We tend to think that water and dust resistance is something we take for granted on modern smartphones, but it’s not true. There was a time when many smartphones had no water or dust resistance at all, which seems silly in retrospect. You shouldn’t let a spilled drink or getting caught in a sudden storm destroy something essential to your daily life. And with top-of-the-line models now costing over $1,000 or, like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, approaching $2,000, they should be bulletproof.
It may seem a bit far-fetched, but durability is something to think about when buying a new phone. A common measure of a device’s water and dust resistance is its IP certification. So what is the best IP rating available for a smartphone, and which IP ratings should you avoid?
What is the best IP rating for a mobile phone?
It’s not as simple as you might think
In fact, the best IP rating you can find at your local store is IP68The first number, 6, indicates that the device is completely dust-proof. While this might not be much of an issue in the short term, gradually dust can get in and damage your phone’s circuitry, and larger particles can damage your phone’s display. If you’re heading to the beach or Dubai, you’ll want the dust-proof feature.
A rating of 8 means that the device can survive 3.3 feet or more of water for 30 minutes. This is plenty for most uses, and means that your phone is unlikely to be damaged if it gets wet in the rain, dropped in a bathtub, or given a dab after a sweaty workout. However, chlorine and seawater are corrosive, so you should always avoid them. You should also avoid depths of less than 1 meter, as well as high pressure, including strong water jets like those from a shower head. In other words, you should never drop your device into a hot tub with a jet of water.
The strictest IP rating for a mobile phone is
IP69K
Many flagship smartphones now have an IP68 rating, including the iPhone 15, Pixel 9, and Galaxy S24. Other devices may have a lower IP67 rating, which is probably fine, but still allows them to withstand submersion up to one meter, but not much more.
The strictest IP rating for a mobile phone is IP69KThis is extremely rare, the most obvious example being the Nokia XR21, which is so sturdy that washing the mud off with a hose doesn’t bother me at all, and I hope to see similar protection on more high-end smartphones in the future.
What IP ratings should you avoid?
Some don’t offer much protection
We strongly recommend against using most devices below IP57, as products above this rating are easy to find and it usually doesn’t make sense to sacrifice protection.
Nearly all foldable designs require hinges, and so far no phone maker has figured out how to completely dust-proof the parts.
An exception might be made for foldable devices. Folding designs require a hinge, and so far no phone maker has found a way to completely dustproof that part. Even the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is IPX8 rated, which indicates that it doesn’t have an official dustproof rating. At least, Samsung has made some progress: the Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 share the IP48 spec, which is enough to keep out larger particles.
The benefits of foldable devices potentially outweigh the risks, but they do require a bit of caution, so think twice before taking them out in the Nevada desert.
FAQ
Q: Who assigns IP reputations?
IP (Ingress Protection) ratings were originally devised by the International Electrotechnical Commission. Equipment manufacturers must pay accredited testing companies to test their products before they can claim a particular rating.
Q: Does IP68 mean waterproof?
In a way, yes, but not literally. An IP68 phone can survive sweat, rain, and brief submersion in water, but you probably shouldn’t swim or shower with it – you’ll need a fully sealed case for those activities.
