When it comes to protecting your phone, the case you choose can make all the difference. Water damage is one of the top dangers to your mobile device today, with our phones in all sorts of environments, from the beach to a rainy day commute. It only takes a minute for water to get into your phone, and then you have potential problems. That’s where the right water-resistant phone case can save the day. But what are the different kinds of materials to make a phone case actually water-resistant? Let’s take a look to see what is possible to keep your phone safe from moisture and other things.
What Materials Are Water Resistant?
There are several materials commonly used in phone cases that offer water resistance, and each has its unique properties:
- Silicone: Silicone is a flexible and tough material used in phone cases for its ability to create a tight seal around your device. It also offers a good grip and protection from water, dust, and scratches. While it is water-resistant, it’s not completely waterproof, meaning it can help you out if your phone gets splashed, but it’s not going to protect it if you go diving.
- Polycarbonate: Polycarbonate is a hard plastic that is found in the back panels or frames of waterproof cases. It provides great protection from impacts while also holding off water. Despite that, its biggest strength is how rigid it is and how well it holds a phone’s shape when exposed to water.
- TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane): TPU is another popular material for phone cases. It’s a flexible plastic that’s water-resistant and often combined with silicone for added durability. TPU cases create a tight seal around the phone’s edges, offering decent protection against water.
- Tempered Glass: Some waterproof phone cases, especially high-end models like the Temdan for iPhone 12 Pro, use tempered glass as part of their design. The glass will not absorb water and essentially form one solid barrier against moisture, but still allow the phone’s design to show through.
When you’re choosing a phone case, a combination of these materials will often give you the best water resistance. You need a case that provides easy access to your phone’s buttons and ports, all while giving you good protection against the elements.
Why Material Matters
Now that we’ve covered the types of materials that are water resistant, let’s look at one of the most popular materials—silicone—and whether or not it’s a good choice for protecting your phone from water damage. We’ll also look at the pros and cons of using silicone cases, and how they act in different scenarios.
Is a Silicone Phone Case Waterproof?
Silicone cases are not categorized as fully waterproof, but they do offer some level of water resistance. This means they can protect your phone from light exposure to liquids, like spills or splashes. However, silicone is not designed to protect against full submersion in water, so you shouldn’t rely on them if you’re planning on using your phone in a wet environment for any length of time.
One of the problems with silicone cases is that they can trap moisture between your phone and the case if you get it wet. All that moisture can cause problems with your phone if you’re not careful. For example, Apple’s silicone cases are known for being able to handle the occasional splash, but they’re not meant to be submerged in water. They tell you to take the case off, and dry both the case and your phone if they get wet so you don’t have problems with moisture.
What Are the Disadvantages of Silicone Cases?
While silicone phone cases are popular because they are flexible and absorb shock, they come with a few downsides:
- Dust and Lint Attraction: Silicone attracts dust and lint easily, which means your phone case might start to look dirty fast.
- Poor Heat Dissipation: Silicone is not a great heat conductor, which means it could trap warmth near your device and cause it to overheat.
- Shape Deformation: Over time, lower-quality silicone cases might stretch or lose their shape, making them less likely to fit snugly around your phone.
- Limited Impact Protection: Silicone is softer compared to materials like polycarbonate or metal, so it’s not as effective against sharp objects (or strong pressure) hitting your phone.
- Bulkiness: Silicone cases are often thicker and bulkier than cases made from other materials, making your phone less sleek and harder to slip into pockets.
- Sticky Texture: The soft, sticky nature of silicone can make it difficult to slide your phone into a pocket or bag without it catching on other items.
These factors might make you reconsider silicone if you’re looking for a case that gives you some water resistance but is also easy to use.
Does a Silicone Case Make Your Phone Hot?
One of the major downsides to using silicone cases is they can make your phone run hot. Because silicone is a poor conductor of heat, it tends to trap heat inside the case instead of letting it dissipate. This can lead to your phone running warmer than usual, especially if you’re doing something on it that’s more demanding, like gaming or streaming.
The extra heat during charging or extended use can reduce your phone’s battery life and even affect its performance. This is made worse if you have a thicker silicone case or one with little or no ventilation. Some people have reported that in order to keep this from happening they take their case off while their phone is charging or they are using it heavily, especially if they’re somewhere that’s hot.
What Are the Best Materials for Phone Cases to Prevent Overheating?
If preventing overheating is a big concern for you, you need to make sure you get a phone case made out of something that won’t trap heat. Here are some of the best options:
- Metal (Aluminum or Copper): Metal phone cases are good at conducting heat, which can help dissipate the heat your phone is generating. The downside of a metal case, though, is it can also interfere with wireless signals.
- Wood: Wood phone cases are good at looking different and also keeping your phone from getting hot. The natural materials offer better airflow, so when your phone does start getting warm, the case can help it cool down.
- TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane): TPU phone cases sit in the middle between protecting your phone and helping keep it cool. Does your phone get hot when you’re using it? You may have a silicone phone case that’s helping it get hotter. Switching to a TPU case is an easy way to get protection for your phone, while also making sure it stays cool when you’re using it.
- Specialized Heat Dissipation Cases: There are also phone case companies that make cases specifically designed to keep your phone from running hot. These cases have cooling features like little holes in the case for ventilation or even cooling gels to help your phone cool off.
On the flip side, materials to avoid if overheating is a concern include silicone, rubber, and plastic (polycarbonate). These materials trap heat, which is the last thing you want when you use your phone.
Conclusion
Selecting the best phone case isn’t just about what looks cool or what vibes with your style. It’s about how you’re really going to use your phone and the protection it needs to do its job. Phone cases made out of silicone, polycarbonate, TPU, or maybe even tempered glass give you different water resistance options. If you need something to protect your phone from the water, you can find that. If you need the ultimate in waterproof protection, you can find that as well.
Yes, a phone case made out of silicone will give you some protection from the water, but if it makes your phone run hot, maybe attracts dirt to it, and doesn’t let something as important as the heat from your phone dissipate, is that what you really want?
At the end of the day, what you want in a phone case is a mix of protection, durability, and how you can use your phone. Whether you’re trying to save your phone from the water or keep it from getting hot, you need to know what these different case materials will and won’t do for you so you can keep your phone running no matter where you go.