DOOGEE V Max S Review: That Crazy 22,000mAh Battery!

The DOOGEE V Max S emerges as a true titan in the world of rugged smartphones, a device engineered for those who demand extreme endurance and unwavering resilience. Its most prominent feature, a gargantuan 22,000mAh battery, promises to banish low-battery anxiety for days on end, while its robust construction is built to withstand the harshest conditions.

This isn’t a device for the faint of heart or those seeking pocketable elegance; it’s a purpose-built tool designed for extreme scenarios. But beyond its imposing exterior and colossal power cell, does the V Max S deliver a well-rounded user experience? We’re about to find out.

Design, Build, and Ergonomics

There’s no mistaking the DOOGEE V Max S for anything other than a ruggedised smartphone. Its design language is characterised by angular lines, visible reinforcements, and an unapologetically utilitarian aesthetic. Available in a classic all-Black finish or a slightly more visually dynamic Black-Grey combination, the phone feels incredibly solid in the hand.

This solidity comes at the cost of portability, of course. Measuring 178mm in height, 83mm in width, and a considerable 28.9mm in thickness, and weighing in at a substantial 543.8 grams (based on my measurements), this is a device that makes its presence known. For most users, comfortable one-handed operation will be a challenge; this is a phone designed to be gripped firmly, often with two hands.

The construction employs a strategic blend of high-strength plastic, metal components for structural integrity, and strategically placed rubberized sections that enhance grip and provide an additional layer of shock absorption. The corners are particularly well-fortified, clearly designed to absorb the impact of accidental drops. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, a recognized standard in screen durability.

While the overall assembly feels robust and ready for rough treatment, a minor observation was a slight rattle from some of the physical buttons.

DOOGEE has equipped the V Max S with an impressive array of durability certifications, including IP68 and IP69K ratings, alongside MIL-STD-810G compliance. In practical terms, this means the phone is engineered to be completely dust-tight and can withstand prolonged immersion in water.

The IP69K rating further signifies its ability to resist high-pressure, high-temperature water jets, making it suitable for cleaning or use in extremely wet and dirty environments. The MIL-STD-810G certification implies it has passed a series of tests designed to simulate harsh environmental conditions, including extreme temperatures, shocks, and vibrations.

In my own rudimentary testing, the V Max S lived up to its rugged billing. A thorough dousing under a running tap and even a brief full submersion resulted in no ill effects. The protective flaps covering the charging port and SIM tray held their seals effectively, preventing any water ingress. I also conducted a few controlled drop tests onto an asphalt surface from a moderate height. The phone emerged with only superficial scuffs on the casing, a testament to its shock-absorbing design. The screen remained pristine, likely aided by the fact that it’s slightly recessed within the raised bezels of the phone’s frame, offering a degree of protection against direct impact on flat surfaces.

Display

The DOOGEE V Max S features a large 6.58-inch IPS LCD. With a Full HD+ resolution of 2408 x 1080 pixels, it offers a pixel density of approximately 401 ppi, ensuring that text and images appear crisp and detailed. A significant highlight of this display is its 120Hz refresh rate. This high refresh rate translates into noticeably smoother scrolling through web pages, social media feeds, and the general user interface, providing a more fluid and responsive visual experience compared to standard 60Hz panels.

For users who prefer to conserve battery or have different visual preferences, the phone also offers the flexibility to switch to 90Hz, lock it at 60Hz, or utilize an adaptive mode that dynamically adjusts the refresh rate based on the content being displayed.

However, the display isn’t without its drawbacks. The bezels surrounding the screen are quite prominent by modern standards, and the presence of a teardrop-style notch for the front-facing camera gives the phone a somewhat dated look. Perhaps the most significant concern is the screen’s maximum brightness. My light meter registered a peak brightness of around 278 nits, which is considerably lower than what’s ideal for comfortable outdoor visibility, especially on bright, sunny days. While the screen remains usable, you may find yourself squinting or seeking shade to view content clearly.

On a positive note, the automatic brightness adjustment feature functions reliably, adapting the screen’s luminosity to ambient lighting conditions without much fuss. The display supports up to 10 simultaneous touch inputs, which is standard, although I occasionally found it required a very deliberate touch to register all ten points accurately.

Performance & Software

At the heart of the DOOGEE V Max S lies the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset. Fabricated using a 6nm process, this octa-core processor features a maximum clock speed of 2.6 GHz, providing a solid foundation for everyday tasks and moderate gaming. Graphical duties are handled by the Arm Mali-G68 MC4 GPU. The review unit I tested was equipped with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, which is ample for multitasking, and a generous 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage, offering fast read and write speeds for apps and files.

Performance Benchmarks

For users interested in synthetic benchmark figures, the DOOGEE V Max S produced the following results: In the CPU Throttling Test, running for 30 minutes with 100 threads, it achieved a maximum performance of 248 GIPS, an average of 198 GIPS, and a minimum of 188 GIPS. Geekbench 6 scores were 927 for single-core performance and 2199 for multi-core, with a GPU score of 2207. In 3DMark, the phone scored 4840 in Sling Shot, 3934 in Sling Shot Extreme, 2204 in the Wild Life Stress Test, 2199 in Wild Life, 598 in the Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, 586 in Wild Life Extreme, 219 in the Steel Nomad Light Stress Test, and 218 in Steel Nomad Light.

The AnTuTu v10 benchmark yielded an overall score of approximately 490,000 points, while the storage test resulted in a score of 59,842. These numbers place the V Max S in the mid-range performance bracket, capable of handling daily tasks and moderate gaming without major issues, though the 45-minute stress test did show some performance degradation over time.

While the Dimensity 7050 processor provides a respectable level of performance capable of handling most modern games at moderate settings, the DOOGEE V Max S is not primarily designed as a gaming device. Its sheer physical size and considerable weight make it rather cumbersome and potentially fatiguing for extended gaming sessions. Beyond the ergonomics, other factors can also detract from the gaming experience.

The occasionally inconsistent touch response of the screen and the instances of system lag or freezes encountered during general use could also impact gameplay. While the phone will certainly run popular titles, it doesn’t offer the refined, ultra-responsive experience that dedicated gaming phones or more performance-oriented mainstream devices provide.

Software

The V Max S ships with Android 14, which is a relatively recent version of the operating system. The user interface is largely a stock Android experience, which many users will appreciate for its clean and uncluttered nature. However, the software isn’t without its rough edges. More significantly, I encountered occasional instances of lag, stuttering animations, and even a few system freezes during my testing period.

This suggests that system optimization is an area where DOOGEE could dedicate more attention to ensure a smoother, more polished user experience. Software updates also don’t appear to be a frequent occurrence, which might be a concern for users who prioritize timely security patches and feature enhancements.

In terms of pre-installed applications, the phone includes an FM radio app, though it requires a wired headset to be connected to function as an antenna. There’s also a “Tools” application, which bundles a collection of handy utilities such as a compass, a sound level meter, and a spirit level – features that could prove useful for the phone’s target demographic. Android Auto support is also present for seamless integration with compatible car infotainment systems.

The settings menu provides access to various special features, including an emergency SOS function, options for interface personalization, and a “glove mode” that increases touch sensitivity for use with gloved hands.

A particularly interesting software addition is the “AI Gallery.” This application leverages artificial intelligence for several image editing tasks, including removing unwanted objects from photos, changing backgrounds, creating AI-generated human figures, and applying various artistic styles to existing images. While these AI-powered features are intriguing and can be fun to experiment with, similar functionalities are often readily available through numerous third-party applications from the app store.

For security, the V Max S offers both a fingerprint scanner and face unlock. The fingerprint sensor is conveniently integrated into the power button on the side of the phone. In general, it proved to be reliable, though there were occasional instances where it failed to recognize a fingerprint on the first attempt. Face unlock also performed reasonably well, managing to unlock the device even in dimly lit environments and when viewed from slight angles. Users can register up to five different fingerprints, and curiously, the system allows the same fingerprint to be registered multiple times, albeit with a warning message. Only a single face can be registered for the face unlock feature.

Connectivity and Audio

The DOOGEE V Max S is well-equipped in the connectivity department. It supports Wi-Fi 6, the latest mainstream Wi-Fi standard, which delivered robust and speedy wireless internet performance in my tests, achieving around 600 Mbps for both download and upload speeds on my compatible network. 5G connectivity is also included, ensuring access to next-generation mobile networks where available, alongside comprehensive support for various 4G LTE bands, which should provide good mobile network coverage in most regions.

My mobile data speed tests yielded results of approximately 52 Mbps for downloads and 22 Mbps for uploads, though these figures can vary significantly based on carrier and location. The proximity sensor, crucial for turning off the screen during calls, functions as intended, although its response time can occasionally feel a fraction of a second slower than ideal.

Bluetooth 5.2 is on board for connecting to a wide range of wireless peripherals, such as headphones, speakers, and smartwatches. NFC (Near Field Communication) is also present, enabling features like contactless payments through services such as Mir Pay, which is a convenient addition. For location services, the V Max S supports a comprehensive suite of satellite systems, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou. The inclusion of dual-band GPS enhances positioning accuracy, and in my urban environment tests, it consistently provided location data accurate down to approximately 1 meter, which is quite impressive and beneficial for navigation.

One of the unique hardware features of the V Max S is its exceptionally bright built-in flashlight, located on the rear of the device. DOOGEE claims a formidable 1200 lumens of brightness, and in practice, it is indeed very powerful, capable of illuminating a significant area. The flashlight is controlled via a dedicated application and offers three distinct modes: a standard steady beam, an SOS signal for emergencies, and a flashing mode. Users can also set a timer for the flashlight and adjust its brightness level to suit their needs.

When it comes to audio, the V Max S features stereo speakers. They can produce a considerable amount of volume, measuring around 70 decibels at a distance of one meter. However, the audio quality itself is rather underwhelming. The sound signature is notably flat, lacking in bass frequencies, and can become somewhat “mushy” or exhibit noticeable distortion at maximum volume levels. A significant omission for a rugged phone, often used in environments where wired connections might be preferred for reliability, is the absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone’s haptic feedback, provided by its vibration motor, is also on the weaker side, and there are no options to adjust its intensity.

Battery Life & Charging

The crowning glory of the DOOGEE V Max S is, without a doubt, its colossal 22,000mAh battery. This is a truly enormous power cell, far exceeding what’s found in typical smartphones. This massive capacity translates into exceptional endurance. In the standardized PCMark Work 3.0 battery life test, with the screen set to its 120Hz refresh rate and maximum brightness, the V Max S impressively lasted for 27 hours and 21 minutes.

While this result is slightly lower than some other ultra-high-capacity battery phones I’ve encountered, it still represents outstanding longevity that will easily see most users through multiple days of heavy use, or even a week or more of lighter usage, on a single charge.

Translating this into real-world scenarios, an hour of continuous YouTube video streaming over Wi-Fi at maximum screen brightness consumed a mere 2% of the battery. For gaming, an hour-long session of PUBG Mobile depleted the battery by approximately 11%. Recharging this behemoth, however, requires patience. Using the supplied 33W charger, a full charge from empty takes around 6 hours and 40 minutes.

While understandable given the sheer battery size, this is a considerable amount of time to be tethered to an outlet. Thanks to OTG (On-The-Go) support, the V Max S can also function as a rudimentary power bank, allowing you to charge other devices in a pinch. However, for frequent or substantial device charging, a dedicated power bank would still be a more practical solution.

Camera System

The DOOGEE V Max S boasts an impressive-sounding main camera setup, headlined by a 108-megapixel Samsung S5KHM6 primary sensor, featuring an f/1.89 aperture. This is complemented by a dedicated 20-megapixel Sony night vision camera, also with an f/1.8 aperture, designed for capturing images in extremely low-light conditions. A basic 2-megapixel macro sensor rounds out the rear camera array, intended for close-up shots.

For video recording, the main camera is capable of capturing footage at up to 4K resolution at 30 frames per second. However, it’s important to note the absence of Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). While Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) is present, it’s a digital solution and its effectiveness can be limited. Furthermore, autofocus performance during video recording proved to be somewhat unreliable in my testing.

The front-facing camera is a 32-megapixel Samsung S5K3P8 sensor, capable of recording 1080p video at 30 frames per second, also relying on digital stabilization.

The native camera application provides a reasonable selection of shooting modes and features. These include a dedicated night mode for enhanced low-light photography, a full 108-megapixel photo mode to leverage the main sensor’s maximum resolution, a bokeh mode for creating portrait-style shots with blurred backgrounds, a monochrome mode, a macro mode for the dedicated macro lens, a standard portrait mode, a pro mode offering manual controls, a panorama mode, various beauty filters, and a slow-motion video recording option. The night vision camera functions as advertised, producing usable monochrome images in near-total darkness, which could be a niche but useful feature for some.

In well-lit conditions, still photos captured by the main 108-megapixel sensor are generally decent, exhibiting good levels of detail, particularly when shooting in the full 108MP mode. However, the dynamic range can sometimes be a bit constrained, leading to either blown-out highlights or crushed shadows in challenging lighting situations. Colors, at times, can also appear slightly muted or less vibrant than on some competing devices.

Overall, while the megapixel count is high, the resulting image quality is competent rather than exceptional, particularly when compared to flagship camera phones.

The Good and The Not-So-Good

Final Thoughts on the DOOGEE V Max S

The DOOGEE V Max S makes a bold statement with its colossal battery and tank-like build. It’s a smartphone that prioritizes endurance and resilience above all else, and in those aspects, it largely succeeds. If your needs align with these core strengths, and you can overlook its considerable bulk, dim screen, and software quirks, then the V Max S could be a very specific, yet highly effective, tool. For the right user, this phone will be an indispensable companion, but it’s crucial to understand its niche appeal before taking the plunge.

For those seeking alternatives in the rugged phone space, brands like Ulefone, AGM, and Oukitel offer a variety of models, though finding a device with this exact combination of an enormous battery, a 120Hz display, and a capable mid-range processor at a similar price point can be a challenge. Each of these brands tends to have its own strengths, whether it’s a focus on thermal imaging, specific sensor suites, or slightly more refined software.