Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max didn’t escape unscathed in a latest drop take a look at versus Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra and will have new house owners of Apple’s flagship telephones purchasing for instances.
A serious caveat right here. YouTuber PhoneBuff’s new iPhone 14 Pro Max CVS Galaxy S22 UYltra Drop Test (opens in new tab) was sponsored by – you guessed it – case maker Casetify. A end result the place neither telephone survives is, clearly, within the case maker’s finest curiosity. Even so, we have seen drop assessments of earlier iPhones that make use of the same sorts of drop equipment, distance to floor, and battery of assessments. The outcomes we noticed weren’t shocking however are additionally a very good reminder that these are steel gadgets wrapped in glass – strengthened glass – however glass nonetheless.
As for the assessments, PhoneBuff put an iPhone 14 Professional Max, Samsung Galaxy S22 Extremely, and another iPhone 14 Professional Max in, naturally, a Casetifiy case, by means of the identical sequence of drop assessments from a distance of 1.5 meters from the bottom.
PhoneBuff first dropped the telephones on their backs, then positioned them in order that they landed on one nook, after which did one other drop the place the telephones landed on their screens.
The outcomes had been, to be charitable, combined.
Within the first drop, the again of the iPhone 14 Professional Max shattered, although all of the glass remained connected to the telephone. Notably, the iPhone 14 Professional Max’s bigger digital camera array additionally suffered some harm, although the cameras nonetheless functioned correctly.
Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Extremely additionally cracked, although it did not look as unhealthy because the iPhone.
Each telephones dealt with the nook drop fairly effectively, although the Galaxy S22 Extremely’s aluminum physique appeared a bit of extra beat up than the iPhone 14 Professional Max’s metal band.
A drop on the face or display screen of the gadgets cracked a nook of the iPhone 14 Professional Max, whereas the Galaxy S22 Extremely’s display screen appeared extra considerably broken.
A remaining drop from the identical distance, however onto metal despatched items of the iPhone 14 Professional Max’s again glass flying, although it remained purposeful. The S22 Extremely’s show ended up with some useless pixels in a single nook.
The outcomes do not shock us.
Whereas TechRadar isn’t within the behavior of purposely dropping telephones to check them, I’ve by chance dropped an unprotected iPhone 14 Professional Max from a distance of 24 inches onto the ground with out breaking it. And I memorably let a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra drop (whereas in a case) from a distance of 4 toes onto a tiled ground.
In that occasion, the Galaxy S22 Extremely display screen did crack (it was such a clear break that I did not discover it instantly). The telephone nonetheless features completely to this present day.
What is going on on right here?
Whereas we’re no consultants in drop science, we do know that there are variations in iPhone 14 Professional Max and Galaxy S22 development that would assist clarify a few of PhoneBuff’s and even our personal outcomes.
Within the case of that shattered again on the iPhone 14 Professional Max, it is price noting that Apple doesn’t use the identical materials on the back and front of the system. The again is product of dual-ion glass. It could be thought-about much like the Gorilla Glass Victus used on the again of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Extremely. Neither glass held up all that effectively in a five-and-a-half-foot drop onto concrete.
On the entrance of Apple’s iPhone 14 Professional Max (and the remainder of the iPhone 14 line) is Apple’s Ceramic Sheild. That is materials infused with ceramic crystals. In PhoneBuff’s assessments, the iPhone 14 Professional Max’s display screen held up higher in face-down assessments. This could be as a result of Ceramic Protect. Granted, the glass nonetheless cracked, however solely in a single part. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Extremely Gorilla Glass Victus-covered show suffered extra important harm within the drop.
Look, that is one take a look at of the iPhone 14 Professional Max (and Samsung Galaxy S22 Extremely) carried out by an organization paid by a case producer. Alternatively, for those who simply paid $1,099 / £1,199 / AU$1,899 or extra for an iPhone 14 Professional Max, it could not damage to additionally purchase a case.
We might begin by taking a look at this checklist of best iPhone 14 Pro cases.