Doogee V30 review: It sets the bar for rugged phones

Today's regular smartphones are pretty to look at, but they'll easily crack if dropped from a certain height. That's where rugged smartphones come into play. They're like Nokias from the old days that can withstand a beating and continue to function. One of those tough smartphones is the Doogee V30. It's not the most opulent, but it's made to last. The question is whether it can withstand the rigors of daily life.

The Doogee V30 is a mid-range rugged Android phone that's not too shabby, not too fancy. It's got 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, expandable up to 1TB. That's enough storage to hold all your photos, videos, and apps. And if you're feeling adventurous, you can even get it in orange if you're bored with a black colorway.

Doogee V30: Price and availability

The Doogee V30 has a regular retail price of $529 directly via Doogee's online storefront. Fortunately, the company is offering a deal that lets you snag the phone for $399, which is 25% off the MSRP.

In the UK, the same promo brings the phone's price down to £313.15, while in Europe, you can purchase the device for €366.88.

Doogee V30: What I like

The Doogee V30 is built like an absolute tank. The device is IP68 and IP69K-certified for water and dust resistance, and it comes with a MIL-STD-810H certification, so whether you're hiking in the rain or dropping it on the concrete, your phone will be just fine.

The Doogee V30 is built to take a beating. It's got a strong metal frame and a durable TPU body. I've dropped it, thrown it, and even submerged it in water, and it's still going strong. The Gorilla Glass 5 screen is also pretty tough, so you can be confident that it won't crack if you drop it face-down.

The back has a nice leather texture for a better grip, but what really stands out to me is the wood grain finish on the side panels. Doogee did not reveal the material used for this fancy frame, but it adds a certain level of uniqueness to the phone's design. 

As is typical for rugged phones, the V30 has a customizable button on the left side that you can program to launch certain apps or turn on the flashlight, among other functionalities. A well-rounded multimedia experience is also provided by the two pairs of front-facing speakers located at the top and bottom of the screen.

Of course, if you're looking for a rugged device, you're probably after its durability, but you might be surprised to learn that this category also includes some unusual extras. The Doogee V30 includes a 20MP infrared night vision camera. Unfortunately, the unit that was sent to me had its native camera app crash every time I tried to take a photo, so I had to use a third-party app to test the camera.

Image 1 of 2

The Doogee V30 is one of the few rugged phones that supports eSIM. This means you can have multiple phone numbers on the same phone, and configuring an eSIM on the V30 is pretty quick and easy.

However, all the bells and whistles on a phone don't matter if the battery life disappoints. Thankfully, the humongous 10,800mAh battery included in the handset means it lasts easily through two days away from a charger, with enough juice to spare for a third day. In my testing, I was able to get about 10 to 11 hours of screen-on time with heavy social media usage, light photography, and some gaming.

The Doogee V30 charges really fast, considering. It takes about 90 minutes to go from 0% to 100% with the included 66W charger. It also supports wireless charging up to 15W, but that will take about 7 hours given the large capacity.

The Doogee V30 comes with a few pre-installed apps from Doogee and Google, but it's not bogged down with bloatware. The software is well-optimized and runs smoothly as well.

The Doogee V30 is a rugged phone that can handle anything you throw at it. It's powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset, which is one of the more powerful mid-range chips on the market. And it has 8GB of RAM, so you can run multiple apps at once without any slowdown.

Finally, the camera on the Doogee V30 is not going to win any awards, but it's good enough for most people. The main sensor takes decent photos with good detail, contrast, and color saturation. The ultrawide sensor is not as good, but it's still useful for taking landscape photos. Overall, the cameras are competitive with other phones in this price range. Again, this is while using a third-party camera app for photos.

Doogee V30: What I don't like

The Doogee V30 is a great phone for the price, but it's not perfect. There are a few things that hold it back.

The Doogee V30 is a rugged phone, but it's not as tough as it could be. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, which does a good job protecting the display, but it's not the latest and greatest. I would have liked to see Gorilla Glass 6, at the very least, which is more resistant to scratches and cracks.

Another disappointment in the hardware is it doesn't support Widevine L1 video decryption, which means that you can't stream Netflix or Disney Plus in HD. Widevine L1 is a video decryption standard that allows phones to stream HD content from streaming services like Netflix and DisneyPlus. The Doogee V30 only supports Widevine L3, which means that it can only stream SD content.

This is a bit disappointing, but it's not a deal-breaker for most people. If you're not a big streaming fan, you probably won't even notice the difference. But if you do watch a lot of streaming content, you might want to look elsewhere.

The camera on the Doogee V30 is pretty good for a rugged phone. It takes decent photos and videos, but the camera app can be a bit buggy. I had some problems with the camera app crashing when I tried to tap the camera switch button. It didn't happen all the time, but it was annoying enough to mention.

Finally, due to its large footprint, this phone is neither comfortable to use for extended periods of time nor easily pocketable. That is to be expected for a phone of this caliber, but it is something to keep in mind if you prefer a rugged phone with a more svelte design.

Doogee V30: The competition

The Doogee V30 is a great value at $399 when compared to competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy XCover 6 Pro ($600), the AGM Glory G1S ($599), and the Nokia XR21 ($500).

The V30's biggest competition comes from AGM's contender, which also boasts an IR night vision camera, a laser pointer, and a thermal imaging system. It's also lighter than the V30, weighing in at 315g as opposed to the latter's 376g. However, its battery capacity of 5,500mAh pales in comparison to Doogee's contender.

In comparison to the V30, the Nokia XR21 is a better choice for those who prefer a more slender device. It is 10.5mm thick, whereas the V30 is 18.3mm thick. However, this option does not include extras such as a night vision camera.

Doogee V30: Should you buy it?

You should buy it if...

• eSIM support is one of your top priorities for international travel.
• You like a street-tough phone with a touch of class.
• Longer battery life is most suitable for your lifestyle.

You should not buy it if...

• Bulky and weighty phones are a major concern.
• You want to stream videos in higher resolutions.
• You don't want to spend more than $300 on a smartphone.

The Doogee V30 is a bit of a mixed bag. It's a tough phone that can survive anything, but the camera app can be a bit buggy, despite having some cool features. However, for those who work in harsh environments and require a long-lasting device, the Doogee V30 packs some seriously potent punches.

Not all rugged phones can handle harsh environmental conditions or last for multiple days on a single charge. But the Doogee V30 can do both. It's built like a tank and has a long-lasting battery. Plus, it has an IR night vision camera, which is perfect for working in the dark.