The best smartphone protection. The best rugged smartphones

Professional activities associated with increased risks, an active lifestyle and even a simple desire to enjoy the work of a new device for a longer time makes more and more people think about buying a phone in a protected case. Smartphones with shockproof, waterproof and dustproof casing are able to withstand the most serious loads without any consequences. However, even such devices must meet a number of requirements, so our rating of the best protected phones and smartphones will help you decide on the model that is suitable for your tasks.

Best Rugged Phones

This type of phones is mainly purchased by builders, extreme sportsmen, military men and hikers. In each of these cases, the user does not require significant processor power and a large display diagonal. But the battery life, the degree of security, design convenience, communication quality, as well as reliability and durability in professional activities or during long journeys come to the fore. And the best choice in this case would be just a secure push-button phone, because almost no smartphone can compare in reliability with such a device.

1. SENSEIT P3

The first place in the ranking is occupied by a secure mobile phone from the SENSEIT brand. The manufacturer's devices have been present on the Russian market for more than 5 years, which allowed them to gather their own army of fans around them. However, earlier the owner of the SENSEIT trademark was engaged in the supply of various devices for the mobile operator Megafon, so there is no doubt about the experience of this brand.

As for the P3 model, it is a well-assembled "block" with rubber beads along the perimeter of the case, designed to protect the phone during falls. The phone weighs 180 grams and is 21.5 mm thick, making the SENSEIT P3 the thinnest device in its category. Of the useful features of the monitored model, you can highlight a bright flashlight, which is turned on using a separate button on the left side. By the way, it can work not only in the standard continuous light mode, but also knows how to transmit an SOS signal.

The technical characteristics of SENSEIT P3 cannot be called impressive, but for its price the device is able to please with a high-quality 2.4-inch display with a resolution of 320x240 pixels and a quite decent 3.2-megapixel camera with video recording capability for the class of devices in question. Other useful features of the secure phone include an altimeter, barometer, pedometer and compass.

Advantages:

• functionality;
• good equipment;
• powerful battery which lasts for 2-3 weeks;
• high-quality screen that hardly scratches;
• flashlight with "SOS" mode.

Disadvantages:

• no GPS;
• speaker slots are not protected;
• the quality of the joystick coating.

2. RugGear RG150 Traveler

The RugGear RG150 Traveler is a rugged phone with the largest battery capacity in this category. The device features an attractive design, a rubberized shock-resistant housing, and IP68 protection, which can be submerged to a depth of two meters for 30 minutes. The device is also capable of boasting protection against impacts according to the military standard MIL-STD-810G, so it is not afraid of falling from a height of up to 2 m.

The most impressive thing about the RG150 Traveler is the 100 lumen LED torch. This indicator provides an impressive range of luminescence up to 10 m, when in most protected phones you can count on a maximum of 2 m. The flashlight is turned on using a button on the left side edge, and the user can choose from 3 operating modes: continuous light, strobe and SOS signal ... But that's not all, because after the RugGear RG150 Traveler has completely turned off, its flashlight continues to work for almost half an hour.

Of the unique features of the phone, it is worth highlighting a full-fledged USB port, which is hidden under a cover on the right side. It outputs 5V / 0.5A, so, if necessary, other devices such as a smartphone or a fitness bracelet can be charged through this connector. On the back of the RG150 Traveler there is an external speaker, a 1.3 MP camera module, and two screws for fixing the cover. By removing the latter, the user will have access to a 2400 mAh battery, as well as connectors for 2 SIM cards and a microSD memory card (up to 32 GB).

Advantages:

• high brightness of the flashlight;
• three glow modes;
• support for two SIM-cards;
• moisture protection according to the IP68 standard;
• capacious battery;
• the presence of a USB connector.

Disadvantages:

• quality of plugs;
• unnecessary camera.

3. Seals VR7

The British company Seals Technologies is a fairly young market player, but it has already managed to establish itself as a manufacturer of high-quality phones with shock-resistant and waterproof casing. One of these devices is the VR7 model, which has a GPS module, as well as Bluetooth version 2.0 and a voice recorder. Also, the device is equipped with a bright flashlight, a digital compass, a weather forecast program, a convenient task scheduler and a pre-installed application for reading e-books.

The rugged VR7 phone is also able to delight travelers with the convenient navigation software Sunavi, which allows you to create and guide routes. Previously, for this, you will need to download the map necessary for the user (Europe, Russia, and so on). The phone is water-resistant to IP67, which allows you to briefly submerge it in water to a depth of no more than a meter. Builders, installers and similar tradesmen will love the military-grade MIL-STD-810G shock protection in the Seals VR7.

The battery capacity is only 1750 mAh, but thanks to the energy-efficient single-core processor and good shell optimization, the device can work 12 hours of continuous talk and 2 months in standby mode. The only drawback of the phone is the high cost of 18,000 rubles, as well as support for memory cards up to only 8 GB.

Advantages:

• satellite navigation;
• excellent autonomy;
• military shock protection;
• task Manager;
• weather forecast app.

Disadvantages:

• low quality camera;
• high price.

4. Runbo X1

The last place in the category went to the best manufacturer of secure phones - Runbo. With an average price of 10,000 rubles, we have an ideal device for active people, geologists, builders, and other specialists. The X1 model is a typical representative of the class of rugged devices: a combination of yellow and black colors, protection against water and dust according to the IP67 standard, as well as a large 2200 mAh battery (up to 16 hours of talk time) and a bright flashlight. In addition, the phone can boast of the presence of a light indicator for notification of missed calls or messages and the presence of Bluetooth.

But the main feature of the device is a built-in 1 W radio with a removable antenna. If the latter is installed on the phone, then the signal reception range is 5 km. The radio operates in the frequency range from 400 to 470 MHz. As for the disadvantages of Runbo X1, first of all it is worth recording a camera here. Its resolution is only 0.3 megapixels, so the purpose of installing this module is completely unclear. As for the rest, we have before us a reliable phone with a powerful battery and a good 2-inch matrix with a resolution of 220x176 pixels.

Advantages:

• price-quality ratio;
• bright and high-quality display;
• the presence of a walkie-talkie with a range of 5 km;
• protection from dust, water and shock;
• build quality at a height;
• loud speaker.

Disadvantages:

• camera for tick;
• weak flashlight.

The best rugged smartphones

The phones discussed above are not suitable for all users, because most people are not faced with the construction industry and are not engaged in rock climbing. But what if you want to enjoy all the capabilities of your smartphone, but don't want it to break after just a few hits on the floor or fall into a puddle? In this case, protected smartphones will be an excellent choice. Such devices are distinguished by excellent shock resistance and can be immersed in water without any consequences. As a result, you get a reliable and functional device suitable for both fishing trips and convenient surfing on the Internet.

1.Samsung Galaxy XCover 3 SM-G389F

Samsung's XCover range offers users some of the best rugged smartphones with good build quality. The South Korean giant has practically no competitors in this niche, and perhaps only Sigma, Blackview, Nomi and CATerpillar can offer really worthy alternatives in mass availability. Rare representatives of this class can also be found in Alcatel and HOMTOM products, which are also included in our rating.

For this reason, the Samsung Galaxy XCover 3 is of great interest among users. This smartphone is equipped with a high-quality 4.5-inch display with a resolution of 800x480 pixels. The pixel density of the screen of this model is 207 ppi, and the PLS matrix itself is covered with protective glass. A 4-core chip from Marvell with a frequency of 1300 MHz is responsible for the hardware component of the device, and it is complemented by a Vivante GC7000UL graphics and 1.5 gigabytes of RAM. Such "hardware" provides excellent performance when working with a browser, communicating in instant messengers and other simple applications. But for games, the Galaxy XCover 3 is not suitable.

The manufacturer has equipped its popular smartphone with a shockproof and waterproof case (military standard MIL-STD-810G and IP67, respectively). The built-in storage in the device is 8 GB, of which only 4.3 GB is available to the user. If this volume is not enough for you, then you can increase it by using external microSD drives with a capacity of up to 128 GB.

Advantages:

• bright and responsive screen;
• balanced "iron";
• support for memory cards up to 128 GB;
• price / performance ratio;
• shockproof and waterproof case;
• small thickness (only 9.95 mm).

Disadvantages:

• there is no light sensor;
• battery capacity (2200 mAh).

2. HOMTOM HT20 Pro

The HT20 Pro model from the HOMTOM brand is an impeccable solution for your money. In stores, this device can be found for only 8-9 thousand rubles, which is an excellent offer. The key advantage of the presented model is the IP68 protection against moisture and dust in the phone, as well as the shock-resistant case. The HT20 Pro features a dual micro SIM tray and a high-quality 4.7-inch HD IPS display. The device offers the user a full range of sensors: proximity, lighting, a fingerprint scanner.

The hardware platform of the smartphone is also able to please its buyer. It has a MediaTek MT6753 chip with 8 cores at 1.3 GHz, as well as Mali-T720 graphics with 3 cores at 450 MHz. The RAM in HOMTOM HT20 Pro operates at 800 MHz, and its volume is 3 GB. The built-in storage in the smartphone is 32 gigabytes, but if this is not enough for the user, he can install a microSD memory card up to 64 GB. It is extremely important that the latter is not combined with one of the SIM-cards, because all the slots are under a cover fixed with 10 screws, behind which there is also a silicone gasket and a removable 3500 mAh battery.

Advantages:

• Fingerprint's scanner;
• good protection against water, dust and shock;
• capacious battery and bright flashlight;
• excellent hardware platform;
• separate slots for SIM and microSD.

Disadvantages:

• low maximum display brightness;
• the charging port is too recessed;
• the quality of the camera.

3. Alcatel OneTouch Go Play 7048X

The Alcatel brand cannot be called an experienced player in the rugged device market. Although the manufacturer had plans to release such a device a long time ago, the first smartphone of this class appeared in the company's lineup only in 2015. At the first glance at the OneTouch Go Play 7048X, it becomes clear that the manufacturer did not want to sacrifice design for the sake of reliability, so he tried to fit everything into one device. It turned out, I must admit, just fine: protection against moisture and dust according to the IP67 standard, shock-resistant case, small thickness of 9.2 mm and a weight of only 151 grams. Moreover, in order to make its first rugged smartphone among the target audience, the manufacturer took care of a variety of body colors, including pink, white, turquoise, black, as well as their combinations with each other and other colors.

The argument in favor of buying the Alcatel OneTouch Go Play is also the hardware platform of the device: a Snapdragon 410 processor with 4 1.2 GHz cores and Adreno 306 graphics (400 MHz frequency). But the RAM in this smartphone is only 1 GB and this is a clear omission on the part of the manufacturer. And the frequency of its operation at 533 MHz does not improve performance either. Of the minuses, you can also highlight only 8 GB of built-in storage, of which only 5 are available to the user. At the same time, the memory can only be expanded with microSD cards by 32 GB or less, so the owner of the OneTouch Go Play will not be able to install many applications, as well as store a large amount of music and movies.

If it were not for the indicated shortcomings, then at the price declared by the manufacturer, the considered model from the Alcatel brand would become a worthy competitor to other protected smartphones on the market. However, so far we have a good device with a stylish design, a high-quality 5-inch HD matrix, a 2500 mAh battery and a bright flashlight.

Advantages:

• attractive appearance;
• reliable assembly;
• bright and rich matrix;
• good "filling";
• dimensions and weight.

Disadvantages:

• little RAM and ROM;
• microSD support only up to 32 GB;
• weak cameras.

The best rugged smartphones with a powerful battery

Do rugged mobile phones delight you with autonomy, but do not suit you at all with their capabilities? Then pay attention not to the third category of devices - the best shock-resistant smartphones with a capacious battery. Such models perfectly cope with most modern tasks, such as playing video and music, communicating in instant messengers, accessing the Internet and even launching undemanding games. But their main advantage is a long battery life, which is important for a long trip without the possibility of connecting a charger or an external battery.

1. Conquest S8

In the first place in the TOP of smartphones with a powerful battery is the Conquest S8 model. It is a quality device with an attractive design and great features. The device has a large 6000 mAh battery and two SIM card slots, separate from the slot for installing a microSD drive. The maximum size of the latter, by the way, can be 128 GB, and the size of the storage built into the smartphone is 16 gigabytes. As for other characteristics, depending on the version, they are as follows: Snapdragon 410 (4 x 1.2 GHz) + Adreno 306 (400 MHz) or MediaTek MT6735 (4 x 1.3 GHz) + Mali-T720 (2 x 600 MHz). The display of both modifications is represented by an IPS matrix with a diagonal of 5 inches and a resolution of 720x1280 pixels (HD). In addition to the shock-resistant case, the manufacturer took care of protecting the smartphone from moisture ingress in accordance with the IP68 standard. Of the useful features of the Conquest S8, one can single out the presence of an infrared port, NFC, as well as a 1 W radio, operating in the 400-480 MHz range.

Advantages:

• excellent build;
• hardware platform;
• availability of NFC and IrDA;
• walkie-talkie function;
• capacious battery;
• two slots for SIM-cards and support for LTE;
• great matrix.

Disadvantages:

• quiet speaker;
• poor camera, creates a lot of noise when taking pictures;
• the compass may not work properly.

2. Nomu S30

Our rating closes with a smartphone with an ideal price-quality ratio - Nomu S40. This device is protected from dust and moisture according to the IP68 standard, and also has a shock-resistant case. The resolution of the 5.5-inch screen used in this model is 1080x1920 pixels (Full HD), and is complemented by an excellent hardware platform: Helio P10 processor (4 x 2 GHz and 4 x 1.2 GHz), dual-core video chip Mali-T860 (700 MHz), 64 GB of built-in storage of the standard and 4 gigabytes of RAM (933 MHz). With such characteristics, the device scores 52 thousand points in the AnTuTu test, which guarantees good performance in any application. This smartphone, as is clear from user reviews, is able to cope even with modern games, although in some cases you will have to sacrifice graphic settings. The battery capacity in this phone is 5000 mAh, and another trump card of the device is the support of the fast charging function.

Advantages:

• the presence of a flashlight;
• excellent hardware;
• capacious battery;
• build quality and parts;
• high-quality matrix;
• slots for a pair of SIM and microSD cards;
• GPS speed.

Disadvantages:

• at maximum load, the battery runs out quickly;
• compass operation;
• outdated camera matrix.

Which phone is better to buy

Shock, dust and moisture resistant smartphones and phones have long ceased to be huge devices without expressive design. Now the user can easily choose a reliable device for himself, capable of providing a high level of reliability, excellent functionality and excellent autonomy in an attractive and compact body. You can choose the optimal model for your requirements thanks to our review of the best protected push-button phones and smartphones, in which we have included 9 of the most interesting devices.

The bulletproof Runbo X5, the giant Sony Xperia Z Ultra and the stylish HTC J Butterfly - Pavel Gorodnitsky has compiled a digest of the most durable mobile devices.

Sony Xperia Go

The most budget holder of the IP67 dust and water resistance certificate is made in Japan - Sony has closed a whole niche with its versatile and inexpensive, forcing competitors to look for free zones in other price categories.

Reliable and lightweight gadget is equipped with a five-megapixel camera, a dual-core proprietary processor with a frequency of 1 GHz and 4 GB of internal memory. However, there is also an expansion slot - installing a microSD card will allow you to load another 32 GB of various content into your smartphone.

A 1300 mAh battery would look weak in flagship devices with high-definition displays, but for a resolution of 320x480 (diagonal - 3.5 inches) this volume is quite enough. Sony Xperia Go is relevant both for lovers of tourist expeditions (the charge can be easily stretched for 3 daylight hours) and for those who are used to seeing their phone in perfect store condition. The average price of the device is 8000 rubles, which is quite a bit for such a balanced and compact device.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

Sometimes the Korean company acts as a trendsetter (take at least the first Galaxy Note), but more often it competently adopts the ideas of other vendors. So it happened in 2013 - as soon as Sony flooded the market with protected devices, the main antagonist of Apple began to develop its creation intended for cruel use.

Already in June 2013, it was announced - a nice smartphone with a five-inch FullHD-display, a quad-core chipset from Qualcomm (frequency - 1.9 GHz) and a 2600 mAh battery. The novelty was equipped with an eight-megapixel camera, two gigabytes of RAM and physical buttons.

The casing of the product has an IP67 standard, which means that no dust can get inside the device. Galaxy S4 Active water treatments are also not contraindicated: the smartphone can be lowered to a depth of up to a meter for several minutes.

The gadget weighs 151 grams and is able to control home appliances thanks to the infrared port. The average cost is about 23,000 rubles, but the most ambitious buyers will be able to find the Galaxy S4 Active for 19,000 in Russian currency.

Sony Xperia Z Ultra

One can talk for a very long time about the advantages and ways of using this tablet-like device. - a stylish and slim device with a 6.44-inch display (you press whatever you want - from a match to a toothpick, from a pencil to a special stylus) is equipped with a powerful filling (a processor with four cores and a frequency of 2.2 GHz), a tolerable battery and an 8-megapixel camera.

They like to blame Sony for faded screens, flaws in proprietary interfaces and a desire for minimalism, but this time the Japanese have got an excellent smartphone, the indisputable advantage of which is its invulnerability. If dust gets into the case, it will not affect the operation of the Android-phablet, and moisture will not be able to penetrate into the bins of the Xperia Z Ultra at all.

Strong, large, multifunctional, productive and multimedia - these five characteristics indicate that the price of Ultra (about 26,000 rubles) is more than justified.

Htc j butterfly

The number of strategic miscalculations of HTC in 2013 reached its all-time high - the mistakes of the Taiwanese vendor can be devoted to a separate article, which will include the story with ultrapixels, the failure with the fingerprint sensor, illogical pricing and weak PR of the wonderful smartphone HTC Butterfly.

Butterfly was advertised grudgingly, making room for the pretentious HTC One. As a result, HTC managers talked about the wonderful camera of the "one", but did not bother to highlight the harmonious and waterproof.

In addition to its attractive appearance and protection against water penetration, the five-inch gadget can shoot video at a frequency of 30 frames per second, run heavy games (4 cores and a frequency of 1.5 GHz) and provide comfort in video conferencing (front camera - 2 megapixels). The disadvantage of the device is standard, bold and indisputable - a 2020 mAh battery lasts a little less than three hours of hyperactive work (constant work in resource-intensive applications).

HTC J Butterfly is hard to find, but it is still possible: the “butterfly” is on sale for 20,000 rubles.

LG Optimus GJ

It is believed that LG specializes in creating sleek rectangular smartphones with the perfect interface for writing short reminder notes. This stereotype is close to the harsh reality - the South Korean manufacturer really has enough lines with devices of different levels, but with a synonymous design.

The body of this brilliant smartphone (look at the archaic antenna!) Will withstand shocks, falls, flights and other natural disasters. An elegant navigation key, two SIM slots, weight 340 grams, thickness - 25 millimeters, a 3800 mAh battery (!), A volume sensor and a built-in radio (!!!) - all these indicators make Runbo X5 a gadget for the elite.

For the sake of respect, we list other parameters - a dual-core processor from MediaTek (frequency - 1 GHz), a gigabyte of RAM, a 4.3-inch display, an eight-megapixel camera with autofocus, Android 4.0 and a built-in barometer.

A work of art called Runbo X5 will cost the buyer 17,000 rubles.

Preserver Series

“But what about us?” - the owners of the iPhone think sadly, realizing that the release of a secure smartphone on iOS 7 will take place with about the same degree of probability as the victory of the Gabon national team at the World Cup.

Engineers from Otterbox decided to complicate the life of services (yes, by doing so, which every day change dozens of displays, microphones and back panels of "apple" gadgets) and released cases of the Preserver Series line, transforming the iPhone if not into Runbo X5 (it is incomparable), then at least in a durable and hardy device that does not crack after falling from a height of two meters and does not die after a half-hour dive to a depth of up to a meter.

The most surprising thing is that the accessory does not limit the Touch ID functionality on the iPhone 5S: the craftsmen from Otterbox have built the design in such a way that water does not enter the case through the small holes located next to the fingerprint scanner.

For just $ 90, an iPhone 5, iPhone 5C or iPhone 5S transforms into an invulnerable (albeit less aesthetic) device.

Usually smartphones with increased durability and moisture protection are used in summer, often this is due to summer vacations, when people are afraid to ruin their main phone, or if you like an active lifestyle and the question arises: how to choose a smartphone that will have good enough protection. Just for you, the rating of the best protected smartphones of 2016-2017 was created, in which we will consider 5 good options in different pricing policies, well, let's take a closer look at their characteristics.

My top 5 starts with this good secure smartphone, which is better to buy for real extremists in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, unable to part with the properties of ordinary, city pipes, of course this is not a fancy flagship, but the main functions in it will be available to you. The characteristics are at the level: 8-core MediaTek MT6752 with a clock frequency of 1.5 GHz, a Mali-T760 video processor, this is quite enough three-dimensional games, work and study. It has 2 GB of RAM, which is enough even for good games. It has 64 GB of built-in memory with the possibility of expanding it with memory cards. He has a fairly good and high-quality IPS screen with a diagonal of 5.5 inches and a resolution of 1920 by 1080, covered with protective glass. The camera is a good 13 megapixel, which takes high-quality pictures, the front is 5, which will be enough for selfies. For tourist outings, a half-hour water protection, compass, barometer, temperature sensor and laser are provided. Battery suitable for Li-Ion 5300 mAh. Its protection standard is ip 67, and if you drop it into the water, it's okay :). So the smartphone turned out to be very reliable and of high quality. If you are interested in this model, I advise you to watch the video review of it located below.

A fairly good protected smartphone of my rating, you cannot call it a gaming one in terms of characteristics, but this is an excellent option in terms of price-quality ratio. It has a 4-core MediaTek MT6735 processor, a Mali-T720 video processor, which is quite enough for everyday tasks and surfing the Internet. The built-in memory is 16 GB, but there is support for memory cards up to 128 GB, 2 GB of RAM. The gadget has a 13 megapixel camera that takes pretty high-quality photos, and the front one is 5 megapixel. The device has a 4.3-inch IPS display with a resolution of 960 by 540. At the same time, the protective properties are also high - the smartphone is made according to the IP67 standard, so you don't have to worry about its safety in extreme conditions. The battery is not bad for this size - 3500 mAh.

This is the best protected smartphone from Conquest S8, for this price, this brand generally makes reliable models. It is certainly not the most powerful, but basically these devices are not taken for games. Its display is IPS with a diagonal of 5 inches with a resolution of 1280 by 720, and also has a shock and scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The processor has a 4-core MediaTek MT6735MediaTek MT6735 with a clock frequency of 1.3 GHz cores, a graphics editor Mali -T720. The RAM in the device is 2 GB, not much, but in principle it will be enough for comfortable work. It does not have a lot of built-in memory, only 16 GB, but it can be expanded with memory cards up to 128 GB. It has a 13 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, front 5, both take good pictures. The battery in the phone is Li-Ion with a capacity of 6000 mAh, which will be enough for 2 days, although who uses it.

This phone for 2 SIM cards is protected according to the IP67 standard, it has a not too high price and powerful characteristics. The screen of the device has a diagonal of 4 inches and a resolution of 800 by 480, and the number of pixels per inch is 233, quite common indicators for a reliable and high-quality rugged smartphone. The processor has a 4 + core MediaTek MT6582 with a frequency of each core of 1.3 GHz each, the chip is not bad enough, everything works without freezes and lags. RAM in the device is 2 GB, and built-in 32 GB, expandable up to 128 GB. The battery has a capacity of 2650 mAh and, according to the developers, the talk time is 14 hours and the standby time is 520 hours.

Another good smartphone with protection and a large screen, although the camera is weaker than the competition, but this is a budget phone. This device has an IP68 protection standard, which completely ensures a carefree life for its owner in almost any conditions. The processor has a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, an Adreno 306 video processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB built-in with the possibility of increasing it to 32 GB. The camera has an 8 megapixel camera with LED flash and autofocus, as well as a 4x digital zoom and a 5 megapixel front module. Works on the Android 5.0 OS familiar to us. Its battery with a capacity of 2500 mAh, of course, is not as strong as that of the previous smartphone, but not bad either.

Another good smartphone for people who prefer outdoor activities. This model has a shockproof housing and protection from water according to the IP67 standard, moreover, its cost is quite low. The display with a diagonal of 4.02 inches and a resolution of 854 by 480 pixels looks good due to the small screen size, the pixels are not visible. The performance is quite average for this category of phones, the MediaTek MT6572 processor, two cores with a clock speed of 1.2 GHz. RAM 1 GB, built-in 4, can be increased with a memory card up to 32 GB, of course you can't play modern 3D games, but it will be enough for everyday applications. The main camera is 8 megapixels, the front one is 1.3, which will be enough for Skype. The battery has a capacity of 2800 mAh, which with such a performance will be enough for about 2 days.

Although this is not the best Chinese rugged smartphone, however, there is also something to pay attention to here. I'll start with the strongest side - the battery, its capacity is 5000 mAh, which with average use will last for two days, or even more. The diagonal of the screen is 5 inches and the resolution is 1280x720 pixels, it looks very good. The camera is quite ordinary, the main module shoots with a resolution of 8 megapixels, front 2, not the best option for buying as a gift for selfie lovers, but for those who care about not crashing on vacation it will be just right. The device works on a chip from MediaTek MT6735P, four cores with a clock frequency of 1 GHz each, a Mali-T720 video processor. RAM 2 GB, built-in 16, it is possible to expand with a memory card. The device has an IP67 protection standard.

The characteristics of this device are not much lower than those of the previous one, but there are still some advantages, besides, the model really turned out to be extremely tenacious. The diagonal of the display is 4.5 inches, the resolution is 800 by 480, the whole thing is covered with scratch-resistant glass. with all this, it has protection according to the IP68 standard. Runs out of the box on Android 4.4 OS, which is a slight drawback. The Marvell Armada PX1908 processor with a clock frequency of 1.2 GHz, the Vivante GC7000 graphics editor, may not be enough for resource-intensive applications, but it will be enough for everyday tasks. RAM 1.5 GB, built-in 8 and can be expanded up to 128 GB. The battery capacity is 2200, in principle not a lot, but it is removable, so it can be replaced if necessary. The main camera module shoots with a resolution of 5 megapixels, the front one is 2, the photos are not of very good quality.

Also an interesting version of one of the best smartphones of this company, I would like to note one of the small drawbacks right away, there is no hole for threading the lace and the second drawback is a slightly overpriced. Otherwise, as they say, there is nothing to complain about, it works out of the box on Android 5.1 OS, updates are available over the air. The chipset is equipped with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, with a clock frequency of each core of 1.1 GHz, a graphics editor Adreno 304, everything works fast enough without lags and freezes, but under heavy load it starts to heat up. The display has a diagonal of 4.5 inches and a resolution of 854 by 480, it looks quite decent, although I would like a clearer resolution. The camera here is also not very good, the main one is 5 megapixels, the front one is 2, so for skype and quick photos. The 3000 mAh battery is unfortunately not removable. IP68 protection standard.

Finishing my top 10 best rugged smartphones is this gadget, which has the best price-quality ratio. Here the battery has a capacity of 4700 mAh, which is enough for more than two days, although it depends on who uses it. Display with a diagonal of 4.5 inches and a resolution of 960 by 540 pixels, which gives a good quality image, it will also not be superfluous to note the presence of protection according to the IP68 standard. Powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6589W with a clock speed of each core 1.2GHz. Its own memory is quite small, only 1 GB of RAM, 4 built-in, but it can be increased up to 32 GB. The main camera is 8 megapixels and shoots with a resolution of 3264 by 2448 pixels, there is autofocus, the front one is 2 megapixels. In general, the device turned out to be quite balanced, moreover, it has a low cost.

Some manufacturers are trying to make smartphones not only as efficient as possible, but also extremely reliable in physical characteristics. After all, people who lead an extreme lifestyle also need mobile devices. So why not make devices specifically for those who can't live without adrenaline? In this review, we will tell you about 5 best smartphones created to help people in extreme situations.

Caterpillar Cat S50

Caterpillar Cat S50 is a phone for the military, for those who love extreme sports, as well as for travelers who are not afraid to discover even the most remote and rugged corners of the planet. This device is protected from external influences according to the American Army Electronic Safety Protocol MIL-STD-810G.

The Caterpillar Cat S50 has a sealed, impact-resistant metal housing with rubber gussets at the corners. It is not afraid of scratches, the device is not afraid of water, dirt and dust. The smartphone can operate at temperatures ranging from -25 to +55 degrees Celsius.

The Caterpillar Cat S50 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.2GHz processor. It has a 4.7-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels, 2 gigabytes of RAM and 16 GB of permanent storage.

This smartphone has a built-in 2600 mAh battery. The Caterpillar Cat S50 will cost the buyer $ 499.

teXet TM-3200R

Some classic mobile phones, including the legendary "immortal" device Nokia 1100, were joked that they could even crack nuts - nothing would happen to these devices. Manufacturers of the modern teXet TM-3200R smartphone declare walnut cracking as one of the functions of their device.

teXet TM-3200R is a real smartphone for extreme sports. The smartphone complies with the international IP67 water and dust resistance standard. The device has two slots for SIM-cards, which can work simultaneously in standby mode. In addition, teXet TM-3200R is equipped with modern technologies for wireless data transmission 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The teXet TM-3200R body is made of high-strength plastic with rubber inserts that fit incredibly tightly to the base, which allows the device to dive safely to a depth of 2 meters, and also feel quite calm in the middle of dirt and dust.

The teXet TM-3200R screen is based on 1.2 mm thick ASAHI ultra-strong glass, which is about 3-4 times thicker than in conventional smartphones. This allows the display to withstand a direct drop of a 100 gram metal ball from a height of 30 centimeters.

Land rover x8

The Chinese-made Land Rover X8 smartphone has not only a name from the famous Land Rover SUV, but also the ability to work properly even in the most extreme conditions.

Like other rugged smartphones, the Land Rover X8 is fully waterproof, as well as highly resistant to dirt and dust. Thanks to the sturdy body, the device is not afraid of shocks and scratches.

At the same time, Land Rover X8 has a fairly good technical filling in comparison with other protected smartphones. This device works on the basis of an eight-core MTK6592 chip with a clock frequency of 1.7 GHz. It has 3 gigabytes of RAM and 16 gigabytes of permanent memory. The resolution of the matrix of the camera built into the smartphone is 13 megapixels.

The Land Rover X8 smartphone also stands out from other devices with a high battery capacity (3800 mAh) and a radio built into the device, operating in the range of 400-470 megahertz.

Saygus V²

But the most technically advanced rugged smartphone of our day is the device with the name, which will not appear on the market until the next spring. This device is already called "the best phone of 2015".

The technical characteristics fully justify this title given in advance. After all, Saygus V² has a Snapdragon 801 processor with a clock speed of 2.5 gigahertz, a 5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, 3 gigabytes of RAM and the ability to expand the permanent memory up to 320 GB due to 64 GB of built-in and two slots for microSD cards maximum 128 GB each.

Battery Saygus V² has a capacity of 3100 mAh, but thanks to the innovative power consumption system, the device consumes one and a half times less resources than other similar devices. Therefore, the actual battery capacity in this smartphone is 4600 mAh.

The Saygus V² is a fully waterproof device with protection from dust and dirt. But the protective characteristics of this smartphone do not end there either. The back cover of this device is made using kevlar fibers, which protects Saygus V² from mechanical damage, and the owner of the phone - even from bullets.

SnowLizard SLXTREME

SnowLizard SLXTREME is not a smartphone, but a special case for mobile phones that allows you to turn almost any device into a device protected from external influences.

SnowLizard SLXTREME is one of the best functional cases in the world, because it is able to protect your smartphone from water, dirt, dust and shock. This device allows you to immerse your phone to a depth of 20 meters, as well as open tin caps on glass bottles.

But that's not all. An additional 2600 mAh battery is also built into the SnowLizard SLXTREME Extreme Smartphone Case, which will approximately double the operating time of any phone.

With all the advantages of this unusual case, it has a significant drawback - high cost. SnowLizard SLXTREME will cost the buyer 230 US dollars, which is comparable to the price of a Chinese smartphone with fairly good specifications.

BONUS
Earl Tablet Computer

The device with the name is not a smartphone, but a tablet computer, and therefore it was included in this review only as a bonus. Nevertheless, this is an incredibly useful device for extreme lovers that will allow its restless owner to survive even in the harshest conditions on the planet.

The most useful quality of the Earl tablet is its battery endurance. In this case, the capacity of the battery is not at all important, because even with a small indicator, this "tablet" can work for several tens of hours. The fact is that the Earl screen is created on the basis of E-Ink electronic ink technology, and therefore practically does not require energy, moreover, in ordinary tablets it is the display that is the main consumer of electricity.

What's more, there is a solar panel on the back of Earl, which allows you to replenish the battery in this device without access to an electrical outlet. Five hours of charging in the sun will allow the device to work up to twenty hours in the mode of average consumption of energy resources.

Earl has a shockproof casing to resist water, dust and dirt. This device will go with its owner through the most severe weather and natural conditions, without giving up and, moreover, providing assistance in extreme situations.

The device is equipped with a GPS module, as well as other wireless communication interfaces, including an analog radio station.

However, fans of extreme sports do not have to go to the other end of the planet for thrills, protecting themselves with special "smart" devices. It is enough just to visit, which hovered at a height of 40 meters above the ground.

Neither more nor less - the most sophisticated shockproof smartphone in the world. Just as Xiaomi made smartphones with a capacious battery fashionable, Motorola was the first to create a prestigious rugged smartphone in a regular model case.

The experiment began with the 2015 Moto X Force. At that time, the model was super-top, with one main difference from its competitors - a screen covered with several layers of protective plates. All other characteristics of the Armor-Moto were typical for flagships, and the stupid Snapdragon 810 processor, and cheap cameras were inferior to the creations of Samsung and Apple, but the X Force was far from a budget-friendly device that was incredibly difficult to break, and due to this it became a cult

a mobile phone (as opposed to shame and shame in the form of the reincarnation of the Nokia 3310). So it comes as no surprise that Motorola released a rugged model for the Z-series in 2016 as well.

The new time, unfortunately, dictates new trends, so the rugged smartphone has become a little more "glamorous" to please more buyers. There are many more vulnerable spots for scratches on the case, and the fingerprint scanner on the front panel is now easy to "beat off" instead of the screen if the smartphone lands unsuccessfully. The camera on the rear panel sticks out of the body with a large glass round - it is not supposed to have a protective "armor", because, according to Motorola's idea, buyers will attach modules to the rear cover. And because of the complexes "you need to do like Apple" Motorola removed the standard headphone jack - connect, they say, a headset via an adapter or directly to USB Type-C.

Therefore, in terms of the ratio of strength and "bells and whistles", the old Moto X Force looks preferable, but only in the "socket" you will get a modern and very fast Snapdragon processor, a cool AMOLED display with Quad HD resolution, a capacious battery and modern high-quality cameras. And all this in the thinnest, by the standards of rugged smartphones, 7 mm case, just like your iPhone 7!

But for such a combination you will have to pay, moreover, foreign stores and in large sizes - the new Moto Z Force will cost from 35 to 45 thousand rubles and is unlikely to become cheaper. Be that as it may, we recommend it to everyone who craves the coolest mobile phone that is guaranteed not to break after falling from hands on concrete.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Active - macho flagship in camouflage

Samsung succeeds everywhere, and Koreans also pay attention to the class of protected phones. Since the days of the Galaxy S5, Korean flagships have received tuned versions with water protection. The up-to-date Galaxy S7 has also become an "SUV", but only in its flat (without curved display) version. And even with a 4000 mAh battery, that is, with the main drawback of the usual S7 corrected.

The level of protection against water in a smartphone is the same as in “just a Galaxy S7” - according to the IP68 certificate (without any problems it will survive under water for half an hour at a depth of up to 1.5 meters). But the body of the smartphone is no longer glossy and not rectangular in Korean, so it will appeal to those who are annoyed by the "blurry" forms of Samsung. And the most important thing is that in such a "body kit" the S7 is protected according to the military standard MIL-STD-810G, that is, it is not afraid of exposure to high and low temperatures, extreme shaking and dust, and even without consequences it will transfer a fall from one and a half meters onto a flat surface.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Active

True, it is not nearly as severely armored as Motorola's Force-series. The display is covered with plastic, under which the same protective Gorilla Glass is hidden. Therefore, it is better not to drop your smartphone "for fun", as X Force owners like to do.

Spare parts for the outlandish model are nowhere to be found, they are sold only in the USA exclusively from the AT&T operator, firmware from “simple” Galaxy S7s are not suitable, the Russian language has to be installed in “roundabout ways”, and buying a smartphone abroad will cost about 35 thousand rubles. Not so cheap as for a smartphone, we assume, without a guarantee, which, moreover, still needs to be adapted to work in Russia. But this is a real Galaxy S7 with its cool camera, the most AMOLED display, flagship and very high-quality filling. There is simply no other equally prestigious secure smartphone.

Blackview BV7000 Pro - cheap and feature-rich

Every smartphone, in addition to its basic characteristics, has a so-called "moral strength". It lies in the fact that you will a priori handle a mobile phone costing 40-50 thousand rubles more carefully than with a budget model - you will not talk on the flagship in a dusty place, wrap a glass smartphone in a cheap case from Aliexpress and filthy films. In general, you will make vain attempts to save an expensive mobile phone, even at the expense of the freedom to use it.

This makes sense if you're a geek who takes full advantage of the stuffing of an obscenely expensive model. But why “protect yourself” and spend huge sums if you just need a modern, reasonably fast smartphone for a little bit of everything? It is enough just not to be a "mobile photographer" and look around a little to pick up a quite fast and inexpensive Chinese phone, which, moreover, will not be a pity beyond measure.

Among the protected models, the Blackview BV7000 Pro looks like a sensible option - one of the newest and most technically advanced protected "Chinese". IP68 waterproof, durable protective glass, which, although it will not save you from falling from a great height, will not crack from medium-intensity impacts. In general, the smartphone is not completely indestructible, but very strong.

Blackview BV7000 Pro

And salt lies in the ratio of performance and price. For 11 thousand rubles, you get a faceted model with metal inserts, a Full HD display, a quite sensible MT6750T processor (don't be alarmed - this is a "reinvented" MT6753) even with 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage + a microSD slot and 3500 mAh with a five-inch diagonal of the display. The characteristics look decent even without taking into account the surcharge for waterproofing and partial shock resistance.

Disadvantages? Mediocre cameras (not horror-horror, but as in smartphones costing 6-7 thousand in Russia), unpredictable build quality from one copy to another and almost no manufacturer support. That is, the "glitches" of the firmware are the problems of the buyers, and not the motivation to release the update over the air.

Blackview BV7000 Pro

But the smartphone is cheap, sophisticated and protected - competitors are either noticeably more expensive, or packed with old hardware, and they are also not without glitches. Do not expect that you will come across a completely problem-free BV7000 Pro, but if you have experience of disputes on Aliexpress (in order to knock out a discount from the seller for shortcomings) and without the pathos “everything that is worse than an iPhone is scrap metal”, you can take it.

But seriously, the Chinese brand AGM produces smartphones, as they say, a week or less, but it does not look like another manufacturer, a "bungler". Normal (not cool, but normal) filling for your money, and not quite a Chinese price. In short, the realities are as follows:

• Snapdragon 617- today it has become a state employee Snapdragon 430. Eight leisurely cores.
• 4/64 GB of memory. Solid, especially against the background of handicrafts with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage in official retail.
• 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED display... Great considering the price.
• 5400 mAh in battery... Let's remember the efficiency of the display and rejoice. We find out that the smartphone supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging and rejoice again.
• dual rear camera. Poor dual camera, worse than Redmi Pro. That is, an additional sensor is needed only for post-processing to slightly improve the picture. But the automation is dull, and high-quality images are obtained only on a very sunny day.
• Fingerprint's scanner Thank you for being alive, as they say.

Everything else is so-so. Android 5.1 (yes, in 2017), although the Chinese promise to update to Android 7.0, the speaker is of poor quality, the system periodically suffers from "glitches" and freezes for no particular reason. But there is water resistance (IP68), the case is durable, and the autonomy is good. Whether to pay 16 thousand rubles for such joy is an open question. There are practically no alternatives for the "X-first" with the same good characteristics "on paper". And the reliability of both AGM and its Chinese counterparts is questionable.