SquareTrade has performed its routine ‘breakability’ tests on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Series. And guess what? It really isn’t good news for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. Using several drop tests to gauge resilience, SquareTrade pegs how durable these phones are against last year’s range.
When dropped from six feet to land face-down, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra was rendered completely unusable; the second test, using a back-down landing, shattered the rear glass panel after one drop. The only saving grace was the ‘Contour Cut’ camera housing, which remained intact with the cameras fully operational.
In last year's results, SquareTrade showed that of the Samsung Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S20 was most susceptible to damage from being dropped and bent. Last year, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra fared better, but still shattered on both the drop tests.
It levies doubt against the strength of the new Samsung Galaxy S21 series' Gorilla Glass Victus, which is supposedly the strongest yet. The newly released Samsung Galaxy S21 Series is battling with the likes of the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max for the phone throne.
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The two other Samsung models fared better: incurring a cracked screen and raised glass, the Samsung Galaxy S21 was still able to function, while the Samsung Galaxy S21+ malfunctioned, and the screen loosened. This is due, in part, to the Samsung Galaxy S21 – the smallest model – featuring a polycarbonate back to boost its resilience.
T3 recently covered some spicy custom video effects integrated with the Samsung Galaxy S21 Series; however, it seems you’ll certainly not be enjoying those for long should you drop your handset. If this leaves a bitter taste over the Samsung smartphones, head over to T3’s best Samsung phones, where we've picked through the best devices you can currently buy to save you time and money.
Compared to last year’s models, then, SquareTrade saw no improvement in durability. It may cause some concern for the 23 million Brits, who SquareTrade found to have damaged their handset at some point. Of course, there’s an abundance of handsets you can choose from besides the Samsung Galaxy S21: this best phones guide is T3’s rundown of the finest on the market, steering your choice in line with your needs.
All said and done, it's not advisable to drop your phone anywhere. A solid case is a prerequisite for the longevity of your device; interestingly, though, it does seem that the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has taken a hit this year, lessening its overall sturdiness.
