These are the best rugged, most durable smartphones in 2024
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase from the links on this page.
Most phone brands don’t bother making professional smartphones, but a few truly stand out with tough models packed with handy features.
These phones are tough enough to handle whatever life throws at them—drops, water, dirt—you name it. Whether you're tackling demanding job sites, exploring the great outdoors, or diving into high-impact hobbies, these rugged devices are built to survive and keep going, no matter the challenge.
Wondering which ones are the best, and which will be the right fit for you? Well, you've come to the right spot. We’ve rounded up the most rugged and durable smartphones money can buy right here in this article. So, let's not waste any more time and dive right in!
These phones are tough enough to handle whatever life throws at them—drops, water, dirt—you name it. Whether you're tackling demanding job sites, exploring the great outdoors, or diving into high-impact hobbies, these rugged devices are built to survive and keep going, no matter the challenge.
Best rugged smartphones, a summarized list:
- Samsung Galaxy XCover 6 Pro - big specs for a hard shell
- DOOGEE S100 (2023) - best rugged gaming phone
- AGM Glory G1S - best smartphone thermal camera
- Nokia XR20 - Affordable, but tough, with a clean Android experience
- CAT S62 Pro - FLIR camera on board
- Blackview BL6000 Pro - barometer, air pressure, high-res Sony camera
- Sonim XP8 - extremely durable, 3-year warranty
- CAT S42 - affordable, reliable
- AGM Glory Pro - huge battery, thermal camera
Nokia XR20
The Nokia XR20 pulls off a MIL-STD 810H military grade standard while still managing to look like a sleek contemporary smartphone. The screen on the front is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and the MSRP should be around $550 when the phone hits the US market through official channels.
Its processor is on the weak side and its dual camera hasn't impressed reviewers overseas, so maybe that price tag is a bit on the inflated side.
Samsung Galaxy XCover 6 Pro
The announcement of the Samsung XCover 6 Pro came as a surprise, as we didn't expect Samsung to re-enter the rugged phone market. Despite that, it's great to see the series make a return. The XCover 6 Pro boasts impressive specifications, especially for a rugged phone, which are typically not equipped with a high-powered processor, camera, or high refresh rate screen. Yet, the XCover 6 Pro features a 120 Hz display, a 50 MP main camera, and a Snapdragon 778G processor. Although not top-of-the-line, these specs are certainly respectable.
This phone is ideal for those seeking a rugged phone from a well-established brand with all the perks of Samsung's software.
DOOGEE S100 (2023)
How does a rugged phone with 12GB of RAM, 8GB of Virtual RAM, 256GB of storage space, and a powerful MediaTek Helio G99 chipset capable of running games without hiccups sound to you? Like a really awesome deal, no doubt. Well, that's the Doogee S100 — a phone with great durability and a lot of firepower.
In addition to its performance, the Doogee S100 packs a 6.58-inch display with 2408 x 1080 resolution (FHD+) and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. In addition to its performance, the Doogee S100 packs a 6.58-inch display with 2408 x 1080 resolution (FHD+) and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Furthermore, this bad boy comes equipped with a humongous 10800 mAh battery and supports 66W wired charging. It gets shipped with a charger inside the box.
The phone is strong in the camera department as well. It features a 108MP main camera, a 32MP shooter for selfies, and a 20MP night vision snapper.
In addition to its performance, the Doogee S100 packs a 6.58-inch display with 2408 x 1080 resolution (FHD+) and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. In addition to its performance, the Doogee S100 packs a 6.58-inch display with 2408 x 1080 resolution (FHD+) and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Furthermore, this bad boy comes equipped with a humongous 10800 mAh battery and supports 66W wired charging. It gets shipped with a charger inside the box.
AGM Glory G1S
The AGM Glory G1S is a phone built for professionals, with extreme durability and best-in-class thermal imaging camera on board. It also adds 5G connectivity, with bands supported by US carriers.
You can buy the AGM Glory G1S here:
The Glory G1S is a smartphone that is built to withstand extreme temperatures and is the successor of the original Glory model. If you frequently travel to areas with extreme cold weather, the Glory G1S may be the perfect phone for you as it is designed to last a full day at -27°C (-16.6 °F) and up to 10 hours at -30 °C (-22 °F).
Even at -40 °C (-40 °F), the Glory G1S can still function for an hour, making it a reliable device for those who work or live in extremely cold climates.
Apart from its impressive temperature resistance, the Glory G1S has the biggest speaker on a smartphone, making it a great option for those who enjoy listening to music or watching videos on their phone.
Even at -40 °C (-40 °F), the Glory G1S can still function for an hour, making it a reliable device for those who work or live in extremely cold climates.
Apart from its impressive temperature resistance, the Glory G1S has the biggest speaker on a smartphone, making it a great option for those who enjoy listening to music or watching videos on their phone.
The phone is sold in a few tiers, with the top model sporting an IR night vision camera and a thermal imaging camera with great resolution.
CAT S62 Pro
CAT hasn't given up on rugged phones and keeps releasing new models of its ultra-durable phones. The CAT S62 Pro is more than a regular phone in a tough protective shell. It also has some extra features like a thermal camera, which some people will find very useful while on the job. But even if you don't have a need for one, it's still a pretty neat feature to have. Unfortunately, the S62 drops a couple of features the S61 had like the laser measurement sensor and the air-quality sensor.
Unlike most phones on this list, the CAT S62 Pro comes with Android 10 and will even get Android 11 at some point. If you care about software features and not only extreme durability, this is the phone to get.
Sonim XP8
The Sonim XP8 is one tough phone. In fact, its maker is so confident in the reliability of the XP8 that it is offering it with a 3-year warranty. The phone's 5-inch display is puncture-resistant, while the thick, ruggedized body can withstand serious drops. As one of the very few phones with IP69 certification, the Sonim XP8 can withstand not only immersion in water but also being sprayed with high-temperature water jets. It has a battery that will last you for days, but there's one glaring problem with it. It's a very old model. Ancient chip and Android version aren't a recipe for great performance. The only reason we have it on our list is that it's one of the few rugged phones that you can get from a major carrier.
CAT S42
If the high-end CAT phones are too expensive for you, you can get one just as tough for about half the price. Of course, there are some drawbacks, like the 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, but there are always compromises with cheaper phones. At least when it comes to durability, you can be sure you're getting one of the toughest phones out there. What's even better, you can actually get it from the US Amazon, unlike its more expensive cousin.
AGM Glory Pro
If you have money to spend, you should definitely consider getting an AGM Glory Pro. Yes, the phone isn't exactly budget-friendly, but it should have good enough performance. The phone comes with a Snapdragon 480 chipset on board, 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage space, with expandable storage of up to 512GB via microSD card.
In addition to that, the phone is extremely durable and packs a massive 33mm 3.5W 110dB speaker on its back, a big 6200mAh battery, and a thermal imaging camera. That's right, this is a phone that Batman himself would want to buy if he didn't have a thermal vision feature in his cowl, of course.
In addition to that, the phone is extremely durable and packs a massive 33mm 3.5W 110dB speaker on its back, a big 6200mAh battery, and a thermal imaging camera. That's right, this is a phone that Batman himself would want to buy if he didn't have a thermal vision feature in his cowl, of course.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: