You’re on the fence about water resistance on flagship phones
Today, most flagship phones – from the Galaxy S21 trio to the OnePlus 9 series, Oppo Find X3 Pro to the Mi 11 Ultra – carry official water resistance ratings. Of course, when you pay the highest price for a phone, expect it to withstand accidental splashes, rain, or those god forbidden drips in the can. In the cheaper flagships, for example the Realme GT or the Vivo IQOO 7, the water resistance is not always available.
We thought about it: How important is water resistance to you when buying a flagship phone? We surveyed our readers on the subject, and here is what they had to say.
How important is water resistance to you when buying a flagship?
Results
Our survey results show that our readers are divided about the water resistance of their flagship phones. We received a total of 1,547 votes, with a majority (34.9%) of the opinion that the feature was not a priority. Still, those who voted for the option feel that water resistance is good to have on flagships.
Just under a second were the people who absolutely cannot do without water resistance on their flagship cell phones. 33.9% of our readers consider this feature to be essential and won’t buy a flagship without it.
24.1% of voters said that water resistance is one of the most important considerations for them when purchasing a flagship phone. Now 7.5% don’t care at all.
Your comments
Lukas Dvorok: Since the official dust and water resistance doesn’t last as the phone ages, it’s not that useful. It is also not part of the guarantee. So it’s basically a useless number on paper unless the manufacturers take it seriously and include it in their warranty.
ISMoney: Many people who are interested in this function have not learned how to properly care for their devices anyway. It’s not that hard to remember to avoid water. They wouldn’t do it with their socks, but when it comes to their devices, they are a little more sloppy.
AnySmarterIdRunLinux: I don’t forget to avoid water – I go where the water is. And … get this. I’ll take my cell phone. And when life happens my phone is there to capture the moment and survive, to do it another day.
Joe Black: It’s definitely nice if I took my cell phone with me when I took my kids to a pool.
I currently have an IP rated phone, but I would be more than willing to trade IP for better microphones, speakers, or something else that is of greater value to me.
jdrch: I listen to podcasts in the shower with my cell phone on the bathroom counter, so that’s a priority for me.
Bart: I would like to have IP68, but all I know is that for long-term use in the rain it is useless.
Yes – the smartphone usually survives the first hour after being removed from the water, but then it starts to run into problems – strange noises in the headphones, some watermarks, charging not working or not working completely, no data transfer in the cable, and MILLIONS of other small problems. Ask me how I know – I fix these devices every day and have worked in a smartphone recycling factory that diagnoses about 1,000 smartphones a month. Basically, the water resistance is only good if someone sneezes on the smartphone.
Tennis freak: I don’t put my phones in the water. My phone is usually in a pocket or bumper that offers some protection against water. Water resistance is nice to have, but it is by no means a determinant of whether or not to buy a phone. I’ve always wondered why so many reviewers place such importance on this feature.
mattc: I’m active, athletic, and clumsy so it’s a must.
Mohit: I would like a phone that can withstand splashes of water or survive the rain. Especially when I’m paying more than $ 1000 for a phone, I don’t want it to die because it can’t survive a walk in the rain or an unfortunate sudden amount of water.
