The best waterproof phones you can buy (November 2019)
Smartphones that can handle being dropped in a bucket of water or getting caught in the rain aren’t as rare as they used to be. More and more smartphone manufacturers are launching waterproof phones with IP67 and IP68 ratings, which shouldn’t be rendered useless if they get submerged in water by accident. While technically no phone is completely waterproof, a lot of them will survive a dip in a pool for as long as 30 minutes. Here are the best ones.
Best waterproof phones:
Editor’s note: We’ll be updating this list of the best waterproof phones regularly as new devices launch.
1. Samsung Galaxy Note 10 series
The Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus are IP68 rated for protection against water and dust. But they’re more than just water-resistant devices, as you’re also getting a Snapdragon 855 or Exynos 9825 processor, an S Pen stylus, and a triple-camera setup at the very least (the Note 10 Plus gets a ToF camera too).
As for other major differences between the two phones, the Note 10 Plus has a larger, sharper screen (6.8-inch QHD+ versus the Note 10’s 6.3-inch FHD+ panel), a bigger battery (4,300mAh versus 3,500mAh), and an optional 512GB variant.
There are a couple of disappointing omissions here, though. The Galaxy Note 10 doesn’t have a microSD card slot, while both devices lack a headphone jack. If these two features are deal-breakers for you, one of the Galaxy S10 phones (they’re on this list too, just wait) should be more up your alley.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 specs:
- Display: 6.3-inch, FHD+
- SoC: SD 855 or Exynos 9825
- RAM: 8/12GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Cameras: 16, 12, and 12MP
- Front camera: 10MP
- Battery: 3,500mAh
- Software: Android 9.0 Pie
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus specs:
- Display: 6.8-inch, QHD+
- SoC: SD 855 or Exynos 9825
- RAM: 12GB
- Storage: 256/512GB
- Cameras: 16, 12, 12MP, and ToF
- Front camera: 10MP
- Battery: 4,300mAh
- Software: Android 9.0 Pie
2. Huawei P30 Pro
The Huawei P30 Pro sports a large 6.47-inch display with curved edges, the Kirin 980 chipset, and as much as 8GB of RAM. It’s IP68 certified, meaning it can survive in up to 1.5 meters (~five feet) of water for a maximum of 30 minutes.
It's the cameras that make the P30 Pro truly stand out.
The phone impresses in the photography department — its four rear cameras take fantastic shots, even in super low-light conditions thanks to Huawei’s Night Mode. It also comes with an in-display fingerprint scanner, has a gorgeous design, and supports wireless charging as well as reverse wireless charging.
The battery is worth a mention as well, coming in at a massive 4,200mAh. Our very own David Imel got between 9-10 hours of screen-on time during his testing, which is well above average. All these things combined make the P30 Pro one of the best waterproof phones you can currently get. And since it was released before the Huawei ban debacle, future software updates are expected to be unaffected.
Huawei P30 Pro specs:
- Display: 6.47-inch, QHD+
- SoC: Kirin 980
- RAM: 6/8GB
- Storage: 128/256/512GB
- Cameras: 40, 20, 8MP, and ToF
- Front camera: 32MP
- Battery: 4,200mAh
- Software: Android 9.0 Pie
3. Samsung Galaxy S10 series
The Galaxy S10 Plus, S10, and S10e are all IP68 rated for protection against water and dust. They all also feature wireless charging, have a headphone jack, and sport a punch-hole display for a modern look.
The Galaxy S10 Plus offers the most of the three phones. It has the largest display, the biggest battery, and two front-facing cameras instead of one. Most of its other specs and features, including the in-display fingerprint scanner and the triple-camera setup, are the same as those of the regular Galaxy S10.
The Galaxy S10e offers the least when it comes to specs and features, but it’s still a suitable phone for power users. It has the smallest display, sports two rear cameras, and comes with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It’s powered by the same chipset as its two larger brothers.
Samsung Galaxy S10e specs:
- Display: 5.8-inch, Full HD+
- SoC: SD 855 or Exynos 9820
- RAM: 6/8GB
- Storage: 128/256GB
- Cameras: 12 and 16MP
- Front camera: 10MP
- Battery: 3,100mAh
- Software: Android 9.0 Pie
Samsung Galaxy S10 specs:
- Display: 6.1-inch, QHD+
- Chipset: SD 855 or Exynos 9820
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 128/512GB
- Cameras: 12, 12, and 16MP
- Front camera: 10MP
- Battery: 3,400mAh
- Software: Android 9.0 Pie
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus specs:
- Display: 6.4-inch, QHD+
- SoC: SD 855 or Exynos 9820
- RAM: 8/12GB
- Storage: 128/512GB and 1TB
- Cameras: 12, 12, and 16MP
- Front cameras: 10 and 8MP
- Battery: 4,100mAh
- Software: Android 9.0 Pie
4. Sony Xperia 1 and 5
The Xperia 1 and Xperia 5 are very similar phones. The latter is the more recent of the two and comes with a 6.1-inch Full HD+ display, 6GB of RAM, and three 12MP cameras at the back. It’s IP68 rated for protection against water and dust and supports expandable storage. There’s also a side-mounted fingerprint scanner on board.
The Sony Xperia 1 sports a larger display at 6.5 inches that offers 4K resolution. Due to its bigger footprint, it also has a slightly larger battery (3,330mAh vs. 3,140mAh). The rest of the specs, including the chipset and cameras, are exactly the same as those of the Xperia 5.
Both phones are available in the US and are quite expensive, with the Xperia 1 costing more than its smaller brother.
Sony Xperia 1 specs:
- Display: 6.5-inch, 4K
- SoC: Snapdragon 855
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 64/128GB
- Cameras: 12, 12, and 12MP
- Front camera: 8MP
- Battery: 3,330mAh
- Software: Android 9.0 Pie
Sony Xperia 5 specs:
- Display: 6.1-inch, Full HD+
- SoC: Snapdragon 855
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 128GB
- Cameras: 12, 12, and 12MP
- Front camera: 8MP
- Battery: 3,140mAh
- Software: Android 9.0 Pie
5. Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL
A combination of high-end specs, a great software experience, and fantastic cameras is what puts the Pixel 4 and 4 XL among the best waterproof phones on the market today. Both are IP68 rated, meaning they’ll survive in up to 1.5 meters (~five feet) of water for as long as 30 minutes.
The Pixel 4 and 4 XL are among the best phones for photography. They can capture fantastic images, even in low-light conditions thanks to Google’s Night Sight technology. They even have an Astro mode that lets you take awesome images of the stars. And as they run stock Android, they will be among the first to get updated to the latest version of the OS.
The phones are similar in terms of specs, both featuring the same chipset, cameras, and memory options. However, the Pixel 4 XL does have a larger display with a higher resolution and a bigger battery. It also costs more — check pricing via the button below.
Google Pixel 4 specs:
- Display: 5.7-inch, Full HD+
- SoC: Snapdragon 855
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 64/128GB
- Camera: 12.2 and 16MP
- Front cameras: 8MP + ToF
- Battery: 2,800mAh
- Software: Android 10
Google Pixel 4 XL specs:
- Display: 6.3-inch, QHD+
- SoC: Snapdragon 855
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 64/128GB
- Camera: 12.2 and 16MP
- Front cameras: 8MP and ToF
- Battery: 3,700mAh
- Software: Android 10
6. Razer Phone 2
Unlike the other waterproof phones on this list, the Razer Phone 2 is IP67-rated instead of IP68, allowing it to safely stay in up to one meter (~3.3 feet) of water for a maximum of 30 minutes. The device is aimed at gamers, featuring a vapor chamber cooling system and a design that definitely stands out.
The Razer Phone 2 is equipped with two front-facing speakers for a more immersive gaming experience, a large 4,000mAh battery, and a dual-camera setup at the back. There’s only 64GB of storage available, which isn’t much for a gaming phone, but you can expand it for an additional 1TB with a microSD card. The display of the device isn’t the biggest at 5.72 inches, but it does have a 120Hz refresh rate that makes everything look smoother and more fluid.
This isn’t the most recent phone on this list, as it was announced a little more than a year ago. But it’s still worth buying, especially due to its affordable price tag.
Razer Phone 2 specs:
- Display: 5.72-inch, IPS LCD
- SoC: Snapdragon 845
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 64GB
- Cameras: 12 and 12MP
- Front camera: 8MP
- Battery: 4,000mAh
- Software: Android 8.1 Oreo
7. Huawei Mate 20 Pro
Like the P30 Pro, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is also resistant to water thanks to its IP68 rating. The flagship sports an in-display fingerprint scanner, packs a large 4,200mAh battery, and supports 3D facial recognition.
You also get wireless charging as well as reverse wireless charging, although the latter is painfully slow. There are three cameras at the back that offer a lot of versatility when taking pictures and perform extremely well in low-light situations.
Keep in mind that the phone’s successor — the Mate 30 Pro — has already been announced. It offers more than the Mate 20 Pro when it comes to specs, but we don’t recommend buying one since it doesn’t come with the Play Store or any other Google apps.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro specs:
- Display: 6.39-inch, QHD+
- SoC: Kirin 980
- RAM: 6/8GB
- Storage: 128/256GB
- Cameras: 40, 20, and 8MP
- Front camera: 24MP
- Battery: 4,200mAh
- Software: Android 9.0 Pie
8. LG G8X ThinQ
The last model on our list of the best waterproof phones in the LG G8X ThinQ. It’s IP68-rated, so you won’t have to worry in case you drop it in the pool or get caught in the rain while making a phone call. The phone is a great choice for music lovers, as it sports a headphone jack as well as a Hi-Fi Quad DAC for an improved audio experience.
You can attach a secondary display to the LG G8X.
One of the things that make it stand out is the Dual Screen accessory, which adds a secondary screen to the device. It’s exactly the same as the main display, meaning it measures 6.4 inches and offers Full HD+ resolution. It even has a notch, although it’s just for looks, as it lacks a selfie camera.
Other specs and features of the LG G8X include an in-display fingerprint scanner, wireless charging, and the Snapdragon 855 chipset. The phone also has stereo speakers and a 4,000mAh battery.
LG G8X ThinQ specs:
- Display: 6.4-inch, Full HD+
- SoC: Snapdragon 855
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 128GB
- Cameras: 12 and 13MP
- Front camera: 32MP
- Battery: 4,000mAh
- Software: Android 9.0 Pie
These are our picks for the best waterproof phones you can get, although there are a lot of other great options out there as well. We’ll be sure to update this post once new models hit the market.
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