And I’m also a huge fan of the best rugged smartphones. Sure, my daily driver is an iPhone, but there’s something very practical about having a smartphone that I can drop into water or mud, stamp on it a few times for good luck, and run it under a tap at the end of the day to clean it. A rugged smartphone is perfect for a more unpredictable lifestyle. And if you can combine a thermal camera with a rugged Android smartphone, then you have my attention. Enter the Blackview BV6600 Pro. I’ve covered a number of Blackview smartphones over the years, and I’ve found them to offer a good balance of performance, features, and durability, and the BV6600 Pro is no exception. The BV6600 Pro retails for around the $300 mark (depending on where you buy it from), and for that price, you’re getting a really good handset. The FLIR thermal camera alone is worth that money for engineers or technicians who need that capability. Having that packaged into a robust, ruggedized smartphone running Android 11 is a bunch of cherries on top. Also: Best rugged phone: Your adventure (phone) awaits But let’s come back to that thermal camera for a moment. The FLIR Lepton camera that Blackview builds into its smartphones is an amazing bit of kit. You can do all sorts of things with it. For example, you can point it at cats: See how hot electronics get: And see through walls: It’s a superb tool. Is the BV6600 Pro rugged? In a word, yes. I’ve soaked it, thrown it, dumped it in mud and water, skidded it across rocks and sand, and the handset keeps ongoing. The frame is great at resisting impacts, and the pre-applied screen protector offers additional protection for the display against scuffs. I’d say Blackview has aimed the BV6600 Pro at outdoor engineers and technicians who need a smartphone that can handle abuse and who would find having a built-in thermal camera useful. I certainly use it regularly for a wide range of applications. If you’re someone who just wants a day-to-day Android smartphone and don’t care for the ruggedness and thermal camera, then you might want to check out our expert picks of other Android phones.
