As someone who takes my phone with me on random adventures, I’m a big fan of rugged smartphones. One such name that is synonymous with rough and tough smartphones is Doogee.

Well, Doogee is back again with another sturdy Android smartphone, S96 GT, a revival S96 Pro,

is it any good? Let’s take a look, shall we.

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Doogee S96 GT Technical Specifications

• show: 6.22-inch Corning Gorilla Glass IPS Waterdrop Display
• resolution: 1520×720 pixels
• cpu: MTK Helio G95 Octa Core；2 x Cortex A76 2.1GHz + 6 x Cortex A55 2.0GHz
• GPU: ARM Mali-G76 up to 900MHz
• to hit: 8GB DDR4
• storage: 256GB
• rear camera array: AI Quad Camera (48MP+20MP+8MP+2MP)
• front camera: 32MP
• OS: android 12
• battery: 6350mAh
• charge: 24W (15W wireless charging)
• sim tray: Dual SIM + MicroSD
• Satellite navigation: GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou
• safety rating: IP68 / IP69K / MIL-STD-810H
• biometrics: Fingerprint reader
• weight: 310g
• Dimensions: 167 x 81.4 x 15.5 mm

Outwardly, the S96 GT looks like a lot of other rugged smartphones I’ve seen over the years. It’s a massive display clad in rubber, metal and sealed ports.

Colorful metal and plastic are used to try to soften what would otherwise be a very useful look, and for such a chunky handset, you can call the S96 GT “stylish”.

Well, if chunky smartphones are your style, that is.

As a smartphone, the S96 GT is fast, lag-free and pleasant to use. The fast octa-core processor helps things move forward nicely, and I didn’t experience any lag or hiccups even once when it came to performance.

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Cameras are fine. Not great, but not bad either. The output is fine for liking to Facebook and Instagram, or for sharing with friends and family. There’s a whole bunch of camera features at play, from Portrait, AI Camera and Night Mode to Pro, Panorama and Time Lapse Modes.

A word of warning though. Do not rely on any example photos the manufacturer uses on their website because a quick search reveals these are repurchased stock images.

I really wish smartphone makers would stop doing this.

Just like the S96 Pro, it has a 20-megapixel night vision camera, which uses four built-in infrared floodlights to capture black and white night time images. While it’s easy to “ooh” and “ahhhh” on this one, I’d prefer a thermal camera, which would be more useful and less gimmicky.

Still, if you want to see what’s happening around you – up to about 20 meters – in the dark of night, this smartphone will give you that superpower.

Battery life is also good, with the 6350mAh unit lasting well for a day’s use, though I did feel that the battery life was not as good as what I had with the S96 Pro.

Taking the S96 GT outdoors? no problem.

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The IP68 rating means it withstands wet and dusty environments, even being able to tolerate water immersion at a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, and according to Doogee, 1 meter Submerged in concrete at a depth of a day (not sure how you retrieve it after that).

You can also take photos and videos underwater.

It can also handle extreme temperatures between 70 °C (158 °F) and -55 °C (-67 °F).

OK, not so good now.

First, the display. In 2022 a 720p display doesn’t cut it anymore. Yes, that’s fine on a budget phone, but on a phone priced at $350, it’s a big drop.

Second, the microphone is weak, which makes phone calls frustrating. Add some wind or traffic noise, and it’s almost unusable without having to resort to earbuds.

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That said, how often does someone call these days?

But one thing you do regularly on a smartphone is to look at the display, and that 720p display really feels out of date now.

If you are looking for a strong, stylish Android 12 smartphone with a good battery and camera, then Doogee S96 GT Not a bad buy at all. Yes, there are a few limitations, and I would have preferred a thermal camera for the night vision feature, but it’s still a solid, reliable, well-made smartphone capable of surviving anything, great outdoors. can throw it.