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What is Samsung’s most durable smartphone?

Q: What makes a phone rugged?

Simply speaking, a rugged phone, like those in the new Samsung Galaxy S24 series, can better withstand harsh conditions and physical impacts.

Q: What is Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2?

Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 is an industry-leading type of strengthened glass. It is innovatively designed to be thin, light and most importantly, damage-resistant, both from drops and scratches

Whether you’re a hiking enthusiast or live in a bustling city, having a durable smartphone gives you peace of mind that it can withstand the rigors of everyday life. In this guide we discover more about Samsung’s best rugged smartphones, and what you should look out for when choosing the toughest device.

What makes a phone rugged?

It doesn’t matter if you work in the great outdoors, or love to explore, choosing a phone that’s going to stand-up to life’s adventures is important. That’s why you’ll find no compromise in durability with Samsung's latest smartphones. But what makes a phone rugged? Simply speaking, a rugged phone, like those in the flagship Galaxy S24 series, can better withstand harsh conditions and physical impacts. There are three important features when it comes to determining how rugged a phone is:

1. Resistance to Cracks and Scratches

Samsung’s 2024 phone, the Galaxy Z Fold6, has a super-tough Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus 2 screen which ensures resilience against scratches and cracks. You’ll also find an enhanced Armor Aluminium frame on the Galaxy Z Fold6 which is up to 10% stronger than the Armor Aluminium on the Z Fold5. It’s specially formulated to absorb shocks while providing an additional layer of defence against dents and breakages. Whether you’re working on a building site, planning a hike in the great outdoors or simply managing busy family life, a rugged phone is protected against it all.

2. Protection from Water and Dust

All Samsung Galaxy S series phones, up from the S7, come equipped with an IP (Ingress Protection) rating which assesses its ability to resist water and dust. A higher IP rating such as the IP68 on the Galaxy S24 series signifies superior protection. This means that phones in the Galaxy S24 series can endure submersion in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water, for a duration of up to 30 minutes*. So, you no longer need to worry if you accidentally drop your phone down the toilet or need to make a call in the rain.

*Not advised for beach or pool use. Water and dust resistance of device is not permanent and may diminish over time because of normal wear and tear.

3. Resistant to Extreme Temperatures

Rugged Samsung phones are innovatively designed to keep working in a wide range of temperatures, from freezing cold to scorching hot, without affecting their performance or battery life, ensuring reliability whatever the weather.

What is Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 ?

Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 can be found on Samsung’s 2024 Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip6¹. This highly specialist glass is specially designed to improve drop performance on rough surfaces like concrete and asphalt. In lab tests conducted by Corning®, the specially enhanced glass survived drops up to 1 meter on surfaces replicating concrete.

For the ultimate scratch resistance screen check out the Galaxy S24 Ultra which benefits from Corning® Gorilla® Armor which is the toughest and most advanced Gorilla® Glass yet². In fact in Corning® lab tests, Gorilla® Armor performed up to three times better on drop tests compared to competitive aluminosilicate cover glasses².

1. Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 is applied to the front and rear of the Galaxy Z Fold6, and Z Flip6.
2. https://www.corning.com/gorillaglass/worldwide/en/glass-types/corning-gorilla-armor.html

What is Armour Aluminium?

Armour Aluminium is a light, tough and corrosion-resistant material that is specially designed to reinforce the body of flagship Galaxy devices for superior protection. This super-strong material has been specially formulated to offer exceptional defence without compromising on the aesthetics of the phone.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 & S24+ benefit from enhanced Armour Aluminium, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra has a tough Titanium frame to provide unmatched protection.

Which Samsung phones are water and dust proof?

Samsung phones have different IP ratings, indicating how easily the device resists water and dust. An IP68 rating means the phone has complete protection from dust ingress and can withstand temporary immersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. The latest phones in the Galaxy Z series have an IPX8 rating which means they have a high level of protection against water intrusion but slightly less dust resistant than premium Galaxy S series phones with an IP68 rating.

The following Samsung phones have the highest IP68 water and dust protection rating:

Samsung Galaxy S Series

• Galaxy S24 | S24+ | S24 Ultra
• Galaxy S23 | S23+ | S23 Ultra
• Galaxy S22 5G | S22+ 5G | S22 Ultra 5G
• Galaxy S21 5G | S21+ 5G | S21 Ultra 5G
• Galaxy S20 | S20+ | S20 Ultra
• Galaxy S10 | S10e | S10+ | S10 5G
• Galaxy S9 | S9+
• Galaxy S8 | S8+
• Galaxy S7 | S7 Edge

Note: The integrated S Pen in the S Ultra model phones and Galaxy Note series also have an IP68 rating.

Samsung Galaxy Z series IP48 | IPX8 rating³

The latest Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 have an upgraded IP48 rating which means they are now protected from dust and objects bigger than 1mm¹. Like preceding Galaxy Z models, they can also withstand submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes².

IPX8 rating:

• Galaxy Z Fold5 | Z Flip5
• Galaxy Z Fold4 | Z Flip4
• Galaxy Z Fold3 | Z Flip3
• Galaxy Z Fold2 | Z Flip
• Galaxy Z Fold

1. Based on lab conditions protection against a solid object greater than 1mm such as a wire.
2. Based on lab test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Not advised for beach or pool use. Water resistance of device is not permanent and may diminish over time because of normal wear and tear. Not dust- or sand-resistant.
3. IPX8 rating offers water-resistance for up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes but no dust protection.

1. Based on lab conditions protection against a solid object greater than 1mm such as a wire.
2. Based on lab test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Not advised for beach or pool use. Water resistance of device is not permanent and may diminish over time because of normal wear and tear. Not dust- or sand-resistant.
3. IPX8 rating offers water-resistance for up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes but no dust protection.

What is Samsung’s most durable smartphone?

When it comes to Samsung’s most durable smartphone look no further than the Galaxy S24 Ultra. This epic device brings with it upgrades that make it one of the toughest smartphones on the market today. You’ll find a new titanium frame which is both stronger and harder than aluminium so it can withstand the pressures of daily life better. It’s also corrosion-resistant and offers a premium look and feel. There’s Corning® Gorilla® Armour on the front and Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 on the back, so it’s well protected from bumps, knocks and drops, even at height. And when it comes to the all-important IP rating, it has an impressive IP68 certification so you can rest assured that it is protected against the elements, be it dust, rain and everything in between*.

With so many epic features to explore in the latest Samsung Galaxy S25 series, why not take a look at our ‘Introducing the Samsung Galaxy S25 series’ guide which uncovers everything you need to know about the new flagship S series from Samsung.

*Based on lab test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Not advised for beach or pool use. Water and dust resistance of device is not permanent and may diminish over time because of normal wear and tear.