This device proved to me that rugged smartphones can, in fact, have it all

Rugged Android smartphones have a reputation for being big, bulky, and unattractive. That said, they don't have to be overly large, cumbersome, or unsightly! They can also incorporate some cool, cutting-edge technology.

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The Doogee S200 packs a lot into a robust, yet stylish, package.

Doogee S200 tech specs

Display: 6.72 inch, 1080 x 2400 pixels (~392ppi density) 120Hz LCDSecondary display: AMOLED, 1.32 inches, 466 x 466 pixelsChipset: MediaTek Dimensity 7050 (6 nm)CPU: Octa-core 2x 2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 plus 6x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A55GPU: Mali-G68 MC4Cameras: 100-megapixel AI main camera, 20-megapixel night vision camera, 2-megapixel macro camera, and 20-megapixel front-facing cameraStorage: 256GBRAM: 12GB of DDR5 (+20GB extended)OS: Android 14Battery: 10,100mAhBiometrics: Fingerprint readerDimensions: 179.5 x 82.5 x 16 mmWeight: 370gRuggedness rating: IP68, IP69K, MIL-STD-810H 

I've handled a lot of rugged Android smartphones over the past few years, and I have to admit that most fall into the chunky and heavy category, the sort of phone that drags at your pants pocket all day. While this one is no "thin and light" phone, I've carried heavier -- much heavier -- smartphones.

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There's a lot that I like about this smartphone. Coming from an iPhone, I really appreciate the high pixel density display. Some rugged smartphones have displays that feel like everything is made of Minecraft blocks, so having a retina-quality display that runs at a fast refresh rate is a lovely touch.

The cameras are also more than acceptable. I'm not sure about the 100-megapixel mode feature because it feels to me like it adds too much sharpening to the image, but the regular modes offer fantastic quality that will satisfy all but the most stringent pixel peepers. There's also an underwater camera feature if you want to take your smartphone on aquatic adventures. 

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I really like the huge battery that Doogee has crammed into this smartphone. It's rated for almost 500 hours of standby -- that's a whole 20 days -- and half a day of web browsing, and my tests back this up. There's no wireless charging, which is a shame, but it does support 33W wired charging, so the handset isn't going to be attached to a cable all day.

There's also a reverse charging feature that lets you use the handset like a power bank, which is a nice touch for those situations where others with smartphones that have smaller batteries are running out of power!

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The speed of the handset is also a pleasant surprise, with the octa-core 6nm processor doing a good job of keeping everything humming along smoothly. The base 12GB of RAM is perfectly adequate, but I found a definite boost in the smoothness of the operating system after bumping this up to 32GB by utilizing 20GB of storage as RAM.

For me, this is an acceptable trade-off.

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I haven't forgotten about that rear display, either. It's a nice touch being able to glance at the time and date without being distracted by notifications. The AMOLED is bright enough to see in sunlight and doesn't seem to affect battery life at all.

ZDNET's buying advice

I really like the Doogee S200, even with its $425 price tag. It's a rarity in that it's a ruggedized smartphone that is stylish enough not to look out of place in the office or at a restaurant.

Don't let the looks fool you; this is a smartphone that can take a beating, has a battery that laughs in the face of an iPhone, and an array of cameras to suit the most avid of snappers. The display is excellent, unlike the usual old-school blocky type that you find on many rugged smartphones. Even though I have an iPhone as my daily driver, this display feels nice and comfortable on my eyes.

If you want a rugged smartphone that won't look too out of place in civilization and won't weigh down your pockets, the Doogee S200 is a great choice.