The Battle of the Rugged Thermal Phones: CAT S62 Pro vs Blackview BL9000 Pro

4 min readJun 14, 2024

The thermal rugged smartphone market has undergone a significant shift since the recent bankruptcy of CAT, the former industry leader in this segment. Amidst this upheaval, Blackview has emerged as the sole company leveraging FLIR’s top-tier thermal imaging technology in its latest flagship, the BL9000 Pro. This new contender aims to outshine the aging CAT S62 Pro with a comprehensive suite of hardware, software, and thermal imaging upgrades. So, let’s take a look.

Thermal Imaging Dominance:

Thermal imaging capabilities are the cornerstone of a rugged phone’s utility, and both the CAT S62 Pro and Blackview BL9000 Pro feature the same FLIR® Lepton 3.5 sensor with a 160x120 resolution. This represents a four-fold improvement over previous generations, delivering the sharpest thermal imaging experience yet.

However, the BL9000 Pro takes thermal imaging to the next level with exclusive features like MSX imaging and picture-in-picture mode. These innovations allow for more precise issue identification and troubleshooting, making the phone an indispensable tool for building inspections, electrical maintenance, and a wide range of industrial applications.

Furthermore, the BL9000 Pro introduces a groundbreaking temperature alert function that can detect anomalies, trigger alerts, and automatically generate detailed analysis reports. This proactive thermal monitoring capability is a game-changer, empowering users to identify and address potential problems before they escalate.

Blackview has also taken steps to future-proof the BL9000 Pro by supporting the Teledyne FLIR Mobile SDK. This allows developers to seamlessly integrate FLIR’s advanced thermal imaging technology into their own mobile applications, ensuring the phone’s thermal imaging functionality remains cutting-edge and versatile.

Display and Design:

In terms of display and design, the BL9000 Pro offers a smoother visual experience with its larger 6.78-inch 2.4K display and a 120Hz refresh rate, a significant upgrade from the CAT S62 Pro’s 5.7-inch 60Hz screen. The BL9000 Pro is also more rugged, able to withstand drops from up to 1.2 meters and submersion in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes, making it ideal for adventurous and demanding outdoor use.

Performance:

The performance gap between these phones is substantial. While the CAT S62 Pro uses the 4G Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset, the Blackview BL9000 Pro features the powerful 5G MediaTek Dimensity 8020 SoC. Furthermore, the BL9000 Pro offers up to 36GB of RAM (12GB + up to 24GB expansion) and 512GB of storage, compared to the S62 Pro’s more limited memory configuration. This allows the BL9000 Pro to multitask more efficiently and store more content.

Camera:

The Blackview BL9000 Pro boasts a 50MP Samsung® ISOCELL GN5 main camera and a 13MP ultra-wide and macro lens. Its 50MP front camera also significantly outshines the CAT S62 Pro’s 8MP selfie shooter. Both the front and rear cameras support 4K video recording, making the BL9000 Pro an excellent choice for content creators.

Battery and Audio:

Blackview has equipped the BL9000 Pro with an 8800mAh mega battery and 120W super-fast charging, allowing a full charge in just 53 minutes. Additionally, it features dual Harman Kardon Smart-PA speakers and Harman AudioEFX® sound technology for an immersive audio experience.

Operating System:

The Blackview BL9000 Pro runs the latest Android 14 with the innovative DokeOS 4.0, offering significant improvements over the CAT S62 Pro’s Android 10. This ensures the BL9000 Pro provides users with more advanced features, a smoother user experience, and enhanced security.

Conclusion

In every critical aspect — performance, memory, camera, battery, audio, and software — the Blackview BL9000 Pro outshines the CAT S62 Pro. Moreover, it matches or exceeds the CAT’s thermal imaging capabilities with exclusive features like temperature alerts and the FLIR Mobile SDK support.

The BL9000 Pro sets a new standard in the rugged thermal imaging phone market, offering unparalleled value and top-tier functionality. If you’re in the market for a durable, feature-packed, and future-proof thermal imaging smartphone, the Blackview BL9000 Pro is undoubtedly the clear choice. Its comprehensive upgrades and innovations make it the ultimate companion for professionals, adventurers, and anyone who demands the best in rugged mobile technology.

How to get BL9000 Pro?

Click here to learn more about BL9000 Pro in Blackview AliExpress store, if you are interested in this advanced thermal rugged smartphone.