Doogee DK10 review: A domesticated rugged phone

I’ve reviewed over a dozen rugged phones in the last two years, and while I love the added drop protection and outsized batteries, there are some drawbacks. First, they are large and heavy devices, often weighing over a pound.

They become unwieldy unless you carry a backpack or a crane to transport them around.

More importantly, companies frequently compromise specs and performance in favor of a rugged design. Sure, they can withstand a drop from 8 feet, but gaming becomes challenging. What good is a smartphone that can survive but doesn’t run smoothly?

Doogee offers a different perspective with its DK10 smartphone. It still sports all the credentials of a rugged smartphone, with an IP69K rating providing peace of mind, but it weighs 304g — almost half what rugged phones usually weigh. In addition, it has an AMOLED display and a capable chipset, giving it more pop than these devices typically offer. However, as welcome as the beefed-up spec sheet is, the DK10 still has shortcomings, making it a tougher buying decision than it should be.

Price, availability, and connectivity

The Doogeee DK10 isn’t available through any US carriers, but the manufacturer does sell it officially on Amazon US, and AliExpress. Unfortunately, pricing is all over the map, with listings as low as $370 but as high as $630. If you’re comfortable with AliExpress, you’ll find the best deal, but Amazon is more reliable for US consumers, where the DK10 will run you $530. Doogee ships the DK10 with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, with two color options: Emerald Green and Kevlar Black.

Like many overseas devices, carrier connectivity can be challenging in the US. For the DK10, T-Mobile ,and MVNOs running on its network will work best. Verizon is possible with an activated SIM, but I wouldn’t advise trying it. As usual, AT&T is a non-starter, as the company will self-destruct your SIM card like a scene out of Mission: Impossible.

What’s good about the DK10?

Rugged build with decent performance

Despite being thinner than most rugged devices, the DK10 still meets all the expected ratings and standards, making it durable against the elements and drops from several feet. The back of the device is adorned with high-gloss metal and a Kevlar-like material, while the display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus up front. It feels solid in the hand, and I am confident it would stand up to some bruising.

Under the hood, the DK10 ships with the Mediatek Dimensity 8020 chipset, capable of mid-range performance and graphics. It’s not a world-beater, but the Dimensity 8020 is a noticeably better performer than the Helio G99 I’ve seen in many rugged devices. It is also 5G-capable, allowing for better speeds and connectivity.

Overall, the DK10 feels snappy, with its 12GB of RAM giving me plenty of room for cached apps. It flew through Instagram scrolls and Facebook feeds without problems, and even light to moderate gaming felt good on the DK10. Don’t ask it to do too much, and you’ll be pleased with the performance, especially if you’ve used other rugged phones before. Even though the horsepower on devices like the Unihertz Tank was adequate, the DK10 kicks it up a notch (all respect to Emiril).

The DK10’s display is another major upgrade from other rugged smartphones. It’s a gorgeous 1080p AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. The display is bright and vibrant, with saturated colors popping off the screen. Movies and games look great, and I had no trouble viewing the DK10 outdoors.

Even though it isn’t 15,000mAh, the DK10’s battery is large enough to get the job done. Its 5,150mAh battery cell got me through my day with room to spare, but I noticed a bit more battery drain overnight than I would have liked. The DK10 even comes with a charging brick in the box, unlike most OEMs in 2024. It’s also fast, capable of 120W wired and 50W wireless charging. Doogee claims the DK10 can recharge fully in 16 minutes. I can attest to the claim, as sometimes I’d put the phone down for a quick 30% top-off, and it was done before I could even check the progress.

I found myself enjoying other features on the DK10, like the MicroSD card slot, which can expand storage up to 2TB. The stereo speakers produce a good sound that doesn’t distort at higher volumes, and I appreciated having Wi-Fi 6 available for faster speeds. Doogee paid attention to detail in the design, which goes a long way in justifying its relatively higher price tag against the competition.

What’s bad about the Doogee DK10?

We need at least some support

I honestly could’ve included the camera in either section. When added to everything else the DK10 offers for around $500, the camera is acceptable — even good in some cases. Its main 50MP sensor is capable of rich, saturated photos with good contrast. At 1/1.31-inches, the sensor lets in enough light and data for a quality image.

Usually, macro lenses are a waste of time on smartphones, but the DK10 actually includes a worthy one. It’s 50MP, meaning there isn’t a huge drop-off in image quality between the main sensor and macro. I hate when companies include 2MP macros that look soft and drab compared to the main lens, but Doogee didn’t make that mistake here. Its night vision lens also works well, allowing you to take images in complete darkness.

Unfortunately, the camera system suffers from a major flaw. Selfies look OK despite getting blown out in harsh lighting, but the shutter lag is horrendous. I thought the camera had taken the photo, so I moved it away from me, only to realize that the DK10 had taken an image of the sky. Turning off the anti-flickering protection helps a little, but it’s inconsistent performance at best. Nothing is worse than missing an image due to shutter lag, and it knocks the DK10’s camera down a few notches.

Fortunately, the problem doesn’t extend to the rear cameras, but I did have a few instances where the DK10 struggled to focus in low lighting. I didn’t miss any shots because of it, but the camera software could use polish.

Speaking of software, while Doogee’s flavor of Android is relatively stock, I wouldn’t expect monthly security patches from the company. It’s running Android 13 out-of-the-box, with an April 2024 security patch, but that recent patch is a function of the phone’s release, not a sign Doogee is dedicated to frequent updates.

It’s a problem for smaller OEMs and one that makes recommendations tough. With other manufacturers offering 4, 5, and even 7 years of support for similar prices, it puts phones like the DK10 behind the 8-ball from the beginning.

Should you buy it?

I definitely have reservations about the Doogee DK10, but it is nothing that isn’t common for smaller manufacturers. If anything, Doogee does a better job than most by giving the DK10 solid performance and excellent build quality. I fear not getting many software updates.

However, if you’re comfortable taking a chance, the DK10 offers better cameras and functionality than most rugged phones without the added bulk that usually comes with them. All told, the DK10 is a well-built device, and if you can get it for a good price, it is worth picking up.