Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ vs iPhone XS Max: one of these just lost a key test

(Image credit: Apple / Samsung / Jakub Skafiriak on Unsplash)

published 29 August 2019

When it comes to smartphone rivalries, they don't come much more heated than Samsung vs Apple. Both companies have impossibly loyal fans, ship vast quantities of handsets every day and rank among our prestigious best smartphones list on T3.

The latest and greatest handset from these arch-rivals are the Apple iPhone XS Max and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+. To determine which of these has the better build quality and is the least likely to shatter when it's (inevitably) knocked off the bedside table, misses your inside pocket, or slips out of your hand, popular YouTube channel PhoneBuff has pitted the handsets against one another in a brutal drop test.

And the brilliant video test results in a very clear winner.

Watch the video on the PhoneBuff YouTube channel, or in the embedded video player below:

Galaxy Note 10+ vs. iPhone XS Max Drop Test! - YouTube

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When Apple debuted its new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max last year, it said the new flagship smartphone includes "the most durable glass in a smartphone, sealed and precision-fitted with a surgical-grade stainless steel band".

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Note 10+ builds on the same design used in the last flagship smartphone from Samsung – the Galaxy S10 – which uses Corning's Gorilla Glass 6, which the company says is two times tougher than its previous Gorilla Glass.

So, both of these smartphones boast some of the most resilient touchscreens and glass cases available on the market today, but which one is better? Well, based on these tests from Phone Buff, it looks like the Galaxy Note 10+ has it in the bag.

Both support wireless charging, which means glass on the front and back of the device. As such, it's fair to say neither of these handsets stuns with its ability to resist drops onto concrete... however, the Galaxy Note 10+ manages ten consecutive drops without losing any functionality on the multi-touch display. iPhone XS Max might've rallied better during the drop test to the corner of the phone and the back panel, but its screen stops working just three plummets onto a steel platform – transforming the handset into an incredibly pricey glass and stainless steel paperweight.

Does this change which handset you'd want in your pocket? Or has it just convinced you to invest in a protective case regardless of which flagship smartphone you pick?

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As a former Staff Writer for T3, Aaron writes about almost anything shiny and techie. When he’s not barking orders at Alexa-powered microwaves or gawping at 5G speed tests, Aaron covers everything from smartphones, tablets and laptops, to speakers, TVs and smart home gadgets. Prior to joining T3, Aaron worked at the Daily Express and and MailOnline.