A (165)

Review

Asuitablechoiceforthose

needingaruggedphone,but

lacks the finesse that most

smartphone users want

»Verdict

Value for money

Not an impulse buying price, but not

overly expensive either

Features

The suite of own-brand Cat apps are

poorandthecameraisbarelyusable

Design

Chunkyandugly,butplentyof

protection that can take a beating

Performance

Everything runs smooth thanks to the

Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor

»^ Operating system ...............Android 4.4

»^ Processor ...................................^ Snapdragon 400

1.2GHz quad-core

»^ Memory .......................................2GB RAM, 8GB storage

»^ Dimensions ..............................77 x 144.5 x 12.7mm

»^ Weight ..........................................185g

»^ Display size ...............................4.7-inch

»^ Display resolution ...............720 x 1280 pixels

»^ Expansion slot .......................microSD

technical specs

Price £330

»^ More information^

http://www.catphone.com

»Supplied by

http://www.clove.co.uk

information

Cat S50

Sony

Xperia Z3

be worse than

CtS50

issue 44

R

ugged phones have carved out their own

niche in the smartphone market. Although

they aren’t selling in the millions, they’re

providing the more adventurous user with a

device that can keep up with their busy lifestyle.

As with any device of this type, the functional

design of the S50 has resulted in a very robust

look, instead of it being a good-looking phone.

Each part of the device is coated in reinforced

plastic, with each port stored under a protective

door. All the usual ports are included, along with

the addition of a microSD slot. The back and

corners of the phone are rubberised, but the

camera sensor protrudes a little, which isn’t

ideal. It’s big, chunky and really awkward to hold,

but to compensate for this, if you do drop it you

won’t fi nd a single bit of damage.

The 4.7-inch display has also been reinforced and

while viewing angles on the IPS screen are great,

the overall quality is average. Colours look dull

throughout and there’s some very obvious

pixellation in parts. This combination doesn’t

translate well for the 8-megapixel camera either,

with both photos and videos tending to look

washed out and grainy. Although shooting options

are varied, you will soon realise that it’s not worth

your time exploring them when the results aren’t

up to scratch.

For its distinctly mid-range price, the Snapdragon

400 processor is fairly standard and the quad-core

confi guration here keeps things running smoothly.

Although users will fi nd several fairly useless Cat

apps to look through, there’s a largely unskinned

version of Android running here. It’s not the most

seamless integration of KitKat we’ve seen, but there

are no glaring errors to note. We also appreciate the

addition of a microSD slot, which many of the bigger

manufacturers tend to now leave out.

As it’s built for the more outdoorsy type, it needs

a battery that can last a while. Fortunately, the

2630mAh offering here is superb. On medium

usage, users can expect to get a couple of days

without needing to charge. There are also three

speakers on the device, with two located on the

front and a single enlarged speaker on the back.

Sound clarity is mixed and the way your fi ngers sit

when holding the device means the back speaker

is instantly covered up.

This isn’t a phone built for the everyday user. It’s

ugly, too chunky to easily carry around and the

display just isn’t up to scratch. But this is a device

built to cope for the rough and tumble of the

outdoor life and so while it lacks the fi nesse of a

sleek smartphone, it trumps the competition when

it comes to providing unprecedented levels of

protection out of the box.

KitKat done well

The integration of Android KiKat is

surprisingly well done here. The processor

keeps everything running smoothly, and

although the suite of pre-installed Cat

apps won’t be too everyone’s cup of tea,

there’s mostly an unskinned version of

Android used here

Rugged design

It would take a serious impact to

impose any sort of damage to the S50.

Each port also includes its own plastic

door to keep it safely hidden away

Display woes

Although we liked the viewing angles on

offer, colours look dull and washed out no

matter where you look on the device.

There’s some noticeable pixellation on

app icons as well

Long charge

For a device of its size, battery life is a

massive plus here. It’ll keep the device

going for a number of days without ever

needing to reach for a charger

Cat S50

Rugged, tough and a decent

choice for the rough and

tumble of the great outdoors

Battery life

You’ll manage several

days without needing

to charge the

2630mAh battery