Unboxing & Review: Doogee Smartphone – Durability and Performance

If you're hunting for a smartphone that laughs in the face of drops, dust, and downpours, meet Doogee—the unsung hero of rugged tech. Forget delicate glass slabs; we’re diving into the Doogee S98 Pro, a tank disguised as a phone. From unboxing to real-world stress tests, here’s why this beast deserves your attention.

First Impressions: Built Like a Bunker

Pull the Doogee S98 Pro from its box, and one thing hits hard—this phone means business. Weighing in at 258g with a 6.3-inch display, it’s no featherweight. But that heft? It’s all armor. The phone sports an IP68/IP69K rating and MIL-STD-810H certification, meaning it can survive submersion in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes and endure extreme temperatures, shocks, and vibrations.

Specs That Don’t Quit

Under the hood, the S98 Pro packs a MediaTek Dimensity 8050 chip, 12GB RAM, and 256GB storage—solid specs for multitasking warriors. The 6000mAh battery is a marathon runner, lasting up to 2.3 days on moderate use. And get this: it supports 68W fast charging AND 15W reverse wireless charging—yes, you can juice up your earbuds from your phone while camping.

Thermal Vision? Yes, Really.

Here’s where Doogee flexes. The S98 Pro includes a FLIR Lepton thermal camera, letting you detect heat signatures—perfect for finding leaks, checking insulation, or being the coolest parent at the campsite. Apps like ThermoView turn raw data into colorful heat maps. It’s not military-grade, but for $499, it’s impressively functional.

Real-World Toughness Test

We took the S98 Pro on a weekend off-grid: dropped it on gravel (survived), submerged it in a stream (still ticking), and left it in a hot car (no throttling). Even after a 2-meter drop onto concrete, the sapphire-reinforced glass stayed crack-free. Most flagship phones would beg for mercy.

Who’s This For?

You don’t buy a Doogee for sleek design—you buy it for reliability. Ideal for outdoor enthusiasts, field workers, or anyone tired of babying their device. Sure, the software skin (DOOV UI) feels a bit clunky compared to stock Android, and the 120Hz screen could be brighter outdoors, but these are small trade-offs for near-indestructibility.

The Verdict

The Doogee S98 Pro isn’t trying to win beauty contests. It’s built for war. With stellar battery life, legit thermal imaging, and specs that handle modern apps like a champ, it’s a niche player doing almost everything right. If durability tops your priority list, this rugged gem delivers way more than its price suggests.