Rock hard: The best tough smartphones

Nokia has a well-earned reputation for the durability of its phones, and the XR21 lives up to those expectations – it's also top of our best Nokia phones shortlist. The chassis is made from recycled aluminium, which beyond being a nice bit of eco-friendly design, also keeps the vital interior parts from being harmed. Drops, dust, water; you name it, the Nokia XR21 can withstand it – it's got an IP69K rating, after all.

It's not unusual for phones focused on durability to sacrifice screen quality to achieve the most resilient build possible, but we're pleasantly surprised by the XR21. The screen visuals look fantastic, and coupled with the 120Hz refresh rate, you've got a great smartphone for watching videos.

"The Nokia XR21 is a true testament to how far mid-range smartphones have come in terms of technology and performance, and it excels in durability. Running on Android with a Snapdragon 695 5G processor and 6GB RAM, the XR21 delivers a smooth and seamless user experience, rivalling even more expensive flagship phones. The addition of programmable buttons adds practicality and convenience, making it stand out from the crowd.

The 6.5-inch screen is bright and crisp, while the camera, though not top-tier, captures decent images even in low-light conditions. The phone's military-grade durability, boasting MIL-STD-810H certification, provides peace of mind against accidental drops and wear and tear, while its IP69K waterproof rating makes it adventure-ready.

With an exceptional battery life lasting up to two days, the XR21 proves to be a reliable companion, especially for outdoor enthusiasts. While the speakers could be improved, the overall package of this rugged mid-range phone is hard to beat, raising questions about the need to spend exorbitant amounts on higher-priced alternatives. The Nokia XR21 is a solid choice for those seeking a dependable and robust smartphone." Tried and tested by William Lobley, What's The Best Editor

Read our full Nokia XR21 review.

There's a chance that, if you're here searching for a tougher smartphone, your current one has been damaged, so that's why we want to suggest the budget-friendly Blackview BV5300 Pro. In terms of a smartphone that is both tough and of high quality, this is the best mix at the lowest price point. Don't mistake the affordability for a lack of polish, as this is a reliable piece of kit with all the features you could want.

Despite the lower cost, the processor of the Blackview BV5300 Pro is quite impressive. It's capable of running smoother than some phones twice its price. If you don't mind it being a bit heavier than a standard phone, this is a great all-rounder.

Gravity is the greatest enemy a smartphone can face, and that's why the Motorola Rugged Defy aims to defeat it. Well, it won't be floating freely in the air, but it is designed to handle being dropped without coming to much harm. It is shock absorbent to a height of 1.8 metres, which is higher than what most of us would hold our phones at normally. It's especially nice that, even with this focus, the Motorola Rugged Defy still looks stunning.

We also want to note the camera quality. It has quad-pixel technology which helps to produce sharp-looking photos with vibrant colours.

The Ulefone Armor 24 rugged smartphone has by far the most impressive battery life of any device on this list – but that comes with its own challenges as a result. It packs in a massive 22000mAh battery (a flagship smartphone may typically have between 4000-5000mAh battery). This means it's likely to last you for as long as you need it to – making it perfect for long periods far from electrical sockets. It's also ably supported by 66W fast-charging, meaning that even such a large battery can be charged in little more than two hours. 

The drawback of such a big battery is the weight – this phone weighs 647 grams, making it incredibly heavy for a smartphone. It's not going to easily fit in a pocket, and you'll certainly start to notice it weighing you down if you're climbing a hill.

Aside from the battery, the Armor 24 has 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a reasonable 64MP rear camera that will give you decent images. It also runs Android 13, so you can expect reasonable performance in day-to-day usage.

It's not always about being shockproof, sometimes you need something waterproof, and for that, you want the Blackview BV7200. With an ingress protection rating of 69K, this smartphone is fully protected against dust getting anywhere important, and can even withstand being blasted by high-pressure, high-temperature jets of water. We don't suggest that you take a pressure washer to it, but you can rest well knowing your phone can weather just about any storm.

The Blackview BV7200 also sports an impressive battery life, so you shouldn't find yourself tethered to a charging port too often. Our only gripe is that the audio quality is so-so, but that's a worthwhile trade for the sheer durability on offer here.

Another entry from Nokia, this time with a slightly different focus. Durability is at the forefront as always, but screen quality is up there too with the XR20. Its 6.67-inch screen is FHD+, so you get a stunning set of visuals that you know are protected by the usual Nokia build. It only falls behind other models in terms of battery life, but even that is only by a small amount.

While the camera and processor specs are respectable and the storage and RAM meet our standards, the XR20 impresses with other features. It's a true smartphone, and nothing has been left behind in order to boost its durability. NFC, fingerprints ID, duel sis, etc. They're all present here.

We all like to travel with our phones by our side, but if you're going to spend a lot of time outdoors, you'll want to consider this DOOGEE S41 Pro. With its lightweight build, IP68 waterproofing, and 6300 mAh battery capacity, you can stay out in the wild for longer than with a regular phone. Even better, the bright screen means you'll always be able to see the screen, whether it's dark out or the sun is shining too strongly.

What is less impressive about the S41 Pro is its storage capacity. While we would usually praise any phone that has expandable storage up to 1TB, the fact that it starts out with only 32GB is far from ideal.

For the eco-conscious among us, you may be pleased to know that the Nokia G60 is partially made from recycled materials. In fact, the body is 60 per cent recycled plastic, so it's significantly greener than many other models. The quality is still great throughout, with the 120Hz refresh rate display consistently performing well.

You get a nice camera set up here, as well as a Snapdragon CPU, so most of the specs are solid and reliable. That can't really be said for the RAM, however, as it only clocks in at 4GB.

RAM is crucial for ensuring your phone runs smoothly with minimal slowdown and for being able to keep programs open in the background, so the DOOGEE V30T is the ideal smartphone for any multitasker. It comes with 12GB of RAM installed and can be expanded up to 20GB, putting it far beyond its peers. The battery capacity is also impressive at 10800mAh, with 66W fast charging to always keep it topped up.

At 376 grams, the V30T isn't exactly heavy, but is a fair bit bulkier than a lot of other phone options, so be aware of that before purchasing it.

The DOOGEE S100 is a durable workhorse, but it's the storage capacity that impresses us the most. We're usually quite happy with 128GB of storage, but this phone comes in at 256GB, so it easily aces our expectations. Beyond that, the rest of the specs remain impressive, with a great display and set of cameras, as well as respectable RAM. The battery life will last you a while too. Our only complaint is with part of the build, being that this phone is thick enough that it may struggle to fit in some pockets.

The surprisingly great aspect of the S100 is its processor. The Helio G99 is an uncommon sight in many smartphones, but it excels at running difficult programs. If you want to fit a bit of gaming into your phone, the S100 has the power and storage capacity to accommodate that.