Samsung’s new Galaxy S9 was found to be reasonably durable by JerryRigEverything last week although critically, the YouTube channel didn’t perform any drop testing. For that, we turn to consumer electronics warranty provider SquareTrade who on Monday, published the results…
Samsung’s new Galaxy S9 was found to be reasonably durable by JerryRigEverything last week although critically, the YouTube channel didn’t perform any drop testing. For that, we turn to consumer electronics warranty provider SquareTrade who on Monday, published the results of its breakability testing on the new S9.
The good news for Samsung and prospective buyers is that the S9 proved more durable than both the Galaxy S8 and the iPhone X. The bad news? It still breaks on the first drop. Such was the case in controlled drops (face down, back down and on the side) from a height of six feet onto concrete as seen in the video below.
In bend tests, the S9 bent under 230 pounds of pressure while the larger S9+ caved at 210 pounds. In the tumble test, both phones exhibited hairline cracks and corner damage after a 60-second run.
All things considered, the Galaxy S9 earned a breakability score of 71 (medium risk) while the S9+ garnered a score of 76 (medium-high risk).
Jason Siciliano, global creative director at SquareTrade, said that with the S9 and S9+, and last year’s iPhone X, we’re continuing to see a trend of beautiful all-glass designs that come with a high price tag and a high risk of damage from drops and mishaps.
Siciliano adds that their tests and claims data shows that even when in cases, such phones are still experiencing damage. “So, while water resistance has improved across the board, all of that glass means that durability has actually gone backward over the past year.”
