Guide
Intrinsically safe tablet cost: what drives the price, and how to compare quotes
The first quote for a hazardous-area tablet often comes as a surprise. It’s usually well above the price of a consumer or rugged tablet of the same size, and few makers publish prices at all, so there’s little to compare it with. Understanding where the money goes makes the quotes easier to read, and it matters more than the sticker price when a fleet will be in service for years.
This guide covers why certified tablets cost what they do, what changes the price from one option to another, and how to compare quotes on the cost over a tablet’s working life. We don’t publish prices, because most makers sell hazardous-area tablets on request and prices depend on volume, configuration and region.
Why hazardous-area tablets cost more
A certified tablet carries costs that a standard tablet doesn’t, and most of them are spread over far fewer units.
Certification for every model
Each model and version has to be tested and certified before it can be sold for hazardous areas. For Zone 1 equipment under ATEX, that means type examination by a notified body and an audited quality system for production. Many makers also certify the same tablet under IECEx, UKEX and North American schemes, and each brings its own testing and paperwork. A change to the tablet, such as a new battery or chip, can mean certifying it again.
Engineering for the zone
Intrinsically safe tablets are designed so their circuits stay below the energy that could ignite an atmosphere, even with faults in the case of Zone 1 designs. That shapes the battery, the charging circuits and the ports. Flameproof (explosion-proof) cases and conversions take a different route, with a precision-machined housing built to contain an internal ignition. Both take specialist design and testing that a consumer tablet never goes through.
Small production runs and long support
Hazardous-area tablets sell in far smaller numbers than consumer tablets, so development and certification costs weigh heavily on each unit. Makers of dedicated tablets also commit to spares, repairs and software support for years, and that commitment is built into the price.
What changes the price between options
Zone 1 or Zone 2
Zone 1 certification takes more engineering and stricter assessment than Zone 2, and the range is smaller. Where a maker sells the same design in both versions, such as the ecom Tab-Ex 05 DZ1 and DZ2 or the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1 and IS940.2, it’s worth quoting both, and our Zone 1 vs Zone 2 guide covers when the Zone 2 version is enough.
Dedicated tablet, rugged Ex version, case or conversion
The four kinds of hazardous-area tablet are priced differently. A dedicated Ex tablet is one certified device. A rugged Ex version is a certified edition of a rugged tablet, available for Zone 2. A certified case is sold with or without the tablet inside, depending on the maker, and a conversion includes the tablet rebuilt into its housing. When comparing a case with a dedicated tablet, check whether the quote includes the tablet, since that can change the comparison a lot.
Configuration
Cellular connectivity, storage, built-in scanner modules, camera-free versions and larger batteries all change the price, as they do on standard tablets. Certified accessories add to it, especially docks and spare batteries, and for some tablets the accessories a crew needs in the zone are a significant part of the order.
The cost over a tablet’s life
The purchase price is only part of what a tablet costs. A fair comparison spreads everything over the years the tablet can stay in service.
Service life. The end of security updates usually sets the practical limit, because device management policies can block devices without current patches. The dates vary widely in our data, from Q1 2027 for the i.safe MOBILE IS930.1 to Q4 2032 for the i.safe MOBILE IS940.1. iPad Pro models have historically been supported for 7–8 years, and Windows tablets follow Microsoft’s lifecycle for the edition installed. A tablet that costs more but stays supported for twice as long can work out cheaper per year.
Accessories and spares. Chargers, docks, holsters, harnesses and spare batteries, plus replacements as they wear out. Batteries have to be the types named in the certificate, so check how long the maker will supply them.
Repairs and inspection. Certified tablets can only be repaired by the maker or a repairer it authorizes, and they need regular inspection under the site’s Ex inspection regime. Service contracts, turnaround times and the cost of spare units to cover repairs all belong in the comparison.
Management and training. A tablet on a platform IT already manages, with apps crews already use, costs less to roll out than one that needs a new device management setup or new software.
What’s left at the end. Where a certified case allows the tablet inside to be replaced, or the case to be reused with a newer tablet, part of the investment carries over. The Armadex Ex UniCase, for example, takes new tablets through replaceable inlays. A dedicated tablet usually reaches the end of its working life when its support ends.
Put together, a simple way to compare options is the cost per year: the purchase price, plus accessories and service over the tablet’s life, minus anything recovered at the end, divided by the years of support. Run it for each shortlisted tablet with your own quotes, and the cheapest quote isn’t always the cheapest tablet.
What a tablet can replace
A tablet that does more of the work in the zone can take other equipment out of the budget. A capable camera can reduce the need for a separate Ex camera for inspection photos, and on the iPad Pro, LiDAR adds measurement and 3D scanning. Digital permits, checklists and drawings reduce printing and rework, and video calls with a remote expert can save site visits. These savings vary from site to site, so count only the ones that apply to your work.
How to compare quotes
Quotes for hazardous-area tablets are easier to compare when they cover the same things. Check that each one is for the exact certified version your site needs, with the zone, gas group, temperature class and schemes on the certificate. Check what’s included, from the tablet inside a case to accessories, warranty and service. Ask for a written support date, lead times for the tablets and spares, and the certificate and conditions of use for the exact model. With those in hand, the cost per year shows which option really costs less.
Impartial advice
Build your shortlist before you ask for quotes
Prices are on request with most makers, so the shortlist decides which quotes you ask for. Find tablets filters every certified tablet, case and conversion in our database by zone, certificate and features, and each tablet page shows its security update date, battery rules and certified accessories.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does an intrinsically safe tablet cost?
Most makers sell intrinsically safe tablets on request, with prices depending on volume, configuration and region. Compare the quotes on cost per year of support, since support life varies widely between tablets.
Why are ATEX tablets more expensive than rugged tablets?
ATEX tablets cost more than rugged tablets because each model must be designed, tested and certified for explosive atmospheres, produced under an audited quality system for Zone 1, and supported with certified spares, all over much smaller production runs.
Is a Zone 1 tablet more expensive than a Zone 2 tablet?
A Zone 1 tablet often costs more than a Zone 2 tablet, because Zone 1 certification needs more engineering and stricter assessment. Where a maker sells both versions of one design, quote both and check whether your site needs Zone 1.
Is an iPad in an explosion-proof case cheaper than a dedicated Ex tablet?
Whether an iPad in an explosion-proof case is cheaper than a dedicated Ex tablet depends on whether the case quote includes the iPad, the accessories needed and the years of support. Compare the two on cost per year, using each maker’s quote.
How long does an intrinsically safe tablet last?
An intrinsically safe tablet usually stays in service until its security updates end or approved batteries and repairs run out. In our data, support dates for current dedicated Android tablets range from Q1 2027 to Q4 2032, and iPad Pro models have historically been supported for 7–8 years.
Written by the Intrinsically Safe Tablets team and updated on . Always check the certificate for your exact model before use. Spotted an error? Tell us or see the disclosure.