The rugged smartphone market caters to a specific user: those needing a device that can withstand drops, dust, and water. Both the Ulefone Power Armor 14 and the Cat S62 Pro aim to deliver this durability, but they take different approaches to performance and features. This comparison dives deep into their specifications to determine which phone offers the best balance of toughness and usability.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing affordability and decent battery life, the Ulefone Power Armor 14 emerges as the winner. While the Cat S62 Pro boasts a more capable chipset, the Power Armor 14’s lower price point and wireless charging capability make it a more practical choice for everyday rugged use.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (2CA) Cat13 400/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2021, October 15 | 2020, June 28. Released 2020, August 17 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, October 15 | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 175.6 x 82.5 x 17.2 mm (6.91 x 3.25 x 0.68 in) | 158.5 x 76.7 x 11.9 mm (6.24 x 3.02 x 0.47 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 358.2 g (12.63 oz) | 248 g (8.75 oz) |
| | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Drop-to-concrete resistance from up to 1.5m
MIL-STD-810G compliant | IP68/IP69 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 35 mins)
Drop-to-concrete resistance from up to 1.8m
MIL-STD-810H compliant |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density) | 1080 x 2160 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~424 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.52 inches, 102.6 cm2 (~70.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.7 inches, 83.8 cm2 (~69.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A53) | Octa-core (4x2.2 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6765G Helio G35 (12 nm) | Qualcomm SDM660 Snapdragon 660 (14 nm) |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8320 | Adreno 512 |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 10 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM |
| | eMMC 5.1 | - |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF
FLIR thermal camera (Lepton 3.5 module) |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Thermal imaging, heat palettes, temp. spot meter, LED flash |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.2 | - |
| Triple | 20 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.78", 1.0µm, PDAF
2 MP (macro)
Auxiliary lens | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | - |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.2 | 8 MP |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio, RDS, recording | FM radio |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 18W wired
15W wireless | - |
| Type | Li-Po 10000 mAh | Li-Ion 4000 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black | Black |
| Price | About 230 EUR | About 530 EUR |
Ulefone Power Armor 14
- Significantly more affordable
- Wireless charging support
- Potentially better battery efficiency due to the Helio G35 chipset
- Less powerful processor
- Likely inferior camera image processing
Cat S62 Pro
- More powerful Snapdragon 660 processor
- Superior multitasking and app responsiveness
- Potentially better camera image quality
- Higher price point
- No wireless charging
Display Comparison
Neither Ulefone nor Cat provide detailed display specifications beyond basic resolution. However, the choice of panel technology and brightness are crucial. While both likely utilize IPS LCDs, the performance difference will be driven by calibration and peak brightness. Given the outdoor use case, a brighter display is preferable, and we'd expect the Cat S62 Pro, given its higher price point, to potentially offer slightly better visibility in direct sunlight. Bezels are likely comparable, focusing on durability rather than minimizing size.
Camera Comparison
Detailed camera specs are missing, but the focus should be on real-world image quality. The Cat S62 Pro, being a more premium device, likely benefits from better image signal processing (ISP) within the Snapdragon 660 chipset, leading to improved dynamic range and noise reduction. While sensor size is unknown for both, the Cat S62 Pro’s ISP will likely extract more detail from its sensor. The Ulefone Power Armor 14 will likely rely more heavily on software processing, which can sometimes result in over-sharpened or artificial-looking images. We can assume both phones will have a basic camera setup geared towards documentation rather than photography.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Cat S62 Pro’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 (14nm) offers a significant advantage over the Ulefone Power Armor 14’s MediaTek Helio G35 (12nm). The Snapdragon 660’s Kryo 260 cores, with a peak clock speed of 2.2 GHz, provide a noticeable performance boost in CPU-intensive tasks and multitasking compared to the Helio G35’s Cortex-A53 cores peaking at 2.3 GHz. The 14nm process of the Snapdragon 660, while older, is well-optimized, and its GPU is more powerful, resulting in smoother graphics performance. This translates to faster app loading times and a more responsive user experience on the Cat S62 Pro, benefiting users who frequently switch between applications or play graphically demanding games.
Battery Life
The Ulefone Power Armor 14’s 18W wired and 15W wireless charging is a key advantage. While battery capacity isn’t specified, the inclusion of wireless charging is rare in this price segment. The Cat S62 Pro likely relies solely on wired charging, and its charging speed is unknown. The Helio G35 in the Ulefone is more power-efficient than the Snapdragon 660, potentially offsetting any capacity difference. In real-world usage, the Ulefone Power Armor 14 should provide all-day battery life for moderate users, with the added convenience of wireless charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the Ulefone Power Armor 14 if you need a highly affordable, durable phone for basic tasks, outdoor adventures, or work environments where a robust device is essential but peak performance isn't. Buy the Cat S62 Pro if you prioritize smoother multitasking and responsiveness, and are willing to pay a premium for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset, making it better suited for users who rely on more demanding applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Will the Ulefone Power Armor 14 struggle with demanding apps like navigation or offline maps?
The MediaTek Helio G35 is a budget chipset. While it can handle basic navigation and mapping apps, expect slower loading times and occasional stuttering with complex maps or multiple apps running simultaneously. The Cat S62 Pro’s Snapdragon 660 will provide a much smoother experience for these tasks.
❓ How does the ruggedness of the Ulefone Power Armor 14 compare to the Cat S62 Pro in real-world drops?
Both phones meet IP68 standards for water and dust resistance, and are built to withstand drops. However, Cat phones are historically known for exceeding these standards with additional internal reinforcement. While the Ulefone Power Armor 14 is durable, the Cat S62 Pro likely offers a slightly higher level of protection against severe impacts.
❓ Is the wireless charging on the Ulefone Power Armor 14 significantly slower than wired charging?
Yes, the 15W wireless charging on the Ulefone Power Armor 14 will be considerably slower than the 18W wired charging. Expect a full charge via wireless to take several hours, while wired charging should be much faster. However, the convenience of wireless charging is a valuable feature for many users.
