Kyocera DuraForce Ultra 5G

“If you need a phone you can drop on rocks in a stream, or on concrete at a construction site, the Kyocera DuraForce Ultra 5G is the one—but in all other respects, it's not worth the flagship-level price tag.”

“The DuraForce Ultra 5G represents a convenient option for a particular type of person if two phones feels like too much fuss. It certainly handled everything I threw it at, and functioned well as a daily companion for more pedestrian tasks like scrolling social media and navigating trips across town. If extreme durability is a must and you don’t want to give up too much to get it, then the DuraForce Ultra 5G is a good choice.”

“At $899, the Duraforce Ultra is a tough sell. While the build quality and durability are excellent, you are definitely paying a lot for a rugged phone. Unfortunately, the near-premium flagship cost doesn’t stack up to what the Duraforce is offering. The mid-range chipset, mediocre battery life, and lackluster, feature-deficient cameras just can’t keep up with the high asking price. 5G mmWave support is great, but Verizon’s network is far too inconsistent to bridge the price gap here when compared to other, more affordable rugged phones.”

“Ultimately, the Kyocera DuraForce Ultra 5G UW is a fine phone, one that's extremely durable and hits all the buttons you need in a smartphone — while also working on 5G. But it's probably best for someone who needs a very rugged device, one that can be assured to keep working under some rough conditions.”