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What is MIL-STD-810H? Explaining the testing standard used for the Apple Watch Ultra
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If you’re after a rugged piece of tech, you may have come across the military standard ‘MIL-STD-810H’. But what is it and what does it mean for your devices?
Read on for everything you need to know about MIL-STD-810H, including what it is, what tests it requires and what devices meet the military-level durability standard.
What is MIL-STD-810H?
MIL-STD-810 is a US military standard that ensures equipment can withstand the specific conditions and environmental stresses it may face throughout its lifetime. This is done by replicating the effects those environments will have on the product.
Though MIL-STD-810 was originally developed in the 1950s for testing military equipment, the standard has since expanded to cover consumer tech in order to demonstrate the durability of devices like rugged phones and smartwatches.
MIL-STD-810H is the most recently revised version of the standard, replacing MIL-STD-810G. MIL-STD-810H was published in 2019.
What are the MIL-STD-810H tests?
The tests required to determine if a product meets MIL-STD-810H standards include how the device holds up in high and low temperatures: rain, wind, humidity, fungus, rust, sand and dust, explosive atmospheres, shock, gunfire vibration and more – basically any environmental factor or condition it could potentially face when used by the US military.
However, it’s important to note that this doesn’t mean the product is indestructible.
It’s also worth noting that in order to use the MIL-STD-810H label on consumer devices, companies don’t technically need to be verified by any one agency. That means you’re better off reading into what specific tests a brand has undertaken when testing that device than taking these durability claims at face value.
What devices are MIL-STD-810H certified?
These days, a good number of smartphones, smartwatches and laptops claim to fit MIL-STD-810H standards.
These include theGalaxy Watch 5 Prosmartwatch, theGalaxy XCover 6 Prosmartphone and theHP ZBook Create G7laptop, to name a few products we’ve reviewed.
The most recent addition to the list of MIL-STD-810H-certified products is theApple Watch Ultra. This is the company’s first rugged smartwatch designed for adventurers and divers, meaning durability is a must.
According to Apple, the Ultra has been tested against subsections for altitude, high temperature, low temperature, temperature shock, immersion, freeze/thaw, shock, and vibration to receive this label.
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Hannah joined Trusted Reviews as a staff writer in 2019 after graduating with a degree in English from Royal Holloway, University of London. She’s also worked and studied in the US, holding positions …
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Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
