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MagyarCAT S42 Smartphone Review – Robust, rubberised and washable smartphone
Smartphones from CAT are not directly comparable to other conventional smartphones in the same price range: They are usually significantly bigger, offer an outdated design and have subpar cameras.
They can do this because they fill a gap in the smartphone market: These are the devices for people who need an especially robust, waterproof and durable smartphone that offers enough performance for day-to-day tasks.
The devices in the S40 series are midrange devices, which offer a bare minimum in terms of specifications. The CAT S42 is the latest instalment in the series and is much cheaper than the predecessor: It costs only 249 Euros ($294), but it still offers protection from the elements.
Competing Devices
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73 % | 08/2020 | CAT S42 Helio A20 MT6761D, PowerVR GE8300 | 220 g | 32 GB eMMC Flash | 5.50" | 1440x720 | |
| 72.9 % | 09/2018 | CAT S41 Helio P20 MT6757, Mali-T880 MP2 | 218 g | 32 GB eMMC Flash | 5.00" | 1920x1080 | |
| 75.9 % | 11/2019 | Gigaset GX290 Helio P23 MT6763V, Mali-G71 MP2 | 279 g | 32 GB eMMC Flash | 6.10" | 1560x720 | |
| 74 % | 08/2019 | Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s Exynos 7884B, Mali-G71 MP2 | 172 g | 32 GB eMMC Flash | 5.00" | 1280x720 | |
| 73.7 % | 12/2019 | Blackview BV9100 Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320 | 408 g | 64 GB eMMC Flash | 6.30" | 2340x1080 |
Case - How robust is the CAT S42?
The case is one of the main features of the business device. Its value is supposed to extend to many real-world situations: The rubberised back and the sides provide a lot of grip even when you handle the device with wet hands. The horizontal convex strips on the back increase the grip even further.
The edges are reinforced and the screen is recessed to protect it from fall damage. While we are on the topic of the screen: The display is protected with Gorilla Glass 5, which is not the latest version of the ultra-durable glass, but it is still going to be able to survive most accidents.
In terms of design, the smartphone stays true to its roots: Truncated edges and big buttons, which are easy to use with gloves on. There are no longer any hardware buttons for Home, Back, and App Overview. With the CAT S42, users will have to rely on software buttons for navigation through the OS.
The smartphone stands out in the times of the coronavirus because it can be washed not only with soap but also with bleach and alcohol. Thanks to its waterproof design, the CAT S42 can be submerged in water as long as all the flaps are closed.
The CAT S42 is also dust-proof. Moreover, it has gone through a number of tests intended to test its resilience, such as drops on a steel plate.
Connectivity - Less memory, but NFC
32 GB of internal memory is not unusual for a rugged smartphone in this price rage. Nevertheless, this is still not a lot of storage space. However, you can insert a microSD card if you run out of storage space. You will not even have to sacrifice either of the SIM slots to do this. 3 GB of RAM is standard fare for a device like this.
The smartphone supports both Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC, which is why it can be used for contactless payments. Users can only stream video in SD because the device does not support Widevine L1 DRM.
Software – Outdated security patches
The CAT S42 runs Android 10. The security patches were last updated in May, 2020, which means that they are currently out of date. For a business device like this, the up-to-date security patches are especially important.
The smartphone also comes with a number of preinstalled social media applications, which bring no value to a business-oriented device like the CAT S42. However, these applications can be completely uninstalled.
Bullitt Group, the licensee and manufacturer of the CAT phones, has also preinstalled some of its own applications, which professional workers should find useful. There is an application dedicated to lone worker protection. This should be useful for those who work in hazardous environments. For instance, the application will send an alarm to individuals, who were selected beforehand, if the owner of the CAT S42 fails to confirm that everything is going well.
Users can download many professional applications in the ToolBox application. Zello is a push-to-talk app, which turns the CAT S42 into a walkie-talkie.
Communication and GPS – CAT S42 with fast Wi-Fi
The predecessor relied on really slow Wi-Fi 4, whereas the CAT S42 comes with more contemporary Wi-Fi 5. In the Wi-Fi test with our reference-grade router Netgear Nighthawk AX12, the smartphone achieves such high transfer rates that it takes a place near the top of our comparison chart.
There is also a boost in performance when it comes to the LTE speeds: The device can achieve download speeds of up to 300 Mb/s and upload speeds of up to 150 Mb/s. This is okay for a cheap smartphone. However, users are likely to run into connection issues when travelling aboard because the device only supports those LTE bands that are absolutely necessary.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Average of class Smartphone (16.9 - 1368, n=69, last 2 years) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| Blackview BV9100 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Gigaset GX290 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Average of class Smartphone (32.7 - 953, n=70, last 2 years) | |
| Blackview BV9100 | |
| CAT S42 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Gigaset GX290 | |
| CAT S41 | |
The CAT S42 relies on various global navigation satellite systems. For increased accuracy, the smartphone also supports SBAS. Outside, the user’s location is determined quickly with a margin of error of exactly one metre.
In order to determine how accurate our review device is when it comes to geolocation, we take it with us on a bike ride. During this ride, we are also accompanied by the professional navigator Garmin Edge 520. Here we use both the smartphone and the navigator to map the same route in parallel. The rugged smartphone does not deviate too much from the professional navigator. If the tolerances in your use case exceed one metre, then the CAT smartphone can be used for navigation. Those who need absolute accuracy will have to get a more expensive smartphone.
Telephony and Call Quality - Good microphones
As an Android smartphone, the CAT S42 comes with the standard Android Phone application. When you open the app, your favourite number will be displayed in the centre. You call up the dial pad by pressing a dedicated button. The smartphone supports both Wi-Fi calling and VoLTE.
The call quality of the CAT S42 is on a good level. However, the ear-speaker could have been a bit louder, because it is not loud enough for very noisy environments. Moreover, there is also background noise. Our call partner describes the quality of the microphone as good - voices are reproduced clearly, but the microphone does pick up a good amount of background noise. In loudspeaker mode, the call quality is on a similar level.
Cameras - Single camera with mediocre quality
These days a single camera is unusual for a smartphone that costs more than 200 Euros ($235). However, the CAT S42 plays by its own rules and comes with one 13 MP camera on the back. The camera module is flush with the back, which is why it is well protected. The photographs can be taken with either a software button or a hardware button, which allows users to take photos under water.
At first glance it looks as though the camera would take good photographs. However, if you take a closer look you will see that the photos taken with the main camera have poor dynamic range and are somewhat blurry. A lot of detail is lost in the dark and very bright areas of the image. Other rugged smartphones do not take much better photographs. That being said, the CAT S42 still takes decent pictures under normal lighting conditions, but you do need to keep your expectations in check. All in all, the camera does not do that badly when taking low-light shots or images with high contrast.
Software-wise, the camera offers an automatic HDR mode and filters. All in all, it does not offer many camera settings.
Video can be recorded at 1080p at 30 FPS. The image quality is average. In low-light conditions, there is a lot of noise, and the camera takes a while to adjust to sudden changes in brightness.
The front-facing camera takes very washed-out and blurry photographs.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Main lens - flowerMain lens - surroundingsMain lens - low light
In dark environments, the camera picks up no details. However, the colour reproduction is surprisingly good under normal lighting conditions.
Accessories and Warranty - Not a lot in the box
Besides the smartphone, the box contains a charger and a USB cable. The SIM card/microSD card slot can be opened with a fingernail.
The CAT S42 comes with a 24-month warranty in Europe. In other parts of the world, the smartphone might have a shorter warranty period.
Input Devices & Handling – No biometric authentication
The CAT S42 comes with Google’s GBoard. Those who do not like this keyboard can install other applications. However, users should pay attention to the trustworthiness of the developers.
The smartphone is controlled via on-screen buttons. There are no dead zones at the edges. Thanks to a special mode, the CAT S42 can be controlled with gloves on. On the left side, there is a remappable orange button that, by default, serves as a push-to-talk button, which is going to be quite useful if you intend to use the smartphone as a walkie-talkie.
The rest of the hardware buttons are located on the right side. These include the power button and the volume buttons. The push-to-talk button and the power button are ribbed to make them easier to identify. The buttons work without any issues and are large enough to be usable with gloves on.
The CAT S42 does not support any biometric authentication technologies such as face recognition or fingerprint scanning. However, these features are not that usable if you have a face mask or a pair of work gloves on. Nevertheless, these are standard features in this day and age, and the manufacturer could have at least offered face recognition in the form of a software solution.
Display – Bright enough
The CAT S42 has a 720p screen, which is okay for a device in this price range. The predecessor had a Full HD screen. With the BV9100, Blackview proves that you can have a high-resolution screen even in this price range. However, the resolution is good enough for day-to-day use, especially given the relatively small 5.5-inch screen.
When compared to the rest of the competition, the screen brightness of 532 cd/m² is on a good level. However, the Gigaset GX290 offers an even brighter screen, which is going to make it even more useful in very bright environments.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 95 %
Center on Battery: 541 cd/m²
Contrast: 1040:1 (Black: 0.52 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.89 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2
ΔE Greyscale 5.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
91.1% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.272
| CAT S42 IPS, 1440x720, 5.50 | CAT S41 IPS, 1920x1080, 5.00 | Gigaset GX290 IPS, 1560x720, 6.10 | Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s IPS (PLS), 1280x720, 5.00 | Blackview BV9100 IPS, 2340x1080, 6.30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | -10% | -17% | -7% | -8% | |
| Brightness middle | 541 | 537 -1% | 635 17% | 525 -3% | 448 -17% |
| Brightness | 532 | 506 -5% | 615 16% | 513 -4% | 432 -19% |
| Brightness Distribution | 95 | 86 -9% | 91 -4% | 90 -5% | 92 -3% |
| Black Level * | 0.52 | 0.9 -73% | 0.39 25% | 0.52 -0% | 0.34 35% |
| Contrast | 1040 | 597 -43% | 1628 57% | 1010 -3% | 1318 27% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 5.89 | 5.02 15% | 10.5 -78% | 6 -2% | 6.7 -14% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 11.35 | 7.98 30% | 17.9 -58% | 10.9 4% | 12.9 -14% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 5.6 | 5.3 5% | 11.8 -111% | 7.8 -39% | 8.7 -55% |
| Gamma | 2.272 97% | 2.154 102% | 1.86 118% | 2.53 87% | 2.15 102% |
| CCT | 7884 82% | 7226 90% | 9570 68% | 8605 76% | 8026 81% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM not detected |  | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 19046 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
The IPS panel of the CAT S42 has a rather mediocre black value of 0.52 cd/m². This is why the blacks in the dark scenes appear greyish. However, thanks to the high screen brightness, the contrast ratio (1040:1) is quite good.
Our CalMAN test reveals that the screen suffers from a bluish cast. The deep black hues are not very faithfully reproduced, but other than that the colour reproduction is on a normal level for such a device.
The screen does not suffer from PWM flickering, which is good news for those who are susceptible to it. The response times are too slow for demanding users.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 28 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 11 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 17 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 65 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (22.3 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 58 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 27 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 31 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 93 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (35.1 ms). | ||
We observed minimal reductions in brightness when viewing the display at acute angles. The screen content is legible even at very unusual angles.
The CAT S42 is usable outside as long as it is not being used in direct sunlight. However, even in such situations the display is readable, but reading it is apt to cause eyestrain.
Performance - How much power does the CAT S42 offer?
The CAT S42 comes with the MediaTek Helio A20, which is an entry-level quad-core SoC. Here, similarly priced competing devices from Blackview or Samsung offer a significantly higher level of performance. In day-to-day use, the smartphone feels responsive. However, if you are running any demanding applications, then simply changing the volume can be a painfully laggy experience.
You should not hope for a lot when it comes to GPU performance, especially after you take a look at our benchmarks.
| Geekbench 5.4 | |
| Single-Core (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| Gigaset GX290 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D (134 - 153, n=2) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (119 - 1885, n=241, last 2 years) | |
| Multi-Core (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| Gigaset GX290 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D (421 - 533, n=2) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (473 - 5538, n=241, last 2 years) | |
| PCMark for Android | |
| Work performance score (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (9875 - 19297, n=4, last 2 years) | |
| Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Gigaset GX290 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Blackview BV9100 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (5279 - 13282, n=28, last 2 years) | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | |
| T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Gigaset GX290 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Blackview BV9100 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=186, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Gigaset GX290 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Blackview BV9100 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (19 - 497, n=186, last 2 years) | |
| GFXBench 3.0 | |
| on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Gigaset GX290 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Blackview BV9100 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 161, n=187, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Gigaset GX290 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Blackview BV9100 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 331, n=188, last 2 years) | |
| GFXBench 3.1 | |
| on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Gigaset GX290 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Blackview BV9100 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 143, n=188, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Gigaset GX290 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Blackview BV9100 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 223, n=188, last 2 years) | |
| AnTuTu v8 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| Gigaset GX290 | |
| Blackview BV9100 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (101336 - 725649, n=39, last 2 years) | |
| BaseMark OS II | |
| Overall (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (411 - 9585, n=162, last 2 years) | |
| System (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2565 - 19657, n=162, last 2 years) | |
| Memory (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (670 - 11617, n=162, last 2 years) | |
| Graphics (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (697 - 30125, n=162, last 2 years) | |
| Web (sort by value) | |
| CAT S42 | |
| CAT S41 | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| Average of class Smartphone (10 - 2392, n=162, last 2 years) | |
The smartphone is also very slow when browsing the web. In everyday use, you will have to wait for a while for images to load and scrolling is also very slow.
| Jetstream 2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (17.3 - 282, n=164, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s (Chrome 75) | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| CAT S42 (Chrome 80) | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (27.5 - 414, n=78, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s (Chrome 75) | |
| CAT S41 (Chrome 67) | |
| CAT S42 (Chrome 80) | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D (21.9 - 22.5, n=2) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.3 - 375, n=153, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| CAT S42 (Chome 80) | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | |
| WebXPRT 3 - --- | |
| Average of class Smartphone (34 - 292, n=144, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D (26 - 27, n=2) | |
| CAT S42 (Chrome 80) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 74261, n=193, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s (Chrome 75) | |
| CAT S41 (Chrome 67) | |
| CAT S42 (Chrome 80) | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D (3905 - 3971, n=2) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total Score | |
| CAT S42 (Chrome 80) | |
| Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D (11496 - 11842, n=2) | |
| CAT S41 (Chrome 67) | |
| Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s (Chrome 75) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (414 - 10031, n=167, last 2 years) | |
* ... smaller is better
The internal memory of the CAT S42 is actually slightly faster than those of comparable smartphones, which is why it is able to scores some major points in this discipline. However, in day-to-day use, the advantage in speed is nigh imperceivable.
The microSD card reader works well with our reference-grade microSD Toshiba Exceria Pro M501. Here, the CAT S42 is able to achieve good read and write speeds.
| CAT S42 | CAT S41 | Gigaset GX290 | Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s | Blackview BV9100 | Average 32 GB eMMC Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -27% | -20% | -7% | -8% | -5% | 624% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 287.9 | 253 -12% | 275.6 -4% | 298.6 4% | 279.7 -3% | 242 ? -16% | 1183 ? 311% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 121.1 | 117.2 -3% | 33.77 -72% | 85.4 -29% | 106.2 -12% | 100 ? -17% | 743 ? 514% |
| Random Read 4KB | 51.6 | 65.5 27% | 33.33 -35% | 59.6 16% | 37.23 -28% | 42.9 ? -17% | 208 ? 303% |
| Random Write 4KB | 14.8 | 12.99 -12% | 10.95 -26% | 10.38 -30% | 14.61 -1% | 21.8 ? 47% | 217 ? 1366% |
| Sequential Read 256KB SDCard | 83.1 ? | 23.87 -71% | 81.1 ? -2% | 79.6 ? -4% | 81.9 ? -1% | 71.8 ? -14% | |
| Sequential Write 256KB SDCard | 62.5 ? | 5 -92% | 74.3 ? 19% | 64.3 ? 3% | 60.7 ? -3% | 52.9 ? -15% |
Gaming – Not much to expect
PUBG Mobile is not available in the Google Play Store for this smartphone. The CAT S42 would not be able to run it anyway. We were able to launch Asphalt 9, but the high-octane racing game was not all that fun to play on the CAT S42, because it can only handle it on the lowest settings.
Arena of Valor can potentially run at 60 FPS. However, there are constant frame drops. We use GameBench to measure frame rates.
The CAT S42 is suited for non-demanding games. Both the motion sensor and the touchscreen work without any problems.
Emissions – No noticeable heat output
Temperature
Whether it is under load or idle, the CAT S42 does not heat up at all. This is what our battery test with GFXBench reveals.
The CAT phone scores some major points for staying so cool.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 35.9 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 34.9 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 52.9 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 35.6 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.2 °C / 86 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Speakers
The small speaker on the bottom is relatively loud (80.4 dB(A)). However, the highs are significantly overrepresented. The mids and the lows are missing. If you turn down the volume the sound will become more pleasant, but the highs will still remain severely overrepresented.
We recommend you use a set of headphones or a loudspeaker, which can be connected via the 3.5-mm headphone jack or via Bluetooth. The aptX codec, which is supposed to improve audio quality for Bluetooth headphones and speakers, is not supported.
CAT S42 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 29.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 48% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 41% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 68% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%
CAT S41 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.2% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 34% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 54% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 58% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 33% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%
Battery Life – Can last for up to two days
Energy Consumption
When idle, the CAT S42 draws as much power as its predecessor. However, under load, the CAT S42 consumes considerably less energy, but then again it has less energy at its disposal. When compared to other competing devices, the maximum power draw when idle stands out, but the power consumption under load is on a normal level.
| Off / Standby |   0 / 0.1 Watt |
| Idle |  1.5 / 2 / 3 Watt |
| Load |
3.6 / 4.9 Watt |
    
| |
| CAT S42 4200 mAh | CAT S41 5000 mAh | Gigaset GX290 6200 mAh | Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s 2800 mAh | Blackview BV9100 13000 mAh | Average Mediatek Helio A20 MT6761D | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -8% | 4% | 30% | 18% | 10% | 9% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 1.5 | 1.4 7% | 0.89 41% | 0.65 57% | 1.01 33% | 1 ? 33% | 0.883 ? 41% |
| Idle Average * | 2 | 2.2 -10% | 2.09 -5% | 1.62 19% | 2 -0% | 2 ? -0% | 1.487 ? 26% |
| Idle Maximum * | 3 | 2.8 7% | 2.15 28% | 1.66 45% | 2.01 33% | 2.85 ? 5% | 1.701 ? 43% |
| Load Average * | 3.6 | 4.1 -14% | 4.49 -25% | 3.03 16% | 2.9 19% | 3.65 ? -1% | 4.26 ? -18% |
| Load Maximum * | 4.9 | 6.4 -31% | 5.78 -18% | 4.34 11% | 4.74 3% | 4.35 ? 11% | 7.1 ? -45% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
The CAT S42 comes with only a 4200-mAh battery. In and of itself, it is an okay battery capacity. However, in recent years, manufacturers of rugged smartphones have put much of their focus on increasing battery capacity, which is why the CAT S42’s battery runtime of about 14 hours in our Wi-Fi test is not an outstanding result. Having said that, the CAT S42 should last for about two days in many cases.
The charger disappoints with its 10-watt nominal output. All in all, the smartphone takes a little over two hours to fully charge.
| CAT S42 4200 mAh | CAT S41 5000 mAh | Gigaset GX290 6200 mAh | Samsung Galaxy XCover 4s 2800 mAh | Blackview BV9100 13000 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 14% | 57% | -21% | 139% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1243 | 1199 -4% | |||
| H.264 | 902 | 598 -34% | |||
| WiFi v1.3 | 836 | 953 14% | 1316 57% | 619 -26% | 2000 139% |
| Load | 253 | 200 -21% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - Rugged smartphone with bright and dark spots
It is a smart move that CAT has made the S42 cheaper. Over the past few years, the competition in the realm of rugged smartphones has increased and low-priced smartphones have become more powerful. However, in turn, users will have to make do with an HD screen and a smaller battery.
To those who think that the CAT S41 is a better choice, we have this to say: The CAT S42 is significantly cheaper even though the predecessor model is almost two years old now. Moreover, it offers faster Wi-Fi and modern software. However, we think that it is a pity that the hardware navigation buttons had to go.
Thick bezels in 2020 are not a pretty sight. However, the weight is not too high for a rugged smartphone in this price range. We like the temperature management and the very usable battery runtimes.
A robust, cheap smartphone with good battery life, fast Wi-Fi and a low level of performance and a mediocre camera: The CAT S42 is a mixed bag.
The CAT S42 is worth it for those who are looking for a cheap smartphone that is able to handle tough environments. However, prospective buyers should be aware of the mediocre camera performance, poor sound quality and poor system performance.
The manufacturer should pay more attention to the security patches because they are out of date at the time of writing. This is very problematic for a business device like the CAT S42.
CAT S42
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08/11/2020 v7
Florian Schmitt
Pricecompare
