IP68 appears on many datasheets, yet the datasheet rarely says what was actually tested. The reason lies in the standard: for the second digit 8, DIN EN 60529 (internationally IEC 60529) sets neither a fixed depth nor a fixed duration. The manufacturer states both. This article explains what IP68 means, how it differs from IP67, which values manufacturers actually give and what to look for in a datasheet. A table also shows which devices in our datasheets carry IP67 or IP68.
The designation has two digits. The 6 stands for dust-tight, the 8 for protection against continuous immersion. All digits and their meanings are in the overview IP protection classes.
For IP67 the water test is described exactly. The standard calls it “temporary immersion” (clause 14.2.7): the device spends 30 minutes in the water, its lowest point 1 m below the surface. The procedure and limits of this test are covered in the article IP67 in detail. For the comparison only the core matters: depth and duration are fixed, and every device with IP67 was tested under the same conditions.
IP68 has no such definition. Clause 14.2.8 of the standard is headed “continuous immersion subject to agreement”. Depth and duration are therefore not standard values but statements by the manufacturer. They are expected to be stricter than for IP67. How much stricter appears only in the manufacturer's statement.
Two things follow. First, “IP68” on its own says nothing about a depth. Second, two devices with IP68 can only be compared once both figures are available. An example from our datasheets: the Archos X67 5G is specified with IP68, and the manufacturer datasheet gives a maximum depth of 1.5 m for up to 30 minutes. Compared with IP67 that is 0.5 m more depth for the same duration. “Continuous” therefore means 30 minutes here.
Apple shows how far the statements diverge. On its support page about splash, water and dust resistance (published 14.07.2026), Apple lists IP68 under IEC 60529 with three different depths: 2 m for iPhone 11, XS and XS Max, 4 m for iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, 6 m for the models from iPhone 12 to iPhone 17e. The duration is 30 minutes in each case. For older models (iPhone 7 to 8 Plus, X, XR and SE) the same page gives IP67 at 1 m, which is the standard value. Apple is only an example of the range here; we do not sell these devices.
Depth and pressure are directly linked. The water pressure above ambient pressure is the product of density, gravitational acceleration and depth. For fresh water (1000 kg/m³, 9.81 m/s²) this gives, rounded:
| Depth | Stated by | Water pressure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 m | Standard, IP67 | 9.8 kPa |
| 1.5 m | Archos X67 5G, IP68 | 14.7 kPa |
| 2 m | Apple iPhone 11 and XS, IP68 | 19.6 kPa |
| 4 m | Apple iPhone 11 Pro, IP68 | 39.2 kPa |
| 6 m | Apple iPhone 12 to 17e, IP68 | 58.9 kPa |
At 6 m the pressure is roughly six times that of the IP67 test. A figure for 1.5 m therefore cannot be carried over to 6 m, even if both devices say “IP68”.
Salt water is not guaranteed. The tests under IEC 60529 run with fresh water, and the protection class makes no promise for salt water, oils or solvents. Anyone who wants to use a device at the coast or at sea needs an explicit statement from the manufacturer.
Water jets and high pressure are separate tests. Immersion and water jets stress a housing in different ways. A device tested for digit 7 has not necessarily passed the water-jet tests of digits 5 and 6. That is why such claims are written separately, for example IPX5/IPX7. The Archos X67 5G accordingly lists IP68 and IP69K side by side. The 9K from ISO 20653 stands for high-pressure and steam-jet cleaning; the article IP69K in detail covers it. What the X in IPX7 and IPX8 means is explained in IPX7 and IPX8.
Charger and accessories are excluded. The Archos datasheet states that charger and accessories are not waterproof and that a wet device must not be charged. The protection class therefore applies to the device, not to everything that comes with it.
Falls are a different test. The protection class does not say whether a device is still sealed after a fall; it describes the tested condition. For falls the datasheet gives a separate figure: the Archos X67 5G lists MIL-STD-810G and a drop height of 1.50 m, the Getac ZX80 MIL-STD-810H and 1.80 m.
Resistance can decrease over time. Archos writes that resistance is not permanent and can decrease through normal wear. Apple writes the same. Both manufacturers exclude liquid damage from the warranty, and Archos states that it tested the device under controlled laboratory conditions.
Of the 53 documented devices, eight carry IP67 or IP68. The table shows seven of them. The Fieldbook F57G2 (IP67) is missing because Robustbook no longer sells it, just like the Archos X67 5G.
| Device | Display | Protection class | Depth and duration per datasheet | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archos X67 5G | 6.67 inches | IP68, IP69K | 1.5 m, up to 30 minutes | 380 g |
| Getac ZX80 | 8 inches | IP67 | not stated | 590 g |
| Getac ZX80-EX | 8 inches | IP67 | not stated | 780 g |
| Getac ZX80W | 8 inches | IP67 | not stated | 590 g |
| Getac ATEX EX80 | 8 inches | IP67 | not stated | 1.48 kg |
| Fieldbook N80G2 | 8 inches | IP67 | not stated | 600 g |
| Fieldbook N101 | 10.1 inches | IP67 | not stated | 970 g |
For the six IP67 devices the datasheet gives no depth. For IP67 the standard fixes it: 1 m and 30 minutes. The Archos X67 5G is the only device with IP68. The figure of 1.5 m and 30 minutes is in footnote 5 of the Archos document dated 07.01.2021, a press release with an embedded datasheet. The Fieldbook datasheets from Logic Instrument (N101: 14.01.2020, N80G2: 09.11.2023) give IP67 without a depth. The page for the Archos X67 5G remains as documentation of the manufacturer's data; the datasheets of the devices we currently sell contain no IP68 claim. In our datasheets no rugged laptop carries IP67 or IP68. Why protection against immersion is tied to small form factors is covered in the article IP67 in detail.
The Getac ZX80 deserves a close read. The manufacturer datasheet (as of 01.06.2026) says IP66 on the first page and IP67 in the table of certifications. The English version of the same datasheet says IP67 in both places. We list IP67. Anyone planning the device for use involving immersion should still have the claim confirmed by the manufacturer before ordering.
A complete claim meets five points:
If a point is missing, the claim is incomplete but not wrong. In a tender, depth, duration and type of water should appear as numbers and words, not only as “IP68”.
Only for the stated depth and duration in fresh water. For the Archos X67 5G that is 1.5 m and up to 30 minutes. The datasheet says nothing about continuous use under water.
The standard expects stricter conditions. How much stricter shows only in the figure: 1.5 m for the Archos X67 5G, 6 m for newer iPhones, against 1 m for IP67. An IP68 claim without a figure cannot be compared with IP67.
The protection class does not say. The test runs with fresh water, and the datasheets of our devices do not mention salt water.
None is documented. The standard leaves the conditions open, and in the examples named here the range runs from 1.5 m to 6 m. Ask the manufacturer before you plan the device for immersion.
That is not guaranteed. Archos and Apple both write that resistance is not permanent and can decrease through normal wear.
IP68 is a claim with a gap that the manufacturer fills. Anyone who needs a device that may briefly fall into 1 m of water is served by a tablet with IP67. In our datasheets these are the Getac ZX80, ZX80W and ZX80-EX, the Getac ATEX EX80 and the Fieldbook N80G2 and N101. Anyone who needs more than 1 m finds no IP68 claim among the devices we currently sell. The only device with IP68, the Archos X67 5G, has 1.5 m and 30 minutes and is no longer sold.
None of the devices named is documented for continuous operation under water, for diving or for salt water. Anyone who needs that should clarify three figures before enquiring: depth, duration and type of water. The manufacturer can then be asked whether a suitable claim exists. For questions about selection, the RobustBook team will help.