The best CAT smartphones: Ruggedness takes a whole new shape

Most modern smartphones feature beautiful metal and glass constructions that push the boundaries of screen-to-body ratios. Unfortunately, they’re not always the most durable of devices. Luckily, Caterpillar — yes, that Caterpillar — has been rolling durable work-ready smartphones for the past few years. Here’s a list of the best Cat phones available for anyone who needs the most rugged Android devices you can get.

See also: These are the best rugged phones you can buy right now

The best Cat phones:

• Cat S62 Pro
• Cat S62
• Cat S42/S42 H+
• Cat S22 Flip
• Cat S53

Editor’s note: We’ll regularly update this list of the best Cat phones as new devices launch.

Cat S62 Pro

It’s starting to get older, but the Cat S62 Pro packed some pretty tough internals at launch. It runs on a Snapdragon 660 chipset, and the upgraded FLIR Lepton 3.5 is among the best thermal cameras with four times the thermal pixels. You also get an IP69 and MIL-STD-810H certification to keep your new phone safe from just about anything.

If there’s one drawback to Cat’s newest device, it’s the lack of 5G connectivity. However, you’re probably not buying the S62 Pro for its speed — you’re here for the toughest phone on the market.

S62 Pro specs:

Cat S62

The CAT S62 is newer than the S62 Pro listed above and offers more in some areas and less in others. Overall, the two phones are quite similar to one another. Both have the same screen, chipset, and battery, among other things. They both also have an IP69 and Mil-Spec 810H certification.

However, you don’t get a thermal camera on the CAT S62. You also get less RAM at 4GB. The phone does support wireless charging, which is missing on the Pro model, and it has a higher resolution main camera at 48MP.

S62 specs:

Cat S42/S42 H Plus

Joining the list of Caterpillar’s 2020 releases is the Cat S42, which was launched as the Cat S32 at CES 2020 before the company decided to rename it. It’s a decidedly entry-level device with an affordable price tag.

The phone has an IP68 rating for dust and waterproofing and a MIL-STD 810G certification for impact protection. It has also been drop-tested numerous times from a height of 1.8m onto steel, with drops on every side and corner.

Caterpillar has also introduced a hygiene-focused version named the Cat S42 H Plus. It’s infused with silver ions to help fight the growth of bacteria. Otherwise, it packs the same features you can expect from the rugged device.

S42 and S42 H Plus specs:

Cat S22 Flip

As the name suggests, this is a flip phone. It’s the newest Cat phone on this list and is just as rugged as the rest of the company’s lineup. You get an IP rating and MIL-STD-810H certification. The handset will also survive a drop on concrete from a height of 1.8 meters without an issue.

In terms of specs and features, you get a main 2.8-inch display and a secondary 1.44-inch panel on the outside, which comes in handy for checking notifications and various other things. You also get a 2,000mAh removable battery, a primary 5MP camera, and Android 11 Go Edition.

S22 Flip specs:

Cat S53

The Cat S53 is one of the more recent Cat phones around, with a July 2022 release. It’s no powerhouse, but it comes with IP68/IP69K certification and MIL-STD-810H standards. It can take a beating!

Internal specs include a Snapdragon 480 processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 6.5-inch 720p display. The battery is pretty large at 5,500mAh, though. It should last you a long time on a full charge.

All that said, the Cat S53 is at the end of the list because it’s not available in the US. It’s readily available in Europe and other markets, though.

S53 specs:

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