IP Ratings

The recent string of natural disasters has understandably roused all sorts of discussions ranging from questionable infra spending to climate change’s adverse effects.

- 

In the sidelines of these discussions are queries on what IP ratings are — particularly, how having a high-IP rated device can be a boon during a storm and in emergency situations.

Electronics, after all, are not exactly waterproof, and having an idea over how weather-worthy one’s phone or laptop is would be worth one’s while to know.

The First Digit

The first digit in the IP rating system refers to the degree of protection a device has against solid objects like dust particles. Rated from 0 to 6, below is a breakdown of the protection factors that’s represented by each number:

0 – item is not designed with protection against particles/solid objects

1 – item is protected against particles/solid objects that’re bigger than 50mm

2 – item is protected against particles/solid objects that’re bigger than 12.5mm

3 – item is protected against particles/solid objects that’re bigger than 2.5mm