Phones that could survive nuclear blasts...probably!
Having a smartphone is classed as pretty essential nowadays. With the initial costs constantly rising for the upfront of purchasing it, in this day and age, repairs can cost a lot too! It seems that the better the phone, the more fragile it is. Almost makes you want to carry around a miniature safe in your pocket just for your device. Even though there are numerous add-ons you can purchase for your phones, such as cases and screen protectors, if you are a bit of a clumsy oaf like myself then there are phones out there that are specifically built for durability purposes. Whilst some might be a bit overkill for the day-to-day user, and more centred towards those in hazardous workplaces, here's a list of phones that would give Sir Killalot from Robot Wars a bit of a task of breaking. This list is in no particular order as each phone has different qualities to help once the nuclear fallout arrives!
Cat® S62 Pro
Credit: CAT®
CAT® is known across the world for heavy-duty work gear, and that is exactly what the S62 Pro is for. The Cat S62 Pro features several exclusive enhancements providing even more thermal detail to help locate and diagnose the dampness, the draught, the leak, the hotspot, the electrical short, the blockage or the elevated temperature. With a modern and rugged design, the S62 Pro is protected by a high-grade aluminium body, and the latest toughened scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass 6. Designed to exceed MIL-SPEC 810H protection against dust, as well as shock, water, vibration and extreme temperatures. For £579, this phone can be yours!
Specs
- Display: 5.7 inch 2160x1080px (Gorilla Glass 6)
- Cameras: 12 MP + FLIR thermal (front); 8MP (selfie)
- OS: Android 10
- CPU/GPU: Octa-core (4 x 2.2 GHz + 4 1.8 GHz Kryo 260) / Adreno 512
- Memory: 128GB + microSD
- RAM: : 6GB
- Dust/water protection: IP68 & IP69 (1.5m for 35mins)
- Drop test: 1.8m
- Rugged: MIL-STD-810H compliant
- Practical: Accelerometer, proximity, compass, barometer, fingerprint
- Size: 159 x 77 x 12 mm
- Weight: 248g
Nokia XR20
Credit: Nokia
Arguably the sleekest of phones on our list, the Nokia XR20 is the one that is most suitable for users who just seem to face bad luck with breaking phones. Nokia back in the day were king of the rugged phone business. All you need to remember is the Nokia 3310 and how durable that little bad boy was. Oh and of course playing Snake on it. The XR20 packs in robust features such as a MIL-STD-810H rating, IP68 waterproofing and a thick protective bumper surrounding its aluminium frame. While most modern handsets are relatively dainty and delicate by comparison, the XR20 is also protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass Victus, which is tougher than anything we’ve seen previously on a Nokia handset. Sadly though aesthetics and ruggedness aside, on the inside is really where it gets let down, despite its promise to be up to date up until 2025. Prices start at £399.
Specs
- Display: 6.67 inch 1080x2400px (Corning Gorilla Glass Victus)
- Cameras: 48 MP + 13MP (front); 8MP (selfie)
- OS: Android 11
- CPU/GPU: Octa-core 2x2GHz 460 + 6x1.8GHz Kryo 506 / Adreno 619
- Memory: 64 or 128GB + microSDXC
- RAM: : 4/6GB
- Dust/water protection: IP68 (1.5m for 60mins)
- Drop test: 1.8m
- Rugged: MIL-STD-810H compliant
- Practical: Radio, Accelerometer, proximity, compass, barometer
- Size: 171 x 82 x 10.6 mm
- Weight: 248g
DOOGEE S98 Pro
Credit: DOOGEE
Despite not listing these in any particular order, if you are looking for the best-designed and durable phone within budget, then this is the phone I'd fully recommend. If you're looking to save money on your electric bill this winter, then the Doogee S98 Pro is the phone for you. It has an exceptional battery life, night vision and thermal imaging cameras to help you see in the dark, and it's nearly indestructible - so you'll hopefully never have to get it repaired. Other out-of-this-world specifications of this device include an impressive 8GB LPDDR4x RAM to support multitasking when combined with the very capable Helio G96 processor for uninterrupted mobile gaming. High-level performance is also guaranteed with the Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, and super long-lasting battery life. As long as you're not too bothered about 5G and having the best main camera, the Doogee's other features are outstanding, especially for those who work in a trade. Prices start at £374.
Specs
- Display: 6.3 inches IPS LCD
- Cameras: 48 MP + 20MP (front); 16MP (selfie)
- OS: Android 12
- CPU/GPU: Mediatek MT6781 Helio G96, Octa-core CPU, Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
- Memory: 128GB / 256GB + MicroSD & TF card slots
- RAM: : 8GB / 12GB
- Dust/water protection: IP68/IP69K dust/water resistant (up to 1.5 meters for 30 min)
- Drop test: Drop-to-concrete resistance from up to 1.5 meters
- Rugged: MIL-STD-810G compliant
- Practical: Thermal imaging, night vision, compass, flashlight, protractor
- Size: 17.2 x 8.2 x 1.55 cm
- Weight: 320g
AGM Glory G1 Pro
Credit: AGM
This 5G phone is built to handle temperature extremes and report back; it has an excellent 48MP thermal-imaging camera with an unusually high resolution and frame rate (25fps) as well as the ability to survive in Arctic temperatures The G1 Pro’s styling does not attempt to hide its rugged nature, using the 23mm thick protective frame to house a 33mm diameter 3.5-watt speaker which can put out 110db. The 8-core system is nothing to write home about, but fast enough on the clean Android 11 supplied, while other useful tools – including fingerprint ID, NFC, Bluetooth 5, 18W wireless charging and a definable side key – are all there. Ruggedization hasn’t stopped microSD cards or 3.5mm headphones from being used if required, either. Some key features of the AGM Glory G1 Pro include a cold-resistant battery, 20MP infrared night vision camera, booming loudspeaker with a 109dB loud sound, dual-torch design, and is drop-proof, dust-proof, and water-proof tested. Prices start at £459.99
Specs
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Display: 6.53 inch 2340x 1080px
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Cameras: 48 MP + Thermal + 20MP Infra Red + 2MP macro (front); 16MP (selfie)
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OS: Android 11
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CPU/GPU: 5G 4350-2 8nm 2GHz 480 Qualcomm Snapdragon
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Memory: 128GB + microSD
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RAM: 256GB
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Dust/water protection: IP69K (1.5m for 30mins)
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Drop test: 1.2m
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Rugged: MIL-STD-810H compliant
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Practical: Radio, Accelerometer, proximity, compass, thermal camera,
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Size: 175 x 84 x 23 mm
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Weight: 370g
Ulefone Armor 11T 5G
Credit: Ulefone
If you need to take a thermal imaging camera to work, this rugged 5G phone not only represents a well-equipped modern phone but one less thing to carry. The camera array isn’t just useful for assessing heat issues; there is a macro lens for examining close-up flaws in visible light. The slim profile, 7nm process and spec remain within touching distance of flagship phones which means you do get high-end features like fingerprint ID, face unlock, and wireless charging. You can capture 4K video as well as 48-megapixel images, but you’ll need a case to beat some of the others in this list when it comes to the drop test. Prices start at £529.99
Specs
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Display: 6.1 inch 720 x 1560px (Olephobic coating)
- Cameras: 48 MP + FLIR thermal + 5MP + 2MP macro +2MP depth (front); 16MP (selfie)
- OS: Android 11
- CPU/GPU: Octa-core 4x2GHz A76 + 4x2GHz A55 Cortex / Mali-G57 MP4
- Memory: 256GB
- RAM: 8GB
- Dust/water protection: IP69K (1.5m for 30mins)
- Drop test: 1.2m
- Rugged: MIL-STD-810G compliant
- Practical: Radio, Accelerometer, proximity, compass
- Size: 164 x 82 x 14 mm
- Weight: 293g
And there you have it, a list of phones built to withstand the strongest of conditions. All phones are available from their respective brand websites if you are interested or if you feel like the style of the phone would be perfect for your needs or workspace.
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