Intrinsically safe tablets: a buyer’s guide for 2026

This guide brings that together. It covers what makes a tablet intrinsically safe or explosion-proof, the four kinds of tablet you can buy for hazardous areas, the checks that separate one from another, and who makes what. The figures come from the 46 current tablets, cases and conversions in our database, checked against the makers’ documents and certificates in October 2026.

What makes a tablet intrinsically safe or explosion-proof

A tablet can ignite a gas or dust atmosphere through a battery fault, a hot surface or a spark at a port, contact or button. A certified tablet manages those risks in one of a few recognized ways, and the method appears as a code in its Ex marking.

Intrinsic safety (Ex i) limits the electrical and thermal energy inside the device so it stays below what could ignite the atmosphere. It comes in three levels. Ex ia stays safe with two faults and suits Zone 0, Ex ib stays safe with one fault and suits Zone 1, and Ex ic is assessed in normal operation for Zone 2. Most dedicated hazardous-area tablets use it, which is why "intrinsically safe tablet" has become the everyday name for the whole category.

A flameproof enclosure (Ex db) works the other way. It accepts that an ignition could happen inside and contains it in a housing built to withstand the pressure and stop flame reaching the surrounding atmosphere. This is how the Zone 1 cases and conversions for standard iPads and Galaxy Tabs work, and those products are explosion-proof, certified for the same zones as intrinsically safe tablets. Zone 2 products also use increased safety (Ex ec) and restricted-breathing enclosures (Ex nR).

The certificate scheme matters as much as the method. ATEX applies in the European Union and the EEA, IECEx is the international scheme many operators specify worldwide, and UKEX covers Great Britain. North American sites are classified under the NEC and CEC, either in Classes and Divisions or in Zones, and need a listing from a recognized test laboratory. One tablet can hold several of these, and the marking for each is printed on its label.

The four kinds of hazardous-area tablet

Tablets for hazardous areas come in four forms, and the form says a lot about what the tablet will be like to live with.

Dedicated Ex tablets

These are designed for hazardous areas from the start and certified as one device. Our data lists 12 current models from ecom, i.safe MOBILE, Eaton, BARTEC and TouchStar. They include most of the Zone 1 Android and Windows options, such as the ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1, the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 and the Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC, and they tend to have wide ambient ranges and the clearest support dates.

Ex versions of rugged tablets

Several rugged tablet makers sell a certified version of a standard model. Our data lists 12 current models from Getac, BARTEC, Durabook and Winmate. Every one of them is certified for Zone 2/22 only (Zone 2 only for Winmate), as intrinsically safe (Ex ic), and their conditions of use bar the ports in the hazardous area. They suit Zone 2 sites that want the same hardware inside and outside the zone.

Certified cases for standard tablets

A certified case lets a standard tablet into the zone with its own cameras, apps and updates. Our data lists 10 current cases, all for the iPad apart from the universal Armadex Ex UniCase, which also takes some Galaxy Tabs and the Surface Go. The Xshielder iPad Pro 11-inch is the only Zone 1 option for a full-size iPad, and the other Zone 1 cases are for the iPad mini.

Factory conversions

In a conversion, a specialist rebuilds a standard tablet inside a certified housing for good. Atexxo makes all 12 current conversions in our data, for iPads and Samsung Galaxy Tabs. Its Zone 1 versions of the iPad mini and the Galaxy Tab Active5 have published ATEX and IECEx certificates, while its Zone 2 conversions carry markings that Atexxo states without publishing the certificate.

Our guide to whether an iPad is intrinsically safe compares cases, conversions and dedicated tablets in more detail.

The checks that separate one tablet from another

Zone and protection level

The zone drawing decides the minimum. Zone 1 needs equipment protection level Gb or better (Category 2 under ATEX, shown as II 2G), and Zone 2 accepts Gc (Category 3, II 3G). A Zone 1 tablet can also be used in Zone 2, and the reverse isn’t allowed. Of the 46 current tablets in our data, 13 are certified for Zone 1. Zone 0 is rare for tablets, and the Eaton MTL GECMA IS Tablet PC is the only current one rated for it, and only inside the carry case Eaton supplies.

Gas group and temperature class

The gas group says which gases the tablet is tested against. IIC covers hydrogen and acetylene as well as the IIB and IIA gases, and most current tablets are IIC. The temperature class sets the tablet’s maximum surface temperature, which has to stay below the ignition temperature of every substance on site. T4 (135 °C) covers most gases, and T6 (85 °C) is the strictest class. Among Zone 1 tablets with a confirmed marking, three combine IIC with T6: the Xshielder iPad Pro 11-inch, the ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 and the Atexxo Zone 1 Galaxy Tab Active5.

Dust group

Sites with combustible dust need a dust rating too, marked with a dust group and a maximum surface temperature. IIIC covers conductive dust and includes IIIB (non-conductive dust) and IIIA (combustible flyings). The difference matters in practice. The Atexxo Zone 1 iPad mini conversions are rated IIIA, which covers combustible flyings but not dusts, and several Zone 2 tablets stop at IIIB.

The certificate behind the marking

A marking on a spec sheet is a claim until a certificate backs it. IECEx certificates can be looked up on the IECEx online database by number, and the ATEX certificate or EU declaration of conformity can be requested from the maker. Some makers publish neither for some products, and our data flags those markings as unconfirmed. Ask for the certificate for your exact model and version before ordering, and check that it names the tablet inside when you buy a case or conversion.

Ambient temperature

Every certificate states an ambient range, and the tablet may only be used inside it. Among current Zone 1 tablets the upper limit runs from +40 °C (the standard default, on a certificate that marks no range) to +60 °C. That gap matters on sun-exposed plant in hot climates, where an outdoor surface can run well above the air temperature. North American listings sometimes set a lower limit than the ATEX certificate for the same tablet, so check the one that applies to your site.

Charging, batteries and ports

The certificate’s conditions of use say what may be done inside the zone, and they differ more than spec sheets suggest. Most tablets must be charged outside the hazardous area. In our data, only i.safe MOBILE’s IS940 and IS945 tablets are confirmed for charging inside it, within their certificates’ limits. No current tablet in our data is cleared for a battery change in the zone, and six Zone 2 tablets support hot swap, where the tablet stays on while the battery is changed outside. Ports usually stay closed in the zone, with a few exceptions such as headset ports rated for intrinsically safe audio equipment.

Screen, weight and cameras

Current hazardous-area tablets range from 7 to 12.5 inches, and most are 8 to 11 inches. An 8-inch tablet suits one-handed work and a pocket, and a 10- or 11-inch screen suits drawings, P&IDs and forms. Weight follows the protection method, so flameproof Zone 1 options are heavier than their standard tablets. Current Zone 1 tablets weigh from 890 g (the i.safe MOBILE IS930.1) to 1,430 g (the Eaton). Cameras vary widely too, and inspection teams should check what works through any case or housing, since the enclosure decides whether the camera, flash, LiDAR and microphones can be used.

Operating system and security updates

The platform usually follows the software and device management a company already runs. Our data lists 17 current iPad options, 15 Android tablets and 14 Windows tablets. Security support decides how long a tablet can stay on the network, and the makers state it differently. i.safe MOBILE gives a quarter, such as Q4 2032 for the IS940 tablets, Windows follows Microsoft’s lifecycle for the edition installed, and Apple publishes a minimum, with iPad Pro models historically supported for 7–8 years. Our guide to iPad, Android or Windows for hazardous areas compares the platforms in depth.

Accessories certified for the zone

A tablet’s certificate covers only the accessories it names. Straps, holsters, styluses and some headsets and scanners are certified for use in the zone, while chargers, docks and spare batteries are usually for safe areas only. If a team needs a barcode scanner, a headset or a vehicle mount inside the zone, check that the accessory is named in the tablet’s certificate or holds its own.

Who makes hazardous-area tablets

The table lists the makers in our database with current products, in alphabetical order. Each tablet has its own page with its marking, certificates, conditions of use and specifications.

How to shortlist

Start with the zone, gas group, temperature class and dust group your site needs, and the certificate scheme your company specifies. That alone narrows the field a long way, especially for Zone 1. Find tablets filters every current product by these, and shows which tablets meet a requirement and why the others don’t.

Next, choose the platform your software and device management need, then compare the tablets left on the work they’ll do. Our Best for pages rank tablets for specific jobs and sites, for example the best Zone 1 tablets, the best tablets for long shifts and the best tablets for photo documentation, and our head-to-head comparisons set two tablets side by side.

Finally, ask each shortlisted maker for the certificate and conditions of use for your exact model and version, a quote for the accessories your crews need, and a written support date. Most hazardous-area tablets are priced on request, so the quotes are where cost comes in.