The latest, hottest smartphones in the market are probably the Google Pixel and Pixel XL phones. While there is no doubt that these phones have basically everything it takes to be called premium or flagship handsets, one question is still unanswered: how durable are the two phones?
The Google Pixel has an IP53 certification which when compared to the IP67 and IP68 found on the iPhone 7 and Galaxy S7, respectively, is far from offering the durability standards of the latter phones, at least on paper. Usually, on-paper stats can be confusing and at times blinding. Technically, IP53 certification means that the best thing to do is keep the Google Pixel away from water, be it a shower, rain or any other source.
However, real-world tests have something else to say. According to YouTuber Harris Craycraft, the Google Pixel is as good as the Galaxy S7 and iPhone 7 when it comes to water resistance capabilities. The test started with putting the phone in a mild puddle of water, some ‘rain’ and later on the phone ended up in submerged in a jar of water for a period of 30 minutes.
With an IP53 rating, the Google Pixel should not be able to survive a dive of up to 30 minutes, however, the video reveals that the phone was still working perfectly even after being submerged in water for the said period. This is good news for buyers of the Pixel and Pixel XL, especially after many have labeled the phones as overpriced.
The smaller Google Pixel has a price tag of $649 for the base model while adding another $100 will get you the 128GB variant. As for the Pixel XL, the base model has a price tag of $769 while the high-end model needs an extra $100.
Despite this tests, it doesn’t imply that the Google Pixel is fully waterproof. Of course, it seems it could survive minor splashes, spills or even a bath, but this shouldn’t push you beyond the limits. You may end up with a device that is not fully functional, just like another YouTuber, Jonathan Morrison, can confirm. Apparently, Morrison took the tests by a further 30 minutes, submerging the Google Pixel underwater for up to one hour. Even though the phone still worked, there were issues with the speaker.
Better still, the tests show that buyers of the allegedly “pricey” Google Pixel and Pixel XL phones probably got more than what they initially thought.
You can watch the two videos from here and here.