Top rugged smartphones of 2024

 

Buying a secure smartphone seems simple. There are quite a lot of models from both well-known and less popular brands. The cost also varies dramatically, with more expensive models usually being more expensive due to more powerful components. The defense often remains the same.

 

Before we make a rating of secure smartphones, we will answer the main criteria. There are two types of protection – from moisture and dust (IP or Ingress Protection) and from shock (MIL-STD). Moreover, each has many gradations, evaluation techniques and testing by manufacturers.

 

The specified degree of protection can only be determined after special tests have been carried out by exposure to dust or water with varying degrees of intensity. Therefore, declared values ​​may not always coincide with actual values.

 

In device aggregators you can already find two separate filters – dust and waterproof smartphones and shockproof ones. This is good and important for ease of choice, because often flagship models of “civilian” smartphones are not afraid of dust and water.

 

We will select among smartphones, because choosing a shockproof phone is quite simple. They are the same and you should make a purchasing decision either based on price or brand. Models in this rating were released at the end of 2023 – during 2024. If the task is to buy the cheapest rugged smartphone, then such models will be released 1-2 years ago; there are also many of them on the market.

 

This material was compiled by our editors. None of the vendors or stores sponsored it or were directly involved in compiling the rating. We hope this is temporary 🙂

 

Protected smartphone for 5,000 UAH

 

The budget segment, as usual, is the most saturated. There are a lot of cheap rugged smartphones, and although they differ from each other by nominally different processors, in fact they are budget models in a casing made of rubber, plastic and metal.

 

 

1. Hotwav T7 of the current 2024 has MediaTek MT8788, 4 + 128 GB of memory, Android 13, triple main camera, dual SIM cards and a 6.52-inch screen. It is noteworthy that, being the most affordable, it has enough memory and the latest Android;
2. DOOGEE S41 Pro Late 2023 has MediaTek Helio A22, 4 + 64 GB memory, Android 12, triple main camera, dual SIM cards and 5.5-inch screen;
3. Blackview BV4800 2024 has MediaTek Helio A22, 3 + 64 GB memory, Android 13, triple main camera, dual SIM cards and 6.56-inch screen.

 

Protected smartphone up to 10,000 UAH

 

Here we find quite good models with modern Mediatek processors, hundreds of megapixels in cameras and nice case designs.

 

 

1. Oukitel IIIF150 B2 Pro with a bright back has MediaTek Helio G99, 12 + 256 GB of memory, Android 13, triple main camera, dual SIM cards and a 6.8-inch screen. Of note is the 10,000 mAh battery;
2. Blackview BV9300 Pro in a nice design has MediaTek Helio G99, 12 + 256 GB of memory, Android 13, triple main camera, dual SIM cards and a 6.7-inch screen. It has a slightly smaller main camera module, but overall the models are similar;
3. Ulefone Armor 17 Pro looks like a classic, plump smartphone. It has MediaTek Helio G99, 12+256GB storage, Android 13, triple rear camera, dual SIM and 6.58-inch screen. The battery is not very large by the standards of such models.

 

Protected smartphone up to 20,000 UAH

 

 

1. Ulefone Power Armor 18T Ultra has a thermal imager. Installed MediaTek Dimensity 7050, 12 + 512 GB of memory, Android 13, triple main camera, two SIM cards and a 6.58-inch screen. The battery is not very large by the standards of such models. There is also a model with a greenhouse Blackview BL9000 Prothis year for about 17,000 UAH;
2. Unihertz Tank 3. We haven’t seen tank two or tank three, but its feature was a 23,800 mAh battery. So it’s more like a power bank with a smartphone. It has MediaTek Dimensity 8200, 16 + 512 GB of memory, Android 13, triple main camera, dual SIM cards and a 6.79-inch screen;
3. Gigaset GX6 is even more civilized than Ulefone from the previous segment. It has MediaTek Dimensity 900 5G, 6 + 128 GB of memory, Android 12, triple main camera, dual SIM cards and a 6.6-inch screen. Although it is compact with the declared protection, it does not inspire confidence, but there are no other recent models for this price. Although there are five AGM smartphone models from mid-2023 from which you can choose.

 

A little theory

 

About IP protection level

 

The first digit (from 0 to 6) indicates the degree of protection against the penetration of foreign objects and dust into the electrical product:

 

• 0 – no protection. Acceptable use: in enclosures.
• 1 – protection against solid particles over 50 mm in size. Permissible use: in enclosed spaces (access to which is permitted only to authorized and trained persons).
• 2 – protection against solid particles over 12 mm in size. Acceptable use: in ordinary premises.
• 3 – protection against particles over 2.5 mm in size. Acceptable use: in ordinary premises.
• 4 – protection against particles over 1 mm in size. Acceptable use: in ordinary premises.
• 5 – partial protection from dust. Acceptable use: in occasionally dusty rooms.
• 6 – complete protection against dust. Acceptable use: in constantly dusty rooms.

 

The second number (from 0 to 8) shows the resistance (degree of protection) to liquid penetration into the electrical product. The higher the number, the higher the protection:

 

• 0 – no protection. Acceptable use: in dry rooms.
• 1 – from vertically falling drops. Acceptable use: in damp rooms with the device in a specified vertical position.
• 2 – from drops of water falling at an angle of 15°. Acceptable use: in damp rooms.
• 3 – from obliquely falling splashes, tilt angle up to 60°. Suitable use: Locations exposed to rain, but not to jets from below.
• 4 – from splashes. Suitable use: Locations exposed to rain and currents (e.g. station with passing vehicles).
• 5 – from water jets. Acceptable use: in areas subject to washing with medium power jets of water.
• 6 – from powerful water jets. Acceptable use: in areas subject to vigorous washing and storms (for example, on piers).
• 7 – from temporary immersion in water. Acceptable use: in places that are temporarily flooded or remain under snow for a long time.
• 8 – from prolonged immersion in water.

 

About the MIL-STD certificate

 

The Military Standard (MIL-STD) was established after World War II to provide uniform requirements and ensure interoperability for the military and secondary industries.

 

The US Department of Defense has developed MIL-STD standards and testing requirements. If the device passes the test, it is MIL-STD certified. However, many products that claim to be MIL-STD certified have not passed this rigorous testing. The best way to know for sure is to ask about testing methods and results.

 

MIL-STD-810H certification is another rating class that means the product has been tested under environmental conditions. Extreme temperatures, humidity, dust and shock are just a few of the nearly 30 testing factors.

 

The MIL-STD-461G certification focuses on electromagnetic compatibility because detection of electromagnetic interference or false signals can be critical to the security or privacy of communications in certain industries.

 

Thus, it becomes clear that MIL-STD is a more serious rating and if the device is marked with it, then it has probably passed a series of tests. The only question remains which of the dozens of tests and how honestly they are declared to pass.