Last week, Samsung unveiled its flagship Galaxy Note 10 series. Like previous flagship devices from Samsung, the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ are also IP68 certified which means they are dust and water-resistant.

The IP68 certification makes the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ dust and water-resistant. Not waterproof, but water-resistant. What does this mean? What does the IP68 certification even stand for? Read below to find out.

Samsung Note 10’s IP68 Certification Explained

The Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ are both IP68 certified. This is the highest IP certification level that a consumer electronic device can get. Samsung certifies the Note 10 series to be water-resistant for up to 30 mins in 1.5m depth of freshwater.

The ‘IP’ in the IP68 certification stands for Ingress Protection, while the ‘6’ and ‘8’ stand for the level of dust and water-resistance both of which are at the highest possible for the Note 10 series. The S-Pen is also IP68 certified meaning it can also survive being dunked in water.

The Catch

As I mentioned earlier, just because the Note 10 has an IP68 certification, it does not mean that it is waterproof. There’s a world of difference between the two. While the Galaxy Note 10 series can survive being dunked in water, that’s only true if you are not pushing the water-resistance capabilities of the device.

To achieve the IP68 certification on the Note 10 series, Samsung uses a rubber sealing for the chassis. This sealing can only withstand a certain level of pressure which as per Samsung is rated for up to 1.5m depth of water. If you end up dunking your phone any deeper in water, the rubber sealing could be breached by the pressure thereby damaging the device.

Another important point to note is that Samsung only certifies the Note 10 to be water-resistant in freshwater. The IP68 certification does not mean that you can take your Note 10 swimming with you or dunk it in seawater. The latter is especially harmful since seawater contains a number of other elements and minerals which can harm your Note 10. As for swimming, even if you don’t go inside a pool that has a depth of over 1m, the pressure the phone is subjected to while swimming can be far greater. Due to this, it is recommended that you don’t take your Note 10 swimming with you.

The thing is that the IP68 certification of the Note 10 and Note 10+ is there for backup purposes. It does not mean you can keep dunking the phone in water or other kinds of liquid and it will emerge unscathed from the ordeal.

Wear and Tear

The IP certification of your Galaxy Note 10 will deteriorate over time due to wear and tear due to small dings and drops. Any major dent which compromises the chassis shape or structure can affect the IP certification of your Note 10 as well.

Similarly, if the front or the rear glass panel of the Note 10 ends up getting cracked, its IP certification will be compromised. While this is unlikely to have any immediate impact, it is recommended that if your Note’s rear or front glass panel is cracked, you should avoid dunking it in water.

No Warranty

Despite the fact that the Galaxy Note 10 features IP68 certification, Samsung’s standard warranty does not cover any kind of liquid damage. So, if you somehow end up liquid damaging your Galaxy Note 10 or Note 10+, do not expect Samsung to repair or replace the device for free.

If you live in the United States or any other developed part of the world, you can still probably get Samsung to repair or replace your phone under warranty. But in other parts of the world, you might be out of luck.

What are your thoughts on the Galaxy Note 10’s IP68 certification? Drop a comment and let us know!