Eaton
Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC
- Zone 1/21
- IIC T4
- ATEX + IECEx
- Class I Division 1
Compare · Windows or Android for Zone 1
These two 10.1-inch intrinsically safe tablets do different jobs, so this is a choice between Windows and Android for Zone 1 work. The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC (Ex ia) runs x86 Windows 11 IoT Enterprise and is Zone 0 rated inside its supplied case. The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 (Ex ib) is an Android tablet with 5G that weighs 371 g less, and i.safe allows it to be charged inside the hazardous area. Both are certified for Zone 1/21 under ATEX and IECEx at IIC T4. Here is how they compare, and which we would choose for which team.
Eaton
i.safe MOBILE
Our verdict
Pick by the software your team has to run and the gases on your site. If your Zone 1 work needs desktop Windows software, a sharper screen or Zone 0 access, we would choose the Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC. If you run Android apps, work in North America with gases in Groups A or B, charge in the zone, or want a lighter tablet with an alarm key and Ex-rated push-to-talk accessories, we would choose the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1.
Key differences
The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC is rated Ga/Da, and Eaton limits Zone 0 use to the case it supplies. The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 is rated Gb/Db for Zone 1/21. If any of your work is in Zone 0, only the Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC qualifies, and only inside that case.
The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC’s UL listing covers Class I Division 1 Groups C and D at T4, so not acetylene (Group A) or hydrogen (Group B). The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1’s NEC 500 listing covers Groups A to D at T4. On a site classified by Division, this can decide the choice on its own.
The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC runs x86 Windows software natively. The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 is Android and cannot run Windows applications. If your software exists only for Windows, the choice is made.
i.safe allows the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 to be charged inside the hazardous area, within a charging range of 0 °C to +45 °C. The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC must be charged outside it, with its own charger. For crews who cannot walk out to a charging point, this can decide the choice.
In the field
Edge: Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC
This is the real dividing line. The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC runs Windows 11 IoT Enterprise on an Intel quad-core Atom (Apollo Lake) at 1.6 GHz, with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, and our data lists Windows desktop software as built in. For teams whose plant, maintenance or engineering software exists only as a Windows application, that is the whole case for it. Its 10.1-inch screen is 2560 × 1600 at 540 nits, a stylus is supplied, and the rear camera is 8 MP with 1080p video.
The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 runs Android 14 on a Qualcomm QCM6490, a long-term support chipset, with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. Its 10.1-inch Gorilla Glass V3 screen is 1200 × 1920, with a 50 MP autofocus camera, 5G NR, Wi-Fi 6 and a dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM). Eaton lists Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with optional LTE-A. For web tools and Android apps the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 does the job; for Windows applications it does not.
Even
Under ATEX and IECEx both are certified for Zone 1/21, gas group IIC and dust group IIIC, at T4 and 135 °C, with the same ambient range of −20 °C to +55 °C. The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC is rated Ga/Da, intrinsically safe at level ia, and Zone 0 use is allowed only inside the case Eaton supplies, with a friction hazard warning. The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 is rated Gb/Db at level ib, and neither it nor its certificate covers Zone 0.
North America reverses the picture. The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC’s UL listing is Class I Division 1 Groups C and D at T4, with Class I Zone 0 AEx ia IIB T4, and in North America its gas group is IIB, so hydrogen and acetylene are outside it. The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1’s NEC 500 listing covers Class I Division 1 Groups A to D at T4, Class II Division 1 Groups E, F and G and Class III. Each tablet wins one of these two points, so which counts depends on your site.
Edge: i.safe MOBILE IS940.1
The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 weighs 1,059 g against 1,430 g for the Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC, 371 g less, and it is rated IP68 against IP67. It may be charged inside the hazardous area, and i.safe lists the IS-DS940.1 docking station for it. Its battery is user-replaceable, changed outside the hazardous area only. The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC’s battery is not user-replaceable, and Eaton’s conditions allow no charging, connecting or disconnecting in hazardous areas, with its dock for safe areas only.
The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC has two 3,450 mAh cells at 7.2 V, 49.68 Wh, and Eaton quotes a typical 12 hours. The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 has an 8,160 mAh battery, and our data has no battery-life figure for it, so we do not compare runtime. Test Eaton’s figure against your own workload, and note that a tablet that can be charged where it is used does not have to leave the zone to recharge.
Edge: i.safe MOBILE IS940.1
On updates, i.safe states security updates until Q4 2032 for the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1. Our data gives October 2034 for the Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC, which is Microsoft’s end date for the Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 edition, but Eaton does not state which edition it ships. We would not choose on that date: ask Eaton for the exact support end date for the version you order.
In the field, the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 lists more. It has a freely programmable red key for SOS or a lone-worker app, Ex-rated accessories for use in the zone (the IS-PTTB1A.1 push-to-talk button, headsets and the IS-RSM3A.1 remote speaker microphone) and a mining version, the i.safe MOBILE IS940.M1. The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC scans through a camera app, with Aegex’s AegexScan as an option, and supplies a stylus. Eaton’s conditions of use allow no accessories or extensions in the hazardous area, and our data lists no key or ruggedness standard for it.
Specifications
Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC | i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ex rating | ||
| Certified for | Zone 1/21 | Zone 1/21 |
| Protection | Intrinsic safety (Ex ia) | Intrinsic safety (Ex ib) |
| Gas group | IIC | IIC |
| Temperature class | T4 (≤ 135 °C) | T4 (≤ 135 °C) |
| Mining version | Not in our data | i.safe MOBILE IS940.M1: also certified for Group I (underground mining) |
| Certification | ||
| ATEX marking | II 1GD Ex ia IIC T4 Ga / II 1GD Ex ia IIIC T135°C Da | II 2G Ex ib IIC T4 Gb / II 2D Ex ib IIIC T135°C Db |
| ATEX certificate | Nemko 25ATEX1018X | EPS 24 ATEX 1 010 X |
| IECEx marking | Ex ia IIC T4 Ga / Ex ia IIIC T135°C Da | Ex ib IIC T4 Gb / Ex ib IIIC T135°C Db |
| IECEx certificate | IECEx NMK 25.0029X (Issue 0, 2026-05-26) | IECEx EPS 24.0001X (issue 1, 2025-02-06 |
| Other approvals | UL 913 / CSA C22.2 No. 60079-0 and -11 | IA South Africa (MTEx-S/24.0456 X), PCEC China (CE24.5940X), INMETRO (BRA 24.GE0015X), Japan-Ex, PESO, KCs |
| North America | UL certificate CER230869: Class I Div 1 Groups C, D T4; Class I Zone 0 AEx ia IIB T4 Ga (US) / Ex ia IIB T4 Ga (CAN); UL 913 8th ed. Class I, II, III Div 1. Gas group is IIB in North America, IIC in Europe/IECEx. | NEC 500 (QPS LR3081-7, 2025-08-13): Class I Div 1 Groups A, B, C, D T4; Class II Div 1 Groups E, F, G 155 °C; Class III; IP64; −20 °C to +55 °C |
| Zone 0 | Zone 0 rated only inside the case supplied by the maker. | Not in our data |
| Protection level (EPL) | Ga / Da | Gb / Db |
| Dust group | IIIC | IIIC |
| Max surface temperature (dust) | 135 °C | 135 °C |
| Safe use | ||
| Ambient temperature (Ta) | −20 °C to +55 °C | −20 °C to +55 °C |
| Charging | Outside the hazardous area only | Yes |
| Battery swap | Outside the hazardous area only | Outside the hazardous area only |
| Ports and accessories in the zone | No accessories or extensions in the hazardous area; SIM/microSD slots not to be opened; docking connector and charging only in safe areas. | USB-C and 16-pin ISM covers closed in Ex areas. In Ex areas only these may be connected to the 16-pin ISM: headset IS-HS2A.1, remote speaker microphone IS-RSM3A.1, PTT button IS-PTTB1A.1 (with or without headset IS-HDHS1x.1). The 12-pin dock interface may stay open. Nano-SIM and microSD (IS-SD164.1 / IS-SD1128.1 or cards meeting the entity parameters) allowed in their slots in the Ex area. |
| Certified accessories | Eaton accessory list: carry case GEC-ATP-CC-01 (required in Zone 0), anti-glare screen protector GEC-ATP-AGSP-01, USB cables GEC-ATP-STUSBS-01, IS USB adapter GEC-ATP-ISUSB-01, shoulder strap GEC-ATP-SHST-01, stylus with tether GEC-ATP-STYT-01, docking station GEC-ATP-DOST-01 (safe area), hands-free harness GEC-ATP-HFHA-01, power adapter GEC-ATP-POAD-XX-01. Ex-area use of each accessory is not stated beyond the case, strap and stylus. | Ex-rated for use in Ex area: IS-HS2A.1 headset, IS-RSM3A.1 speaker microphone, IS-PTTB1A.1 PTT button, IS-HDHS1A/B/C.1 headsets (headband, neckband, helmet), IS-DS940.1 docking station, microSD IS-SD164.1/IS-SD1128.1. Charging via IS-DS940.1 or MC930.1 multi charger; PROTECTOR 2.0 USB-C cable only outside Ex areas. Leather cases, vehicle mount, carry straps also listed. |
| IP code in the Ex certificate | IP67 in the ATEX marking printed in Eaton's manual (Nemko 25ATEX1018X ... Um = 20V IP67); not in the IECEx database marking for NMK 25.0029XUnconfirmed, see note 1 | Not in our data |
| Operating temperature | −20 °C to +55 °C | −20 °C to +55 °C |
| Conditions of use | Do not remove or replace the battery pack in hazardous areas; use only battery AAEB-100-XX and charge it only on the tablet; charge only with Eaton charger GEC-ATP-POAD-x-01; do not open the SIM/SD port in a hazardous location; in Zone 0 use only inside Eaton case GEC-ATP-CC-01 (friction hazard); avoid friction on the enclosure; inspect for damage; service only by Eaton; do not charge, connect or disconnect in hazardous areas; no accessories or extensions in hazardous areas (IECEx NMK 25.0029X conditions a-j). Um = 20 V appears in the ATEX/UL marking printed in the instruction manual, not in the IECEx text. | Battery may be replaced outside explosion hazardous areas only; protect against excessive UV light and high electrostatic charge; USB-C interface under IP cover may only be opened outside hazardous areas; 16-pin ISM interface must be closed with its cover when not in use in hazardous areas; ambient −20 °C to +55 °C; charging temperature limited to 0 °C to +45 °C (IECEx EPS 24.0001X issue 1). Safety instructions: protect from high-energy impacts; zones 1, 2, 21, 22 only. |
| Device | ||
| Type | Dedicated Ex tablet | Dedicated Ex tablet |
| Launched | 2026Unconfirmed, see note 2 | 2024Unconfirmed, see note 3 |
| Part numbers | GZ1A1W51A1A1 (WiFi); GZ1A1G51A1A1 (LTE); carry case GEC-ATP-CC-01; dock GEC-ATP-DOST-01 | Model M940A01; battery BPIS940A.1A (MBP940AA01) per DoC; R. STAHL Art. No. 329056 (Tablet Set), 329467 (Tablet Set no Camera)Unconfirmed, see note 4 |
| Operating system | Windows 11 IoT Enterprise | Android 14 |
| Edition | Windows 11 IoT Enterprise (channel/LTSC year not stated; Eaton: 'Windows 11 IoT')Unconfirmed, see note 5 | Android 14 |
| Security updates | Until October 2034Unconfirmed, see note 6 | Until Q4 2032 |
| Processor | Intel quad-core Atom (Apollo Lake) 1.6 GHz base, 1.8 GHz burst | Qualcomm QCM6490 octa-core (long-term support chipset) |
| Processor architecture | x86 | Arm |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB, MicroSDXC up to 2 TB | 128 GB, microSD supported |
| Field capabilities | ||
| Push-to-talk | Not in our data | Via accessory (IS-PTTB1A.1 PTT button on the 16-pin ISM interface; Ex-rated? yes) and PTT app |
| Emergency / SOS | Not in our data | Built in (freely programmable red key, e.g. SOS / lone worker) |
| Lone worker | Not in our data | Via app (red key assigned to a lone-worker application; third-party app) |
| Barcode scanning | Via app (camera-based; Eaton lists no scan engine) | Via app (50 MP camera-based; no dedicated scan engine listed) |
| NFC reading | Built in (NFC) | Built in (NFC) |
| 3D scanning / LiDAR | Not possible (no depth sensor) | Not possible (no depth sensor listed) |
| Remote expert / video calls | Via app (front and rear cameras; a camera-free version is also offered) | Via app (front and rear cameras, Wi-Fi 6 / 5G; third-party app) |
| Windows desktop software | Built in (Windows 11 IoT, x86) | Not possible (Android) |
| Display and camera | ||
| Display | 10.1-inch AHVA (IPS-type), 1000:1 contrast, 170 degree viewing angle | 10.1-inch Corning Gorilla Glass V3 (3rd generation), usable with gloves |
| Resolution | 2560 × 1600 (WQXGA) | 1200 × 1920 |
| Brightness | 540 nits | Not in our data |
| Touch | Not in our data | Usable with gloves (maker); wet-touch not stated |
| Pen / stylus | Stylus supplied (type not stated) | Passive stylus available as accessory (IS-Stylus Set, 'stylus for operating touch screens'); not in the box |
| Rear camera | 8 MP autofocus with flash (Eaton: camera-free version available) | 50 MP autofocus |
| Front camera | Front camera 1920 x 1080 stills (megapixels not stated; 2 MP in Eaton manual) | 5 MP fixed focus |
| Video | 1080p at 30 fps | Not in our data |
| Connectivity | ||
| Network | Wi-Fi; optional LTE-A Cat 12 / UMTS | 5G NR and 4G LTE |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/e/k/r/ax/v) with hotspot |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.2 | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Satellite positioning | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, A-Glonass, Beidou, Galileo |
| SIM | Nano-SIM (LTE version) | Nano-SIM + eSIM (dual SIM) |
| Physical and power | ||
| Weight | 1430 g | 1059 g |
| Dimensions | 278 × 207 × 13.8 (28.3 at battery section) mm | 266.17 × 168.46 × 19.82 mm |
| Ingress protection | IP67 | IP68 |
| Ruggedness | Not in our data | MIL-STD-810H |
| Battery | 2 x 3450 (7.2 V) | 8160 |
| Battery energy | 49.68 | 30.2Unconfirmed, see note 7 |
| Battery life | Typical 12 h (Eaton datasheet) | Not in our data |
| Replaceable battery | No | Yes |
| Ports and expansion | 5-pin magnetic charging connector; docking connector (LAN, USB 2.0/3.0, USB-C, HDMI, SD, audio jack); microSDXC and nano-SIM under port cover; VESA 75 x 35 mm mount (Eaton) | USB-C; 12-pin docking interface; 16-pin ISM interface (audio/PTT accessories; the page text also calls it '13-pin'); nano-SIM + eSIM; microSD |
| Docking | Dock DS100M (Aegex) / GEC-ATP-DOST-01 (Eaton), safe area only; shoulder strap; VESA mount | IS-DS940.1 docking station (VESA 100; charging in Ex area); IS-MC930.1 six-bay multi charger; vehicle mount |
| Keyboard | No (slate) | No (slate) |
| Controls & Accessibility | ||
| Keys | Not in our data | Freely programmable red key (e.g. lone worker / SOS); additional programmable side buttons |
| Push-to-talk key | Not in our data | No |
| Glove touch | Not in our data | Yes |
| Fleet and support | ||
| Preinstalled apps | AegexScan barcode-scanning application (optional, Aegex) | Not in our data |
| Manufacturer | Eaton Electric Limited (MTL), United Kingdom | i.safe MOBILE GmbH, Germany |
Only values we could check are listed; “Not in our data” means we have not verified it, not that the tablet lacks it. A numbered marker means a value is unconfirmed, and the matching note at the foot of the page explains why. Prices are on request for both.
Keep researching
Impartial advice
Both tablets are intrinsically safe and certified for Zone 1/21, so the choice comes down to your software and your gases: Windows or Android, Groups C and D or A to D, Zone 0 or not. Tell us about your sites and we will help you choose impartially.
FAQ
Neither is better across the board. The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC suits teams that need x86 Windows software, a sharper screen or Zone 0 access. The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 suits Android teams, Division 1 sites with Group A or B gases, crews who charge in the zone and anyone who wants a lighter tablet. Both are intrinsically safe and certified for Zone 1/21.
Only the Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC, and only inside the case supplied by Eaton. The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 is certified for Zone 1/21 (protection level Gb/Db) and is not certified for Zone 0.
No. The i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 is listed for Class I Division 1 Groups A to D, which include acetylene and hydrogen. The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC is listed for Groups C and D only. Under ATEX and IECEx both are rated for gas group IIC.
Only the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1, within its certificate’s limits and a charging range of 0 °C to +45 °C. The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC must be charged outside the hazardous area with Eaton’s charger, and its battery is not user-replaceable.
On the dates we have, the Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC, to October 2034, but that is Microsoft’s date for the LTSC 2024 edition and Eaton does not state its edition. i.safe states Q4 2032 for the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1. Treat the Eaton date as unconfirmed until Eaton confirms it.
No. It is an Android tablet, and our data lists Windows desktop software as not possible on it. The Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC is an x86 tablet that runs Windows 11 IoT Enterprise.
Prices depend on volume, configuration and region, so both are on request. Contact us for a price.
Facts last verified on against certificates, declarations of conformity and manufacturer data. The sources for each tablet are listed on its page: Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC and i.safe MOBILE IS940.1. Always check the certificate for your exact model before use. Spotted an error? Tell us.