If you are planning on buying the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, the first thing on your mind is whether the phone is waterproof. Perhaps you’re the type of customer who loves to take underwater pictures when you go scuba diving or swimming in the pool with your friends. Or maybe you’re prone to spilling water or coffee on your desk. Despite your best efforts, it’s all too easy to accidentally end up short-circuiting your device.
The fact that the Z Flip 4 closes like an old-fashioned clamshell flip phone might give you a sense of security that the device won’t get damaged by water no matter what you do. Unfortunately, it still functions like a regular smartphone, so it’s still vulnerable to water damage to some extent.
The Z Flip 4 carries an IPX8 rating, which means it is water-resistant but not necessarily waterproof. Like most smartphones, it’s only waterproof for up to 30 minutes when you submerge it in fresh water up to 1.5 meters.
The “X” in “IPX8” means that the Z Flip 4 has not been tested for dust protection, so it’s likely that it may suffer dust or sand damage in certain environments. Since it has a hinge — albeit one that’s invisible underneath the screen when unfolded — it runs the risk of accumulating dust particles over time, so you might want to make it a point to clean the phone every once in a while.
The “8” signifies the Z Flip 4 can technically survive submersion underwater for 30 minutes without any damage, so long as it is done in freshwater. However, if you exceed that time limit, your phone may suffer some damage since it hasn’t been tested past that point. Heaven forbid you bring it anywhere near the pool or ocean water, as the chemicals in chlorinated and saltwater may cause irreparable damage. The Z Flip 4 is safe if a few raindrops touch it if you’re running around in the rain or if you spill a cup of water on it by accident, but you still need to exercise great caution when you go on vacation anywhere near the beach or the pool. Think of it as insurance rather than the phone being built for that environment.
The Z Flip 3 also carried the IPX8 rating, along with the Z Fold 3. The Z Fold 4 also carries this rating despite having a screen on the outside. Even so, you need to take extra care to ensure that water of any kind doesn’t compromise your device.
If you really want to take underwater pictures with the Z Flip 4 unfolded, you can always invest in an underwater phone sleeve. The film of the pouch may hinder the quality of your pictures, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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