Search Water Resistant Phones
Need a waterproof phone? Here you'll find a complete overview with waterproof phones that are also dustproof. Then filter for even more specifications, compare prices and see what other users think. Read more
A dust and water resistant housing ensures that dust and water are kept out as much as possible. Waterproof does not mean the same as waterproof. The degree of resistance is expressed in the so-called IP coding.
IP encoding
A waterproof smartphone, tablet or other consumer electronics comes in all shapes and sizes. In order to be able to compare them with each other, a scale has been devised for the degree of dust and water resistance. In short, this International Protection Rating is also called IP code or IP encoding. An IP code is expressed in two numbers, the first of which says something about dust resistance and the second about water resistance. Below is explained what exactly which number means.
| IP | Protection against |
|---|---|
| x0 | No | x1 | Drops |
| x2 | Drops at an angle of 15° |
| x3 | Spraying water |
| x4 | Sparkling water |
| x5 | Water jet |
| x6 | Water resistant |
| x7 | Submerging (up to 1 metre) |
| x8 | Immersion (1 metre or more) |
| x9 | High temperature humidity |
| IP | Protection against (dimensions particles) |
|---|---|
| 0x | None |
| 1x | > 50 mm | 2x | > 12,5 mm |
| 3x | > 2,5 mm |
| 4x | > 1mm |
| 5x | Dust protection |
| 6x | Dust tight |
A product with an IP code of e.g. IP67 offers complete protection against dust and is water resistant up to a depth of 1 meter for a duration of 30 minutes. Manufacturers often test this degree of protection under laboratory conditions, also known as ideal conditions. Practice is often more unruly. For example, natural elements such as salt and chlorine can also be harmful, which can damage a product with a certain IP code. So it's gonna have to be careful.
ATM
Another way of indicating water tightness is via the pressure or atmosphere it can withstand. This is expressed in ATM (atmosphere) with in advance a number representing the number of atmospheres. This type of classification is often used with watches to indicate whether it is suitable for swimming or diving. An atmosphere of 1, also called 1 ATM, stands for splash proof and is not suitable for swimming.
| ATM | Protection against |
|---|---|
| 1 ATM | Spark-resistant |
| 3 ATM | Rain |
| 5 ATM | Swimming up to 50 metres |
| 10 ATM | Snorkelling | 20 ATM | Freediving |
| EN13319 | Scuba diving |
Robustness
Dust and water resistant is not the same as robust. Phones with a rugged housing are often also dust and water resistant, but because of the extra protection they are more resistant to fall damage. There is a proposal to extend the IP coding with a third number that says something about robustness or impact energy.
