If you are looking for a phone that won’t crack after you press the power button a bit harder, then check out this list of best rugged smartphones of 2017.
Back in the days, regular mobile phones were less prone to damage. They were tougher and I’ll dare to say, built from more quality materials. It helped also that there were not as many weak spots as it is the case with modern phones. Now, the phones are thinner and have larger screens, but that made them more vulnerable to almost everything. We have all been there at some point in our lives as smartphone users. Phone drops onto the ground and ends up with a shattered screen or even worse, it drops into the water and in most cases becomes unusable. If you are tired of always fearing that your phone will drop, consider buying a rugged smartphone.
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People often confuse ruggedness with being water and dust proof. New iPhone and Samsung models are all water and dust proof, but that doesn’t make them rugged. For a smartphone to be considered “rugged” it has to have some other characteristics and be tested for extreme conditions. Besides being water and dust proof, a rugged smartphone is also shockproof and can work in extremely high and low temperatures. In case you are interested in models from last year, check out our list of 7 Best Rugged Smartphones of 2016.
In order to create the list of 7 best rugged smartphones of 2017, we took recommendations from MB Reviews, Tough Gadget, and Mobile Scope. We only considered the smartphones that were released towards the end of 2016 and so far in 2017, ones that were IP68 certified and shockproof. IP68 certification means that the smartphone is completely dustproof and can be immersed in the water for at least 30 minutes at the depth of 1.5 meters. After that, we gave each smartphone points based on their price, specifications (processor, RAM, and storage) and battery quality. After summing everything into our IM Score, our list took shape. Let’s check it out.
7. Homtom HT20
IM Score: 12
Price: $115.99
Homtom HT20 ranks 7th in our list of the best rugged smartphones of 2017. This smartphone comes with a low price and will serve you well. It has 4.7 inches screen, Quad-Core processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. You can use the smartphone with the gloves on, and it even has a fingerprint sensor. Unlike most other rugged smartphones, Homtom HT20 enables you to remove its 3500mAh battery.
6. Zoji Z7
IM Score: 12
Price: $99.13
If you really care about the price, buy Zoji Z7. We doubt you can find a cheaper rugged smartphone on the market. The basic specifications are similar to the previous entry on the list, with Zoji Z7 having 5.0 inches screen, better camera and offering Dual SIM. The downside is a weaker battery of 3000mAh.
5. Nomu S20
IM Score: 13
Price: $145.99
It is easy to confuse Nomu S20 with a regular smartphone. Although it checks all the boxes for a rugged smartphone, Nomu S20 is slim and nicely designed. It has 5.0 inches screen, Quad-Core processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. While its 3000mAh battery isn’t anything special, it still represents a good investment.
4. Jesy J7
IM Score: 14
Price: $299.99
Don’t get freaked out by the price. Although it is the most expensive smartphone on our list of best rugged smartphones of 2017, 4.7 inches screen Jesy J7 offers a lot. You’ll get an Octa-Core processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and an outstanding battery of 4100mAh. Other features include a fingerprint sensor, Dual SIM, and anticorrosion protection.
3. Ulefone Armor
IM Score: 14
Price: $195.49
Ulefone Armor ranks third in our list of the best rugged smartphones of 2017. Ulefone Armor comes with 4.7 inches screen, Octa-Core processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and 3500mAh battery. It is mostly made of polycarbonate plastic and rubber so you know it can go through rough situations. Nothing will get in the phone or out of it, for that matter. You can use it with gloves or even when your fingers are wet.
2. AGM A8
IM Score: 14
Price: $183.55
AGM is well-known name in the world of rugged smartphones. After the acclaimed AGM X1 model, they did well with the AGM A8, that ranks second on our list of best rugged smartphones of 2017 as well. It has 5.0 inches screen, Quad –Core processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and a 4050mAh battery. It is designed to withstand almost everything, including extremely low and high temperatures. The manufacturer guarantees that it won’t have any damage if dropped from 1.5 meters but it will survive even bigger drops.
1. Balckview BV7000 Pro
IM Score: 15
Price: $239.00
With BV6000 model Blackview came a close second in our ranking last year, but this time with BV 7000 Pro it tops our list of best rugged smartphones in 2017. The thing where this smartphone excels compared to the other entries on the list is specifications. It comes with 5.0 inches screen, Octa-Core processor, 4GB of RAM, 64BG of RAM and 3500mAh battery. The slick design also helps. It will surely remain the top pick for everyone who is on the look for a budget rugged smartphone, at least until CAT puts out a successor to S60.
