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Forget flip phones. Surely everyone really wants a “performance monster” in their pocket, and that’s what Doogee promises with its all-new rugged phone. In this first-look Doogee DK10 review, I share what it looks like, how it feels and why you might just want it.
Before I get into the details, some background on the company. While Doogee isn’t a huge brand in the West, the Chinese company has been gaining fans for 15 years. It’s best known for its rugged phones and tablets, with its eye on adventurous types who skydive, ski, explore and generally don’t look after their devices.
As the photo above reveals, this is a chunky beast. But it’s meant to be. It’s been ruggedised to survive drops, but also to be easier to hold in gloves. That’s why there are no smooth edges here, with the bottom half of the rear made of material that’s meant to mimic snakeskin. But I was assured that it isn’t…
The finish is actually a mix of glass, polycarbonate and rubber, and it was evidently tough enough for the Doogee DK10 to survive a bunch of MIL-STD-810H tests.
One of its best features is that it’s IP69K rated, so this phone should withstand high-pressure jets of water. That compares to IP68, which can survive being one metre underwater but prefers not to be attacked by jets.
The top half is dominated by the camera setup, with a 50MP unit taking pride of place. Doogee describes the unit as “quad AI”, but so far as my short time can tell it’s a fairly routine setup that takes detailed pics.
Without testing the 6.67in AMOLED screen in the wild, or indeed with my test equipment, I can’t be definitive about the screen. But it’s big, it’s bright and the colours look punchy.
In terms of speed, the DK10 is a mid-range affair. The MediaTek Dimension 8020 chipset doesn’t have the advanced AI features – or gaming abilities – of Qualcomm’s latest. Still, 16GB of RAM means it shouldn’t have any issues multitasking.
It seems that Doogee is selling the DK10 with 256GB and 512GB of storage, but the version I found online at Aliexpress was for 512GB only. But you can always add a microSD card afterwards, with up to 2TB of capacity supported.
In truth I hoped for a bigger battery than 5,150mAh – which is pretty much standard for a modern Android phone – but with a 120W battery that should go from zero to full in under an hour.
| Processor | MediaTek Dimension 8020 5G |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | From 256GB plus up to 2TB microSD card |
| Screen | 6.67in 120Hz AMOLED 1,800 x 2,400 |
| Ruggedness | IP69 |
| Cameras | Quad “AI” rear, 50MP main |
| Battery | 5,150mAh capacity with 120W fast charging |
| Android | Android 13 |
Doogee told me that the DK10 will go on sale in March, at which point I would expect it to appear on Amazon’s official Doogee channels. Right now, you can pre-order it on Aliexpress.com for around 900 euros. I expect that price to drop closer to 600 euros when it officially goes on sale.
All told, the DK10 makes a refreshing change from the fragile-looking foldable. I’m pretty sure it will be much easier to repair too. If you’re looking for a rugged phone, it’s our pick of MWC.
Follow the link to see what else makes our list of the Best of MWC Barcelona 2024
