Although many of the best smartphones today feature some level of water resistance, they aren't completely waterproof. Many of these devices can only withstand certain amounts of water pressure for certain amounts of time, and once these thresholds are exceeded, water will begin to enter the device. A good way to add some extra water resistance or waterproofing to your smartphone is with a waterproof case, but they aren't all equal. Whether you're looking at water-resistant smartphones or a waterproof case, you may have stumbled across something called an IP rating. They are incredibly important when choosing a waterproof case or a water-resistant smartphone, as they can instantly tell you a lot about the case's ability to withstand water. Here's what you need to know.
What is an IP rating?
IP stands for ingress protection, and ingress simply refers to something entering another object. Essentially, an IP rating is a figure that represents how much a device or case is protected against ingress. There are generally two types of ingress: water and dust. As such, when you see an IP rating, you'll likely see two numbers follow the letters "IP." For example, IP52 means that a case is protected against dust ingress at a level five and against water ingress at a level two. If you see a rating like IPX5 or IP5X, it means that the case is protected against either water or dust-resistance, respectively. The first number refers to a case's dust resistance, while the second number refers to a case's water resistance.
What do the numbers mean?
IP ratings are crucial to understanding a case's ability to withstand water, but they're only helpful if you know what the numbers mean. We've put together this chart to help you figure out what the IP rating of your waterproof case means.
IP ratings for solids
|
Rating (first digit) |
Dust-resistance |
|---|---|
|
1 |
Case is protected from solid objects larger than 50mm, like a person's hand |
|
2 |
Case is protected from solid objects larger than 12.5mm, like a finger |
|
3 |
Case is protected from solid objects larger than 2.5mm, like the tip of a screwdriver |
|
4 |
Case is protected from solid objects larger than 1mm, like electrical wire |
|
5 |
Case is dust protected, but some dust is permitted to enter it. Any dust that enters will not affect your device's operation. It can withstand dust particles for two to eight hours. |
|
6 |
Completely dustproof. No ingress of dust is permitted for two to eight hours. |
IP ratings for liquids
|
Rating (second digit) |
Water-resistance |
|---|---|
|
1 |
Case protected against vertically falling water drops. |
|
2 |
Case protected against vertically falling water drops when the case is tilted at 15 degrees. |
|
3 |
Case protected against spraying water at up to 60 degrees from the vertical position. |
|
4 |
Case protected against water splashes at any angle. |
|
5 |
Case protected against water sprays from a nozzle (6.3mm) at any angle. |
|
6 |
Case protected against strong jets (12.5mm nozzle) at any angle. |
|
6K |
Case protected against strong jets with increased pressure (6.3mm nozzle). |
|
7 |
Case can withstand immersion up to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. |
|
8 |
Case can withstand immersion up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. |
|
9K |
Case protected against strong high-temperature water jets. Water is sprayed at close ranges and extremely high temperatures. |
Why you can trust IP ratings
For a device or waterproof case to earn an IP rating, it must be certified by an independent third party. That's why IP ratings are trusted among the industry as a reliable way to gauge how much water or dust a product can withstand before it breaks. It isn't just a company claiming that their product or case can withstand this much water, but an independent body agreeing that this claim is valid after testing. If a waterproof case is certified with an IP rating, you can be confident that it is indeed waterproof. Generally, you will see waterproof cases feature IP ratings of IPX7 or higher, since this is where the case can be submerged underwater.
The importance of IP ratings with waterproof cases
IP ratings are important when choosing a waterproof case for a few reasons. First, these ratings guarantee that the case is actually waterproof, as we just mentioned. But more importantly, the case's IP ratings also inform you whether a waterproof case is actually necessary. For example, if your phone is IP68 water resistant and the waterproof case you're looking at is also rated for IP68, you're not getting any additional waterproofing by using a case. Of course, the case will add another layer of water resistance and might buy you some time. However, at least in theory, your IP68 smartphone would be just as resilient as it would be if it had an IP68 case installed.
As such, if you're looking for a waterproof case for a modern smartphone, you want to find one that is rated for an IP69K rating. The dust resistance is insignificant here; it's the "9K" moniker that matters. This rating is the highest a case can earn in the IP scale, and it means that the case can withstand immersion, strong water jets, intense pressures, and high temperatures. Many of the best iPhones and best Android phones today have water-resistance capabilities, but adding an IP-rated case can add more waterproofing to your device.