Reviews

Cat S53, this is the first Cat mobile with 5G

Cat mobiles are already a classic in the ultra-resistant mobile market due to their great design properties. We have already been lucky enough to test several models of the firm, such as the Cat S61 to which we gave a great note. Today we analyze the first mobile of these characteristics with 5G, the Cat S53, although this is not its only strong point. Keep reading to discover everything it has to offer in the rest of the sections, as well as our most humble opinion about this new mobile device.

A design of Cat mobiles

We start with the highlight of this Cat S53, an ultra-resistant design typical of the brand that is designed to withstand almost any unforeseen event. In fact, it has several protections, such as IP68 against dust and splashes of water, IP69K that also protects against dust and water. But the one that probably stands out the most is the military-standard protection MILSPEC 810H which provides security of all kinds, against high temperatures, humidity and even shocks, since launch tests have been carried out at two meters against steel and concrete.

Cat S53

But that it has all these protections, we already know what it entails, that comfort will not be very good. We are talking about a mobile that is very large if we compare it with usual models. It has measurements of 171 x 81 x 16 mm and a weight of 320 grams, so it is clear that it is not a device for everyday use and will be used in a more situational way on excursions to the countryside, the mountains or the beach. In fact, it has a 120-lumen flashlight that ensures us the way at night with great lighting.

The buttons and connectors are distributed in a very common way, but we must highlight a programmable button that it has on one of the sides and that can be used for many things. Also the fingerprint reader, which is on the back of the device, just below the camera. The front photo sensor is in its own notch, which is something big.

Ultra-resistant LCD screen

The Cat S53 screen is a 6.5-inch LCD with a somewhat different resolution than what we are used to, 1600 x 720 pixels. To the protections that we have mentioned in the previous section, we must add an extra protective layer on the screen that protects it from any blow or mark that may be disturbing the viewing. This addition is a real luxury due to the security it gives us in the face of any getaway we want to do with the mobile, even if we carry out activities that put the integrity of the device at risk, since its screen should also hold up.

Cat S53

Apart from this, it must be admitted that it does not have many more extras. It does not have a high refresh rate, although it is clear that a model as situational as this would not make much sense either. It also does not respond very well to light exposure, and that has seemed like a mistake to us since this mobile will be used mostly outdoors. However, in general it is a screen that looks good and is safe, which in the end is what is really important.

cameras at the height

Another great point in favor of this rugged smartphone is that it has a 48 MP overall camera developed by the Sony brand in collaboration with Cat. With this sensor you can take very high quality photos and that is something that we love since it will allow us to capture moments of getaways, adventures and excursions with certain guarantees. It is true that we miss a support sensor that really contributes something, but you have to settle for the 2MP macro that it has integrated and that is designed for detail.

As for the front camera, it does improve compared to past models, since with 16MP It falls within the most common standards of the mid-range market. We must bear in mind that we will have to take the selfies with good light conditions, but the photos will be very good. The photography and recording modes are a bit scarce, but at least the menu is simple and manageable and we will be able to make videos in fast motion, panoramas, photos and videos in macro sensor, etc., without major problems. Next, we leave you a gallery with images that we have taken with this mobile.

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Optimum but improvable performance

If you are wondering if this mobile works well, the answer will be yes, but it will depend a lot on the model with which you compare it. We are talking about a device that has a processor Snapdragon 480 8 core developed by Qualcomm, a component that is far from being one of the most modern and effective. Also has 6GB RAM, which are more than enough for the processes to work optimally, but they are far from some other mobiles that we have been able to test lately. However, it must be admitted that the Cat S53 works optimally, although it is clear that the performance can be improved somewhat. We have the version of 128 GB of internal memory although it is easily expandable with MicroSD cards.

Cat S53

It has the operating system Android 11, which is already a bit outdated if we take into account that most of the latest releases already come with version 12 operational and ready to give their best. In addition, as a negative point, we have that this model does not have its own customization layer and that is something that we did not like very much since we will not be able to put the mobile to our liking.

Cat S53 Connectivity and Battery

The connections of this model are the most common within telephony standards. By cable has the USB Type C and 3.5mm Mini Jack for the headphones, all well protected by a plastic membrane. Wirelessly we have the Wifi, Bluetooth 5.1, all geolocation systems, as well as NFC. In addition, the data network works with the 5G band, so even the connection to the network is of the best possible quality. We are facing the best connected Cat mobile, of that we have no doubt.

As for the battery, this is a battery that impresses with its capacity to 5500mAh, which offers a very high autonomy. Also, as if this were not enough, it comes with a 18W fast charge, allowing you to recharge your device in a few minutes. This energy capacity and recharging give the mobile a high width and weight, as we have mentioned before, but it is worth it if we are going to use the mobile at certain times. The last thing we should highlight is that the Cat S53 has the option of wireless recharging, something that we should also highlight.

Cat S53 Features

CAT S53
Design
Official site Cat–Bullitt Group
Dimensions 171 x 81 x 16mm
Weight 250 grams
Colors Black
Net
Technologies / Bands 5G
SIM type Dual-SIM
Screen
display technology LCD
Dimension 6.5 inches
Resolution 1600 x 720 pixels
Others Suitable for use with gloves and wet hands
Performance
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 8 core
RAM 6GB
storage memory
Ability 128GB
SD slot Yes, microSD
Operating system
Version Android 11
Camera
Resolution 48 MP (General) + 2 MP (Macro)
secondary camera 16MP
Flash Yes
Drums
Ability 5500mAh
Fast charge yes, 18W
connection ports
loading port USB-C and wireless with charging base
USB-OTG Yes
Headphones Yes (3.5mm mini jack)
connectivity
Wifi Yes, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz)
Bluetooth yes, 5.1
gps Yes, GPS, Glonass, BeiDou (depending on variant), Galileo, QZSS and SBAS
NFC Yes
Other features
Spanish Language Yes
Box contents Phone, USB Type-C Cable, and Instructions

Availability and price of the Cat S53

Ultimately, the Cat S53 It is a mobile prepared for any type of adventure since, given its technical characteristics, we should not be afraid once we use it. For this reason, it must also be said that it is not the ideal mobile for day-to-day use and will be more of a situational smartphone. We definitely recommend it for those who are looking for a way to stay connected in the field, as well as take photos whatever the moment. We are talking about what is surely the best ultra-resistant mobile on the market and for this reason we grant it the Golden Award with a big note.

Here are some purchase links:

PROS:
  • Very strong design
  • screen protected
  • Extensive connectivities
  • good main camera
  • Large battery and fast charging

CONS:
  • Improvable performance
  • comfort issues

8.8
Total score
Design and materials
9
cameras
8
connectivity
9.5
Drums
9.5
Screen
8.5
Performance
8

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