The rugged phone category generally refers to a slice of users who work in "extreme" conditions such as bricklayers but also riders who could use their smartphone in bad weather or face the risk of falling the device. DOOGEE S95 Pro offers all of them a phone that in addition to being extremely robust is distinguished by reliability and hardware features that are often lacking even on the top of the range. So let's find out together in our full review.
We have received in test the complete version of modules, which we will discuss later, a rather complete package, in black color that offers the following equipment inside:
- Doogee s95 pro
- USB Type-C charging / data transfer cable
- Wall power supply with European plug and max 24W output
- Pin for removing the SIM tray and removing the protective covers
- Instruction Manual
- Plastic film pre-applied on the smartphone glass plus additional spare film
- Additional 3850 mAh battery module
- External speaker module
DOOGEE S95 Pro is undoubtedly an impressive smartphone with dimensions of 168 x 79,3 x 13,8 mm as well as a weight of 285 grams, this in favor of an extreme robustness and constructive solidity in which we find a back cover completely made of ABS plastic ultra resistant to shocks, scratches and falls as well as crushing that could occur in certain extreme conditions.
Despite this, a design note is not missing thanks to a texture with geometric lines that recalls the style of gaming phones. On the back we find the photographic module with 3 optics set in a square where there is also the Dual Tone LED flash while poco on the left there is the Barometer sensor. Moving to the bottom it is possible to appreciate the presence of a double speaker that offers stereo sound, with a good volume level but with frequencies tending towards high tones at the expense of almost absent bass. Beyond this we find the presence of a grid composed of magnetic pogo pins for the attachment of the modules in the package.
On the upper profile we have the second microphone for the reduction of environmental noise while the main microphone and the Type-C input protected by a rubber / silicone cap are mirrored. This port is pushed a lot inwards, therefore you will have to use the cable supplied or have Type-C cables with a flat head, otherwise this will not go into the available slot.
The smartphone profiles offer a combination of materials such as plastic and metal, to better protect the smartphone. On the left we find a door that hides the second SIM tray, in nano format, which can possibly be used to insert a Micro SD card up to 128 GB to expand the integrated memory, but renouncing the Dual SIM function. We also find a button with a knurled surface, which performs more functions based on the touches.
The functions can be customized, for example with 1 touch you can operate the flashlight, or with 2 touches start an application while if we hold the button for about 1.5 seconds we will start the SOS function, a particular feature that will trigger an audible alarm for 5 seconds allowing you to locate us, as well as to send an SMS to your favorite contacts, with the relative help message and coordinates for the location and finally start a call to the same contacts. Actions that can however be disabled if we do not feel the need to use them.
The right profile reserves us the presence of the first SIM tray in nano format also protected by a lid, volume rocker and power button made of metal, as well as the fingerprint sensor, which was reliable and rather reactive, while the position turned out poco ergonomic, as it is inserted too low compared to the total length of the phone. The risk is therefore that with the classic hand grip we will often go to click the power button instead of the fingerprint reader, but over time you will get used to it.
I advise you to always carry the pin with you to remove the SIM trays as the protective covers are opened through one of the ends of the accessory.
Particular attention DOOGEE gave it to the 4 corners that contribute to the display frame, developed in a slightly raised plastic structure: a shape designed to prevent the smartphone screen from coming into contact with the ground in the event of a fall of the plate, thus avoiding the break.
In the examination of the structure of the rugged phone we were able to notice the presence of more rubber pads to protect the various entrance doors, this because the smartphone enjoys the IP68, IP69K and MIL-STD-810G certification, i.e. DOOGEE S95 Pro resists without fear falls from considerable meters in height, extreme temperatures and immersion in water for hours. In our tests we were really bad, putting the phone in conditions it would have hardly experienced and the results were generally excellent.
Moving on to the front of the terminal, we find in the upper part a large ear capsule that returns an excellent sound during the conversation as well as the presence of the proximity sensor, brightness and notification LED. But the protagonist on the front is the 6,3-inch diagonal IPS type display with Full HD + resolution (2160 x 1080 pixels), 384 ppi and Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection. the possibility of viewing streaming contents in high quality, given the Widevine Level 10 protocol. Unfortunately, the display offers decidedly washed out colors, making the HDR3 support vain, returning cold tones poco deep. Even the definition in general is not at the top and not even at the software level, the Miravision, if it manages to improve the multimedia experience.
In any case, the scrolling on the touch screen was very fluid but net of this the typing with the keyboard loses a few touches in the most excited writing phases. Visibility in direct sunlight is sufficient.
The display is characterized by the presence of the notch, which does not disturb the notification icons and which houses the 16 MP selfie camera, which offers the possibility of unlocking the smartphone via Unlock Face, as long as you are in good condition. lighting because at the first dark the recognition of the face becomes particularly poco reliable.
DOOGEE S95 Pro doesn't seem to give up anything, from the hardware and connectivity point of view. In fact, the rugged phone offers 4G connection on both slots but the bands do not seem to join properly and therefore 4G + will remain a dream. We also find FM Radio, Bluetooth 5.0, dual band WiFi, GPS with coupling of Galileo satellites, Barometer and also NFC for mobile payments. All connections proved to be reliable and stable.
The performance is instead entrusted to the MediaTek Helio P90 processor, octacore clocked at 2.2 GHz maximum flanked by an IMG PowerVR GM9446 GPU, 8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128 GB of 128 GB UFS 2.0 internal storage provided from Samsung, expandable by an additional 128 GB via micro SD. Rather fast memories that combined with an operating system based on Android 9 (security patch of January 2020) practically stock, allow the DOOGEE S95 Pro to give good performance even in the gaming sector as well as ensuring a fluidity and reliability of the system for tasks newspapers. Good responsiveness of the app even when recalled from the background and good general speed in the execution of activities, in short, this smartphone ranks among the best mid ranges on the market.
Absent particular overheating and any form of lag or uncertainty, precisely because of a stock operating system, whose only customizations reside in some programs dedicated to the smartphone in question, such as the ability to customize the side button, the parameters of the SOS or a Toolbox that collects some "work" functions, such as the compass, the level, the barometer, the acoustic meter, the height measurement, etc.
To power the whole, a large 5150 mAh battery intervenes which offers support for 24W fast charging as well as the possibility of being recharged by means of 10W wireless technology. The autonomy is extraordinary and although the system does not offer usage statistics, I can guarantee you that with my intensive use I was able to take home over two full days of use, which can easily extend to 3 days with normal use.
Before trying to tell you about the photographic performances of DOOGEE S95 Pro, it is right to talk about the modules that you will find in the package, which remember a lot of what Motorola has offered us in the past.
The first module, on balance, turns out to be a power bank with a capacity of 3850 mAh, which can be recharged in turn via USB Type-C input. This offers practically an additional day of use and its assembly with the smartphone takes place by means of magnetic pogo pins.
The second module instead turns out to be a speaker with 27 mm driver and 6W of power (3W x 2) able to offer the use of audio up to 10 continuous hours thanks to an integrated 2000 mAh battery, rechargeable via USB port. Type-C. In this case, the sound compared to the basic one of the smartphone changes considerably positively, offering full-bodied and enveloping tones.
Modules with good functionality but which I found useless, first of all because they further aggravate the ergonomics of the smartphone (speaker weight 166 grams but above all because they raise the final price of 100 euro round rounds, when with about 20 euro we can grab gadgets that offer the same functions .
The time has come to talk about photography, which in the case of DOOGEE S95 Pro expresses itself through 3 sensors of which the primary is a 48 MP supplied by Sony, model IMX582 which is joined by an 8 MP ultrawide FOV 117 ° and finally … A sensor for the collection of depth of field data for the bokeh effect of which I ignore the resolution. This is because the company declares on its official website that the lens performs the Macro function with 8 MP resolution but in reality it is not so, given the total absence of shooting in this mode. Another lie told by the company concerns the presence of a 10X optical zoom, which would allow you to even photograph the moon. Given that for such photos a 10X zoom is not enough, the zoom is yes with 10X magnification but digital and with really poor results.
NORMAL ULTRAWIDE
We have the AI Mode supplied with the software, whose effectiveness is rather questionable as well as the various frills dedicated to the beauty effect. In terms of photos, the details are present thanks to the excellent Sony home sensor, but it is the software that spoils everything, returning photos often poco balanced from the chromatic point of view. The photos in ultrawide mode are really painful, with aberrations and a noticeable fish eye effect.
ZOOM 10X
And if the shots taken during the day have us poco convinced those made at night are to say the least poco to be thrown away so much that you don't even offer them here in the gallery. We definitely would not have expected who knows what quality on a rugged phone but since the primary sensor is definitely valid why not optimize it to the best through software, instead of offering a thousand other similar functions, such as the "Perfect" and "Cute" mode.
NORMAL ZOOM 2X ULTRAWIDE
It is possible to shoot videos up to 4K at 30 fps as well as 1080p always at 30 fps, but in no case is there any stabilization neither optical nor digital. The PDAF-type focus does its job well but the change of focal length is perhaps too snappy. What has been said so far also applies to the 16 MP selfie camera that cannot go beyond the scarce sufficiency.
Buy DOOGEE S95 Pro with modules here for € 499,99
Buy here DOOGEE S95 Pro WITHOUT modules € 399,99PROJECTED IMPACT
DOOGEE S95 Pro is certainly a smartphone for a few, certainly for those who just don't know how to hold anything in their hands with a consequent fall to the ground. He is ultra resistant and also quite satisfying for some areas, but the price is perhaps the real discordant note, given that net of the integrated modules we find ourselves at a price of poco less than 500 euros on the Amazon Italia store, a price with which you can now take home a POCO F2 Pros to name one. Without the modules, the price drops by 100 euros, while still maintaining a perhaps off-market price. Recommending this device is really difficult, but if you are looking for a super rugged phone, which offers excellent autonomy and reliability also in the software, having available everything we can look for in terms of connectivity on a smartphone, then DOOGEE S95 Pro could be an investment to keep an eye on.
