Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Wearables
  3. Mobile
  4. Evergreens

Is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 waterproof? What the IP rating really means

Add as a preferred source on Google
galaxy unpacked 2025
This story is part of our Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 coverage
Updated less than 1 hour ago

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro are excellent wearable devices that have been on tech fans’ radars since rumors of their existence started making the internet rounds earlier this year. They both boast impressive specs and are solid smartwatches to choose if you’re looking to buy into wearable tech.

While learning about the Watch 5’s features is all well and good, knowing what its durability is like is equally important for those who are planning on making a purchase. More specifically, knowing about the Galaxy Watch 5’s waterproofing is something you should consider before spending your hard-earned dollars.

Recommended Videos

The Galaxy Watch 5 has an IP68 rating

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.
Andrew Martonik / Digital Trends

The Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro both share an Ingress Protection (IP) rating of IP68. Essentially, this rating tests to see how resistant a device is to both solid and liquid objects. The six in the Watch 5’s rating means that the devices are completely protected against solid particles like dust, dirt, and sand. The IP scale for solid particles maxes out at six, so the Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro are top of the line in that regard.

The eight in the Galaxy Watch 5’s rating is in reference to the device’s resistance to liquids. An eight means that the smartwatches are able to be completely submerged in water deeper than three feet for extended periods of time. The scale is out of nine (with the highest rating reserved for devices that can resist being dipped in high-temperature liquids), so an eight is just about as good as it gets. For reference, other devices rated IP68 are things like the iPhone 13, Galaxy S22, and many of the other best phones available in 2022.

You also get 5ATM waterproof protection

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
Andrew Martonik/Digital Trends

In addition to the IP rating, the Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro received ratings of 5ATM in terms of water pressure resistance. This rating gives more specific information on what situations the devices are protected against.

5ATM means that the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro are resistant to the water pressure equivalent of more than 160 feet of depth for 10 minutes. Essentially, you’re good to bring your smartwatch into the pool with you, but it’s not a watch that should stay on when getting in the hot tub or when doing deep sea diving.

Furthermore, the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro are rated MIL-STD-810H in terms of their durability. This is a standard durability test done to test resistance to a large number of environmental factors, including things such as electric shocks, humidity, dropping, and more. While not every device manufacturer goes out of its way to get a rating, the MIL-STD-810H rating means that the Watch 5 duo should be able to take a drop without being damaged beyond repair.

Peter Hunt Szpytek
A podcast host and journalist, Peter covers mobile news with Digital Trends and gaming news, reviews, and guides for sites…
I found 4 smartwatch deals for different budgets ahead of Prime Day
Samsung keeps the price low, Garmin stretches battery life, and Apple offers two different reasons to spend more
Wristwatch, Arm, Body Part

Phone compatibility narrows the smartwatch aisle quickly. These four Amazon discounts cover Android users, iPhone owners, and anyone who’d prefer fewer charging breaks, with prices ranging from $159 to $379.99. The biggest discount isn’t necessarily the best fit for every wrist.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 - $159 (36% off)

Read more
Google’s new Fitbit is coming for the space between a fitness band and a smartwatch
Google’s Fitbit Edge could replace the Charge with a screen and seven-day battery
Google Fitbit Edge

Google could be preparing a new fitness tracker that fills the gap between the screen-free Fitbit Air and the more capable Pixel Watch 5. Exclusive images obtained by Android Headlines reportedly show the Fitbit Edge, a screen-equipped fitness band that could effectively become the successor to the Fitbit Charge lineup.

Google has not released a new Fitbit Charge since 2023, leaving the future of the popular fitness-band series uncertain. The Fitbit Edge could now be Google's answer, bringing a small display and useful smart features while keeping the focus firmly on fitness rather than turning the wrist into another smartphone. 

Read more
Apple is going back to its design roots and its new leader is leading the push
John Ternus is taking a much more hands-on role in Apple’s design teams.
John Ternus holding the iPhone Duo.

Apple may be moving back toward the design-focused culture that shaped some of its most important products. New CEO John Ternus has reportedly made design a much bigger part of his job, spending significant time with the company’s industrial design and human interface teams.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple also does not appear to be actively looking for an executive to oversee the entire design organization. Ternus now appears to be filling that gap himself, giving the company’s hardware and software design groups a single senior decision-maker again after years of operating under separate leaders.

Read more