CAT B35 4G Smartphone Review

The B35 is a practical looking feature phone and does not incorporate any novel sliding mechanisms that other feature phones such as the Nokia 8110 have. The outer shell is made from a rubbery plastic and has several horizontal grooves that help make the device feel grippy in hand. However, the texture is too slippery for our tastes and we would have preferred CAT to have chosen an even grippier case material given the scenarios in which the B35 will primarily be used.

The B35 is 13.9 millimetres (~0.55 in) thick, which puts it on par with other rugged smartphones. Overall, our test device fits well in our hands thanks to its rounded corners.

The case is IP68 certified, which means that the B35 is dustproof and can be submerged in up to at least 1 metre (~3 ft) of water. The device is only IP68 rated for when its rubber covers are sealed though, so the B35 is not waterproof, dustproof or water resistant when it is being charged, for example. Moreover, the rubbers are tough to remove, which should indicate that the covers will stay in place for a long time. We would recommend opening the SIM card tray with tools too, as you may break off a fingernail if you use your hands.

Caterpillar Inc also states that the B35 should survive drops of up to 1.8 metres (~5.9 ft) onto concrete. We did not test the validity of this statement, but the thick protruding edges that surround the display give us the impression that they would protect the screen if the device were dropped display down.

The B35 supports the bare minimum of Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity. The device supports IEEE 802.11 b/g/n standards and connects to 2.4 GHz networks, which means that the B35 cannot take advantage of fast ac Wi-Fi or 5 GHz networks. The B35 also supports enough LTE frequencies for using the device in Europe, but you may struggle to connect to an LTE network outside of that area.

We found web browsing an unpleasant experience on our test device. Websites load considerably slower on the B35 than they do even on the cheapest smartphones, while the display is too small for extensive web browsing. We would only recommend using the B35 to browse the web as a stopgap until you can use a device with faster Wi-Fi and a larger display.

The LTE reception is good in built-up areas though. Our test device maintained at least half signal strength when we were using the device inside buildings, which is good enough for daily use.

The B35 has a GPS module and has Google Maps pre-installed too, so it could be used for basic navigation tasks. Our test device found our location during our tests, but it takes over a minute to do so.  Unfortunately, we could not use any navigation features, but we were able to view routes, which is somewhat useful.

The CAT B35 supports voice over LTE (VoLTE), but the carrier must have provisioned the device for VoLTE to work. A nice touch of feature phones is the ease with which you can make calls. We can start dialling a number directly from the home screen and press the green call button to start a call, which is a more straightforward experience than on many modern smartphones. Our test device has decent call quality too. 

Contacts can be imported from Google, Outlook or from a microSD card.

The B35 has a poor camera. CAT has equipped the device with a single 2 MP rear-facing sensor, which takes photos that lack detail and are dominated by image noise. The camera can take shots in low-light too, but the results are predictably grainy and unimpressive. We have hardly anything positive to write about the camera, but selfie fans will be especially disappointed as there is no front-facing camera.

The rear-facing camera can record videos in up to 720p, while the sensor even reacts to changes in ambient light. Our test device reproduces audio relatively well too, but the microphone picks up noises from moving the device during a video recording, which is frustrating.

Our test device came with a charger and a USB cable. CAT does not sell any B35-specific accessories on its website, although it does sell generic CAT-branded accessories such as the “Active Signature Leather Phone Holster”, which currently costs $79.99.

The B35 comes with 24 months manufacturer’s warranty. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties article for country-specific information.

Using the B35 may take some getting used to if you are used to a modern smartphone. There is no touchscreen, so you can only enter text using the numeric keys. Frustratingly, the button combinations are inconsistent between apps. In Google Maps we must first tap the number key and then select the desired letter by using the arrow keys, while other apps use the more traditional function of tapping the same number key multiple times to cycle through letters assigned to that key.

CAT has included three quick-access buttons on the home screen that act as shortcuts for going to saved contacts, for example. The green call key also doubles as a shortcut to quickly view your last dialled numbers. Moreover, the red end call button serves as a back button when you are not on a call. Overall, the B35 is easy to use, although it has its quirks.

It is also pleasing that the keys have a clear pressure point. However, the buttons are too small to be used with gloves for our liking.

KaiOS does not include any complex 3D games such as those on the Google Play Store, but the B35 could not play them anyway. There are a few simple 2D titles such as platformers, puzzle games or top-down racing games. At the time of writing the KaiOS app store has around 20 games, which is incomparable to the thousands on the Play Store.

Most games play smoothly and load quickly on our test device. The graphics requirements are basic though, so it is not an impressive feat.

Our test device hardly heats up even when we subjected it to sustained load.

CAT boasts on its website that the B35 will last up to 30 days on standby, which is something that we did not have the time to test during our time with our test device. However, its 2,300 mAh battery does deliver decent battery life. Our test device lasted for 10:35 hours in our Wi-Fi battery life test, which is 23% longer than what the Nokia 8110 achieved in the same test with its 1,500 mAh battery. The days of phones lasting for days on a single charge are long gone because of colour displays and more complex communication modules, but the B35 should last a few days if used sparingly. We reckon some people could even eke out a week between charges if they regularly switch off the Wi-Fi and rarely make calls.

Frustratingly, the B35 takes between 2-3 hours to recharge fully with the included charger. The battery is not replaceable either, so you will be chained to a power bank or mains outlet for a few hours if you must recharge your device completely.