Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro

SPECS:

The Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro maintains a similarly elegant design as its predecessor, the XCover Pro of the previous generation. However, it enhances its features by incorporating an upgraded processor, increased RAM, and improved camera capabilities. Particularly beneficial for business purposes, the phone now includes support for Samsung DeX. This means you can gather information while in the field and seamlessly transition to using the same phone to power your desktop experience.

In terms of durability, the XCover6 Pro boasts robust qualities such as MIL-STD 810G 1.5m drop test certification, an IP68 rating for resistance against dust and water, a generously-sized 4,050mAh removable battery, and support for accessories through Pogo Pins.

2. Unihertz Tank

SPECS:

The Unihertz Tank stands out as a powerhouse of a smartphone, featuring an immense 22,000 mAh battery capable of charging your other devices as well. The rear of the phone is dominated by a powerful 1200-lumen flashlight equipped with five different operational modes.

The rear camera system is comprehensive, including a 108MP AI camera, a 20MP night vision camera, and a 2MP macro camera. Additionally, a 32MP front-facing camera is available for outdoor selfies. Running on a MediaTek MT6789 processor, the phone is supported by a generous 12GB of RAM and offers an internal storage capacity of 256 GB. With its expansive 6.81-inch display, you’ll have ample screen real estate for viewing maps and data while on the move.

3. Kyocera DuraForce Pro 3

SPECS:

Crafted to endure the rigors of fieldwork, the Kyocera DuraForce Pro 3 offers an added advantage with the support of Verizon’s 5G network. Its initial appearance might mislead you, as its sleek design contrasts with the bulkiness often associated with rugged phones, making it easier to handle and less cumbersome.

Under the hood, the Kyocera DuraForce Pro 3 is driven by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor coupled with 6GB of RAM. It comes with a generous 128GB of internal storage, a trio of rear cameras, and a substantial 4,500 mAh battery. For those expecting extended periods of field photography and video recording, the phone facilitates microSD card swaps of up to 1TB. The removable battery feature allows for spare batteries, eliminating concerns about locating a charging point. Moreover, the DuraForce Pro 3 supports wireless charging, obviating the need to remove the USB-C port plug at the bottom for recharging.

To enhance user convenience, three programmable buttons are at your disposal. These enable swift app launches or key function executions with a simple button press, sparing you the necessity of touchscreen interactions for quick tasks. The phone even accommodates glove usage, allowing operation even in chilly conditions.

Designed to withstand rough treatment, the DuraForce Pro 3 boasts IP68 dust and water resistance, MIL-STD 810H shock test certification, and action overlay data meant to elevate your outdoor escapades.

Kyocera-DuraForce-Pro-3 — Photo Source: PhoneArena

4. Doogee S100 Pro

SPECS:

If you’re in search of a rugged phone designed for survival situations, boasting a battery that can endure for several days on a single charge and ensuring you never face storage shortages, the Doogee S100 Pro is the ideal choice. It incorporates a substantial 22,000 mAh internal battery, an impressive capacity of twenty-two thousand milliampere-hours, capable of recharging other devices as well.

With a generous 12GB of built-in RAM and the potential to expand this with an additional 8GB of extended RAM, the phone facilitates the seamless operation of numerous applications. Meanwhile, its internal storage of 256GB, complemented by a microSD card slot that supports cards of up to 2TB, guarantees you’ll never encounter storage limitations. Furthermore, its triad of potent rear cameras will enable you to document your escapades, with the night vision camera ensuring visibility even in dim environments.

For nighttime illumination, a camping light emitting 130 lumens will prove invaluable. Additionally, the sizable display offers support for refresh rates of up to 120Hz, delivering a smooth and fluid mobile experience.

Doogee-S100-Pro — Photo Source: Futurezone

5. Cat S62 Pro

SPECS:

One noteworthy feature that we’ve observed in some Cat phones is their support for thermal cameras. Having a thermal camera at your disposal is incredibly useful for various fieldwork tasks, whether you’re scanning for hot spots in an electrical switchboard or responding to emergencies. During some sea trials on a new ferry, I brought along the Cat S62 Pro, using it to assess heat levels on different pieces of machinery in the engineering areas.

The Cat S62 Pro boasts a 5.7-inch display with glove mode, along with IP68 dust and water resistance, and it’s designed to withstand drops of up to 1.8 meters according to MIL-STD 810H standards. Additionally, it comes equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor and runs on Android 10.

However, the standout feature of this model is undoubtedly its FLIR Lepton 3.5 thermal camera, capable of measuring temperatures ranging from -20 degrees Celsius to 400 degrees Celsius.