Best answer: Yes, the Galaxy S20 and others in the lineup are water-resistant with an IP68 rating that claims each phone can be submerged in up to three feet of water for up to 30 minutes.
- The phone for everyone: Samsung Galaxy S20 (opens in new tab) ($1,000 at Samsung)
- A step above: Samsung Galaxy S20+ (opens in new tab) ($1,200 at Samsung)
- The trendsetter: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra (opens in new tab) ($1,400 at Samsung)
The Galaxy S20's IP68 rating is good, right?
If you come across a flagship in 2020 that doesn't have an IP68 water resistance rating, then you might want to look elsewhere. This rating is no longer just reserved for flagships, as mid-range and budget handsets are also now sporting it.
IP68 means that your device is able to imprevious to any kind of dust, and your phone can be submerged up to three feet (one meter) for up to 30 minutes. That doesn't mean, nor do phone manufacturers recommend, that you take the Galaxy S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra with you for a swim. On the bright side, if you end up jumping in a pool and forget that your phone is in your pocket, the S20 will likely be just fine.
This has been the standard for Samsung devices since the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, so if you're a previous Samsung owner, this isn't anything new.
One more aspect to consider when it comes to these IP ratings is the fact that although the handset itself is IP68 rated, that doesn't mean your S20 will withstand the water pressure. Samsung produces millions of these handsets, and sometimes, stuff happens.
Did Samsung just change the game?
At first glance, you might not notice much difference between the Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra. But when you start diving deeper you'll see that the latter models have more to offer, culminating with the Ultra. The Galaxy S20 will be the phone likely to grace the hands of the masses, and is equipped with a 6.2-inch QHD+ display, a three-camera system, and a 4,000mAh battery.
The Galaxy S20+ steps things up a notch by offering a larger 6.7-inch AMOLED display, 4,500mAh battery, and a quad-camera system. Then, with the S20 Ultra, everything gets even bigger with the 6.9-inch display and 5,000mAh battery. Both the S20+ and Ultra offer similar quad-camera systems, despite the Ultra being capable of offering 100x zoom compared to the 30x zoom from the S20+.
All three handsets sport Infinity-O displays, so no need to worry about any notch business. All three handsets also are equipped with 25W charging speeds, 12GB of RAM, at least 128GB of expandable storage, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor.
Real world usage is one thing, but the spec sheet for these devices is absolutely fantastic. We expect these devices to become the "next big thing" and we're hoping that Samsung continues to deliver as it has for years now.
More than likely the phone for everyone
A 6.2-inch display, 12GB of RAM, 4,000mAh battery, and a triple camera system sound like a recipe for greatness. Samsung's baseline S20 is great for just about everyone, unless you really need that extra depth-of-field camera on the back or a bigger battery.
Middle of the pack but best for most
The Galaxy S20+ is for those who want something better than the bottom, but not as feature packed as the top. You'll also get an extra camera sensor and a larger 4,500mAh battery.
The biggest and most impressive of the group
Take Samsung's "kitchen sink" approach, turn the clock into 2020, and the Galaxy S20 Ultra is what you will end up with. Quad-cameras, a 5,000mAh battery, up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of expandable storage, and a 6.9-inch display gives you everything you could want.
