Best Rugged Smartphones Of 2019

For those who are on the lookout for a smartphone that can survive the harshest environment, the list of best rugged smartphone below will point you in the right direction.

Cat S61 Rugged Smartphone

Cat S61 might be the best rugged smartphone you can buy

The Cat S61 is arguably the best rugged smartphone of the year 2019. If you are familiar with the Cat S60, you will realize that all the shortcomings on it have been fixed in this latest version. It has a size of 162 x 77 x 13mm and weighs 259g, making the phone looks and feels solid. Its IP69 certifications and MIL Spec 810G show that the phone can withstand water jet with high pressure.

To make sure that it can get out of drops intact, the Cat 61 is equipped with many rubber and polycarbonate parts, held firmly by a frame made out of metal. As a rugged smartphone, it comes with functions that regular smartphones lack, including a sensor for air quality and a laser-based measurement for distance. For the software, it has 4GB RAM and runs on Android 8.0 and Snapdragon 630 SoC mobile platform. Pros:

• IP6 rating
• Enable dual SIM

Cons:

• Come at a higher price than other models

AGM X3 rugged smartphone

The battery of the X3 is not as durable as that of the X2

The AMG X3 is the effort to conquer other markets other than its home country China. Unlike many of its rivals, the phone is thin and light but still qualifies for MIL-STD 810G and IP68, which is a plus. It is rugged, but it does not mean its users have to sacrifice the software. It boasts the level of tech that similar to flagship phones from Samsung or Apple with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and plenty of RAM.

Pros:

• Serious power
• Triple sensors

Cons:

• The battery is not as durable as that of the X2
• Come with a higher price

Doogee S90 rugged smartphone

The Dogee S90 has a modular approach

What sets the Dogee S90 apart from its competitor is that it allows you to build your handheld device by its modular approach. This makes the phone more flexible than anything you can find on the market. Although it looks bulky and big, its excellent performance makes up for all of that, which qualifies it to be on the list of best rugged smartphone. Pros:

• Has a reasonable price
• Competent

Cons:

• Has a notch
• Bulky

Blackview BV9500 Pro rugged smartphone

The BV9500 can work like a walkies-talkie

The BV9500 comes at a higher price than other rugged smartphones from Blackview, but in return, you get a wide range of features that not many smartphones can rival. The most noticeable is the PTT feature that makes the phone resembles a walkies-talkie. All the functions the BV9500 has made it suitable for all kinds of outdoor activities. Pros:

• Durable battery
• Enable wireless charging

Cons:

• Heavy
• Bad sound quality

AGM X2 rugged smartphone

The AGM X2 boasts a camera arrangement that is on par with the Samsung Galaxy S8

The AGM X2 boasts a camera arrangement that is on par with the Samsung Galaxy S8. In front sits a 16-megapixel camera and on the other side, there is a system of double 12-megapixel sensors. The 6000mAh battery is also a plus, so is the 128GB inbuilt storage. For the right eye, we can add the VOC to the list of advantages. The X2 sports USB Type-C and NFC, but the phone does not allow wireless charging. Pros:

• Durable battery
• Triple sensors

Cons:

• Pricey
• Can work with only one 4G SIM

Doogee S60 rugged smartphone

The S60 is a great rugged smartphone to purchase

The name might sound odd, the look might not to everyone liking, but if you can put up with all of those, the S60 is a great rugged smartphone to purchase. To protect the phone from impact, the screen is put under a Gorilla Glass 5 glass. You have the dual SIM standby and the fast charging function. That is for the hardware, and the software is also a looker. It packs a wide range of sensors and tools such as a barometer, a coulomb meter, and even a bubble level. Pros:

• Inexpensive
• Have a lot of sensors and tools

Cons:

• Bulky
• Heavy

Ulefone Armor 2 rugged smartphone

The Ulefone Armor 2 shares some main properties with the S60 and the AGM X2

The Ulefone Armor 2 features a lot of better functions than what its predecessors have with the price remains affordable. It shares some main properties with the S60 and the AGM X2, but it is surprisingly cheaper than both of them. Some of these features are 6GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and Mediatek Helio P25 octa-core CPU).

Among the Ulefone Armor 2, AGM X2, and Doogee S60, the first one has a camera arrangement that is slightly worse than the other two, but it is still competent enough to be on par with the Samsung Galaxy S8 when it comes to taking good pictures. The battery cannot be compared with the other two either, and the audio connector is absent, which requires a converter. The range of tools is diverse but not as many as what the S60 has. Pros:

• Inexpensive
• NFC

Cons:

• No audio connector
• The battery is weaker than many other rugged smartphones

Blackview BV7000 Pro rugged smartphone

The Blackview BV7000 Pro is built to meet the needs of a more extensive array of users

The Blackview BV7000 Pro is built to meet the needs of a more extensive array of users and to be a best rugged smartphone. It performs well and runs smoothly and rarely show stutters. For a rugged smartphone, its screen is stunning, especially when you take a closer look at it. Its features can remind you of many other flagships phones, such as the smart somatosensory, which lets you use simple hand gestures to control limited functions of the phone; and the Parallel Space, which you can use to duplicate apps and let others use them too.

The NFC and wireless charging functionalities are absent, and it is somehow stuck with the 802.11n Wi-Fi, but for the money you have to pay to get it, the BV7000 pro is still a good bargain and definitely a worthy candidate of any list of best rugged smartphones. Pros:

• Stunning design
• Good value for money

Cons:

• No NFC
• The Battery is not very durable

Zebra TC75x rugged smartphone

Zebra stands out for its sheer quality

The last on our list of best rugged smartphone is the Zebra TC75x, which is the perfect combination of features of a mid-range smartphone and a rugged phone; all cost you a little higher than many other models on this list. The software suite will show you why you should pay that much money for this phone. With the fierce competition form Cat and Unitech, Zebra still stands out for its sheer quality and is a prime example of a low price is not everything. Pros:

• Durable battery
• A rugged look

Cons:

• Upgrading OS can be time-consuming