The figures don’t lie; most people do not care for a rugged smartphone. They would rather buy a regular smartphone that catches their fancy and buy a protective case to is it with, to shield it from falls and hits. But there is a small subset of cell phone users who need phones that can withstand really tough environments, people whose daily lives requires a phone that can take a few knocks, hits, and drops without breaking. These individuals want no less than the best rugged smartphone possible.
What To Look For In A Rugged Smartphone
At the core of requirements, a rugged smartphone is one that has dust and water resistance, and is also able to withstand shocks and drops without falling apart. These are essential needs. Some go further and get certified for military standard use, meaning they are certified to take some beating out in extreme conditions.Some rugged smartphones also have pressure resistance, heat resistance, as well as support underwater camera usage. And a smaller set of rugged smartphones have extra features built in to help outdoor people navigate and measure, among other tools.
There are not a lot of those phones in the market, for the same reason that not a lot of people are particular about them. But there are enough, and we have compiled the list of the best rugged smartphones you can buy in 2022.
List Of Rugged Smartphones To Buy In 2022
Which phone brands make rugged phones? Among the mainstream brands, we have Samsung and Nokia. And that is it. Beyond these top brands, other phone makers that produce and sell rugged smartphones include: Doogee, BlackView, CAT, Unihertz, Kyocera, and Ulefone.
Nokia XR20
Nokia is a known brand in many parts of the world, especially in the UK, Europe, Oceania, Asia, and Africa. The brand has a small but loyal following too, in the USA. The Nokia XR20 is avilable in all these regions.
Rugged features: MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability, IP68 dust and water resistant (up to 1.5m for 60 minutes), Drop-to-concrete resistance from up to 1.8 m, Gorilla Glass 5 display. Weight: 248g Network: Dual SIM card / 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G / GSM Display: 6.67″ 1080 x 2400 pixels, IPS LCD CPU: Snapdragon 480 5G (8nm) RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB Micro SD card support: up to 512GB Battery: 4630mAh Charging: USB Type-C; 18W wired charging, 15W wireless Front camera: 8MP Rear cameras: 48MP + 13MP Colors: Granite Grey, Ultra Blue Price: United States $519 / Europe €306 / United Kingdom £250
Samsung Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro
If you are resident in the United States and looking for a rugged smartphone, and cost is not a factor, the Xcover 6 Pro by Samsung is a good choice, as Samsung is popular here.
Rugged features: IP68 water and dust resistance to a depth of 1.5m for up to 30 minutes.; MIL-STD-810H; Weight: 235g Network: Single and Sual SiM card options / 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G / GSM Display: 6.6 inches, 1080 x 2408 pixels, 120Hz, PLS LCD, Gorilla Glass Victus protection CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB Micro SD card support: up to 1TB Battery: 4050mAh Charging: USB Type-C; 25W fast charging (USA); 15W fast charging (International) Front camera: 13MP Rear cameras: 50MP + 8MP Colors: Black Price: USA $600 / UK £499 / Europe €509
Unihertz Titan Pocket
The Titan Pocket is the least rugged smartphone on this list, as it lacks multiple features that are present on the others. But it sits in a special place for lovers of the old BlackBerry Bold and Curve models. If you are one of the few people who still fancy a hardware QWERTY keyboard on your phone, this is the best rugged smartphone that you can buy in 2022 that has one. That is what has earned it a place on this list.
Rugged features: Shock and drop resistance. Weight: 218g Network: Dual SUIm cards / 4G, 3G, 2G / GSM Operating System: Android 11 Display: 3.1 inches, 716 x 720 pixels, IPS LCD, Corning Gorilla Glass CPU: MediaTek Helio P70 RAM: 6GB Internal Storage: 128GB MicroSD Card: up to 256 GB (hybrid) Rear camera: 16MP Front camera: 8MP Battery: 4000 mAh Charging: 5W standard charging Price: $299 You can order your Unihertz Titan Pocket here. Disclosure: MobilityArena earns a commission if you order via this link.
Samsung Galaxy Xcover 5
Rugged features: IP68 water and dust resistance of up to 1.5m for 30 minutes; MIL-STD-810H; Weight: 218g Network: Single and Dual SIM card options / 4G, 3G, 2G / GSM Display: 5.3 inches, 720 x 1480 pixels, PLS LCD CPU: Samsung Exynos 850 RAM: 4GB Internal Storage: 64GB with MicroSD: Yes (dedicated slot) Battery: 3000 mAh Charging: 15W fast charging Rear camera: 16MP lens Front camera: 5MP Colors: Black. Price: Canada C$ 598 / Europe €225 / UK £200
CAT S62 Pro
Rugged features: IP68/69 water and dust resistance; MIL-STD-810H; Drop-to-concrete resistance of up to 1.8m; Weight: 248g Operating System: Android 10 Network: Single and Dual SIM card options / 4G, 3G, 2G / GSM Display: 5.7 inches, 1080 x 2160 pixels, IPS LCD, Gorilla Glass 6 CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 RAM: 6GB Storage: 128GB Micro SD card support: up to 256GB (dedicated) Battery: 4000mAh Charging: USB Type-C Front camera: 8MP Rear cameras: 12MP lens, thermal imaging Colors: Black Price: USA $520 / Canada C$ 795 / UK £549 / Europe €499
Doogee V20
Rugged features: IP68/69K water and dust resistance; MIL-STD-810G; Drop-to-concrete resistance; pressure resistance; heat resistance (from -67 °F to 158 °F) Network: Dual SIM / 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G / GSM + CDMA Weight: 296g Operating System: Android 11 Display: 6.43″, 1080x 2400 pixels, AMOLED, Gorilla Glass protection CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB Micro SD card support: up to 512GB (hybdrid) Battery: 6000mAh Charging: USB Type-C; 33W fast charging; 15W wireless; Reverse charging Front camera: 16MP Rear cameras: 64MP main lens + 8MP ultrawide lens + 20MP infrared night vision Colors: Black, Red, Silver/Grey Virtual toolkit: Sound meter, gradienter, protractor, magnifier, and a handful of other useful tools Price: Europe €440
UleFone Power Armor 16 Pro
While it packs a wallop in terms of rugged features, the Power Armor 16 Pro is let down by an underwhelming processor. But it is also the most affordable of the rugged smartphones to buy in 2022. If you are pressed for cash, take a look at this model. It won’t win any performance awards (it doesn’t even come close), but it is extremely pocket-friendly.
Rugged features: IP68/69K water and dust resistance to a depth of 1.5m for up to 30 minutes.; MIL-STD-810G; Underwater photography (dedicated mode to take photos and record videos submerged) Weight: 405g Network: Dual SIM Cards / 4G, 3G, 2G GSM Operating System: Android 12 Display: 5.93 inches, 720 x 1440 pixels, IPS, fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating CPU: MediaTek Helio G25 RAM: 4GB Storage: 64GB Micro SD card support: up to 128GB (hybrid slot) Battery: 9600mAh Charging: USB Type-C; 18W wired charging Front camera: 8MP Rear cameras: 16MP main lens + 2MP Depth sensor Colors: Orange, Black Price: $269.99
UleFone Armor 12 5G
With a high-performance Dimensity 1200 5G chipset, the Armor 12 5G is easily the most powerful of the rugged smartphones to buy in 2022. And UleFone did not let all that raw power go to waste; they matched it with adequate RAM and a host of features that puts this phone at the top of the table.
Rugged features: IP68/69K water and dust resistance to a depth of 1.5m for up to 30 minutes.; MIL-STD-810G; Underwater photography (dedicated mode to take photos and record videos submerged) Weight: 296g Network: Dual SIM cards / 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G / GSM + CDMA Display: 6.52 inches, 720 x 1600 pixels, IPS, oleophobic fingerprint-resistant coating CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 1200 5G RAM: 12GB Storage: 256GB Micro SD card support: up to 1TB Battery: 5180mAh Charging: USB Type-C; 18W wired charging, 15W wireless Front camera: 16MP Rear cameras: 48MP main lens + 8MP ultrawide lens + 2MP macro lens + 2MP depth sensor Colors: Black, Gray Speakers: Dual Price: $399.99
AGM Glory Pro
Rugged features: IP68/69K dust and water resistant for up to 1.5m for 30 minutes; MIL-STD-810H; drop-to-concrete resistance, up to 1.5m; thermal camera Weight: 370g Operating System: Android 11 Network: 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G / GSM Display: 6.53 inches, 2340×1080 pixels, LPS TFT CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB Micro SD card support: up to 512GB MicroSD card: up to 512GB (hybrid) Battery: 6200mAh Charging: USB Type-C; 18W wired charging, 15W wireless Front camera: 16MP Rear cameras: 48MP main lens + 20MP infrared night lens + 2MP macro lens Colors: Black Price: $800
Blackview BL8800 Pro
Rugged features: IP68/69K dust and water resistant; MIL-STD-810H; drop-to-concrete resistance, up to 1.5m Weight: 367g Network: 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G Display: 6.58-inch, 1080 x 2408 pixels, IPS LCD CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G RAM: 8GB Storage: 128GB Micro SD card support: No Battery: 8380mAh Charging: USB Type-C; 33W wired charging, Reverse wired charging Front camera: 16MP Rear cameras: 50MP main lens + 5MP thermal-assisted lens, 2MP depth sensor Colors: Black, Green, Orange Price: $299.99
Oukitel WP21
Rugged features: IP68; IP69K; MIL-STD-810H Weight: 398g Network: 4G GSM Operating System: Android 12 Display: 6.78-inch, FHD+, 120Hz refresh rate, AMOLED CPU: MediaTek Helio G99 RAM: 12GB Storage: 256GB MicroSD Card Support: Yes Battery: 9800mAh Charging: USB Type-C; 66W wired charging, 15W wireless Front camera: MP Rear cameras: 64MP main lens + 20MP night lens + 2MP macro lens Colors: Black, Green, Orange Price: $280. It is available to buy on AliExpress from November 24, 2022.
The Best Rugged Smartphones To Buy In 2022
Having looked at the whole list, which is the best rugged smartphone to buy in 2022? Individual needs vary, and so I suspect that the answer to that question will vary from one person to another. But here are my recommendations based on clearly identified scenarios.
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