For some consumers, the most important asset of a smartphone is its durability. In these cases, it is essential to focus on the most indestructible rugged smartphones on the market.
The smartphone is said to be our new daily companion, because we take it everywhere to do so many things, including important things. A problem then arises: what happens when we have to take it to places that are at risk of bumping into it, or if we are used to treating it with without too much care?
Those who use their phones in “tough” environments, such as those at some jobs, or those who abuse them by dropping them very often, may need a model that is almost indestructible. That’s why we look at the most rugged smartphones available.
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Indestructible phones, what is a Rugged smartphone
Nearly indestructible phones make up the Rugged category, a word that means “reinforced”. They are specially manufactured with very different coatings than normal and, precisely, reinforced in every part of them, from the display to the cameras to the entire body.
Even among the Rugged there are various models, from those that are rugged but for everyday use to those designed to withstand prohibitive situations. Namely, extreme temperatures and weather conditions, intense shocks, heavy dust, intense movement, water and liquids. They are used in harsh working environments.
Almost all Ruggeds share a different design than normal, given by the ultra-safety coatings they possess. In short, do not be surprised to see very pronounced covers and straight or otherwise very sharp lines. Most importantly, they are all heavier than traditional ones.
The best and cheapest Rugged smartphones
Let’s start with the cheapest but still durable Rugged, which envy little to the best traditional cheap ones.
Oukitel WP20 Pro
A good proposal is Oukitel’s, with the recent Oukitel WP20 Pro of 2022. At around 160 euro, you get a sufficiently complete and definitely ruggedized phone.
Basic but effective configuration with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of expandable internal storage, Android 12, octa-core processor, 20 megapixel camera (of course expect only basic performance from rugged photos).
The display is less than 6-inch HD LCD, and it has NFC and fingerprint unlocking. All bets are on the battery of an impressive 6300 mAh.
Blackview BV5200Pro
Roughly the same price is charged for the Blackview BV5200Pro, but it relies on a slightly larger HD+ LCD screen (6.1 inches) and 7 GB of RAM flanked by the usual 64 of expandable storage.
It drops the battery, which is 5180 mAh here, and the camera, which is 13 megapixels, but there are 3 card slots (2 SIM + 1 SD), face-ID, NFC and Android 12, as well as an even lighter, almost regular phone weight: 268 grams.
The most powerful and top-of-the-line Rugged smartphones
Let’s move up a category with more expensive Rugged smartphones.
Ulefone Armor 8 Pro
An intermediate offering is the Ulefone Armor 8 Pro. It has an excellent 8 GB of RAM and 128 of internal storage. It has Android 11, a 6.1-inch HD display, NFC, quad rear camera, numerous endurance certifications. The battery is average, 5580mAh, weighs 282 grams and costs around 250 euros.
Nokia XR20
If you want to rely on a famous brand, in mid-2021 Nokia released its new Rugged: it is Nokia XR20, which costs a bit more than the others.
The 4+64 configuration may seem basic for the Amazon price of over 400 euros, but Nokia compensates by approaching a traditional smartphone while retaining Rugged features. It retains a neutral design, has an almost normal weight of 245 grams, and is as large as many phones on the market, with many related advantages.
6.67-inch LCD FHD+ display with 2400×1080 pixels, Qualcomm Snapdragon 485 processor with lots of 5G, dual cameras (48 MP the main and 13 MP the ultra wide-angle) with ZEISS lenses for great photos. It gives up some battery, it’s 4630 mAh, but otherwise Nokia promises military-grade shock resistance.
Doogee V20
The highest offering is the Doogee V20 on sale for around 500 euros. It may not be on the list of the most powerful in the world, but at about 300 grams in weight, this 2022 model looks a lot like a high-end smartphone, and offers what everyone else on the list did not have:
- 6.43-inch AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution;
- 8 GB RAM and 256 expandable internal memory;
- 1.05-inch rear external display for quick notification checking;
- 6000 mAh battery with outstanding 33 w fast charging (one hour is enough for 100%) and also wireless charging capability;
- dual SIM with dual 5G;
- Dimensity 700 processor;
- 64 megapixel main camera, wide-angle 8 (lower than Nokia’s) but most importantly an additional 20 infrared camera for night vision.
In short, almost a top of the line, especially if we add super shock resistance, multiple military tests and IP68/IP69K certification, NFC, fingerprint reading and Face-Id: super complete.
Read also: Choosing the best smartphone: 8 things to keep in mind
