Blackview BV9200 to review

The Blackview BV9200 is the latest rugged smartphone to land in our offices. It’s a rugged phone, certified to survive the toughest conditions, and the company says it’s improved the materials to handle a wider range of challenges.

The device can be thrown into a lake, run over by a car, or dropped over a meter and live to tell the tale. It comes with MIL-STD-810H, IP68, and IP69K certifications, so you don’t have to take BlackView’s word for it.

It’s also a pretty capable midranger with a 50MP main camera, a dedicated button for quick access to certain apps, and a notification light on the back.

The device is thinner than most rugged smartphones. Its 310 gram weight feels tolerable and lighter than you’d expect when you first see it. Blackview has placed stereo speakers on the sides of the rubber frame without compromising the construction, which is more than welcome.

Speaking of sound, it’s tuned by Harman AudioEFX. We have a dedicated audio test, but at first glance (or should we say first listen) the speakers are powerful, rich and truly stereo.

The battery has a capacity of 5,000mAh which isn’t that impressive for a large rugged phone, but it does support 66W fast charging and has the required adapter in the box. The BV9200 also supports 30W wireless charging and works with any Qi charger that has high rates. On top of that, there’s reverse wired charging, capped at 5W.

Once we’ve completed all the testing, we’ll have our final verdict on whether $299 is the right price for such a phone, and we have a hunch it might be worth it.