Strength and durability are just a few features of the best rugged smartphones of 2022, but it doesn’t end there. The rugged smartphone market has a very curtailed target market, as it aims at those whose work entails going to very rough terrains. In such areas, a regular smartphone will suffer damage from falls, extreme temperatures, and so much more, but rugged smartphones will stand the test. These smartphones are the right choice when embarking on hikes, camping, or any other activity that might put a regular smartphone at risk of going bad. Here are the best picks in the rugged smartphone market, also check out our best flagship devices of 2022 in this article.
Oukitel WP21
This is the most recent entry into Oukitel’s rugged smartphones series, and it comes with a 6.78-inch FHD+ screen display. Surprisingly, this device also gets a circular rear display that can display widgets, call notifications, and even double as a screen for taking selfie pictures with the triple rear camera. Speaking of cameras, the Oukitel WP21 comes with a triple camera setup housing a 64MP main camera as well as a 20MP night vision camera and a 2MP macro lens.
This smartphone has an IP68 rating and can survive underwater for 30 minutes at a depth of 1.5 meters. It is also dustproof thanks to its fully sealed body band IP69K certification, also the smartphone is drop-proof for about 1.5 meters. The build of the smartphone is also very bulky due to its protective shell and massive, 9800mAh battery with 66W fast charging. With this battery capacity, the Oukitel WP21 can charge other devices, and it uses the MediaTek Helio G99 processor. The retail price for this device will start at $300, and it will become available for shipping in a few days.
UMIDIGI Bison 2 Pro
The Bison 2 series is UMIDIGI’s new entry into the rugged smartphone market, and the series consists of two devices, the base model and the Pro model. Both devices have a 6.5-inch FHD+ screen display and make use of the MediaTek Helio P90 processor. Also, the devices both come with a triple rear camera setup that houses a 48MP main camera, a 16MP ultra-wide, and a 5MP macro camera. Of all devices on this list, this is the most stylish in terms of design as it bears a simple design whilst maintaining a study-rugged build.
The two devices in the UMIDIGI Bison 2 series are water-resistant, dustproof, and shock resistant with IP68, IP69K & MIL-STD-810G certifications. UMIDIGI also did well to add a liquid cooling system on this smartphone to keep it from overheating while in use. The battery capacity on this device is, 6150mAh with 18W fast charge ability, and it has a slimmer profile than the Oukitel WP21. For its retail price, this device starts at $230 for the 8GB RAM variant being the Pro model.
Ulefone Armor 18T
In terms of design and build, the Ulefone Armor 18T is the most rugged-looking smartphone on our list. It comes with a 6.58-inch FHD+ screen display, and it makes use of the MediaTek Dimensity 900 processor and up to 12GB of RAM. For its cameras, this rugged device comes with a triple camera setup housing a 108MP main camera and two secondary cameras.
For its build, the Ulefone Armor 18T comes with corning gorilla glass 5 protection and is waterproof, dust-proof, and drop-proof. For its battery capacity, this device comes with a 9600mAh battery capacity which supports 66W fast charging and 15W wireless charging. The retail price for the Ulefone Armor 18T is $699 making it the most expensive option on our list.
Doogee S98
Just like the Oukitel WP21, the Doogee S98 also comes with a rear display in addition to its 6.3-inch FHD+ screen. The processor on this rugged device is the MediaTek Helio G96 SoC, and it also features 8GB worth of RAM capacity. On the rear is a triple camera setup that houses a 64MP main camera sensor, a 20MP night vision, and an 8MP wide camera.
Like the other devices on this list, the Doogee S98 comes with the necessary certification pointing out its waterproof, dustproof, and drop-proof nature. It uses a 6000mAh battery capacity and supports 33W fast charging and 15W fast wireless charging. The retail price for this device is $309, and it is available for purchase via Doogee’s official site.
All devices on this list are super durable and have long-lasting battery capacities to last days on a single charge. These are the best rugged smartphones in 2022, and they all run Android 12 out of the box with some customizations. A hunorable mention in this list is the Samsung Galaxy XCover 6 Pro, a more expensive option with a smaller battery capacity. If you are shopping for these kinds of smartphones for everyday usage, consider taking a look at the ones on this list.
