A rugged smartphone you can actually daily

A benefit of being a tech reviewer is using devices from manufacturers I never would’ve considered. We spend a lot of column inches complaining about how boring devices from Samsung, Apple, and Google have become, but if you broaden your horizons just a little, there are some interesting gems still out there.

The Oukitel WP33 Pro is a rugged smartphone with a large battery, but it makes a case for being a decent daily driver. Unlike other rugged phones, carrying it around is not as impractical, and its performance is good enough for most daily tasks and even moderate gaming. If you love the appeal of a durable phone with battery life that lasts a week, but you’ve shied away from bulky devices in the past, the Oukitel WP33 Pro might be a phone to consider.

Price, availability, and compatibility

The Oukitel WP33 Pro is available on the company site and on Amazon. Its price varies, and while the MSRP is $500, it’s often on sale for around $330. It’s offered in one configuration: 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

Compatibility can be a challenge for devices from smaller manufacturers. T-Mobile works well on the WP33 Pro, as will most of the MVNOs that run off its network. Verizon is a bit of a mixed bag, with activated SIMs usually getting the job done. However, AT&T will remove your SIM from the network, and I’m pretty sure they’ll put a lien on your home if you try to use a non-approved device — so buy accordingly.

What’s good about the Oukitel WP33 Pro?

Decent performance and outstanding battery life

If you’re considering a phone like the WP33 Pro, its build and weight are a selling point rather than a detraction. It weighs nearly 1.25 pounds, but with that, you receive IP68, IP69K, and military drop test ratings, ensuring your WP33 Pro can withstand even the most rigorous job sites and activities.

In addition, the extra weight is used to fit the WP33 Pro with a massive 22,000mAh battery that Oukitel claims can last an entire week of use. I don’t doubt those claims, as the WP33 Pro had great battery life in testing, and the overnight battery drain was virtually non-existent. It can also double as a battery pack, reverse charging other devices through its USB-C port. Whether you’re spending the weekend camping or don’t like worrying about charging your phone nightly, the WP33 Pro can last the course.

Unlike other phones with massive batteries, Oukitel fitted the WP33 Pro with a strap across its back, including a ring for attaching to a belt or bag. It’s a welcome touch, and while not the most original feature I’ve ever seen, it makes the WP33 Pro viable for daily use — it almost negates the extra weight.

A standout design feature of the WP33 Pro is the massive stereo speaker on the device’s back. Oukitel claims the speaker can output an ear-busting 136 decibels, louder than a jumbo jet passing overhead. It’s also capable of 8D digital audio, a process where the left and right speakers output slightly different frequencies.

The theory is that the offset frequencies create a larger concert hall sound — essentially tricking your ears. I can’t comment on the merits of 8D. Still, the audio is quite good, with excellent bass and achieving high volumes without distorting — perfect for your next outdoor event, especially when paired with the WP33 Pro’s fantastic battery.

Rugged smartphones are often plagued by poor performance, with most of the phone’s cost wrapped up in the durable build quality. With the WP33 Pro, that’s not an issue, as it has the same powerplant as the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G I just reviewed: the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+. It’s an excellent chipset, especially with 8GB of RAM, providing enough pop to run higher-end games at decent framerates. It’s also power-efficient, adding to the battery life of the WP33 Pro.

Another weakness of rugged smartphones is the display, which tends to be dull and woefully dim. Thankfully, Oukitel didn’t fall into that trap with the WP33 Pro. Even though its 6.6-inch LCD panel won’t exactly set the world on fire, it’s still 1080p with saturated colors and decent brightness. Media looks good on the display, and while no one will confuse it with an OLED from Samsung, it still gets the job done.

What is bad about the Oukitel WP33 Pro?

Spotty software updates

The WP33 Pro’s software is both a strength and a weakness. Oukitel’s approach to Android is relatively clean, although the notification shade and lack of app drawer take a bit of getting used to. However, it’s not the software itself that’s the problem; it’s the updates — or lack of them. You won’t exactly be receiving monthly feature drops with the WP33 Pro, and it’s already behind the curve, running Android 13 and a security patch from November 2023.

It’s not a dealbreaker, but you need to go in with your eyes open — you’ll be lucky if you get two security updates a year. That’s not to say Oukitel doesn’t fix bugs. It has a system that can update the phone and patch issues that arise without issuing a full security update. It’s a bit sloppy, but it is a solution if something breaks or capabilities are upgraded later.

Despite having a 64MP Sony IMX686 main sensor, the WP33 Pro’s camera performance is spotty. If you know what you’re doing, you will be able to get a good image, but point-and-click photography is a challenge. The phone has a stubborn habit of softening portions of the image and tends to blow out images in bright light. It’s not a question of poor hardware; the WP33 Pro simply can’t match the computational photography of Google or Samsung.

It’s not all bad, as the night vision camera works well. It’s perfect if you’re scouting out a campsite or on a job site early in the morning — it comes in handy for more things than you’d imagine. All told, the camera system can take some decent shots, but don’t expect more than you’d get from a budget phone.

Should you buy it?

The WP33 Pro is perfect for people who never chose Mario in Mario Kart. If you’re tired of perfectly balanced phones, the WP33 Pro might be one to consider. Not every phone has to appeal to everyone, but it’s welcome that companies like Oukitel are providing options for people who need outsized battery life and rugged designs. More choice is a good thing; you just have to broaden your horizons a bit to discover hidden gems like the WP33 Pro.