CAT S48C Rugged Smartphone Review 2025

The CAT S48C is the latest addition to Bullitt's rugged smartphone series with a license to use its name from CATerpillar and is also the manufacturer's first phone available in US stores.

The CAT S48C is the mid-range rugged smartphone offered by the manufacturer in 2025. The smartphone appears to favour a 'back to basics' approach. You get a decent enough display, software experience, and a solid look here.

CAT S48C Rugged Smartphone Specifications

• 5 inches of high-performance FHD display IPS
• With a Corning Gorilla Glass 5
• Qualcomm SDM630 chipset Outscore 2. 2GHz
• Up to 4ft of waterproof for 35 minutes with drop tested of 6ft
• With IP68 protection, sand, dust and dirt resistant
• Has 2 Years of Warranty, including screen replacement

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CAT S48C Rugged Smartphone Overview

There is a 5-inch TFT display with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution. The CAT S48C phone pixel density is 441 PPI. The 16:9 aspect ratio and the screen should be protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 to provide reliable scratch protection. The display is colourful with a balanced black-and-white level, yet very bright and reflective (so it can be difficult to see what's on the screen under certain conditions).

Inside the case, the CAT S48C rugged phone has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 (quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU clocked at 2.2 GHz and quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU clocked at 1.8 GHz). Adreno 508 GPU, 4GB RAM, and 32GB storage memory,?you can add up to 256GB using a microSD card slot.

The Snapdragon 630 is a decent mid-range chip. That said, the phone handles multitasking well (4GB RAM can speak for this issue), the app opens immediately, and the multimedia experience is satisfactory. Regarding gaming, it's a mid-range, which means you shouldn't have any problems playing most mobile games.

The CAT S48C interface is also based on Android 8.1 (Oreo) and can be upgraded to version 9.0. Unfortunately, many manufacturers don't care to keep their rugged smartphones up to date. The software experience should be similar to other CAT phones, but it isn't.

The rear camera is the same as the CAT S41, so it is a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, phase-detection autofocus, and HDR mode, but the front camera has been downgraded to a 5-megapixel sensor but is still suitable for selfies. These two cameras can all be photographed underwater.

The rear camera outperforms last year's S60 camera, so the photos are more colourful and work well in good lighting, but in low light conditions, the images have a lot of noise and blur. So, the camera is still the Achilles heel of any CAT phone, and the performance isn't on par with what other devices in the same price range offer.

Another area where the CAT S48C is inferior to the S41 is that the 4000mAh battery (non-removable Li-ion) instead of the expected 5000mAh battery has become the new standard for flagship, non-rigid smartphones.

The smartphone maintains a similar shape to other CAT handsets . It has?a thick rubber case that keeps the same octagonal shape, a black finish, and narrow longitudinal canals on the back and side flanks that will provide a better grip. Unlike many other rugged smartphones aimed at construction or industrial workers, the front and back of the smartphone are surprisingly clean.

There are no unnecessary screws or extra metal plates that won't add much protection, but a lot more on the side. Busy with some white plastic strips and buttons. The front of the CAT S48C rugged smartphone keeps its minimalist tone until interrupted by three physical buttons: Back, Home, and Recent apps, which are very useful in oily environments.

Also, on the top, like the CAT S41, the CAT S48C rugged mobile phone has a 3.5mm headphone jack and microphone, and on the left is a power button and programmable gold key configured to launch the camera for?activating the torch or Push-to-Talk function.

On the right side are two dedicated buttons for volume control. Press simultaneously with the power key to take a screenshot, and press volume up or down to take a picture when the camera app is on. A SIM tray and two thick covers for SD cards - at the bottom, there is a single speaker and a USB port covered with a plastic protective layer; the manufacturers finally decided to implement the better type-C standard.

As you'd expect from a rugged smartphone, the CAT S48C is IP68 certified, so it's dustproof and can submerge your powerful smartphone in water at a depth of 5 feet for about 30 minutes. It must be tightly sealed after access to the slot to ensure the device remains water and dust-resistant.

The CAT S48C is one of the most durable phones equipped with military standard 810G (MIL-STD-810G), so it can withstand even a smartphone falling into concrete from up to 6 feet. The phone will drop first due to an outer lip protruding around the front to help the screen survive without damage.

A rugged smartphone can also handle thermal shock, salt spray, vibration, and pressure, making it a reliable companion in industrial environments. Several additional features add both elements of solidity and comfort. The case has a nice grip and feels like it won't slip out of your hand anytime. It measures 5.9 x 3.0 x 0.5 inches.

The CAT S48C and physical buttons implement wet-finger/glove-on technology that allows the phone to work in any condition. The CAT S41 didn't have a fingerprint sensor, and the CAT S48C doesn't seem to have this now obsolete feature (the CAT S48C is by no means a cheap device).

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Conclusion

Caterpillar has created the CAT S48C, a reliable and rugged smartphone suitable for both industrial environments and active people who don't want to worry about whether the smartphone will survive the outdoors.

FAQs

Does the Cat S48c Support a SIM card with a San D Card?

Place the SIM card on the SIM tray with the gold pins on the SIM card facing up. 4. To use a microSD card, insert the SD card into the microSD slot with the gold pins facing up.

What are CAT phones used for?

Unlike traditional phones, Cat phones are designed to work in special conditions. From dust and mud-filled construction sites to bustling, highly automated warehouses and distribution hubs.

Does the CAT S48c have wireless charging?

The Cat S48c has a USB-C port, and the supplied charger replenishes the battery quickly. Unsurprisingly, considering the beefed-up body, you won't find Qi wireless charging support here.

Is the Cat S48c waterproof?

The Cat S48c can be submerged in up to 4 feet of water for 35 minutes. Even on vacation, you can use the 13MP camera to take underwater photos.

Does the Cat S48c have Nan FC?

You can trust 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE and VoLTE networks. The device also includes 5.0 Bluetooth, NFC and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Does the Cat S48c have thermal imaging?

Best of all, the Cat S48c rugged phone is equipped with FLIR thermal imaging technology. The FLIR camera gives the CAT S62 Pro an edge, but the regular rear camera is 12MP, while the CAT S48c's rear camera is 13MP.

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