Samsung Rugby Smart Pro Reviews

Well, this is a pretty easy decision to make, really. Are you on AT&T? Do you cherish the ability to give your phone a beating over laying claim to top-shelf specs? Then pretty much your only option is the Rugby Smart. Even if you're free to pick whichever carrier you please, this is still probably the way to go if you're in the market for a ruggedized smartphone. Though the Commando does seem to stand up to abuse a bit better, its significantly chunkier design, even paltrier specs and egregiously customized take on Android make the Rugby Smart the clear champion. And, unless you absolutely need a QWERTY keyboard, we can't find a compelling reason to recommend the Admiral over this. That's not to say there aren't drawbacks, obviously. The performance is hardly brisk, and the modest screen might pose a challenge to the large callused hands for which this was clearly intended. Still, if you're looking for a smartphone you'll feel comfortable taking out in a hurricane, this is it.

The Rugby Smart is a neat little smartphone from Samsung. It's not a fully ruggedized tank, but it's tough enough to endure the daily trials and tribulations of an active lifestyle that might wreak havoc on lesser smartphones. About the only bad thing I can say about it is the fuzzy-sounding voice calls and the not-loud-enough ringers. Otherwise, the Rugby Smart hits the mark almost everywhere else. It has solid battery life, zippy software performance, good media options, and all the essentials packed together in one, durable little shell. If you need a smartphone that's more likely to actually live to see the end of its two-year contract, the Rugby Smart, which offers both brawn and brains, is a solid choice from AT&T.

There is a lot to like in the Samsung Rugby Smart. The smartphone is tough, yet extremely pocketable. Its Super AMOLED screen is perfect for outdoor activities, and the battery performs really well. On the software side of things, there are no complaints either. TouchWiz 4.0 provides one of the best Android Gingerbread experiences around. Sadly, we can't tell you if Ice Cream Sandwich will make it to the device though. Of course, the hardware of the device could have been a lot better - an extra CPU core would have made the device a lot more future proof. The same goes for its looks and retail package.

If you're looking for a rugged handset, I highly suggest the Samsung Rugby Smart by AT&T. Its design is still thick compared with regular, more-fragile smartphones, but it's not overly cumbersome and doesn't look like an ugly rubber brick. Its responsive AMOLED screen makes graphics incredibly bright and crisp, and the camera comes with tons of features. Most importantly, the device does what it's supposed to do: take a tough beating and live to tell about it.

The Samsung Rugby Smart is tough, fast, and slick—it's got pretty much everything you'd want in a rugged smartphone.

Again I’m not entirely sure why you’d want to purchase this device when you’ve got the Galaxy S II available to you for the same price. The only reason why you’d want this device instead is the hardcore resistance, and when it comes down to it – toss any device down a mountain and it’ll break in two. There’s no reason to think this device wont suffice though for a construction job while the Galaxy S II might have a whole lot less luck surviving tall drops and dunks in aquariums.

AT&T customers should be relieved to know that they now have a respectable rugged smartphone solution thanks to the Samsung Rugby Smart, and when you factor in its $100 on-contract price and set of features, it does offer quite a punch for the value. Needless to say, not only does it stand out for being impervious to most punishment, but it’s also one of the few to be waterproof as well – and that’s something we don’t typically see! Beyond its tough personality, we’re surprised to find the Samsung Rugby Smart fitted with a Super AMOLED display, which isn’t something that’s akin to rugged style devices as a whole. Rather than luring people away from top-shelf smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Note LTE, the Rugby Smart is instead a handset for those individuals that want a well-rounded smartphone with the advantages of having a tough shell to survive the elements – and our clumsy actions.