[Casualballer]

Friend of mine is looking to upgrade from an S7. Doesn't really need all the bells and whistles (and price tag) of a brand new flagship, so I recommended the Pixel 3a to him. He was fine with the low storage and non flagship chip set, but he drew the line at no waterproofing. Now, i don't think he specifically wants certification, but a general assurance about the durability of the phone in water related situations, similar to Moto or oneplus would probably suffice.
So, here's the question. Does the pixel 3a have any water resistant elements to it akin to moto or oneplus? And if not what other phone should I suggest?

[Mooncatt]

Water resistance (no phone is waterproofed) is mostly a gimmick. It's based on a specific lab test, not real world situations. With that in mind, I treat all phones the same, as if they were not rated. I've never had any issues with water damage.

So I'd question why that's the big sticking point for you friend. Is he wanting to use it close to water where there's a good chance of getting wet (pools, shower, lakes, etc)? If so, I'd stick it in a water tight bag and call it a day.

[mustang7757]

Friend of mine is looking to upgrade from an S7. Doesn't really need all the bells and whistles (and price tag) of a brand new flagship, so I recommended the Pixel 3a to him. He was fine with the low storage and non flagship chip set, but he drew the line at no waterproofing. Now, i don't think he specifically wants certification, but a general assurance about the durability of the phone in water related situations, similar to Moto or oneplus would probably suffice.
So, here's the question. Does the pixel 3a have any water resistant elements to it akin to moto or oneplus? And if not what other phone should I suggest?

I had the pixel 3a it's really good device , as mooncatt suggest if going take to beach or pool best get a water resistant/proof bag or pouch to keep it in and not worry.

[B. Diddy]

I'd be concerned that an IP rating might make him feel more comfortable using the phone somewhat recklessly around water. As mentioned above, water resistance is no guarantee that a phone is waterproof, and there are many posts here about phones that have sustained water damage due to accidental or purposeful exposure to liquid that exceeds the IP testing conditions.

[Ry]

Even with a Water Resistance rating, water damage isn't covered by the warranty.

[Casualballer]

Water resistance (no phone is waterproofed) is mostly a gimmick. It's based on a specific lab test, not real world situations. With that in mind, I treat all phones the same, as if they were not rated. I've never had any issues with water damage.

So I'd question why that's the big sticking point for you friend. Is he wanting to use it close to water where there's a good chance of getting wet (pools, shower, lakes, etc)? If so, I'd stick it in a water tight bag and call it a day.

So he lives in a very rainy environment and was constantly neorotic about his phone and making phone calls outside until he got the S7.

[Ry]

What's the budget? I feel like the Samsung Galaxy S10e might be low enough in price now.

[Mooncatt]

So he lives in a very rainy environment and was constantly neorotic about his phone and making phone calls outside until he got the S7.

Gotcha. I don't really have any suggestions for that sort of use. I use a Bluetooth headset for my calls, so my phone is safe in my pocket if I'm outside. So that may be one work around (cheaper to replace if damaged).

On the device front, maybe have him look into the Razer Phone 2, which is IP 67 rated and won't break the bank. I got it a few weeks ago and have overall been happy with it. The two biggest drawbacks are a poor camera app (can get a Gcam port for it), and a lot of people think the screen is calibrated too warm. But for the price, it definitely holds its own and is very snappy.

www.razer.com/mobile/razer-phone-2