Although smartphones are logically designed to be durable and reliable, their premium appearance and elegant aesthetics give these devices a seemingly delicate character. On the opposite end of the spectrum are rugged smartphones designed like tanks and look the part, giving the impression that you can only choose one or the other. There are indeed limitations when it comes to materials that give phones added protection, but with some creative thinking, you can turn that undesirable property into a key feature. That’s exactly what this curious-looking smartphone does, eschewing luxurious aesthetics for a motif that calls to mind the battle-hardened mecha or robots of science fiction. Even better, it can definitely walk the walk as well.

Designer: Doogee

Doogee is one of the remaining smartphone brands that target a niche market that prioritizes durability and longevity over flashy designs and cutting-edge features. Although its early models did exhibit tank-like appearances, it has learned to fine-tune its designs to look more sophisticated without sacrificing its biggest strengths. The Doogee S98, for example, looked like a gadget to be used by secret agents, and that design DNA resurfaces in the brand’s newest product.

Rather than trying hard to reconcile smooth curves with rugged shells, the Doogee S200 embraces sharp angles and straight lines. But rather than leaving them at that, it transforms these design elements into geometric shapes that give the phone a sci-fi vibe, like a panel or piece of a gigantic fighting robot. Of course, that design isn’t just for show, as Doogee took the opportunity to go all out on the materials to give the S200 a much-coveted IP69 and IP69K rating for protection not just against water and dust but also from humidity, sand, and more.

A design element that the Doogee S20 carried over from its predecessors is the 1.32-inch circular AMOLED display on the back, flanked by the phone’s triple camera system and an infrared lamp for improved night sensitivity. It makes the back of the phone truly look futuristic, even if the functionality it offers is just as limited as a smartwatch with a similar circular design. It really drives home the mecha motif, making it look more interesting than other tank-like rugged smartphones.

The Doogee S200 is boasted to be the first 5G phone in Doogee’s S-letter series, which is admittedly not saying much these days. The phone’s specs, as one might expect, are hardly noteworthy, starting with a mid-range MediaTek Dimensity 7050 processor. The 12GB of RAM can be boosted to 32GB by taking some space from the already meager 256GB storage. A killer feature, however, is the gigantic 10,100 mAh battery that will unfortunately be throttled by a fast but inadequate 33W charging speed. Given the $400 price tag, however, it’s not such a bad deal, especially if you’re into phones that look like props from fiction.

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