Is the Samsung Galaxy A20 Waterproof?
Just like the Samsung Galaxy A50, the cheaper Samsung Galaxy A20 is not waterproof. Not officially, anyway. This means that the device hasn’t received certification from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). There’s a chance it could be water-resistant to some degree, but we wouldn’t recommend testing it.
While it may be able to fend off water for a short time, if it was designed to do so Samsung would have bragged about it and would have sent it to the IEC — as it does for all of its waterproof devices — to have it receive the official certification. It did not do this for the Samsung Galaxy A20, so assume it’s not waterproof.
If you’re feeling a little curious about what exactly an IP rating is and how it’s formed, even though the Samsung Galaxy A20 doesn’t have one and hasn’t been advertised as waterproof, then keep scrolling as we’ll walk you through the basics of the scoring system and what each rating means.
How are IP Ratings Formed?
IP is the name of the standard that was drawn up by the IEC to determine how resistant an electric device is to fresh water and common raw materials, like dust and sand. The rating itself is made up of the letters IP, followed by two numbers.
The first digit after IP is the rating the IEC assigned a unit for its resistance to solids.
Solid Protection
- IP1X — Protection from contact with any large surface of the body, such as the back of a hand, but no protection against deliberate contact with a body part.
- IP2X — Protection from fingers or similar objects.
- IP3X — Protection from tools, thick wires or similar objects.
- IP4X — Protection from most wires, screws or similar objects.
- IP5X — Partial protection from contact with harmful dust.
- IP6X — Protection from contact with harmful dust.
The second digit is indicative of the level of moisture protection a handset provides.
Moisture Protection
- IPX1 — Protection against vertically dripping water.
- IPX2 — Protection against vertically dripping water when device is tilted at an angle up to 15 degrees.
- IPX3 — Protection against direct sprays of water when device is tilted at an angle up to 60 degrees.
- IPX4 — Protection from sprays and splashing of water in all directions.
- IPX5 — Protection from low-pressure water projected from a nozzle with a 6.3mm diameter opening in any direction.
- IPX6 — Protection from water projected in powerful jets from a nozzle with a 12.5mm diameter opening in any direction.
- IPX7 — Protected from immersion in water with a depth of up to 1 meter (or 3.3 feet) for up to 30 mins.
- IPX8 — Protected from immersion in water with a depth of more than 1 meter (manufacturer must specify exact depth).
The rating the International Electrotechnical Commission assigns to a unit is strictly for fresh water, however; it doesn’t test, and therefore can’t guarantee, protection from submersion in other liquids — like beer, coffee and salt water.