Just how tough is the world's toughest cellphone

newsguy 0 393 Views

A press release landed on my computer today, claiming that Samsung has launched the world's toughest cellphone. The Samsung Solid, so the release assures me, has "strengths that make it stand out from other mobiles" which include built in anti-shock and water and dust resistance. The release goes on to claim that "encased in a thick rubber body this phone lives up to its name to withstand the tough treatment, making it ideal for any trades man, extreme sports enthusiasts or those who simply need a durable phone."

Well, maybe.

Let's look at the features. You might expect a truly tough mobile phone to do away with the little luxuries that could get broken during the kind of rough and ready exposure such a handset will endure. But no, Samsung has stuffed an FM radio (who needs a radio in their cellphone anyway) and most remarkably a camera into the device. The inclusion of a camera just seems to be asking for trouble, as these mechanisms are easily broken after all. Still, the toughest mobile on the planet will have it covered, won't it? I guess it will be totally waterproof and have an anti-shock mechanism capable of protecting it from the roughest handling and longest drops.

Actually, no. The Samsung Solid's water and dust resistancy is effective to an IP rating of 54, which as Samsung itself admits means it will "survive water splashes and the occasional knock or drop". The Ingress Protection rating, to give it the full explanation, consists of two numbers. The first relates to protection against solid objects and the second liquids. From this you can deduce that the Samsung Solid is 'protected against dust with limited ingress' rather than the maximum 'totally protected against dust' 6 point rating and 'protected against water sprayed from all directions with limited ingress permitted' rather than the maximum 8 point rating of 'protected against long periods of immersion under pressure'.

So there you have it, the world's toughest cellphone can be used in the rain and will not break if you drop it unless you drop it into a puddle that is. Still, it does have a built in flashlight...

Dani AI

Generated

Good call by — “world’s toughest” is marketing unless the specs back it up. An IP54 phone is only splash‑resistant and only protected against limited dust ingress, so it’s fine in rain or a spill but not for puddles or dusty job sites. Camera windows, speaker/mic grills, SIM/charging ports and removable covers are common failure points even on phones that claim extra toughness. (jrlighting.co.uk)

If genuine durability is the priority, target higher, verifiable standards rather than marketing phrases. Look for IP67 or IP68 (dust‑tight and short immersion ratings — IP68 immersion depth/times are manufacturer‑specified) and a MIL‑STD‑810 claim for shock, vibration and temperature testing; MIL‑STD documents the environmental test methods vendors use, but vendors tailor which tests and severities they run, so check exactly what was tested. (indexenclosures.com)

Practical pre‑buy checklist: confirm the exact IP/MIL rating on the spec sheet, ask for third‑party test or lab reports or reputable hands‑on reviews with drop/submersion testing, inspect the device for sealed SIM/port gaskets, and read warranty fine print (refurbishing or opening a unit often voids IP claims and water‑damage coverage). If field use is essential, consider purpose‑built rugged models (Sonim, CAT, Kyocera) or a certified rugged case rather than assuming a mainstream handset with a “tough” name will survive real tradesman or extreme‑sports abuse. For and : Walkman/feature phones are consumer‑focused—if toughness matters more than media features, pick a model with the rated protection above or add proper protective hardware. ()

Member Avatar for Sulley's Boo
Sulley's Boo 490 Posting Pro in Training

Thanks Bill.

I believe my phone is the tuffest phone on earth (W900) .. got bored of it .. I am thinking of getting the W910i ..

Do you guys reply to comments? No idea .. If yes, then please tell me if it is a good phone or not.

Have a good day, newsguy.

Member Avatar for happygeek
happygeek 2,411 Most Valuable Poster

I have not actually played with the W910i so cannot really comment.

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