07-04-2022 10:14 PM - edited 07-04-2022 10:19 PM
I finally managed to destroy my rugged Cat phone. It still works for calls, but an incident at work has melted half the plastics, torn some chunks of exposed electronics out, and left only half the display readable. I've done some ugly ad-hoc repairs and devised some arcane rituals which keep it working, but this isn't a real solution.
So I'm looking for a new phone.
The Doogie S95 Pro seems like a good choice. But my only experience with the Doogie brand was a friend's low-end Doogie phone many years ago - it was utterly frustrating cheap junk. I understand you get exactly what you pay for but this particular device still stands out in my mind as being especially cheap garbage.
Does anyone have any experience with this Doogee phone, with other Doogee phones? Or any suggestions for another phone which would satisfy my criteria? I'm a little apprehensive about the brand - especially since the product I'm looking at isn't cheap - so I welcome feedback.
www.doogeephone.com/doogee-s95-pro
www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/f5f1524f
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07-04-2022 10:30 PM
I like using the Nokia XR20.
Battery non replaceable though, but worth a look.
07-04-2022 10:20 PM
07-04-2022 10:25 PM
Have you used the gsmarena search? It's quite in-depth.
https://www.gsmarena.com/search.php3?
My perception of Doogee would be chinesium.
07-04-2022 10:25 PM
@softech wrote:Samsung XCover 6 Pro coming.. with replaceable battery and headset jack. interested?
Impressive hardware specs. But not ruggedized. Such a delicate and tech-dense device wouldn't last long, lol.
I suppose I should add one more important parameter: the device needs to be available in stores now.
07-04-2022 10:29 PM
Curious, why S95? Latest one is S97, isn't it? Or not something easy to find here? (sorry, I am not into this market myself 🙂 )
07-04-2022 10:30 PM
07-04-2022 10:35 PM
@softech wrote:Curious, why S95? Latest one is S97, isn't it? Or not something easy to find here? (sorry, I am not into this market myself 🙂 )
I just didn't know about the S97, lol.
It has some better specs and hardware than the S95. I admit I have little use for a Laser Rangefinder but I'd happily take the 8500mAh battery. Importantly, I can buy the S95 at my local Staples or London Drugs, I'd have to order the S97 through Alibaba - which automatically makes me agree with @dust2dust about Chinesium.
07-04-2022 10:38 PM
@Korth S95 is Chinesium, too, isn't it? But yes, Chinese phone is what I try to avoid too. Good spec, but in many cases, too good to be true 🙂
07-04-2022 10:46 PM
@walker1 wrote:I like using the Nokia XR20.
Battery non replaceable though, but worth a look.
I was unaware of this one. It seems a little overpriced - I mean, all of the ruggedized phones seem overpriced for what they give you, but this one seems even more overpriced than most, lol.
But it also seems like the best choice I've seen so far.
I'll give this thread a day or two to see if anything else turns up, but I think this phone might be it.
07-04-2022 10:52 PM - edited 07-04-2022 10:54 PM
All phones are Chinesium, in truth. Disposable consumer devices, built as quickly and efficiently and cheaply as they can mass produce in China.
I've learned to be very skeptical of ruggedized claims. That's why I will only buy rugged phones from a real store, even if it's a few hours drive away. I can lift, grip, bend, and (gently) drop the device right away - right in front of the salesperson - if it's cheap it'll fail this cursory assessment immediately. If it breaks after a waist-height fall onto store carpet (when the box says it's rated for a 10m fall onto concrete or steel) then there's really no way they can deny an immediate return and refund. But if I buy from Alibaba then I get stuck with whatever flimsy junk they want to slap a label onto - and, ironically, the "ruggedized hardened armored mil-spec" item is sometimes destroyed by shipping and handling before it even gets unwrapped, lol.