Two flagship smartphones manufactured by Samsung and Apple, namely the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro Max, were subjected to drop tests to evaluate their device durability.
The testing was conducted by a YouTuber known as PhoneBuff. In the approximately 8-minute video, both the Red variant of the Samsung S23 Ultra and the Black Titanium iPhone 15 Pro Max were dropped from a height of 1.5 meters onto a rough surface.
Both devices were dropped several times in different positions to assess whether their bodies, screens, and cameras still functioned properly or not.
So, what were the results of this drop test?
Testing the Back Panel
The first test aimed to assess the resilience of the device’s back panel. iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung S23 Ultra were dropped onto a rough surface, such as asphalt.
The back panel of the iPhone 15 Pro Max appeared to have more scratches, cracks, and significant damage, particularly at the bottom of the shell. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra seemed to be in better condition.
There were only fractures at the bottom left and upper right corners of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s body. Some faint cracks were barely visible, and new fractures became noticeable only upon closer examination.
It’s worth noting that the Samsung S23 Ultra is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max features Dual-Ion Glass as its protective glass.
Frame Testing
The second test still focused on the durability of the device’s body. This time, the drop test aimed to assess the resilience of the corner frame or body frame of the device.
iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra were dropped at an angle to ensure that the sides of the body would make contact with the surface first.
Different results were observed in this test. The corner frame of the Samsung S23 Ultra cracked, with the fractures slightly affecting the back of the device. However, there were fewer fractures compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
When the iPhone 15 Pro Max was dropped, it resulted in more glass fragments compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The second test showed that the back panel of the iPhone was considerably damaged, removing the color layer from the shell.
Nevertheless, the frame of the iPhone 15 Pro Max remained intact without any cracks, with only minor scratches. This drop test indicated that the titanium frame material exhibited a high level of durability.
Apple claimed that when introducing the iPhone 15 series, the titanium body in the Pro variant was stronger, more resistant to falls, and lighter than the previous iPhone 14 Pro.
Screen Durability Test
The third test was aimed at assessing the durability of the screens of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S23 Ultra. The Galaxy S23 Ultra’s screen was significantly more prone to cracking than the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s screen.
In the third test, the screens of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung S23 Ultra were dropped with the screens facing downward. This meant that the device screens would make contact with the rough surface.
