Technology

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


Cat S75 smartphone

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

I’ve handled a lot of rugged smartphones, and I’ve come to expect big, chunky, heavy, rubberized units that look like tanks and can take knocks and bumps and scrapes — and dunks in water. What I don’t expect is a smartphone that feels like an iPhone 14 Pro Max in the hand.

And what I really don’t expect is satellite capability. 

Also: What is a rugged phone and which are the best?

With the Cat S75, you get it all. 

Cat S75 smartphone

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Cat S75

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

Cat S75 tech specs

  • Display: 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 (upgradable to Android 14)
  • Cameras: 50-megapixel, 8MP ultra-wide, 2MP macro with underwater mode, 8MP front
  • Networks 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, Bullitt Satellite Connect
  • Storage: 6GB RAM with 128GB
  • Battery: 5,000mAh non-removable lithium polymer
  • Dimensions: 171 x 80 x 11.9mm
  • Weight: 268g
  • Ingress protection: IP68 and IP69K (waterproof to 5 meters for 35 minutes, drop tested up to 1.8 meters (6 ft) onto steel, handles extreme temperatures — 30°C (-22°F) to 75°C (167°F) – for 24 hours

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

The Cat S75 is smaller and less chunky than other ruggedized smartphones I'm accustomed to testing.

The Cat S75 is smaller and less chunky than other ruggedized smartphones I’m accustomed to testing.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

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

Also: iPhone went for a swim? Here’s how Siri can help eject water from its speakers

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

The Cat S75 goes for a swim.

The Cat S75 goes for a swim.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

A photo taken by the Cat S75 underwater.

A photo taken by the Cat S75 underwater.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

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

Warnings that there's water detected in the USB-C port

Warnings that there’s water detected in the USB-C port

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

There may be a way to disable these warnings, but I’ve not come across it yet.

Cat S75 camera array

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

While a lot of ruggedized smartphones use rubber bungs on the charging port, the Cat S75 doesn’t, with the only rubber cover being on the SIM slot.

SIM slot cover on the Cat S75

SIM slot cover on the Cat S75

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Also: This tiny smartphone accessory gives you a fantastic superpower

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

Using a spudger to remove the SIM tray

Using a spudger to remove the SIM tray

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

SIM tray out!

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

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

Sample output from the rear camera on the Cat S75

Sample output from the rear camera on the Cat S75

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

On the ruggedized front, the Cat S75 is tough. 

Very tough.

Also: The most breakable iPhones? How the iPhone 14 fared in drop tests

It feels a bit weird initially to be dropping and banging a handset that feels like my iPhone, and the shell itself feels very plasticky, but this handset took all the punishment I could dish at it, no problem. I keep my iPhone 14 Pro Max in a case, and this makes it bulkier in the hand and pocket than the Cat S75.

That’s weird!

Giving the Cat S75 a soaking after drop testing

Giving the Cat S75 a soaking after drop testing

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

As far as other aspects of the Cat S75 go — the display, call quality, performance, battery life — this handset oozes a premium feel. Yes, this is a rugged handset, but it’s a no-compromise rugged handset.  

The Mediatek Dimensity D930 octa-core processor, backed up by 6GB of RAM, keeps the handset running smoothly no matter what is loading. Not once did I feel the handset get bogged down or have any performance issues.

It offers a smooth Android experience.

Also: The best Android phones you can buy (foldables included)

One aspect of the Cat S75 I’ve not yet tested is the satellite connectivity, but I hope to put this through its paces real soon, and use it to pull off tricks that your iPhone can’t do.

Overall, the Cat S75 is a very nice smartphone. It shows that a rugged handset doesn’t have to be a huge brick, and that it can look equally at home in an air-conditioned office or a muddy field. Even putting aside the satellite communication feature, it’s a very well-made handset, and one that has been engineered, rather than overbuilt, to be tough.





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