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

I’ve handled a lot of rugged smartphones, and I’ve come to expect big, thick, heavy, rubberized units that look like tanks and can endure shocks, bumps, and scratches — and submersion in water. I don’t expect a smartphone that looks like iphone 14 pro max in hand.

And I don’t really expect satellite capability.

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Together Cat S75You got it all.

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Cat S75

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

Cat S75 Technical Specifications

• ShowDisplay: 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 (upgradeable to Android 14)
• camera: 50-megapixel, 8MP ultra-wide, 2MP macro with underwater mode, 8MP front
• network 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, Bulit Satellite Connect
• storage: 6GB RAM with 128GB
• Battery: 5,000mAh Non-removable Lithium Polymer
• DIMENSIONS: 171 x 80 x 11.9 mm
• weight: 268 grams
• ingress protection: IP68 and IP69K (waterproof up to 5 meters for 35 minutes, drop test up to 1.8 meters (6 feet) on steel, withstands extreme temperatures – 30°C (-22°F) to 75°C (167°F) – for 24 hours

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

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

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

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

There may be some way to disable these warnings, but I haven’t found it yet.

While a lot of rugged smartphones use a rubber bang on the charging port, the Cat S75 doesn’t, only the rubber cover is over the SIM slot.

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

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

On the sturdiness front, the Cat S75 is tough.

very difficult.

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It feels a bit awkward to drop and bang my iPhone-like handset at first, and the shell itself feels very plasticky, but this handset took about as much punishment as I could throw at it, no matter what. I carry my iPhone 14 Pro Max in a case, and it makes it heavier in the hand and pocket than the Cat S75.

That’s weird!

As far as other aspects of the Cat S75 are concerned – display, call quality, performance, battery life – the handset gives a premium feel. Yes, it’s a strong handset, but it’s a strong handset with no compromises.

The MediaTek Dimensity D930 octa-core processor, supported by 6GB of RAM, keeps the handset running smoothly no matter what the load is on. Not even once did I feel that the handset was damaged or had any performance issues.

It provides a smooth Android experience.

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One aspect of the Cat S75 I haven’t tested yet is satellite connectivity, but I hope to get up to speed with it soon, and use it to pull off tricks your iPhone can’t.

Overall, the Cat S75 is a very good smartphone. It goes to show that a sturdy handset doesn’t have to be a huge brick, and can look just as at home in an air-conditioned office or a muddy field. Even setting aside the satellite communication feature, this is a very well-built handset, and has been engineered to be rather robust.