Whenever you have purchased an electronic device, you must have seen in the specification some IP ratings such as IPX7, IPX8, IP68, IP67, and so on. These IP ratings show the level of protection the particular device has against liquid and solid objects.
When we say the solid object in IP rating, we don’t mean furniture solid, but in this case, it is referred to as dust. There are several categories of IP ratings, and these ratings are defined with numbers and letters.
What Can You Expect From This Article?
IP ratings generally consist of two sets of numbers or letters in which the first one shows the protection level against solid objects and the second one shows the protection level against fluids.
People always get confused between IP ratings, and we have often come across the question of which IP rating is better than the other. In this article, we will have a brief comparison between IPX8 and IP68.
So, without wasting any more time, let’s understand these two IP ratings and which one is better than the other.
IPX8 Rating
As we said above, the IP abbreviation is followed by two numbers for letters. Those two numbers or letters tell the level of protection that the device offers from the particular object.
Wherever you will see “X” written in IP rating, it means that there is no information regarding that particular protection level. For example, in the IPX8 rating, the X is written in the first place, and the number on which it is written in the first place shows the protection against solid objects.
From this, you can understand that a rated IPX8 does not have proper testing of the protection against solid objects, which are dust. Even though the IPX8 rating means that there is no protection from dust, it is fully waterproof.
IP68 Rating
On the other hand, the IP68 rating means that the particular device is fully waterproof and dust resistant. And in IP68 rating, the device has been the maximum level of protection in both water and dust categories.
Since the device that has been rated with IP68 rating has protection against both dust and water, it is evident that that particular device would be better than the device that only has resistance against water.
Below we are going to provide a detailed comparison between the two ratings IPX8 and IP68. After that, we will also tell you which rating’s products you should buy
Related: IPX7 Vs IP67
Which IP Rating is Better: IPX8 or IP68?
Sometimes people come across the same device of two different brands, and both the devices have different ratings. For example, one device has a rating of IPX8, and the other one has IP68. In that case, you will indeed wonder which one of the two devices is better than the other.
To understand which one of these two IP ratings is better than the other, we must understand the minimum and the maximum value of the rating assigned for solid protection and liquid protection.
The maximum value provided to the fully dustproof devices is 6, whereas in the liquid case, the ultimate value is 8. So, now as you know, IPX8 does not have any number on the dustproof protection level. However, IP68 has the maximum level of protection against dust.
So, automatically, IP68 is better than IPX8 because in the products rated IP68, you get both dust resistance and water resistance whereas, in the products rated IPX8, you only get resistance against fluids.
How Can You Choose the Best Rating For Yourself ?
With the comparison that we have provided above, everyone can understand that it is better to go for IP68 rated products because they offer complete protection against solid and liquid objects.
A product with an IP68 rating can be conveniently used inside and outside, and you don’t have to worry about your device getting damaged in dust or water.
However, if you do not have to use the device outside, you can go for an IPX8 rating because machines do not get prone to dust so much when used in the interior area.
But as a well-wisher of our readers, we would highly recommend that you go for the devices that have the rating for both water and dust so that you can conveniently use your device outdoors as well.
Things to Keep in Mind With Both IPX8 and IP68
Even though you get total dust and water protection in IP68 and just water protection in IPX8, there is still one factor that you must keep in mind with the devices with these two ratings.
All the IP ratings that show the proper waterproof feature of the devices have one drawback: your device will remain protected against water only with some version level of 1 meter. If the water is more profound than this, your device will get ruined.
Another thing that you must know is that even at the water level of 1 meter, the device stays intact only for 30 minutes. If you fail to retrieve the device in half an hour, it will be of no use any further.
This concern is only with water, and if you can protect your device from these factors, it will have a long life and durability. With this, we have come to an end of this article, so now let’s wrap things up.
Wrapping it Up
So this is everything that you must know about the difference and comparison between IPX8 and IP68. After reading this article, we hope that you must have gotten a better understanding of these two ratings and which one is better than the other.
Most people believe that having a fully waterproof device is more critical, and in that case, they often forget the dust factor that can create severe damage to your device at some point.
Experts seriously recommend the users buy waterproof and dustproof products to have long durability and function adequately without facing minor issues now and then.
