- Analysis by KJ David
The 2017 Cat S31, an update to the S30 (2015), sticks to its predecessor's outdoor-ready concept of pros and cons, making it a fit for people with adventurous lifestyles or those who work in extreme environments.
Its biggest pros come in the form of a sizable 4000mAh battery 
, befitting an Android of its heavy-duty personality, along with a bevy of rugged features. These include an IP68 rating that makes it impervious to dust and able to survive under 1.2m of water for up to 35 minutes as well as a MIL-SPEC 810G military standard classification , which readies it for shocks or drops from as high as 1.8 meters.
Related: Best big battery phones
Although its 200g weight 
and 12.6mm body depth make it quite cumbersome versus conventional Android phones (It runs on Android 7.0 Nougat), the S31 stays true to its outdoorsy clientele, featuring a 4.7-inch display with a Gorilla Glass 3 protective screen finish and wet/with-glove touch support . Its mere HD (1280 x 720) resolution is far from impressive by 2017 standards, though. Sitting on one of its edges is a programmable key that you can use for Push-to-Talk or to launch its pre-installed SOS lone worker application .
Related: Best waterproof smartphones
As a trade off for having an ultra-though physique, a lot of the S31's remaining technical specs are almost as unassuming as its name. Among these are its entry-level 1.3GHz quad-core processor aided by 2GB of RAM and a 2-megapixel-only front-facing camera . That said, a 16GB memory expandable by up to 128GB as well as a 4G LTE Cat 4 adapter (150Mbps max data rate) try to balance those setbacks out. At the back, it sports a so-so 8-megapixel HD-video primary camera.
Topping off the S31's pros and cons are the VoLTE and VoWiFi calling technologies , which are somewhat necessary for a smartphone geared towards the outdoors and dual nano SIM card slots (a single-SIM version is also offered).
Related: Popular Dual-SIM Androids
All said, the Cat S31 is obviously not too big on the artsy stuff, but with a durable shell and a large battery in tow, it could make a worthy companion for mountaineers, bikers, and those who love fishing, to name a few.
** This phone is also known as: Cat S-31
You Should Also Be Interested In These:
Full Menu
