The short version
- The first digit is dust, the second is water. “X” means not rated for that.
- IPX4 handles splashes. IPX5 handles water jets, so it is the safer bet for heavy sweat.
- IP55 adds dust protection on top of IPX5-level water resistance.
Two digits, two jobs
An IP rating comes from the IEC 60529 standard. The first digit says how well a device keeps out solids like dust, from 0 to 6. The second says how well it keeps out water, from 0 to 9. When a brand writes “X” in place of a digit, that part simply was not rated.
IPX4: splashes
IPX4 means protected against water splashing from any direction. Rain on a walk or a few drops at the sink are fine. Three of the five pairs on our shelf sit here.
IPX5: jets
IPX5 steps up to water jets from any direction. For heavy sweat in the gym, it is the safer choice.
None of these ratings mean you can swim with them. Submersion starts at IPX7.
IP55: dust too
IP55 pairs the same water-jet level as IPX5 with dust protection: some dust can get in, but not enough to cause harm. OnePlus lists this rating for the Nord Buds 3r earbuds.
What is on our shelf
| Rating | Dust | Water | On our shelf |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPX4 | Not rated | Splashing from any direction | Airdopes 219, 141 Gen 2, Plus 311 |
| IPX5 | Not rated | Water jets from any direction | Airdopes Joy |
| IP55 | Dust-protected | Water jets from any direction | Nord Buds 3r (earbuds) |
One more thing: the standard tests use fresh water, so salty sweat is not part of the test. Wipe your buds down after a workout whatever the rating.
If sweat is your main worry: boAt Airdopes Joy is the IPX5 pair on our shelf. Catch: 35 h, the shortest battery here.
boAt store price · Amazon price may differ
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Siddhi Panchal
Reads the spec sheets so you don’t have to. Every article here is research-based unless it says otherwise.