The best waterproof phones 2023

The best waterproof phones are not the hideous, bulky monstrosities they once were. These days, rather than hiding them away, you actually get some degree of water resistance on many of the best phones. That means you can snap pictures by the pool, use your phone in the rain without having to worry about potential water damage.

Anything with an IP67 or IP68 rating means the phone can be submerged up varying depths of water for up to 30 minutes — though some go well beyond that bare minimum. This doesn't make them completely immune from water damage, but some protection is better than nothing at all.

Every device on this list has an IP rating attached to it, which describes the level of ingress protection. The first digit relates to dust protection, while the second relates to water ingress protection. The best water resistance comes with a rating of 7 or higher — anything less means the phone can handle spray but not full immersion,

Here are the best waterproof phones you can buy right now.

The quick list

Here are the best waterproof and water-resistant phones you can buy right now, based on our own testing. You can scroll down the page to find more in-depth information about each model and what makes them so great.

The full list: Best waterproof phones you can buy today

Every device on this list has some IP rating attached to it, that conveys a degree of ingress protection. The first digit in an IP rating relates to dust protection whereas the second pertains to liquids. You'll want to look for at least a "7" to connote water resistance. Anything below that might mean the device can withstand water sprays and splashes, but not immersion.

Here are the best waterproof phones you can buy right now.

iPhone 14 Pro MaxEditor's Choice

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best waterproof phone

Specifications

Water resistance: IP68; max 20 feet (6 meters) for 30 minutes
Display: 6.7-inch OLED
Rear camera: 48MP wide (ƒ/1.8), 12MP ultra-wide (ƒ/2.3), 12MP telephoto (ƒ/2.2)
Front camera: 12MP (ƒ/1.9)
CPU: A16 Bionic
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 14:42

Reasons to buy

+
Best-in-class cameras
+
Best performance of any current phone
+
Amazing battery life
+
Major display upgrades

Reasons to avoid

-
Slow charging
-
Even bigger than previous Pro Max models

Just as you'd hope from a phone as luxurious as the iPhone 14 Pro Max, it promises to keep your phone dry. With an IP68 water/dust resistance rating, Apple promises all its new phones, including the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, will withstand submersion in 6 metres (about 20 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. That should be plenty of time to retrieve your phone if you've dropped it.

These impressive waterproof credentials are joined by the best phone cameras and performance of any phone we've tested, a fantastic new display with a Dynamic Island cutout and always-on display mode, and somehow even better battery life again. Although the iPhone 14 Pro is almost identical to the Pro Max, the larger phone still takes the top spot of the range. Its larger display and longer battery life may be the only differences, but they're enough to make it the ultimate iPhone experience you can get right now.

Read our full iPhone 14 Pro Max review.

Best cheap waterproof phone

iPhone SE 2022 back of phone against stonebest value

(Image credit: Future)
The most affordable water-resistant phone

Specifications

Water resistance: IP67; max 3.3 feet (1 meter) for 30 minutes
Display: 4.7-inch LCD (1334x750)
Rear camera: 12MP wide (ƒ/1.8)
Front camera: 7MP (ƒ/2.2)
CPU: A15 Bionic

Reasons to buy

+
Fastest performance for the money
+
Very good photo quality
+
More durable design

Reasons to avoid

-
Small display with big bezels
-
No Night mode for camera

The new third-generation iPhone SE packs the lightning-fast A15 Bionic processor from 2019's flagship iPhones in the body of the iPhone 8. And because it repurposes the iPhone 8's design, it also benefits from the iPhone 8's water resistance. This phone is built to IP67 spec, meaning it can withstand submersion in 3.3 feet (1 meter) of water for a half hour.

But what makes the iPhone SE's water resistance so special is the handset's bargain price. At $429, the iPhone SE is the cheapest IP-rated, water-resistant iPhone you can buy. (And it beats out many cheap Android phones, too.) It also supports wireless charging and sports an aluminum-and-glass design, making it extremely premium compared to similarly-priced Android phones. 

Read our full iPhone SE 2022 review.

Best general-use waterproof phone

iPhone 14

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best waterproof phone for most people

Specifications

Water resistance: IP68; max 20 feet (6 meters) for 30 minutes
Display: 6.1-inch OLED
Cameras (back/front): 12MP main (f/1.5), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.4)
Front camera: 12MP (f/1.9)
CPU: A15 Bionic
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 7:41

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent photography
+
Strong performance
+
Bright display

Reasons to avoid

-
No 120Hz refresh rate
-
No optical zoom camera
-
Sluggish charging

While it lacks a few features, the iPhone 14 still keeps up with its Pro siblings on the waterproof front. It's also capable of lasting for half an hour under 20 feet of water, and it makes use of a Ceramic Shield display that should prevent screen damage if the phone gets dropped on solid ground instead of in water.

The iPhone 14 doesn't have the same 120Hz display as the Pro models, and it also misses out on the telephoto camera, LiDAR sensor, Dynamic Island and always-on display. However the price remains pretty low, and the photography and computing performance still crushes most of the Android competition, making it a still worthy device for users in need of a big upgrade.

Read our full iPhone 14 review

Best waterproof Android phone

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra back in green showing cameras

(Image credit: Future)
The best waterproof phone for Android fans

Specifications

Water resistance: IP68; max 5 feet (1.5 meters) for 30 minutes
Display: 6.8-inch OLED (3200x1400)
Rear camera: 200MP main (ƒ/1.7), 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2), 10MP telephoto with 3x zoom (ƒ/2.4), 10MP telephoto with 10x zoom (ƒ/4.9)
Front camera: 12MP (ƒ/2.2)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
Battery life: 12:22

Reasons to buy

+
IP68 water resistances up to 1.5 meters
+
Built-in S Pen
+
Adaptive refresh rate for display

Reasons to avoid

-
Bulky
-
Pricey

Like other Galaxy flagships, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra features IP68 water resistance, so you can drop it in up to 5 feet of water without worry. But the real value in this phablet comes with its other features, such as the built-in S Pen. You’ll also find two telephoto lenses on the back of the Galaxy S22 Ultra to help you capture more detail when you zoom in on a shot. Not to mention the new and excellent 200MP main sensor.

The 6.8-inch AMOLED screen offers a dynamic refresh rate that adjusts depending on what you’re doing — scrolling through web pages might max out the refresh rate at 120Hz, for example, for a smoother experience.

This is the ultimate smartphone, but it has a price tag to match.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review.

Best waterproof iPhone phone for less

A blue iPhone 13 held in front of green foliage

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Top water resistance for less

Specifications

Water resistance: IP68; max 20 feet (6 meters) for 30 minutes
Display: 6.1-inch OLED (2532x1170)
Rear camera: 12MP wide (ƒ/1.6), 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.4)
Front camera: 12MP (ƒ/2.2)
CPU: A15 Bionic
Battery life: 8:25

Reasons to buy

+
Same durability as iPhone 13 Pro models
+
Impressive dual cameras
+
Attractive design
+
Better battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
No telephoto lens

The iPhone 13 features the same level of waterproofing as the iPhone 14 line - an Apple-tested resistance to 30 minutes of being submerged under 20 feet of water, and an IP68 rating, while remaining cheaper.

Its Apple A15 chipset is still more powerful than any Android phone even if it's been superseded by newer chips. Its dual cameras still take fantastic pictures too, and once updated to iOS 16 it'll have all the iPhone 14's software tricks to play with as well. The price drop to $599 might make that a worthwhile sacrifice though.

Read our full iPhone 13 review.

Best waterproof Android for less

Google Pixel 7 Pro back view

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Flagship water resistance at a great price

Specifications

Water resistance: IP68, up to 3 feet (1 m) for 30 minutes
Display: 6.7-inch OLED
Rear cameras: 50MP (f/1.85) main, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 48MP (f/3.5) telephoto with 5x optical zoom
Front camera: 10.8MP (f/2.2)
CPU: Tensor G2
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 6:31

Reasons to buy

+
Incredible cameras
+
Brighter display
+
Awesome Tensor features
+
More powerful chipset

Reasons to avoid

-
Disappointing battery life

Google released a really good phone this year. The Pixel 7 Pro impresses in almost every way, minus its deplorable battery life. It also features IP68 water resistance, like many other flagships out there. That means up to a meter of depth for 30 minutes.

Of course, this being a Pixel, the Pixel 7 Pro features incredible cameras that impress in most situations. This phone goes head-to-head with the iPhone 14 Pro Max for photography, which is saying a lot. And thanks to the new Tensor G2 chipset, the Pixel 7 Pro has a lot of software tricks up its sleeve. 

And all of this for $899, making the Pixel 7 Pro the best flagship value around.

Read our full Pixel 7 Pro review.

More of the best waterproof phones

galaxy s23 plus back in green

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best non-Ultra option for Galaxy fans

Specifications

Water resistance: IP68; max 5 feet (1.5 meters) for 30 minutes
Display: 6.6-inch AMOLED (2340 x 1080)
Rear camera: 50MP wide (f/1.8); 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2); 10MP telephoto (f/2.4) with 3x optical zoom
Front camera: 12MP (ƒ/2.2)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
Battery life: 11:38

Reasons to buy

+
IP68 water resistance
+
Excellent dynamic 120Hz display
+
Powerful camera zoom
+
Great update policy

Reasons to avoid

-
Only iterative upgrades

For many of the top features from the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but for less, turn to the Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus. The phone starts at $999, yet features an adaptive display and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy system-on-chip, just like other S23 options.

Just as importantly, Samsung doesn’t skip on water resistance here. Like the more expensive S23 Ultra, the S23 Plus can survive a 5-foot plunge into water for up to 30 minutes. 

All around, the Galaxy S23 Plus is a great big-screen device, especially with its 1,750-nit display and 45W fast charging.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus review.

Google Pixel 7 review

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Stellar cameras for less

Specifications

Water resistance: IP68, up to 3 feet (1 m) for 30 minutes
Display: 6.3-inch OLED
Rear cameras: 50MP (f/1.85) main, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide
Front camera: 10.8MP (f/2.2)
CPU: Tensor G2
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 7:03

Reasons to buy

+
Tensor chip adds smarts to the phone
+
Excellent photo-editing features
+
Great price

Reasons to avoid

-
Underwhelming battery life
-
No telephoto lens

Being on a tight budget doesn’t mean flagship phones are out of reach. With a starting price of $599, the Google Pixel 7 gives fans of unlocked phones a way to get a leading Android flagship handset without busting their budget.

You don’t make many compromises for the Pixel 7’s lower price — there’s no telephoto lens and the screen refreshes at 90Hz instead of a faster 120Hz rate. And you still get outstanding cameras that benefit from Google’s know-how with computational photography. The new Tensor G2 chipset powering the Pixel 7 enables a number of experiences like call management and on-device dictation that other Android phones can’t match.

Read our full Google Pixel 7 review.

Back view of OnePlus 10 Pro

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best Android phone for the money

Specifications

Water resistance: IP68, 1.5 m for 30 minutes
Rear cameras: 48MP (f/1.8) main, 50MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 8MP (f/2.4) 3.3x telephoto
Front camera: 32MP (f/2.2)
Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED (3216 x 1440)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 11:52 (120Hz), 12:39 (60Hz)

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent battery life
+
Beautiful new design
+
Lower price than last year

Reasons to avoid

-
Telephoto is just 8MP
-
Only T-Mobile version has IP rating

The OnePlus 10 Pro is the newest and hottest Android flagship. In fact, it’s one of our favorite new devices thanks to its beautiful design, awesome display, great cameras, and excellent battery life. And with an IP68 rating, you can be sure the OnePlus 10 Pro will survive an unfortunate dunk in some water — assuming you get the T-Mobile version.

We think this is the Android phone to get for most people because of its incredibly appealing $899 price tag. The cameras are the best we’ve ever seen on a OnePlus phone, even going up against the likes of the Pixel 6 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max quite well.

OnePlus got a lot right this year, including the software. OxygenOS 12.1 is the best version of OnePlus’ Android skin that we’ve seen. It’s smooth and fast, especially when paired with the 120Hz display.

Read our full OnePlus 10 Pro review.

Google Pixel 6a review

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The best waterproof budget Android phone

Specifications

Water resistance: IP67; max 3 feet (1 meter) for 30 minutes
Display: 6.1-inch OLED (2400 x 1080)
Rear cameras: 12.2MP main (f/1.7), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2)
Front camera: 8MP (f/2.0)
CPU: Tensor
Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 6:29

Reasons to buy

+
Spectacular cameras
+
Bright display
+
IP67 water resistance
+
Great performance

Reasons to avoid

-
Poor battery life in our testing

Google brought water resistance to the Pixel A-series with the Pixel 5a and continued it with the Pixel 6a. This $449 camera champ sports an IP67 rating, meaning it can survive a meter underwater for 30 minutes. Not only that, but it's just a really good phone. Not only is the display good, but it's got great performance (especially for the price).

The Pixel 6a's claim to fame is the photography experience. Without a doubt, it's the best camera phone under $500, punching well above its weight thanks to Google's computational photography prowess. If you're on a budget and want the best cameras for your money, the Pixel 6a should be at the top of the list.

Read our full Google Pixel 6a review.

How to choose the best waterproof phone for you

If water resistance is a primary concern in your smartphone buying decision, you'll definitely want to pay attention to manufacturers' IP-rating claims.

In the mobile industry, an IP67 certification means your device will be protected against 3.3 feet (1 meter) of submersion for a period of 30 minutes. IP68 usually means you're getting at least 5 feet (1.5 meters), though some companies, like Apple, use IP68 to refer to as much as 13 feet (4 meters) of durability. If a phone boasts no IP rating, or has been treated with a water-repellent coating, you shouldn't trust it to survive if it's ever submerged. Unfortunately, most budget phones tend to make do with this limited form of protection, and even some flagships are among them (including the shady OnePlus 10 Pro situation where only the T-Mobile version has an IP certification).

Also, it's important to point out that an IP rating does not mean water damage within the specified parameters is covered under your device's warranty. Unfortunately, while many phone makers are all too quick to assert water resistance, you won't find a single one that is confident enough in that claim to actually replace or repair one of their products, free of charge, in the event of a spill.

How we test smartphones

In order for a smartphone to make any one of our lists of the best phones, it needs to excel on several tests that we run on every handset. We perform some of these tests in our labs and some in the real world.

When it comes to performance, we rely on such synthetic benchmarks as Geekbench 5 and 3DMark to measure CPU and graphics performance. These tests allow us to compare performance across iPhones and Android devices. We also run a real-world video transcoding test on each phone using the Adobe Premiere Rush app and time the result. (Unfortunately, not all phones are compatible with this test, so we skip it where needed.)

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Performance benchmarks
Row 0 - Cell 0 Geekbench 5 (single-core / multicore)3DMark Wild Life Unlimited (FPS)
iPhone 14 Pro Max1720 / 454968
iPhone SE (2022)1718 / 448250
iPhone 141727 / 455357
Galaxy S22 Ultra1240 / 339257
iPhone 131668 / 443656
Pixel 7 Pro1060 / 3046N/A
OnePlus 10 Pro995 / 348261
Pixel 71054 / 3021N/A
Galaxy S22 Plus1214 / 336160
Pixel 6a1057 / 291841

To measure the quality of a phone's display, we perform lab tests to determine the brightness of the panel (in nits), as well as how colorful each screen is in the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts. In these cases, higher numbers are better. We also measure color accuracy of each panel with a Delta-E rating, where lower numbers are better and score of 0 is perfect.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Display benchmarks
Row 0 - Cell 0 sRGB (%)DCI-P3 (%)Delta-E
iPhone 14 Pro Max109770.21
iPhone SE (2022)115810.21
iPhone 14117.483.10.25
Galaxy S22 Ultra138970.25
iPhone 13110780.26
Pixel 7 Pro104.974.30.28
OnePlus 10 Pro174 (Vivid) / 119 (Natural)123 (Vivid) / 84 (Natural)0.32 / 0.23
Pixel 7109.377.40.28
Galaxy S22 Plus212 (Vivid) / 128 (Natural)150 (Vivid) / 91 (Natural)0.35 (Vivid) / 0.23 (Natural)
Pixel 6a131 (Adaptive) / 111 (Natural)93 (Adaptive) / 79 (Natural)0.25 (Adaptive) / 0.2 (Natural)

One of the most important tests we run is the Tom's Guide battery test. We run a web surfing test over 5G (or 4G if the phone doesn't have 5G support) at 150 nits of screen brightness until the battery gives out. In general, a phone that lasts 10 hours or more is good, and anything above 11 hours makes our list of the best phone battery life.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Battery life benchmark
Row 0 - Cell 0 Battery life (Hrs:Mins)
iPhone 14 Pro Max12:16
iPhone SE (2022)7:39
iPhone 149:28
Galaxy S22 Ultra8:50 (Adaptive) / 8:56 (60Hz)
iPhone 1310:33
Pixel 7 Pro6:31
OnePlus 10 Pro11:52 (High) / 12:40 (60Hz)
Pixel 77:03
Galaxy S22 Plus9:27 (Adaptive) / 10:27 (60Hz)
Pixel 6a6:29

Last but not least, we take the best phones out in the field to take photos outdoors, indoors and at night in low light to see how they perform versus their closest competitors. We take shots of landscapes, food, portraits and more, and also allow you to be the judge with side-by-side comparisons in our reviews. 

More from Tom's Guide

Jordan Palmer
Phones Editor

Jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, covering all things phone-related. He's written about phones for over six years and plans to continue for a long while to come. He loves nothing more than relaxing in his home with a book, game, or his latest personal writing project. Jordan likes finding new things to dive into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Outside of work, you can find him poring over open-source software and his studies.

With contributions from
  • TwoWheelsGood
    Is there any evaluation of how well the phones perform in the rain ? With wet fingers, can I unlock the phone, navigate to an app, a page, a tab, a screen, then zoom and pan, and type some keyboard text , and send/submit ?

    Are raindrops when they impact the screen or run off the screen occasionally misinterpreted as finger gestures ? If smartphone works in the rain, does it work both in tropical monsoon 90 F and in temperate 30 F conditions ?

    If this appears a strange question, imaging you are riding your bike around town in the rain trying to follow web based cycling navigation instructions and you keep tabbing between a saved map route (like map quest in Chrome, or RideWithGPS) and a live map app like Googlemaps or Apple Maps, and you will photograph or video discrepancies while riding between these online tools and the real world as maintained by the Dept. Of Transportation.
    Reply
  • wk_sg
    Are you sure that Samsung phones are waterproof or water-resistant phone? I have 2 incidents with Samsung (S10plus and A22 5G), a touch of water, and the phone corroded.
    Reply
  • compmaster56
    The author of this article should be ashamed to have written and publish this article.
    Please consider removing this article, or at the very least, you need to change the title to "The best water resistant phones".

    This is the kind of bad article that causes people to think their phones are waterproof (waterproof and water resistant are not the same thing!) and then inevitably blames the manufacturer when it gets water damaged and the manufacturer refuses to replace it under warranty.

    To signal how displeased I am... I reset my password to my 11-year old forum account just to post this.
    Reply
  • compmaster56
    wk_sg said:
    Are you sure that Samsung phones are waterproof or water-resistant phone? I have 2 incidents with Samsung (S10plus and A22 5G), a touch of water, and the phone corroded.

    They're water resistant, no device is waterproof (this article should be removed because it paints a false perception that iPhones etc. are waterproof when they're not).
    The level of water resistance a device has depends on its age and your environment, in a warm humid environment the seals will degrade much faster than if the device was in a cooler less humid environment.
    Effectively a smartphone's water resistance should never intentionally be tested unless you are prepared to kill the device.
    Reply
  • paulocortez
    compmaster56 said:
    They're water resistant, no device is waterproof (this article should be removed because it paints a false perception that iPhones etc. are waterproof when they're not).
    The level of water resistance a device has depends on its age and your environment, in a warm humid environment the seals will degrade much faster than if the device was in a cooler less humid environment.
    Effectively a smartphone's water resistance should never intentionally be tested unless you are prepared to kill the device.

    IP68 is water proof.

    "IP68 can withstand immersion in water deeper than 1 meter. Andboth of these objects are dust resistant. When it comes to water proof versus sweat resistance, manufacturers are referring to waterproof as complete immersion in water (usually IP second digit of 7) meaning 1 meter depth for 30 minutes. " (https://majorhifi.com/water-resistant-ratings-explained/)

    My phone is IP68 and I put it underwater all the time without any problem. (btw, 200 U$)
    Reply
  • timhennesy
    The pixel 7 pro is not ip68. Mine was in a pool to at most 1ft deep for only 30seconds and the touchscreen stopped working and there is significant condensation in the cameras, it is absolutely not able to have zero ingress after 1 meter for 30 minutes. This is false advertising. I had the phone for only 3 months and it was not abused dropped or cracked, they will not offer a replacement on this clearly defective product.
    Reply
  • rgd1101
    how did it get into the pool? did you drop it?
    Reply