This rugged satellite-enabled Android phone looks nearly as sleek as an iPhone

I’ve handled a lot of rugged smartphones, and I’ve come to expect big, chunky, heavy, rubberized units that look like tanks and can take knocks and bumps and scrapes — and dunks in water. What I don’t expect is a smartphone that feels like an iPhone 14 Pro Max in the hand.

And what I really don’t expect is satellite capability. 

Also: What is a rugged phone and which are the best?

With the Cat S75, you get it all. 

ZDNET RECOMMENDS

Cat S75

The Cat S75 boasts a modern, robust design, and has passed more than 100 laboratory stress tests. It’s drop-proof up to 1.8 meters on steel, dustproof, dirt-proof, and waterproof to IP68/IP69K.

Cat S75 tech specs

• Display: 6.58-inch (20:9) FHD+ (2220 x 1080 pixels) 120Hz, Corning Gorilla Glass 7 (Victus)
• Processor: Mediatek Dimensity D930 octa-core 2.2GHz
• Operating system: Android 12 (upgradable to Android 14)
• Cameras: 50-megapixel, 8MP ultra-wide, 2MP macro with underwater mode, 8MP front
• Networks Satellite: 23/255/256
  5G: N1/N2/N3/N5/N7/N8/N20/N28/N38/N40/ N41/N75/N77/N78
  4G: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28/32/38/39/40/41
  3G: 1/2/4/5/8
  2G: 2/3/5/8
• Satellite connectivity: Yes, Bullitt Satellite Connect
• Storage: 6GB RAM with 128GB
• Battery: 5,000mAh non-removable lithium polymer
• Dimensions: 171 x 80 x 11.9mm
• Weight: 268g
• Ingress protection: IP68 and IP69K (waterproof to 5 meters for 35 minutes, drop tested up to 1.8 meters (6 ft) onto steel, handles extreme temperatures — 30°C (-22°F) to 75°C (167°F) – for 24 hours

While companies such as Blackview and Ulefone have popularized rugged Android smartphones, the Cat S-series handsets — built by Bullitt — were some of the first that I remember. The brand positions itself as a professional, industrial brand that is aimed at demanding industries such as construction, surveying, and security.

A big difference between phones from the likes of  Blackview and Ulefone, and the Cat S-series handsets is that the latter feels more like premium smartphones. In fact, the S75 looks and feels so much like my iPhone 14 Pro Max that I was reluctant at first to subject it to any harsh treatment.

Also: iPhone went for a swim? Here’s how Siri can help eject water from its speakers

One of the first things I wanted to test was waterproofing, so I used it to take some underwater photos.

This worked great, although I did get warnings about water in the port, and these warnings were hard to bypass because the display was unresponsive when it was wet. 

There may be a way to disable these warnings, but I’ve not come across it yet.

While a lot of ruggedized smartphones use rubber bungs on the charging port, the Cat S75 doesn’t, with the only rubber cover being on the SIM slot.

Also: This tiny smartphone accessory gives you a fantastic superpower

To get that SIM tray out, I had to use a tool. It’s not something that you need to do that often, but if you do need to do it, you’ll need something to coax the SIM tray out.

I also tested the cameras on land, and the outputs are more than acceptable for an industrial handset. I took some shots with both the Cat S75 and my iPhone, and while I felt that the iPhone shots had more “pop”, the underlying quality felt very similar.  

On the ruggedized front, the Cat S75 is tough. 

Very tough.

Also: The most breakable iPhones? How the iPhone 14 fared in drop tests

It feels a bit weird initially to be dropping and banging a handset that feels like my iPhone, and the shell itself feels very plasticky, but this handset took all the punishment I could dish at it, no problem. I keep my iPhone 14 Pro Max in a case, and this makes it bulkier in the hand and pocket than the Cat S75.

That’s weird!

As far as other aspects of the Cat S75 go — the display, call quality, performance, battery life — this handset oozes a premium feel. Yes, this is a rugged handset, but it’s a no-compromise rugged handset.  

The Mediatek Dimensity D930 octa-core processor, backed up by 6GB of RAM, keeps the handset running smoothly no matter what is loading. Not once did I feel the handset get bogged down or have any performance issues.

It offers a smooth Android experience.

Also: The best Android phones you can buy (foldables included)

One aspect of the Cat S75 I’ve not yet tested is the satellite connectivity, but I hope to put this through its paces real soon, and use it to pull off tricks that your iPhone can’t do.

Overall, the Cat S75 is a very nice smartphone. It shows that a rugged handset doesn’t have to be a huge brick, and that it can look equally at home in an air-conditioned office or a muddy field. Even putting aside the satellite communication feature, it’s a very well-made handset, and one that has been engineered, rather than overbuilt, to be tough.