Samsung Galaxy S5 Active: Ruggedized phone at the top of its class?

Plenty of tough phones flex their rugged exteriors, but the durable version of Samsung's flagship may be the most advanced we've seen.

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Jessica Dolcourt

May 30, 2014 6:07 p.m. PT

2 min read

Camouflage coloring aside, we're still not sure how tough the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active really is. AT&T

Just like last year, Samsung has teamed up with AT&T to release a ruggedized version of its flagship phone. The Galaxy S5 Active makes certain durability promises in its name and design compared to the standard Galaxy S5, while also keeping the same high-end specs.

You can buy the S5 Active for $200 with a new, two-year contract, for $27.50 per month with AT&T Next 18, or for $35.75 per month with AT&T Next 12. The carrier also has a deal on the Samsung Gear Fit smartwatch that saves you $50 if you buy it at the same time as the S5 Active.

The question on my mind is: just how rugged is it? Like last year's Galaxy S4 Active, this year's S5 Active sports raised physical buttons beneath the screen, and rubberized handholds along the bottom and top. There's a convenience key, too, that will call up certain outdoors-related apps, as well as the camera.

Yet despite the implied toughness of its bolts on the back of the phone, the S4 Active wasn't really all too rugged. It was resistant to water, shock, and dust, yes -- but it still dented and the peel-away backing all too easily let in water, despite the thin rubber seal.

Compare this to other genuinely rugged phones, which can survive daunting drop tests in their thick casings (this one is rated for 4 feet (1.2m) onto a flat surface), and have even thicker raised buttons -- just think: you still have to navigate the phone with your hands.

This year's model has even less of an advantage over the regular S5, since that phone, too, is already water-resistant and dust-proof. Yet, the camouflage green pattern that's one of three Active color options (the others are titanium grey and ruby red), hints that there's more to this phone for more adventurous types than just a paint job.

Still, even if the S5 Active isn't as tough as its name suggests, it could still come in handy for those looking for a little more visual oomph, and the kind of edginess that boxy physical buttons can bring, without sacrificing the 5.1-inch HD display, 16-megapixel camera, and super-speedy 2.5GHz quad-core processor.