Best for · By need

Best Android tablets for hazardous areas in 2026

Android runs lightweight field apps, works with Android Enterprise and Samsung Knox device management, and comes both in dedicated Ex tablets and in converted Samsung tablets. A tablet still needs certification for the zone it is used in, and the right one depends on the work, from inspection and lone working to scanning and hot-swap shifts. These are our picks for each kind of Android work, from Zone 1 and Division 1 to Zone 2 scanning.

At a glance

The top 5 compared

RankTabletBest forTemperature classCertificationScreenSecurity updatesWeight
1ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1Best overall Android tabletT6 (≤ 85 °C)ATEX, IECEx, Class I Div 1, KCs (Korea), South Africa8 inchQ1 2032 (maker’s statement)1122 g
2i.safe MOBILE IS940.1Best 10-inch Android tablet for Zone 1T4 (≤ 135 °C)ATEX, IECEx, Class I Div 1, South Africa10.1 inchUntil Q4 20321059 g
3Atexxo Zone 1 Galaxy Tab Active5Best for Samsung fleetsT6 (≤ 85 °C)ATEX, IECEx8 inchUntil January 2029 (unconfirmed)940 g
4ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ2Best Android tablet for Zone 2T5 (≤ 100 °C)ATEX, IECEx, Class I Div 2, KCs (Korea), South Africa8 inchQ1 2032 (maker’s statement)595 g (unconfirmed)
5BARTEC ET60/65EX2 AndroidBest for scanning and hot-swap shiftsT4 (≤ 135 °C)ATEX, IECEx, Class I Div 210.1 inchUntil December 2031 (unconfirmed)1074 g

The first three are certified for Zone 1 and dust Zone 21; the last two are Zone 2 only. All five are IIC, and prices are on request.

The ranking

Our picks for Android tablets

  1. Best overall Android tablet

    ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1

    ecom (Pepperl+Fuchs) · Dedicated Ex tablet

    Certified for
    Zone 1/21
    Marking
    II 2G Ex db ia IIC T6 Gb
    Certification
    ATEX + IECEx, Class I Division 1
    Operating system
    Android 16
    Security updates
    Q1 2032 (maker’s statement)
    Weight
    1122 g

    The Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 is the Android tablet we would put in front of a Zone 1 team that works across regions. It is a flameproof (Ex db ia) 8-inch tablet certified IIC T6 for gas and IIIC for dust under ATEX and IECEx, with a North American listing for Class I Division 1 Groups A to D at T6, Class II Division 1 and Class III, and approvals for Brazil, Korea and South Africa. No other Android tablet matches all of that.

    It is rugged and equipped for the field: IP68, MIL-STD-810H, rated to +55 °C, glove and wet-hand touch, an included S Pen, NFC, 5G and a programmable function key for push-to-talk, emergency calls or alarms. It is Android Enterprise Recommended with Samsung Knox 3.10, and ecom quotes up to 14 hours of battery life. A camera-free version suits sites that restrict cameras.

    The screen is the compromise: 8 inches at 600 nits, with an Exynos 1380 and 6 GB of memory. At 1,122 g it is not light, and charging and battery work happen outside the hazardous area. ecom states security updates to 2032 (Q1 2032 in our data, a date we show as unconfirmed), and the Android 16 version comes from a single or secondary source rather than ecom.

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  2. Best 10-inch Android tablet for Zone 1

    i.safe MOBILE IS940.1

    i.safe MOBILE · Dedicated Ex tablet

    Certified for
    Zone 1/21
    Marking
    II 2G Ex ib IIC T4 Gb
    Certification
    ATEX + IECEx, Class I Division 1
    Operating system
    Android 14
    Security updates
    Until Q4 2032
    Weight
    1059 g

    If you want a bigger Android screen in Zone 1 and a tablet that can keep charging, the IS940.1 is the one. It has a 10.1-inch display, a Qualcomm QCM6490 with 8 GB of memory, a 50 MP autofocus camera, 5G, NFC, IP68 and MIL-STD-810H, and i.safe allows it to charge inside the hazardous area, for example on its IS-DS940.1 docking station. A programmable red key can be set to a lone-worker or SOS alarm.

    It is intrinsically safe (Ex ib), IIC T4 and IIIC for Zone 1/21 under ATEX and IECEx, with a Class I Division 1 listing for North America. i.safe states security updates until Q4 2032, the latest date of the five Android picks, and a mining version, the IS940.M1, is certified for Group I.

    T4 caps the surface at 135 °C, so substances that ignite below that need a T6 tablet. It runs Android 14, weighs 1,059 g, our data lists no brightness figure for it, and the stylus is an optional passive accessory. The battery is replaced outside the hazardous area only.

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  3. Best for Samsung fleets

    Atexxo Zone 1 Galaxy Tab Active5

    Atexxo · Converted tablet for the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5

    Certified for
    Zone 1/21
    Marking
    II 2G Ex db IIC T6 Gb
    Certification
    ATEX + IECEx
    Operating system
    Android 16
    Security updates
    Until January 2029 (unconfirmed)
    Weight
    940 g (including the tablet)

    Fleets managed through Samsung Knox can carry that setup into Zone 1 with this conversion of the Galaxy Tab Active5. Atexxo fits it into a flameproof (Ex db) housing rated IIC T6 for gas and IIIC at T85 °C for dust, for Zone 1/21 under both ATEX and IECEx. At 940 g including the tablet it is the lightest T6 Zone 1 tablet we list.

    The tablet brings an 8-inch 120 Hz screen at 600 nits, an Exynos 1380, a 13 MP autofocus camera with flash, NFC and 5G on the cellular model. Atexxo states that the rear camera, the touchscreen and the buttons work through the housing, and the tablet supports an S Pen, though no Ex-rated pen, dock or keyboard is listed.

    It has the shortest support of the five: the date we show, January 2029, is Samsung’s date for the standard model, and the Enterprise Edition gets longer support, though Atexxo does not say which it uses. It is rated to +50 °C, we have no North American listing for it, and the IP64 figure comes from Atexxo’s page alone. Charging means removing the bottom cover in a safe area.

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  4. Best Android tablet for Zone 2

    ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ2

    ecom (Pepperl+Fuchs) · Dedicated Ex tablet

    Certified for
    Zone 2/22
    Marking
    II 3G Ex ic IIC T5 Gc
    Certification
    ATEX + IECEx, Class I Division 2
    Operating system
    Android 16
    Security updates
    Q1 2032 (maker’s statement)
    Weight
    595 g (unconfirmed)

    For Zone 2 sites, the Tab-Ex 05 DZ2 carries the widest certificate among the Zone 2-only Android tablets: Ex ic IIC T5 Gc for gas and IIIC for dust under ATEX and IECEx, plus a Class I Division 2 listing. Like the DZ1 it has IP68, an S Pen, NFC, 5G and a programmable function key. A camera-free version suits sites that restrict cameras.

    The temperature class is T5, a 100 °C limit, where the other Zone 2 Android pick, the BARTEC ET60/65EX2 Android, is T4. ecom quotes up to 14 hours of battery life, and states security updates to 2032 (Q1 2032 in our data, a maker’s statement). The listed weight, 595 g, is from a single source and ecom’s own figures vary.

    Under the North American listing the ambient limit is +50 °C and the dust group is IIIB, not the +55 °C and IIIC of the ATEX and IECEx certificates. It is not for Zone 1, and wired connections and charging are for ordinary areas only.

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  5. Best for scanning and hot-swap shifts

    BARTEC ET60/65EX2 Android

    BARTEC · Rugged tablet, Ex version

    Certified for
    Zone 2/22
    Marking
    II 3G Ex ic op is IIC T4 Gc
    Certification
    ATEX + IECEx, Class I Division 2
    Operating system
    Android 14
    Security updates
    Until December 2031 (unconfirmed)
    Weight
    1074 g

    For scanning across a shift in Zone 2, the ET60/65EX2 Android is the Android tablet we would choose. An optional SE55 scan engine is built in, an internal supercapacitor keeps power during battery swaps (outside the hazardous area), and the 10.1-inch optically bonded screen runs at 1,000 nits. It adds a 16 MP autofocus camera with flash, NFC, a Qualcomm 6490 with 8 GB and 1.5 m drops to concrete.

    The certificate is Ex ic IIC T4 with dust group IIIC under ATEX and IECEx, rated to +55 °C, and a UL listing covers Class I Division 2 for the North American types B7-T2E1 and B7-T2E3, with a Zone 22 dust group of IIIB. It is Zone 2 only.

    It ships with Android 14, upgradeable to Android 16 per BARTEC’s datasheet. Security updates run to December 2031 on Zebra’s date, which BARTEC says needs a LifeGuard service contract, so we show it as unconfirmed. At 1,074 g with an IP64 marking, charging is outside the hazardous area only.

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Method

How we ranked them

Rank 1 goes to the Android tablet whose certificates cover the widest range of work: Zone 1 and dust at IIC T6 with IIIC, ATEX, IECEx and a North American Class I Division 1 listing. The ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 is the only current Android tablet that combines them, and it adds IP68, an S Pen and a camera-free version. The Atexxo Zone 1 Galaxy Tab Active5 matches its T6 and IIIC under ATEX and IECEx but has no North American listing in our data.

Positions 2 to 5 each name the best Android tablet for a different need: the 10-inch Zone 1 screen with charging in the zone, Samsung fleets, Zone 2 sites, and scanning with hot-swap batteries. Prices are on request for every brand, so cost does not affect the order. Update dates are shown as the makers state them and do not decide the order, because four of the five are unconfirmed.

The order follows the certificates, and it would change if a certificate showed another Android tablet covering more of the work, or if a maker confirmed a different update date.

Every figure comes from certificates, declarations of conformity and manufacturer datasheets, and the same rules apply to every brand. Read how we rate or see the disclosure.

Before you buy

What an Android tablet must show

Your site’s hazardous area classification decides which tablets are allowed at all. Within those, compare the Android points below, because the version, support date and management options differ between makers.

  • Zone, gas group and temperature class

    Match the certificate to your area first. The ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 and Atexxo Zone 1 Galaxy Tab Active5 are T6, while the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 is T4 and the Zone 2 picks are T4 or T5.

  • Update date and its source

    Compare the end of security updates and who states it. i.safe states Q4 2032 for the IS940.1; ecom’s 2032, BARTEC’s December 2031 and Samsung’s January 2029 for the Atexxo are shown as unconfirmed or standard-model dates.

  • Android version and management

    Check which Android version ships, what it can be upgraded to, and whether the tablet supports Android Enterprise or Samsung Knox. The ecom Tab-Ex 05 is Android Enterprise Recommended with Knox 3.10.

  • Stylus and glove use

    The ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 includes an S Pen that its certificate names; the i.safe IS940.1’s stylus is an optional passive accessory, and the Atexxo conversion lists no Ex-rated pen.

  • Battery and charging

    Only the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 charges inside the zone among these picks. The BARTEC ET60/65EX2 Android keeps power during battery swaps, but swaps happen outside the hazardous area.

More choice

Other Android tablets on sale

Filter all Android tablets
TabletTypeCertified forTemperature classCertificationSecurity updatesScreenWeight
Atexxo Zone 2 Galaxy Tab A9Check availabilityConverted tabletZone 2/22T4 (≤ 135 °C)ATEXUntil October 2027 (unconfirmed)8.7 inch780 g
Atexxo Zone 2 Galaxy Tab Active5 ProCheck availabilityConverted tabletZone 2/22T4 (≤ 135 °C)ATEXUntil May 203310.1 inch1200 g (unconfirmed)
Atexxo Zone 2 Galaxy Tab S10 FECheck availabilityConverted tabletZone 2/22T4 (≤ 135 °C)ATEXUntil April 203210.9 inch1090 g
Atexxo Zone 2 Galaxy Tab S9 FECheck availabilityConverted tabletZone 2/22T4 (≤ 135 °C)ATEXUntil September 202810.9 inch1090 g
Getac ZX10-EX G2Rugged tablet, Ex versionZone 2/22T4 (≤ 135 °C)ATEX, IECExUntil December 2029 (unconfirmed)10.1 inch1050 g
Getac ZX80-EXRugged tablet, Ex versionZone 2/22T4 (≤ 135 °C)ATEX, IECExUntil February 2029 (unconfirmed)8 inch780 g
i.safe MOBILE IS930.1Dedicated Ex tabletZone 1/21T4 (≤ 135 °C)ATEX, IECEx, UKEX, Class I Div 1Until Q1 20278 inch890 g
i.safe MOBILE IS930.2Dedicated Ex tabletZone 2/22T4 (≤ 135 °C)ATEX, IECEx, Class I Div 2Until Q1 20278 inch890 g
i.safe MOBILE IS940.2Dedicated Ex tabletZone 2/22T4 (≤ 135 °C)ATEX, IECEx, Class I Div 2, South AfricaUntil Q4 203210.1 inch1059 g
TouchStar TS3300Dedicated Ex tabletZone 2/22T5 (≤ 100 °C)ATEX, IECExNo end date published7 inch800 g

Discontinued models are left out; Find tablets lists them. A temperature class or date shown as “Not verified” or “(unconfirmed)” is one we could not confirm from a certificate or the maker.

Impartial advice

Need help choosing an Android tablet?

Your zone, gas groups, dust and the apps your team runs decide which Android tablets qualify, and the certificate for your exact model is what counts. Tell us about your site and we will help you compare tablets impartially.

Ask us for impartial advice Find tablets

FAQ

Android tablet questions

What is the best Android tablet for hazardous areas?

On certified coverage the ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 ranks first: IIC T6 with dust group IIIC for Zone 1/21 under ATEX and IECEx, a Class I Division 1 listing, IP68 and +55 °C. For a 10-inch Zone 1 screen with charging in the zone the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 is the pick.

Can I use a standard Samsung tablet in a hazardous area?

No. A standard Samsung tablet has no Ex certificate, so it needs a certified conversion, such as the Atexxo Zone 1 Galaxy Tab Active5 (flameproof, IIC T6 for Zone 1/21 under ATEX and IECEx), or a dedicated Ex tablet.

Is there an intrinsically safe Android tablet?

Yes. The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 is intrinsically safe (Ex ib) for Zone 1/21, and the BARTEC ET60/65EX2 Android and ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ2 use intrinsic safety at level ic for Zone 2. The ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 and Atexxo Zone 1 Galaxy Tab Active5 are flameproof (Ex db) and explosion-proof, not intrinsically safe.

How long do Android hazardous-area tablets get security updates?

It depends on the maker. i.safe states Q4 2032 for the IS940.1, ecom states updates to 2032 for the Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 and DZ2, BARTEC’s ET60/65EX2 Android runs to December 2031 on Zebra’s date, and the Atexxo Galaxy Tab Active5 to January 2029 on Samsung’s date for the standard model.

Which Android tablet can charge inside a hazardous area?

Among our picks only the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 is allowed to charge inside the hazardous area. The ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 and DZ2, Atexxo Zone 1 Galaxy Tab Active5 and BARTEC ET60/65EX2 Android charge outside it.

Which Android tablet is best for scanning barcodes?

For built-in scanning the BARTEC ET60/65EX2 Android, with an optional SE55 scan engine, is our pick for Zone 2. In Zone 1, the ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 uses ecom’s Ident-Ex 02 wireless scanner, which has its own Ex approval, or camera-based scanning through an app.

Facts last verified on against certificates, declarations of conformity and manufacturer data. Always check the certificate for your exact model before use. Spotted an error? Tell us.