Review of the DOOGEE V MAX Play and V MAX LR in Spanish

If I’m honest, my interest in the world of off-road mobiles It had completely gone out. I think that in recent years all brands reached a common ceiling and began to offer the same new features: military grade resistancethe best possible protection against water and dust (IP68 and IP69K), night vision cameras, gigantic batteries, etc. It seemed that innovation had stagnated; Mobile phones can no longer be made more resistant than they are today.

Just when I was about to dismiss the niche as repetitive, I found out about the existence of the DOOGEE V MAX Play. This rugged phone promised something radically different: it not only aspired to be the new definitive Swiss army knife for adventurers with its very powerful camping lanternbut also points to the entertainment field with its projector to be, basically, a pocket cinema.

From the first moment, I didn’t believe it. «An integrated projector? It’s probably a marketing gimmick, a weak and barely useful feature.. Luckily, I wasn’t left with any doubts. I had the opportunity to test the DOOGEE V MAX Play and, I must confess, it regained my enthusiasm for off-road vehicles.

And not only that. To my surprise, this mobile also has a version more focused on utility that, instead of a projector, it has a laser rangefinder. Is called DOOGEE V MAX LR and I also had it in my hands. Below, I will tell you all about my experience with these unique phones that, for better or worse, have redefined what an all-terrain vehicle can be.

DOOGEE V MAX Play: an all-terrain mobile with projector, camping lantern and 130 dB speaker

The DOOGEE V MAX Play is not just another rugged mobile phone. It is the first phone of its kind that dares to provide not only utility in adventure, but also entertainment. On the one hand, it maintains all the credentials of an all-rounder, including a 1200 lumen camping lantern. And at the same time, can turn a wall into a movie screen with its 480p LED projector and its powerful 130 dB speaker.

For its part, the DOOGEE V MAX LR is an alternative without a projector what does a laser meter add up very useful for quantifying distances quickly and accurately. Except for that difference, it is essentially the same mobile. That’s why I will focus more on the “Play” version, which really makes a difference because it is a pocket-sized cinema.

Before telling you all the details, I invite you to take a quick look at the key specifications of this mobile.

DOOGEE V MAX Play (VIP Edition) technical sheet

The DOOGEE V MAX LR has exactly the same specifications, changing the LED projector for a rangefinder (integrated laser meter) with a measurement range of 0.08 to 40 meters

The real challenge was to achieve an ergonomic design and they got it right: it is an all-terrain vehicle with military resistance that is very comfortable to hold.

The unboxing of the DOOGEE V MAX Play already gives you an indication that this is not a conventional mobile phone. It comes very well protected in a rigid cardboard box and, inside, I found the first big surprise: the phone was stored in a very practical storage bag. An additional level of protection that, when I took it out, I understood why it was necessary.

And this is a phone colossal proportions: It is just over 3 cm thick and weighs an impressive 683 grams. To put this into perspective, It is three times thicker and heavier than an average mobile phone (usually less than 1 cm and 200 grams), approaching the weight of a small tablet.

Even so, This large size is justified by how complete it is. It contains a four times larger battery, the projector, the 130 dB speaker and much more. The other thing that surprised me was its ergonomics: despite its size and weight, it’s really comfortable in the hand. I think the key to making something so robust feel ergonomic is its rear design.

The lid is not flat like most phones, but slightly convex. This curvature perfectly fills the natural concave space that forms in the palm of the hand when holding a mobile phone. This ergonomics more than compensates for its high weight. I was able to use it for hours without experiencing fatigue, something vital in a device designed for full days outdoors.

As for your design, it is purely industrialwith a armored casing and secured by visible screws on its sides. This construction gives it a very high degree of resistance, with the IP68 and IP69K certifications (resistance to dust, submersion in water, high pressure and temperature water jets) and the military standard MIL-STD-810Hwhich guarantees its ability to withstand vibrations, shocks and extreme temperature conditions.

On its edges, we find its volume buttons, power buttons with integrated fingerprint sensor, a dedicated projector button to activate it quickly, and a customizable button for quick actions. A little more hidden is its USB-C port, protected from dust and water by a rubber plug.

Another thing that stands out about its design is its ventilation grilles. On one side there is the fan’s air inlet and on the upper edge its outlet. active cooling system that uses the led projectorthe crown jewel, which is also on this edge and is well protected by glass.

Now putting it in front we find its 6.78 inch LCD screen with resolution FullHD+ (1080p) to 120Hzwhich offers a decent visual experience, with sharpness and fluidity being its strongest points. Even so, it is not one of the best features of the DOOGEE V MAX Play.

For starters, it’s LCD technology rather than AMOLED and to be honest, it’s far from the best LCDs on the market. Light leaks at the edges are visiblea small problem that seems inevitable in such a dense and reinforced chassis.

Now, in addition to the storage bag, the charger, a cable, a tempered glass and all the stationery, the box also includes a hard protective case which increases its resistance and gives it additional utility.

And this case incorporates a magnetic holder ring compatible with special accessories of the «VIP Edition» which, luckily, was the one I was able to try. It also has a fastening strap which is very convenient considering its proportions. Although I like the solidity of this case, it has a negative point: when placing it, camping lantern is occludeddisabling one of the most useful features of the mobile.

Well, as I said, I was fortunate to receive the VIP Edition. This includes a pair of magnetic accessories designed to work with the hard case and turn the DOOGEE V MAX Play into the closest thing to a portable cinema.

The first accessory is the magnetic projection stand which I loved because it folds easily, attaches easily and is suitable for both projector mode and daily use. The other thing that this edition brings is a Bluetooth speakerwhich, although it is of good quality and easy to attach magnetically, I do not find it useful, since the integrated 130 dB speaker seems more than enough to me.

It’s not a gimmick, the DOOGEE V MAX Play actually has a built-in projector that works very well

This is, without a doubt, the section that I most want to comment on, because the projector is the true jewel in the crown of this mobile. It has a LED projection module with a 480p native resolution100 lumens brightness and 60 Hz refresh rate. On paper, these specifications might sound modest, especially the resolution. However, in practice, the experience is surprising.

I was impressed how, Despite the low resolution, it looks very sharp and maintains a good level of detail. It is easy to understand why it is not Full HD: you just have to consider the tiny size that a projector integrated into a mobile phone must have. What matters is that, even moving it up to almost 3 meters from the wall For a larger projection, the image manages to maintain decent quality without pixelating too much.

He 100 lumens brightness It is another feature that I find difficult to believe they have achieved so well in this format. Although, like any projector, performs best in dark rooms or environments (like a night of camping), the fact that it looks decent even in ambient light is crazy. I put it to the test by projecting it right next to a lit ceiling light, and the image still held up. visible and with vivid colors.

In addition to visual quality, the projector incorporates smart features that you would expect from the best models on the market: the autofocus which works very well adjusting the sharpness of the image without having to touch anything and the trapezoidal correction which corrects geometric distortion, maintaining the projection rectangle even on a wall that is not completely perpendicular.

The best thing is that all this is controlled through a simple application and you also have a dedicated physical button to turn on or stop the projector.

And if, like me, you think that a mobile phone like this would have an overheating problem, I tell you that DOOGEE is clearly one step ahead. He projector has an active cooling system called “Frozen Wing”. It consists of a fan that enters air through a side window to cool the LED bulb of the projector and then expels it as hot air through another window that is on the front, right next to the bulb.

This position is smart, as it decreases the chance that you will come into contact with the area where the fan expels hot air. And although it makes a slightly audible beep, it is completely overshadowed by the sound of the content you’re watching.

After watching an hour and a half movie, it didn’t get excessively hot. I was able to grab the phone right away after finishing the function without it feeling any hotter than a traditional phone would be after prolonged use.

This pocket cinema would not be complete without good sound. For this reason, the DOOGEE V MAX Play brings a powerful built-in 3W 130dB speaker. The sound is noticeably louder and more immersive than that of a traditional mobile phone, being enough to fill a medium-sized room. While the power is there, it is fair to point out that its bass is not the best: They sound a little weak and dirty at maximum volume.

However, the mids and highs are maintained wellwhich is ideal for clearly hearing the dialogue of a movie. For those who need a little more volume and better represented bass, there is always the option of complementing the experience with the magnetic Bluetooth speaker included in the VIP Edition.

The camping flashlight is another of those unique things that the DOOGEE V MAX gives you in its two versions

If the projector is the jewel in the crown of entertainment, the lanterns camp It is the queen of utility (along with the laser rangefinder, in the case of the DOOGEE V MAX LR). I simply loved it. It is incredible to have such a powerful flashlight integrated perfectly into a mobile phone. It uses two LED modules that together give 1200 lumens to illuminate up to 8 meters away.

This is not a repowered flash, but a real lamp. Its usefulness is not limited to adventure or camping. I have used it in my daily life to search for objects in the dark or do night work. Furthermore, it has 3 modes (steady, SOS and strobe lights) so you can use it in all types of emergencies and situations.

My biggest concern here was the impact of this power on the battery. But luckily it is minimal: I carried out a test leaving it on for an hour and it only consumed 5% of the charge. I have no complaints, it is a complement that raises the usefulness of these phones to a level that no other smartphone on the market can offer.

And in addition to the flashlight, they also have other interesting lights: the RGB technology. Son pair of LED notification bands located under the camera module. Their function is practical and aesthetic: they serve to indicate the arrival of calls, messages, the battery charge status, or they can even be synchronized to the rhythm of music. You can configure them and customize the colors of the alerts through a dedicated app.

The camera gives clear photos and surprises with night vision, but it is far from the best on the market

The camera of the DOOGEE V MAX Play and LR is, as in most off-road mobiles, decent and functionalalthough it is far from competing with computational photography and the quality of the best phones on the market.

He 200 megapixel main sensor offers a very good sharpness in daytime photos or in well-lit scenes. The quality is more than enough for daily use and social networks. In fact, within the rugged mobile sector, this camera is notable, but if we take it out of its niche and compare it with a premium phone, its limitations in dynamic range and in low light environments become evident.

He ultra wide anglewith only 8 megapixelsIt is interesting for capturing landscapes or panoramic photos on your adventures. However, its sharpness is limited and, as expected, it suffers quite a bit in low-light scenes. The 32 MP front camera It does its job: it gives decent selfies during the day, but its performance becomes so-so after nightfall.

What did impress me a lot is the 20MP night vision camera. This sensor does not work by software (like normal cameras in night mode), but is assisted by a pair of powerful infrared sensors located in the camera module.

These sensors emit light not visible to the human eye (infrared) that “bounces” on objects in the scene and is captured by the 20 MP sensor to create a black and white image of absolute darkness. It’s not a trick; You can actually use these phones to see and document things in complete darkness without needing to use the flashlight.

Performance is quite fluid, with Android 15 and custom software that matches its essence

Regarding its internal engine, both the DOOGEE V MAX Play and the LR are powered by the MediaTek Dimension 7300 5Gan eight-core processor manufactured with 4nm technology. It comes accompanied by 16GB RAM base that can be extended up to 36 GB using part of the memory of its enormous storage 512GB which ensures plenty of space to store movies and all the content of your adventures.

This hardware configuration guarantees a very smooth performance in daily use. Multitasking is fast, and commonly used apps (social media, browsing, video playback, messaging, and calling) run without lag.

However, it is important to be realistic: Although it is competent, they are not the most powerful mobile phones of the market. They are not ideal for the most demanding gamers. And frankly, they’re not designed for long gaming sessions either: their sizes and weights, inherent to their off-road nature, make them less comfortable for that purpose.

What I liked most about the software is that DOOGEE did not opt ​​for a generic version of Android 15. They run this Google operating system with all the advantages of its latest version, including performance optimization and integration of AI features (like Gemini) in addition to AI assistants and pets developed by DOOGEE.

But they also incorporate a set of unique applications that are in tune with their essence. We have an app to control the projector (manage the focus, turn off the screen to save battery, etc.) or failing that for the laser rangefinder, one for the camping lantern, another for the RGB LEDs and many tools for adventure such as compass, sound meter, height meter and more.

The battery is from another world: it can last up to 1 week or provide autonomy to project 2 full movies

The robust proportions of these phones have a clear culprit: the beastly autonomy. They bring a colossal 20500 mAh battery with 45 W fast wired charging and 10 W reverse charging. Its duration is simply from another world. In my experience with normal use the full charge offered me about a week of autonomy.

But what’s most impressive is how it handles power-hungry features, especially projection. When testing the duration, the average consumption was around 10% battery for every 30 minutes of projector use. This means you can screen the equivalent of two full movies and still have enough battery left to use the phone as a traditional cell phone for a couple more days.

The DOOGEE V MAX LR laser rangefinder, for its part, does not involve significant energy consumption. I made several distance measurements and can’t really quantify a considerable battery drain.

Regarding the load of 45W per cableIt’s fast by general standards, but slow for the size of this monster. Due to its immense capacity, Full recharge takes a little over 2 hours. It is a considerable time and at the same time understandable given the autonomy you get in exchange.

Finally, the function of 10W reverse charging allows these mobiles serve as a powerbank for other devices through its USB-C port. It’s an indispensable feature in the field: you can charge your watch, headphones, a camera or even a drone.

DOOGEE V MAX LR: a version that changes the projector for a laser distance meter of up to 40 meters

Luckily, I was also able to try the other version of this mobilethe DOOGEE V MAX LR. And when I say that it is the “another version” I say it with all the law: this It is exactly the same mobile. It does not change anything about the design or packaging and includes the same accessories as the standard edition of the DOOGEE V MAX Play. It is also the same in screen, performance, battery and the rest of the hardware specifications.

The only thing that really differentiates this DOOGEE V MAX LR is that, instead of having a built-in projector, comes with a laser distance meter (rangefinder) on its upper edge, designed to be an outdoor measurement assistant. We are talking about a laser with 40 meter range which operates with visible infrared light (630–670nm), offering an impressive measurement range ranging from 0.08 to 40 meters.

According to the brand, it has a 1mm resolution and a precision range of between ±3 and 15 mm. To use this laser rangefinder, you have a dedicated app (just like the projector on the DOOGEE V MAX Play) that is surprisingly complete. Not only does it allow you to choose between meters, feet and inchesbut also offers simple length measurements and ways to calculate volume, zones and even the Pythagorean theorem.

One detail that I loved is the flexibility in measurement– You have the option to choose between two methods, one that includes the body of the phone in the entire distance (measuring from the base) and one that does not (measuring from the top edge). This makes it much easier to use in different situations.

I was able to test it thoroughly, making measurements at home of 1, 4 and even 20 meters, and comparing the results with a professional tape measure that I had saved. And the agreement is incredible! I was surprised how useful it is on a daily basis. Tea makes it easy to make distance measurements in a spectacular way: You just have to point, press a button and that’s it, you can measure up to 40 meters in just one second.

Our opinion of the DOOGEE V MAX: a pair of unique mobile phones that are very worthwhile

We cannot fail to mention that the DOOGEE V MAX Play It has a price that is around the high range (€750 approx.). But it would be a mistake to analyze it from this point of view and compare it with the best flagships on the market.

It is true that, if you look at it coldly, its LCD screen, its mid-range performance or the quality of its main camera are far from the leaders in the sector. However, this reductionist view ignores what makes it a priceless and one-of-a-kind device.

We are literally facing a mobile phone that has no competition. It’s like buying a mid-high range SUV, an LED projector, a camping lantern, a gigantic power bank and a night vision camera at the same time.. All in one device that works as a survival, entertainment and communication kit without depending on cables or external batteries.

It’s worth it? Of course. Whether you are an adventure enthusiast, need a useful tool in the field or simply want to enjoy a pocket cinema anywhere, There is nothing on the market like the DOOGEE V MAX Play. It is a worthwhile investment and one that you will enjoy very much. And for a limited time, you can take it for €649.99 on Amazon with this button:

Now, If you liked this mobile, but you are not a fan of its entertainment aspect and you aspire to more utility, the DOOGEE V MAX LR is a good alternative. Not only do you do without the cinema projector to have a versatile laser distance meter, but you also save a few euros since this It’s a little cheaper (around €580) and you continue enjoying the rest of the wonders that this all-terrain vehicle offers.