Skip to main content

We found a rugged phone cheap enough to batter like you’re supposed to

Smartphones are a crucial tool in everyday life, but more often than not, they tend to be fragile. That’s fine if your phone spends most of its time in your pocket or your hands on the ride to work, but if it spends any time in the great outdoors, you may be (rightly) worried about dropping your phone into a crevasse or a stretch of wet sand. An adventurous lifestyle calls for a phone that can take a beating; luckily, there’s an entire class of rugged smartphones out there. Sadly, most smartphones that are built to withstand the elements also cost a lot of money, and if you’ve already invested in camping gear, you might not want to shell out $800 or so for a new phone.

If you’re willing to look outside of the usual brands, however, there are cheaper options, such as the Doogee S60. If you haven’t heard of Doogee before, you’re not alone. Originally a Spanish company, Doogee relocated to China after changing ownership. Although Doogee is not a household name — at least not currently — the company produces high-quality smartphones with powerful specs.

The aforementioned Doogee S60, for instance, contains a Mediatek Helio P25 processor and an Octa-core CPU that packs a mighty punch. It even packs a welcome 6GB of RAM.

rugged smartphone
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Other features include a 21-megapixel camera, a fingerprint scanner, an SOS button, and a 5,580mAh battery that supports both quick and wireless charging. The 5.2-inch screen has a pixel density of 424 pixels per inch, and the speakers can project loudly (for a smartphone).

All these premium components are worthless if the phone shatters when dropped, though, which is why Doogee built the S60 like an impregnable fortress. The smartphone’s casing is made out of aluminum and high-density polycarbonate, and the screen is Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The phone achieves an IP68 rating, too, meaning it can withstand dust and immersion for up to 30 minutes in up to 1.5 meters of water.

The S60 runs Android, and if the phone has a weakness, it’s the strange bloatware that comes pre-installed on the device, which can at least be turned off.

The S60 is a great phone, one that can be had for relatively cheap — in some places, you might find it as low as $280. If you spend a lot of time adventuring, it’s certainly a good investment.

David Cogen — a regular contributor here at Digital Trends — runs TheUnlockr, a popular tech blog that focuses on tech news, tips and tricks, and the latest tech. You can also find him on Twitter discussing the latest tech trends.

Editors' Recommendations

David Cogen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
After always being the person my friends and family came to for help with their tech (see: resident nerd) and realizing how…
I keep forgetting about the Apple Watch Series 9’s coolest feature
Apps on the Apple Watch Series 9's screen.

I’m just going to come out and say it: I love the Apple Watch Series 9. A couple of weeks ago, I returned to wearing it every day after an extended period of not doing so. And you know what? I was surprised by how much I’d missed it.

But one thing has bothered me this time around: There's a feature I haven't been using. Not because it’s bad, but because I tend to forget it's there.
Effortless to own and wear

Read more
3 foldable phone deals you should seriously consider today
The Google Pixel Fold with the screen open.

For those who are thinking about getting a foldable phone, we've rounded up three foldable phone deals for you to consider as your next purchase. Motorola is currently selling the Motorola Razr at $200 off, which brings its price down to $500 from $700, and the Motorola Razr Plus at $300 off, which lowers its price to $700 from $1,000. Meanwhile, the Google Pixel Fold is available from Best Buy with a $500 discount that slashes its price to $1,299 from $1,799. You can be sure that you won't regret purchasing any of these devices because they're all included in our roundup of the best folding phones, but you need to hurry because the offers may expire at any moment.
Motorola Razr -- $500, was $700

The Motorola Razr features a 1.5-inch external OLED display and a 6.9-inch Full HD+ internal pOLED display, with decent performance provided by its Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor and 8GB of RAM. It's got a 64MP main camera and a 13MP wide-angle camera at the back, plus a 32MP selfie camera inside. The folding phone features a metal chassis that's surrounded by soft but durable leather, and it folds without a gap.

Read more
The OnePlus 12R is still one of 2024’s best smartphone deals
OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact Edition in hand.

OnePlus is still quite new to me, as I was a lifelong iPhone user until I joined Digital Trends. However, OnePlus has a pretty solid reputation in the mobile world, and now I can see why, as the OnePlus 12 is one of my favorite smartphones that I’ve used so far this year.

But the OnePlus 12 isn’t the only phone that OnePlus launched in 2024. There is also the more affordable value option, the OnePlus 12R, which even comes in a cool Genshin Impact Edition.

Read more