Buy Safer: Waterproof vs Water Resistant Phones With 90 Day Returns
No phone sold today is truly waterproof. “Waterproof” is a marketing word; the number that actually matters is the IP rating printed on the spec sheet. That rating is conditional, can weaken over time, and manufacturer warranties almost never cover liquid damage.
TL;DR:
- IP ratings indicate tested water resistance levels but do not guarantee protection against all water-related accidents or damage over time.
- An IP68 rating suggests the phone is tested to withstand immersion beyond 1 meter, but specific depth and duration vary by manufacturer and model.
- Water resistance can decrease with normal wear, damage, or exposure to harsh conditions like salt water or pressurized water, which are outside standard tests.
- Warranty coverage generally excludes liquid damage, and internal markers often confirm water exposure, making repairs costly if damage occurs.
- Treat water resistance as a safety margin, not a feature that allows controlled submersion or prolonged exposure in open water.
Table of Contents
- Waterproof vs Water Resistant Phones: What the Terms Actually Mean
- How to Read an IP Rating
- IP67, IP68, IPX7, IPX8: What Each Rating Actually Covers
- Why a Rating Isn’t a Guarantee
- Quick Checklist: Is Your Phone Actually Water Resistant?
- Real Phones, Real Ratings: What IP68 Looks Like Today
- Buying a Water-Rated Refurbished Phone: What to Check First
- The Gap Between the Spec Sheet and How People Actually Use Their Phones
- Get a Verified Water-Rated Phone Without the New-Device Price
- Sources
- FAQ
Waterproof vs Water Resistant Phones: What the Terms Actually Mean
“Waterproof” implies total, permanent protection from water, no matter the depth or duration. No consumer phone meets that bar. “Water resistant” is the accurate term: it means a phone can handle a specific, tested amount of water exposure under specific lab conditions, and no more.
Manufacturers stopped using “waterproof” in marketing years ago for exactly this reason. Instead they publish an IP rating, a standardized number that describes what a device survived in a lab, not what it will survive in your pocket at the beach.
The distinction shows up constantly in daily life:
- A splash from a sink or rain on your commute is well within what most modern phones handle.
- A drop in a pool, a dunk in a lake, or a spill in the ocean pushes closer to (or past) the tested limit.
- Pressurized water, like a shower jet or a pressure washer, can defeat a rating that handles still water just fine.
How to Read an IP Rating
IP stands for Ingress Protection, and it comes from a standard called IEC 60529. The format is always the same: the letters “IP,” followed by two digits, sometimes with an X in place of one.
The first digit rates protection against solids, on a scale from 0 to 6, covering things like dust and fine particles. The second digit rates protection against liquids, on a scale from 0 to 9. Higher numbers mean better tested protection in that category.
When you see an X, like IPX7, it means that characteristic simply was not tested or specified, not that it failed. A lot of accessory makers use IPX7 for products they never bothered submitting for dust testing, since dust ingress isn’t relevant to how the product is used.
The rating only means something because the testing itself is standardized. IEC 60529 defines the exact test methods, so an IP68 rating from one company describes lab-verified conditions, not an open-ended promise. That is also why two phones can carry the same IP68 label but survive different depths, because the standard sets the test method, not a single fixed depth or time.
IP67, IP68, IPX7, IPX8: What Each Rating Actually Covers
These four ratings cover almost every phone on the market, and the differences between them matter more than the marketing copy suggests.
- IP67: Dust protected (the 6), and typically tested to withstand immersion up to 1 meter for about 30 minutes. This is the baseline you’ll see on a lot of mid-range phones.
- IP68: Dust protected, plus tested for immersion beyond 1 meter, but the exact depth and duration are set by each manufacturer, not the standard itself. One phone’s IP68 might mean 1.5 meters for 30 minutes; another’s might mean 6 meters. Always check the specific model page.
- IPX7 / IPX8: The X means no dust rating was assigned. You’ll see this more on accessories, smartwatches, or older phones where dust ingress testing wasn’t part of the certification.
For everyday commuting or light rain, IP67 is plenty. For poolside use or the occasional accidental drop in a sink, IP68 gives more margin, but “margin” is not the same as “safe to swim with.” Watersports and open water are where even IP68 phones run real risk, since salt water and pressurized water sit outside standard test conditions entirely.
Why a Rating Isn’t a Guarantee
An IP rating describes a brand-new phone tested once, in a lab, under controlled conditions. It does not describe your phone six months later after a drop, a screen repair, or normal wear on the internal seals. Any of those can compromise the gaskets that keep water out, even if the exterior looks fine.
Manufacturers are direct about this. Samsung’s own support documentation states that water resistance can diminish over time and specifically warns against salt water, pool chemicals, and pressurized water, all of which fall outside the standard test. Apple’s guidance for iPhone 17 makes the same point: resistance is not permanent, and liquid damage is excluded from warranty coverage entirely.
That warranty exclusion is worth sitting with. Even a phone rated IP68 that gets water damage typically isn’t covered, because the rating reflects a factory test, not an ongoing guarantee. Devices also carry Liquid Contact Indicators, small internal markers that change color when they’ve been exposed to moisture, which technicians check before honoring any warranty claim. If your phone has been wet and something stops working later, that indicator is often the first thing a repair shop looks at.
Quick Checklist: Is Your Phone Actually Water Resistant?
Before you trust your phone near water, run through this:
- Look up the model’s tech specs page. Apple, Samsung, and Google all publish the exact IP rating for each device, and it’s usually one search away.
- Check the printed user guide or box, which often lists the rating alongside other certifications.
- Inspect the phone physically. Look for cracks, gaps around the charging port, or a missing SIM tray cover, any of which can break the seal regardless of the original rating.
If the phone does get wet unexpectedly, don’t plug it in. Turn off charging, wipe it dry, and leave it powered off for several hours before attempting to charge it again. Apple’s own guidance recommends waiting at least five hours before charging a phone that’s been exposed to liquid.
Pro Tip: If you’re buying a used or refurbished phone, don’t assume the original IP rating still applies. Ask the seller whether the device has been opened for repair, since a replaced screen or battery is one of the most common ways a water-resistant seal gets broken without any visible sign.
Real Phones, Real Ratings: What IP68 Looks Like Today
Current flagship phones make a useful reference point for how these numbers apply in practice. Apple lists the iPhone 17 as IP68, tested to a maximum depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes under lab conditions, with the same standard caveat that resistance isn’t permanent.
Samsung’s Galaxy flagship lineup is commonly IP68-rated as well, though the tested depth and duration vary by model year and tier. Google’s Pixel flagships follow the same pattern, listing IP68 in factory specs while cautioning that the rating can be lost through normal wear or damage.
The pattern across all three brands is consistent:
- IP68 is the current high end for consumer phones.
- The exact depth behind that IP68 label differs by model, so the number alone isn’t the full story.
- Every manufacturer treats the rating as a factory-condition claim, not a lifetime guarantee.
That last point applies just as much to an older device like the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active, a model built specifically for durability, as it does to the newest release.
Buying a Water-Rated Refurbished Phone: What to Check First
A water rating on a refurbished phone is only as good as the seal behind it. A thorough inspection checks functionality before a device is listed, and many refurbished phones ship with a return window if something’s wrong. Still, confirm the original IP spec yourself, inspect the port covers and edges for damage on arrival, and keep your order confirmation on hand in case you need it later. A protective case adds cheap insurance if you plan to use the phone near water regularly.
The Gap Between the Spec Sheet and How People Actually Use Their Phones
The biggest misunderstanding isn’t about the rating itself, it’s about what people do with that information. Someone sees “IP68” and mentally files it under “waterproof,” then takes the phone kayaking or lets a toddler splash it in a bathtub for twenty minutes. The rating never promised that. It promised a specific depth, for a specific duration, in still fresh water, on a brand-new device.
Conventional buying advice tends to stop at “check the IP rating,” as if a higher number is automatically better for every situation. It isn’t. An IP67 phone used sensibly, kept dry after light rain, never submerged, will likely outlast an IP68 phone that gets dunked at the beach every weekend for a year. The number describes a lab test, not your habits.
If you take one thing from this: verify the rating before you buy, then treat it as a safety margin for accidents, not a feature you get to use on purpose. That mindset matters even more with a refurbished device, where a prior repair could have compromised seals the spec sheet still lists as intact. Check the physical condition first. Trust the number second.
— Saad
Get a Verified Water-Rated Phone Without the New-Device Price
Devicegiant’s advantage isn’t a lower price alone. It’s knowing exactly what you’re buying before you buy it. Every phone in the Samsung Galaxy and iPhone lineup goes through the TrueGrade 25-point inspection, so functionality issues, including anything that could affect a water-resistant seal, get caught before listing rather than after your purchase.
Browsing options with strong factory water ratings? The refurbished iPhone 15 in Blue and the iPhone 16 Pro in Desert Titanium both carry their original IP68 specs, backed by Devicegiant’s 90-day return policy if anything about the device isn’t as described. One honest reminder either way: refurbished or brand-new, no phone here is sold as unlimited-waterproof, and treating any IP68 device as swim-proof is a bet against the manufacturer’s own warnings. Check the current listings, confirm the model’s original rating, and order with the return window as your safety net.
Sources
- iPhone 17 - Tech Specs - Apple Support
- Galaxy phones and tablets dust and water resistance (IP rating)
- IEC 60529 Consolidated version — Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)
FAQ
Is the iPhone 17 Actually Waterproof?
No. Apple rates the iPhone 17 as IP68, tested to a maximum depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes under lab conditions. That’s water resistance, not waterproofing, and Apple explicitly states the resistance can decline over time and isn’t covered by warranty.
Which Is Better: Water-Resistant or Waterproof?
Waterproof phones don’t really exist in the consumer market, so the comparison itself is misleading. What you’re actually comparing is degrees of water resistance, measured by IP rating, where a higher second digit generally means better tested protection against liquid.
Which Phone Is Fully Waterproof?
None on the market today carry an unconditional waterproof claim. Current flagships, including the iPhone 17, many Samsung Galaxy models, and Google Pixel phones, are rated IP68, which means tested resistance to specific depths and durations, not permanent, unlimited protection.
How Do I Tell if My Phone Is Water Resistant?
Check the manufacturer’s tech specs page or user guide for an IP rating, which will look like IP67 or IP68. If you can’t find one listed, or the phone is several years old, assume minimal protection and keep it away from water entirely.
