Quick answer:Yes, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic are resistant to water and sweat, with their IP68 rating. Both models are certified for 5ATM water resistance, but only for a brief span of time.
Samsung recently unveiled theGalaxy Watch 6 seriescomprising the Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic at the Galaxy Unpacked event, held in the brand’s home country of South Korea for the first time. These smartwatches replace theGalaxy Watch 5series from last year and have lofty expectations to live up to. The Watch 5 and Watch 4 models before that wereour favorite Wear OS smartwatches. However, excellent technology isn’t of much use if it can’t accompany you wherever you go. The Galaxy Watch 6 is well-built and has a water resistance rating to ensure it can accompany you everywhere.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 waterproof?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is water-resistant and should hold up to sweat equally well. These new wearables boast an impressive IP68 rating for resistance to both dirt and water. Although the Watch 6 is not a rugged smartwatch by any stretch of the imagination, it holds up well against rain, sweat from your workouts, and the occasional splash.
It can also accompany you for swimming practice and survive the occasional trip to the deep end of your local pool. However, Samsung suggests you don’t wear the Galaxy Watch 6 while diving because it isn’t built to withstand sudden changes in pressure.
What does the IP68 rating on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 mean?
Although the need to check the time or your fitness metrics may seldom arise underwater, it’s important tounderstand the IP68 ratingyou’re paying for. According to the International Electrotechnical Commission that governs these ingress protection (IP) ratings, the first digit in the rating corresponds to the gadget’s dust resistance on a six-point scale, while the second indicates its water resistance on a nine-point scale.
Since the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is IP68 rated, it should hold up pretty well in dusty situations like on a hike or when you’re tackling a DIY project. That’s because the watch has the highest possible rating for protection from dust. When exposed to water, Samsung itself claims the watch will survive immersion in freshwater like a swimming pool for up to 30 minutes at depths up to 1.5 meters.
This means there’s no problem wearing the Galaxy Watch 6 in the shower, bath, or pool. However, we would suggest taking it off before entering a hot tub (which could compromise the adhesive seal) and avoiding saltwater because of its corrosive nature.
What is the 5ATM rating on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6?
Samsung also advertises a 5ATM water resistance rating for the Galaxy Watch 6, alongside the IP68 certification. It means your smartwatch will operate normally even when subject to five atmospheres of pressure. Since the usual atmospheric pressure is 1ATM, you would experience around 5ATM of pressure when 50 meters under the surface of water, like on a scuba dive or when you enter the deeper end of a public pool.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 can survive 5ATM of pressure underwater for up to 10 minutes at a time, so the occasional excursion should be fine. Together with the IP68 rating, the 5ATM water resistance means you may stay in the water for up to 30 minutes but don’t go deeper than 50 meters for over 10 minutes.
Can I wear the Galaxy Watch 6 when swimming?
Yes, the Galaxy Watch 6 has the water resistance ratings to be the ideal companion for recreational swimmers and professionals. The wearable also comes with swim-tracking features for monitoring your heart rate, swim stroke, and other important parameters, all to calculate energy expenditure so you may make the most of your time in the water.
However, it could be challenging to interact with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6’s touchscreen. Samsung helpfully includes aWater lock modeon the Galaxy Watch 6, so accidental touches are avoided. It also disables the wake-up gesture to conserve power and prevent accidental activation from your swimming strokes. With features like these, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is completely swim-proofed. Just verify you don’t subject it to sudden pressure changes, like when diving.
Which smartwatches are more waterproof than the Galaxy Watch 6?
Although the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is sufficiently water-resistant for the free-spirited swimmer, divers and adrenaline junkies may find the watch relatively fragile. However, the wearables market has only a few watches that score the highest IP rating for water resistance on the nine-point scale, where the Galaxy Watch 6 scores eight.
You may have to sacrifice the simplicity and convenience of Wear OS in your pursuit of better water resistance.Huawei Watch GT3 and GT3 Promodels are prime examples of this — they boot HarmonyOS, but boast 10ATM water resistance and an EN13319 rating for diving. As a result, this model works just fine, even under 100 meters of water pressure. They can also withstand the sudden pressure change caused by a 30m dive. You could even consider thesecond-generation Garmin Epix, which also comes with an excellent set of fitness tracking features and the same 10ATM water resistance as the Huawei.
With IP68 and 5ATM water resistance ratings, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic are the ideal companions for your active lifestyle, whether it includes dust or time in the water. This is one of the best Wear OS watches on the market right now, and it will be the ideal companion to any Android phone you have, especially a Samsung device.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is the brand’s latest and greatest smartwatch with a versatile set of fitness tracking features and a great IP68 rating for water resistance.
