Kyocera Hydro Elite

“If you still desire a reliable water resistant device, and you don't need as much protection as the Commando 4G LTE provides, get the Elite. It has a slimmer design that an average person would hardly recognize it as a waterproof phone.”

“When it comes right down to it, the Kyocera Hydro Elite is your basic mid-range Android smartphone that happens to be splash and waterproof – up to a limit. It’s designed for people that want this added layer of protection, but without stepping up the full ruggedness of the Casio G’zOne Commando 4G LTE. We like the Hydro Elite’s overall simplistic design, 4.3” 720p display, and that it’s running pretty close to stock Android Jelly Bean, though the disappointing camera and lacking call quality are holding it back.”

“Along with the perk of being waterproof, this could also be a good option for those who actually use the phone feature and are often in noisy locations. Simply put, depending on the person, or the specific needs of that person, the Hydro Elite could make a solid handset.”

“The Kyocera Hydro Elite is a decent little phone, but not without faults. Kyocera has a few key strengths to lend to its phones, and they are put to good use in the Elite.The Elite is water resistant. To people who lead semi-active lifestyles, or are prone to losing their grip on their phones, this could be the only feature they need. In our tests, the Elite survived being dunked in water, beer, and milk with no problem. It's not rugged, though. The Smart Receiver technology means that phone calls can be heard pretty much anywhere you take the Elite. Thankfully, the Elite's strong signal performance means you'll always receive those phone calls. The Elite's battery life could be much better, though. Perhaps over time, using Eco Mode and MaxiMZR will deliver the adjustments needed to make it good.”