Best answer: No, the Pixel 4 series is not waterproof but rather water resistant. The phones are equipped with a water-resistance rating of IP68, which means that you can take them under water up to one meter (~3 feet) without concern.
- Little brother: Google Pixel 4 ($799 at Amazon)
- Big brother: Google Pixel 4 XL ($899 at Amazon)
Should you take the Pixel 4 for a swim?
It’s practically commonplace for a flagship smartphone in 2019 to come equipped with a water resistance rating of IP68. But what exactly does that mean? Can you take it for a swim, or use it in the shower?
When looking at the nomenclature for water-resistance, the key pieces of information lie in the numbers. The first number, in this case 6, is the best possible for dust resistance, and the 6 means that the Pixel 4 is completely sealed from any dust getting in.
When it comes to swimming or getting caught in a monsoon, the second number is the focal point. In the case of the 8 for the Pixel 4 lineup, this means that you can take the smartphone underwater up to one meter (3-feet) deep for up to 30 minutes. Anything longer than this, and your phone won’t be able to withstand the water pressure and leaks may occur.
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention what this rating means over the life of the device. Even through normal wear and tear, the seal in your smartphone can wear down to the point where taking your phone into a water can mean bigger problems.
Google’s latest and greatest
After months of leaks and teases, Google announced a bunch of new products headlined by the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. These handsets are Google’s 2019/2020 flagship smartphones, with a decent spec sheet, and some under-the-hood magic.
The first big addition is the 90Hz refresh rate which will help make interactions with your Pixel 4 even more fluid. This, combined with the beautiful 5.7-inch or 6.3-inch OLED display, will ensure that media playback will look phenomenal. Plus, Motion Sense gestures have been added, which allows you to control your phone without even touching the display.
Under the hood, Google included the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset, paired with 6GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage. As is tradition for Google’s devices, there is no way to add more storage and the company has removed the ability for Pixel owners to upload original quality images to Photos.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL comes down to the cameras. The Pixel 3 lineup set the bar high for all future smartphones, the it seems that the Pixel 4 is taking the baton. There is a primary 12.2MP rear-mounted camera, with a secondary 16MP telephoto lens.
So getting back to getting wet
The Pixel 4 series isn’t water_proof_ but the phones are water resistant. That means you can get caught in the rain and not worry, or spill something on the phone and wash it off under the sink. You can drop it in the toilet or even in the pool without fretting too much.
We’d still recommend buying a case to protect the phone itself, since it’s made of aluminum and glass, but the insides should be protected against anything you can throw at it — though not literally.
Little brother
Google Pixel 4
$799 at Amazon
$799 at Google Store
The best from Google in a smaller package
The Pixel 4 is how Google envisions how Android should be used with some welcome additions. These include the 90Hz display, dual-cameras, more RAM, and some new color options that are sure to fly off the shelves for the next year.
Big brother
Google Pixel 4 XL
$899 at Amazon
$899 at Google Store
What Google wants from a big-screened phone
The best part of the Pixel 4 and 4 XL are that the specs are exactly the same, other than the display. There is still a 90Hz refresh rate, but the 4 XL’s display is slightly larger and has a higher resolution.
