Summer has finally arrived but that doesn’t mean things are going to stay dry. Whether you’re by the pool, the sea, or even unlucky enough to get caught in a summer downpour, these five smartphones are built to last with rated water and dust protection whilst still offering top of the range smartphone features.
This P2i-treated smartphone is completely waterproof. Click here to find out how.
Water and dust protection comes in the form of a system called Ingress Protection. It is basically a rating system designed by the International Electrotechnical Commission for classifying different stages of intrustion protection by foreign bodies – ie. dirt and water. Devices are given the term IP followed by two numbers, the first indicating the level of dust protection and the second indicating the level of water resistance. The dust scale goes from 0-6 whilst the water scale goes up to 9. The higher the number, the better the protection.
HTC One M8
Released hot on the heels of the Samsung Galaxy S5, the HTC One M8 boasts a 5in Full HD (Super LCD 3) 1,920 x 1080 screen, which is 440ppi.
The HTC One M8 also runs on HTC’s brand new Android-based interfact, Sense 6.0, which sits over Android 4.4 KitKat. The smartphone also adds more content to Blinkfeed, HTC’s news, messaging and social media home screen.
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The phone is the first in the world to feature a dual rear camera setup, which allows the user to work on refocusing images after the picture has been taken.
When it comes to waterproofing, the M8 is ingress protection rated to 67, helping to keep out that pesky water and dust.
Samsung Galaxy S5
The S5 features a 5.1-inch 1080p display, a 2.5GHz quad-core CPU, a 16MP camera which can autofocus in 0.3 seconds, and is also IP67 waterproof and dustproof. It also includes biometrics, with confirmation that a fingerprint sensor will serve as a home button while a heart-rate sensor on the back can link up to the new smartwatches for call rejection and fitness tracking.
It’s not quite fully waterproof, but splashproof is good enough for now. Shin did encourage using the S5 for singing along in the shower with but I expect he’ll regret that once the drenched phones start getting returned.
The heart-rate sensor on the back is all part of Samsung’s get fit plan, and ties in rather nicely with the release of the Gear Fit smartwatch. The design of the phone has also been a hot talking point, with most people falling into two categories: love or hate. I was cycnical at first, but after touching it in real life today, the back feels a lot more premium than it looks, and the colours are fairly original.
Moto G
Boasting a ‘water-repellent’ coating, the Moto G may not be fully water resistant but it’s probably the closest you’re going to get if you’re on a budget.
The smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor clocked at 1.2GHz featuring a quad-core CPU along with an Adreno 305 GPU and 1GB of RAM to enable multitasking, while supporting services like web, videos and games.
The Moto G features a 4.5-inch HD display and comes with 19 customisation options including interchangeable Motorola Shells and Flip Shells in seven colours.
The phone has 5MP rear camera with an LED flash and a 1.3MP front facing camera to enable video calling.
Galaxy S4 Active
The S4 Active has IP67 protection from dust and water with the fully sealed design that keeps dust particles out and protects against water damage for up to 30 minutes of submergence.
It’s powered by a 1.9GHZ Quad-Core processor and comes with 2,600mAh battery, 5-inch Full HD TFT LCD screen with 443 PPI resolution.
The device comes with Glove Touch, 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front facing camera with Aqua Mode that increases visual quality and clarity, and LED flash light to assist in low-light.
The smartphone features an internal memory of 16GB that can be expanded up to 64GB with micro SD card, 2GB RAM and supports the use of Samsung Smart Pause, Air View, Air Gesture and S Health applications.
Sony Xperia Z2
The Z2, released in February, is IP55 & IP58 rated, with a quality 20.7MP camera and a vivid 5.2-inch HD screen.
Inside is the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.3 GHz quad-core Krait CPUs, 3GB RAM and high capacity 3200 mAh battery in an 8.2mm slim smartphone.
With a sleek, metal body, and a dedicated camera shutter button, the Z2 is perfect for smartphoning on the go in all weather.
