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In use
The sheer size and weight of the Doogee S70 takes some getting used to, but after carting it around for a few days, we came to appreciate its reassuring build quality and its generous screen size.
Here’s how the Doogee S70 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
Geekbench: 903 (single-core); 4,153 (multi-core); 3,153 (compute)
Antutu: 94,106
PCMark (Work 2.0): 5,133
Passmark: 4,771
Passmark CPU: 115,050
Androbench (sequential): 290 (sequential read); 212 (sequential write)
Androbench (random): 55 (random read); 20 (random write)
3DMark Slingshot: 729
3DMark Slingshot Extreme: 484
3DMark IceStorm: 12,017
HWBot Prime: 4,553
Fingerprint and face recognition both worked reasonably well and the startup time is fast. All of the apps we tried worked smoothly, even when running multiple tasks at the same time. The Helio P23 processor appears to be up to the task, as was demonstrated by the various benchmark tests.
Doogee describes the S70 as a gaming device and it does that well. As a tool for working outside, it’s also useful, but lacks a couple of features. There’s no PTT (press to talk) button that you find on on the far more affordable Blackview BV5800 Pro, for example, and the battery doesn’t last as long as the similarly specified Vernee V2 Pro. However, it is possible to operate the Doogee’s touchscreen while wearing gloves, which you can’t do very well with the other to outdoor phones.
The Doogee S70 takes sharp photos and videos too, thanks to the relatively large sensors of its two cameras. Audio playback is also impressive with more room than your average smartphone for the stereo speakers.
Calls also sounded clear and free of noise through the earphone. In short, the Doogee S70 is cumbersome by nature of its bulk and weight, but it runs as smoothly as any other budget Android smartphone.
Final verdict
If you are looking for a rugged Android phone and you’re not too fussed about the brand or the looks, then there are a surprising number to choose from. The Doogee S70 is a good example because it offers a higher specification than most, while remaining relatively affordable.
The big 6-inch screen makes Android Oreo look great and it has the memory and processing power to drive the most graphics-heavy games. There are some useful features on board too, like the fingerprint reader, a big battery and the ability to use the touchscreen interface with gloves on. If you don’t mind lugging a block of angular metal and rubber with you, the S70 could be a useful tool to use in situations where you wouldn’t risk your iPhone.
- We've also highlighted the best rugged phones of 2018 in this roundup
