Over the years, water-resistance in phones has gone from being a luxury reserved only for top-shelf phones to a standard feature that’s expected of any remotely expensive gadget. We’ve rounded up the best waterproof phones in 2022, led by the fantastic Samsung Galaxy S22. Take a look at our list for more options that will fit any budget and lifestyle needs.Best overall waterproof phone: Samsung Galaxy S22(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)Samsung Galaxy S22The best phone value of 2022Reasons to buy+Large, beautiful 120Hz display+Awesome cameras+Four years of platform updates+Wireless charging and IP68 ratingReasons to avoid-Battery life isn’t the best-No microSD supportThe Samsung Galaxy S22 burst onto the scene earlier this year and quickly became our consensus choice for one of the best Android phones you might buy. That doesn’t mean that it had the best specs overall or was the best-priced phone. No, we love the S22 because of how well it balances price, features, and built quality, and part of that build quality is its IP68 water and dust resistance.Unlike its higher-priced siblings in the S22 series, this phone has a battery life that struggles to get through the day. It also gets a little warm while playing games, but apart from that, this is premium all the way. The beautiful matte glass back looks and feels luxurious. The S22 comes in beautiful color options, including Phantom Black, Pink Gold, Phantom White, and Green.On top of the water resistance, you get a top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, with 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. The cameras outperform many higher-priced flagships, even if they take a teeny bit of time delivering the results. And as icing on the cake, the Galaxy S22 is guaranteed to receive four years of OS updates, securing your investment for years to come.Best waterproof phone upgrade: OnePlus 9 Pro(Image credit: Source: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)OnePlus 9 ProThe best phone OnePlus has ever madeReasons to buy+Large, beautiful 120Hz display+Incredible Hasselblad-tuned cameras+Super-fast charging+OxygenOS has no bloatware+Wireless charging and IP68 ratingReasons to avoid-Battery life could be better-Some software and camera bugs are still presentThe OnePlus 9 Pro is as impressive and well-designed as any smartphone can be. If you know anything about the company’s phones, you’ll be happy to know the 9 Pro doesn’t upend the traditional OnePlus formula. Instead, it takes it to its logical place in the world of smartphones with more features and a higher price. And unlike the newer OnePlus 10 Pro from 2022, this means additions like IP68 resistance.The hardware goes head to head with any phone out there, and it’s punctuated by the best display OnePlus has used. It’s bright, colorful, and has a super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Inside there are exceptional specs, leading to fantastic performance thanks to the OxygenOS software, even after the OPPO merger. Thankfully, OnePlus ditched its plans to merge ColorOS with OxygenOS.The 9 Pro also has one of the best cameras yet on a OnePlus phone, with a main sensor that ups its game to a true flagship-level, thanks to OnePlus’s partnership with camera pioneer Hasselblad. The entire camera experience is a small step below the newer OnePlus 10 Pro, but the hardware is almost the same. That’s really where the OnePlus 9 Pro fits in. It’s a true flagship phone experience through and through, for just a bit less money than the traditional players with big brand names.Best big waterproof phone: Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus(Image credit: Source: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Samsung Galaxy S22 PlusSamsung goes all-outReasons to buy+Massive high-quality screen+Decent battery+Super-sharp main camera shots+Solid camerasReasons to avoid-Necessarily big and heavy-No headphone jack-Very big and pretty priceyThe Galaxy S22 Plus takes a step above the more mainstream (and more comfy to hold) Galaxy S22. It has all of the same specs and features, yes including its water resistance rating, but with a larger display — up to 6.6 inches — and correspondingly larger 4,500mAh battery. Even when using its gorgeous Quad HD+ display at 120Hz, it has great battery life, so you’ll never have to worry about longevity on this phone.The S22+ also uses that extra space (and higher price) to give you better cameras, with a 50MP main shooter that takes even brighter photos, an ultra-wide-angle lens, and a telephoto camera that can reach out and get great shots up to 3X. The trade-offs for this extra capability, and battery life, are overall size and price. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is bigger and heavier than the Galaxy S22.Best waterproof phone camera: Google Pixel 6(Image credit: Alex Dobie / Android Central)Google Pixel 6A great all-around packageReasons to buy+IP68 water resistance+Material You is beautiful+Top-end camera quality back and front+Fast wireless charging+Fantastic valueReasons to avoid-Polarizing design-Display could be brighterThe Pixel 6 represents the very best of Google’s software in the form of the dynamic Android with Material You. The hardware is no slouch either; that IP68-rated exterior will protect your phone from dust and water ingress better than most “value flagships.” The 8GB RAM coupled with the custom silicone from Google, Tensor, delivers plenty of performance.You also get stereo speakers and a 90Hz display, and of course, the Pixel 6 has one of the best cameras on any phone you can buy. Night Sight allows the Pixel 6 to capture stunning photos even in nearly pitch-black conditions, and in daylight, you can grab phenomenal photos in any situation thanks to its 50MP main and 12MP ultrawide cameras.Just about the only downsides to this mid-level masterpiece are its slightly dim display panel and its daring design, which isn’t for everyone. But thanks to the best Pixel 6 cases, you won’t be as bothered by the phone’s looks if you don’t like ’em.Most durable waterproof phone: Blackview BV4900(Image credit: Blackview)Blackview BV4900Built like an amphibious vehicleReasons to buy+Military-grade construction+IP68 water and dust resistance+Huge 5,580mAh battery+NFC ready+Has a headphone jackReasons to avoid-Rugged design is not for everybody-Doesn’t work on all US carriers-No fingerprint readerIf you’re looking for a tough, rugged Android phone that you can take anywhere and which can take anything you throw at it (or it at), then you want the Blackview BV4900. This phone is built like a tank, with MIL-STD-810G certification and IP68 dust and water resistance. There is no need to even think about putting a case on this phone; it IS a case with a phone built-in.This phone is perfect for the outdoor adventurer, tradesperson, or even teenager, but not just because it’s tough. It has a massive 5,580mAh battery, and it comes with a capable 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, which is expandable up to 128GB. You also get NFC for Google Pay payments, but there’s no fingerprint sensor included. This phone is also the most affordable on this list.Best waterproof phone with a stylus: Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra(Image credit: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)Samsung Galaxy S22 UltraAll of Samsung’s great features, with a stylus insideReasons to buy+Fantastic build quality+S Pen functionality+Gorgeous screen+Best Samsung camera experience+All-day battery life+IP68 ratingReasons to avoid-Doesn’t come with a charger-ExpensiveThe Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is by all accounts the best premium Samsung device of 2022. It doesn’t fold like the Z Fold 3 or Z Flip 3, but it has higher specs than those two devices and it’s the first non-Note phone to come with an S Pen built-in.The S22 Ultra packs some impressive specs into its admittedly large frame, including a 6.8-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 40MP hole-punch selfie cam. In addition, it has a three-camera system on the back that rivals any on the market, supported by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage (though you can get a 1TB model).And, of course, the S22 Ultra is IP68 water and dust-resistant. It’s pretty amazing that Samsung can achieve this rating with a stylus, but they somehow do! If you want most of the features of the S22 Ultra (including water resistance) for less, there is also the regular Galaxy S22 and the S22+, but you’ll be missing out on the S Pen, state-of-the-art cameras, and a gigantic 5,000mAh battery.Best waterproof flip phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3(Image credit: Source: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3Finally, a folding phone with water resistanceReasons to buy+Compact size that’s great for one-handed use+IPX8 water resistance+Excellent build quality+Good performance+Optimized software for form factorReasons to avoid-Lackluster battery life-No telephoto cameraThe folding phone that most people have been waiting for is finally here! Best of all, it’s beautiful, durable, has high-end specs, and oh yeah, it’s water-resistant! The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 brings you the future with a taste of the past and does so in a compact package that should appeal to those who pine away for small phones.Samsung has been developing its folding screen technology for several years now, but it feels like this is the generation where it has finally nailed it. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 sports more durable hinges and glass than previous versions, and it is the first Flip with built-in water resistance — IPX8, to be exact. This will protect your phone from an odd splash or some light rain, but don’t think you can take it swimming with you. You will also need to guard against dust ingress, a tougher problem to solve with a folding phone.Aside from being tougher, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 has a larger and more useful exterior display, the robust Snapdragon 888 processor, and surprisingly capable cameras. So if you’re looking for convenience, portability, or a smaller form factor, this phone is for you.Bottom lineWhen waterproofing is a requirement in your next phone, you’re in luck: most of the best Android phones available today have at least IP68 resistance. That means our top pick for a waterproof phone is the same as our general best pick, the Samsung Galaxy S22.The Samsung Galaxy S22 has excellent hardware and specs, punctuated by a stunning 120Hz display, and it performs exceptionally well with super clean software. In addition, it’s promised to get four major platform upgrades, which makes it even more of a good deal for most Android flagship customers.What do these ratings mean?(Image credit: Source: Android Central)While no phone is truly waterproof, there are varying water resistance levels to consider when comparing different phones. Every model in this list is rated IP68, which denotes full dust resistance and allows the phone to survive up to 30 minutes in as much as two meters of water. Other phones may be rated IP67, offering the same dust protection but only half the submersion depth at a single meter.You may also occasionally see IPX7, which protects against one meter of water but doesn’t guarantee protection against dust. Some phones, like the Moto G series, are water-resistant to some extent but not officially IP-certified. This means it’ll probably survive if you get caught in the rain or accidentally spill a drink on the table. Still, you shouldn’t test your luck since you’re unlikely to get very far with customer service if the water damage indicator inside the phone gets wet.On that note, while water resistance is a great feature to have, it isn’t a guarantee from the manufacturer that your phone will survive any and all immersion. Especially if your phone gets badly cracked or the water sealant inside gets damaged (this typically happens when removing the back for repairs), liquid can still seep in and ruin your phone — so take regular precautions with your phone, even if it’s IP68 certified. And that knowledge may also make you consider some of the best cheap Android phones that may not have official IP ratings but have a lot going for them otherwise.Most phones are water resistant these days(Image credit: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)Whether you buy the Samsung Galaxy S22, the Google Pixel 6, or so many others, you’ll be getting an incredible device that’s backed by the same IP68 certification. Even if none of these phones speak to you, though, here’s some excellent news: ingress protection is all but mandated in a flagship phone these days, so the next time you’re shopping around, you can pretty much choose whatever phone catches your eye.If you’re shopping on a tighter budget, don’t worry — there are still some options worth considering with at least moderate water resistance. For example, the Moto G Power (2021) may not be IP68-certified; it has a “water repellent P2i nano-coating” that protects it from splashes. So while phones within this price range are less likely to have ingress protection, there are certainly options out there.Round up of today’s best deals
