If your idea of the best smartphone is one that continues to work despite gloves and sprinkled with water, then the best rugged smartphone for you might be the Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2. Spoiler alert: it does just that. It also has a high ingress rating and MIL 810G compliant, a testament to its strength and durability.
Why We Like It – Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2
IP68 and MIL 810H compliant, the Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2 is one tough smartphone, handling water and falls like a champ. Its screen continues to work, despite wearing gloves or covered in water.
- IP68 + MIL 810G compliant
- Screen continues to work while wet
- Affordable
- Average performance
Overall Performance
Running with a Snapdragon 630, the DuraForce Pro 2 handles modern tasks pretty well. You get access to a few taxing games, though not without a bit of stuttering, and apps benefit from the faster chipset, as does the Android 8 operating system. The Ulefone Armor 7, however, uses the better Helio P90 chipset for even faster processing. Despite having a 4K 135-degree action camera, the Pro 2 is limited to 13MP. Image quality is passable, at best, and needs the best conditions for great photos.
Battery Life
The Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2 isn’t very rugged with its battery. It’s fitted with only a 3240mAh li ion battery, which is still notably more power than the 2000mAh battery inside the Unihertz Atom. Depending on how it’s used, it’ll run for half a day to a whole day. And it has fast charging!
Display
If you were hoping for a pretty display, you won’t get it with the DuraForce Pro 2. What you’ll get is functionality. It stops at 5-inches, over twice the size of the Unihertz Atom, and outputs in 1920×1080, which is exactly 1080p. The great thing about its screen, however, is Kyocera went with a Dragontrail PRO touchscreen, allowing you to use the device even when the screen is wet or you’re wearing thick gloves. the camera of the Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2 is not that great but if you would love to take pictures then you should try the Motorola G6.
Durability
The Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2 can handle a lot you throw at it. Water and dust resistance? Rated at IP68. Tough? It’s been put through MIL 810G testing and compliant. Its polycarbonate material definitely handles drops, submersion in water, and keeps dust at bay.
Value
Much of what the Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2 offers is outdone by the Doogee S95 Pro; however, it’s twice the price. The DuraForce is also running on a very outdated Android 6, whereas the S95 is running Android Pie (9.0). You’ll simply get more value out of the S95 than you would the DuraForce Pro 2. Not even the touchscreen can save it.
Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2 Wrap Up
When you pair the Kyocera DuraForce Pro 2 to other rugged handsets, it can stand toe to toe with the best. It’s MIL 810G compliant and has an IP68 ingress rating, making it tough and resistant to weather. Unfortunately, when you strip that away, you reveal hardware and software that shows its age. It feels like the Pro 2 is a bit late to the party.
