DOOGEE V31 GT – The top of the range in the RUGGED phone category
Once upon a time there was a time when rugged phones, robust smartphones designed to withstand falls, bumps, scratches and bad weather in general, were intended almost exclusively for users who carried out heavy and extreme work activities. Nowadays, however, even the common user appreciates the quality of these devices, which have become increasingly beautiful from an aesthetic point of view but also perform like ordinary smartphones. Among these, the recent DOOGEE V31 GT certainly stands out, older brother of the DOOGEE S110 which we have already told you about recently and which has a lot in common with it. Let's not waste any more time because I'll tell you everything in this full review.
Topics of this article:
unboxing
As always, let's start from the contents of the sales package, rather minimal in appearance but very complete inside, where we find the following equipment:
- DOOGEE V31 GT;
- Double USB Type-C cable for charging and data transfer;
- Wall power supply, with European socket and max output 66W;
- Manuals and warranty certificate;
- Pin for removing the SIM tray;
- Pre-applied plastic screen protection film;
- Replacement plastic film for the display.
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
As already mentioned in the introduction of this review, modern rugged phones abandon the raw lines and poco refined from the past by adopting designs that are rather pleasing to the eye. DOOGEE V31 GT is no exception, net of a total black color with carbon fiber effect finishes, where on the back we find a photographic compartment wrapped in a metal ring to highlight the optics it incorporates while poco underneath runs a plastic line with metal effect processing (available in 3 different colours). The brand logo is also present while the speakers are positioned on the front and I speak in the plural as the smartphone in question incorporates two with a stereo effect, inserted inside grilles that we find on the upper and lower frame of the display.
We are certainly not talking about an ergonomic smartphone, considering rather considerable dimensions equal to 178,5 x 83,1 x 17,9 mm and a weight of 390 grams but there is no shortage of two important certifications for the product category, namely the certification against water and other atmospheric agents, IP68 and IP69K, which allow the smartphone to be immersed in water without suffering any damage, a very useful thing perhaps for all riders who make home deliveries even in the rain or snow, but we also find on board military-grade MIL-STD 810H certification, allowing the DOOGEE V31 GT to resist even extreme temperatures as well as drops.
The profiles of the DOOGEE are reinforced in painted metal, where on the right side we find the on/off button which also incorporates the biometric sensor for unlocking the device by means of fingerprints, the speed of which is not at the top but overall the reliability was found to be quite satisfactory. Above the power button we have the volume rocker while in the mirror image we find a customizable button to which you can associate a shortcut to the opening of a specific app or action such as screenshot, turning on the flashlight and so on, or in camera mode it will allow you to take the shot and finally we find the SIM tray capable of hosting 2 nano-sized SIMs with 5G connectivity or by giving up the Dual SIM function we can expand the memory via micro SD with support for up to 2 TB. The upper profile offers nothing while below there is the main microphone and a silicone door that protects the Type-C input for charging the device which also supports the OTG function from various infiltrations. Input that allows you to insert wired Type-C earphones for listening to multimedia content or for FM radio, which only works with the insertion of headphones, of which, however, the classic 3.5 mm jack is absent.
CONNECTIVITY
The connectivity is 5G type but in my tests I was never able to connect to the 4G+ signal, although navigation was more than satisfactory and rapid, despite the classic Speed Test not demonstrating what has just been said. Reception has also always been stable, also contributing to excellent audio during calls, while the sound that comes out of the two speakers is decidedly high in volume and rather rich in nuances, a right mix between low frequencies and medium-high tones. The stereo speaker also works in hands-free mode, but there is no native software option to record calls.
There is also WiFi 6, NFC for mobile payments, Bluetooth 5.2 and also an excellent dual GPS, which hooks up to satellites very quickly, even Galileo ones. A complete smartphone in this area that does not disappoint expectations.
DISPLAY
The time has come to talk to you about the display, a real surprise because the company has not saved any money in this area, offering a 6,56-inch IPS LCD panel in Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2408 pixels), in 20:9 with density of 402 ppi. A true revolution for the rugged category, where a screen with only HD+ resolution is generally used. Visibility under direct sunlight, however, could be the weak point, counting only on 480 nits of peak brightness but the color rendering was more than satisfactory, also enjoying good reactivity of the panel, although I would have expected greater responsiveness when scrolling with wet fingers. To "dirty" the design of the panel there is a classic teardrop notch in which a 32 MP selfie camera is inserted which also allows unlocking via Unlock Face technology, not exactly reactive but still useful in certain areas.
The real surprise of the display, however, lies in the fact that we have support for a 120 Hz refresh rate (possible to choose between 60/90 and 120 Hz frequencies) as well as HDR content, but unfortunately the Widevine DRMs stop at L3, so it streaming on certain platforms will not be at the highest levels. Everything is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and there is also the presence of an LED that warns us about notifications, low battery and charging of the device, as well as counting on proximity and brightness sensors that work excellently.
HARDWARE
DOOGEE V31 GT offers under the body a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 processor, octa-core solution at 2.6 GHz (6 x Cortex-A55 at 2.0 GHz + 2 x Cortex-A78 at 2.6 GHz), supported by a Mali-G68 MC4 GPU, as well that 12 GB of LPDDR4X RAM virtually expandable by a further 10 GB for a total of 22 GB and 256 GB UFS 2.1 of expandable storage. A technical sheet that for this category is a miracle, resulting well optimized and above all performing considering a benchmark score on AnTuTu of over 561000 points, also because the basic software is Android 13 practically stock and patches updated in August 2023. In simple words , I have always managed to move around the system quickly and without slowdowns or app crashes, but above all I have always been able to count on the terminal to carry out any task, even allowing myself some gaming sessions, even with important titles, such as Call of Duty Mobile, Asphalt 9, Real Racing 3 etc.. obtaining stable frame rates and excellent general fluidity without any particular sacrifices in graphic details at the highest levels and with CPU temperatures always under control, so as not to show thermal throttling phenomena.
SOFTWARE
As already mentioned before, the DOOGEE V31 GT uses software very close to stock Android version 13 with security patches dating back to August 2023. It lacks any type of extreme customization although there are some gems such as a suite of apps dedicated to the world of work which integrates a level, a sound level meter, a compass, an SOS function and much more. It should only be specified that I don't know how much the company will support the terminal in terms of updates, so you could take into account that the smartphone could remain anchored to the Android version and patches just mentioned. We can then draw on customizable gestures, use a launcher with large icons, enable child mode, game mode, etc.
CAMERA AND VIDEO
The photographic sector of a rugged phone has never shone for quality but in the case of this DOOGEE, we find a surprising exception. On the rear there are 3 lenses, the primary sensor of which is a 50 MP, f/1.75 provided by Sony and specifically the IMX766 which is accompanied by a 24 MP f/1.8 lens used for night vision and an 8 mm thermal camera MP at 35 Hz with a measurement range of 1 KM. The selfie camera instead is a 32 MP, f/2.0 also with a Sony sensor.
During the day the photos appear to be rich in details and with colors faithful to reality: photos that convince and exceed expectations even in the use of the bokeh effect or rather portrait mode, where the subject is precisely contoured and with a decidedly effective effect. realistic. With the selfie camera you get just as many satisfying shots in any usage scenario. For night photos the appropriate mode should definitely be revised but poco bad, because at our disposal we have a room used for night vision for both photos and videos, which aided by IR sensors allows us to see in total darkness, but in black and white.
What causes a sensation is undoubtedly the thermal chamber, suitable for decidedly working situations, which allows you to measure temperatures with rather accurate precision as well as adopting color filters for specific working situations, allowing for example to recognize heat dispersions but also possibly to identify animals hidden in the vegetation and much more. As for videos, the DOOGEE V31 GT is capable of recording at a maximum resolution of 4K at 30 fps, with digital stabilization that literally impressed me. I could therefore define the creation of DOOGEE as the camera phone in the rugged category.
AUTONOMY
One of the great benefits of a rugged device is that of being able to count on more than decent autonomy and the model proposed by DOOGEE relies on a 10800 mAh battery which allows you to complete not only an entire working day without any problem, even with use rather intense, but easily reach 3/4 consecutive days. Wireless charging is absent but we have support for 66W fast charging available, which in just 15 minutes will recharge the smartphone by 35% while with 30 minutes you will reach 55%. Then, using a dual Type-C cable you can use the smartphone as a power bank to charge other devices, as the reverse charging function is present.
PROJECTED IMPACT
Net of what we have said so far, DOOGEE V31 GT is a rugged phone, which can also be used as a common smartphone, which I recommend especially if you are a user like me. poco careful in the care of the product.
Given its characteristics and performance, this terminal is a candidate to be one of the best rugged phones around, proving stable and reliable in every area. It certainly wins on the multimedia side, being able to count on a nice resolute display, for its great autonomy and resistance even in difficult conditions, such as rain, sand and much more. However, it must be said that the adoption of a thermal camera, therefore specific for certain users, raises the price as well as making it a niche device. Let's talk about price then, because the DOOGEE V31 GT can be purchased directly either on the Amazon store with Prime shipping and guarantee from the online shopping giant, at a price of €599,00 by redeeming a coupon from the purchase page or on Banggood at the price amazing price of 449 euros, shipping included. An excellent price if you are looking for unique specifications, such as the aforementioned thermal camera, but decidedly high if you are looking for a good rugged phone and that's it... in the latter case I recommend the DOOGEE S110, which I told you about in this review.
