Galaxy S21 crash test: broke in the first crash

I had high hopes for the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Phones phones entering our drop test, although Galaxy phones are not the most durable in our previous tests. The S21, S21 Plus and S21 UltraThe curved screens are not as pronounced as the previous models and all screens are covered by the strongest Gorilla Glass. But let’s just say that my hopes were optimistic, and if you’re thinking of going without a case with your new Galaxy S21, you may want to keep reading.

Although the three Galaxy S21 phones may look similar, the back is made of different materials. The S21 Plus and Ultra have glass on both sides, while the rear of the normal S21 is made of plastic. As this difference can affect the phone’s durability, we decided to test the $ 1,200 Galaxy Ultra (£ 1,149, AU $ 1,849) and the $ 800 Galaxy S21 (£ 769, AU $ 1,249) simultaneously.

Many factors influence the durability of the screen, including the shape and thickness of the glass that the manufacturer decides to use. We know from our previous Note 20 Ultra drop test that even the strongest Gorilla Glass (Victus) it is no match for the pavement, with the canvas cracking in the second drop from the hip. But that doesn’t mean the S21’s screen will have the same fate: they both have different designs and the thick metal casing that protects the camera looks tougher than the all-glass module on previous Galaxy phones.

For our drop test, CNET’s senior video producer Chris Parker threw a new Phantom Violet Samsung Galaxy S21 and Phantom Black S21 Ultra on a concrete driveway.

Drop 1: pocket height (3 feet), screen side down

Dropping the pocket or hip height is one of the most common causes of broken screens, especially if the phone falls on a rough surface, such as a sidewalk. We started all of our tests at this point.

Galaxy S21: broken screen

The top left corner of the phone opposite the camera hit the ground first, then the bottom corner reached and then the entire right side of the phone. This caused him to go up a bit and fall with the screen facing down on the floor.

The bottom left corner of the glass shattered with some larger cracks coming out of the point of impact, including a large dome-shaped one passing through the middle of the screen.

Galaxy S21 Ultra: a small crack

The initial impact of the fall appeared to be distributed relatively evenly when the phone hit the floor, with the top edge of the screen hitting the pavement just before the rest. He then jumped back in the air, spun and landed with the screen facing up.

The top edge of the S21 Ultra’s metal frame had what looked like silver sand particles where the paint was scraped, but the screen looked OK. That is, until we notice a small crack in the upper left corner of the phone. It was small enough that it probably wouldn’t bother you if you kept using the phone, but it was still damaged and it wasn’t the ideal setting after just one drop.

Fall 2: pocket height (3 feet), back down

To test the durability of the rear, Chris dropped phones of the same height with the screen facing up. Obviously, we didn’t expect the plastic of the S21 to break, but we wanted to see what kind of damage it would cause and how the camera would handle the fall.

Galaxy S21: small scratches

The top half of the phone hit the ground first, then the bottom edge, making it jump in the air and take a few turns before landing back on the sidewalk with the back facing up.

Except for a few scratches on the bottom, there was almost no damage to the plastic back cover, as we expected.

The camera was also in good condition, with no visible damage to the module or any of its three lenses, which are carved into the metal case. Unlike previous Galaxy models, where all the camera’s relief is covered by glass, the S21 module is mainly metal and only the lenses are glass.

Galaxy S21 Ultra: destroyed back

The phone hit the floor almost flat, bounced a little and fell on its side, falling with the back facing up.

The glass of the S21 Ultra did not survive. He had several fractures arising from the lower left corner and running across the back of the phone and some loose pieces of glass coming out of the corner where he hit.

The camera module, on the other hand, survived relatively unscathed, except for a few small dents in the metal case.

Drop 3: 6 feet with the back side down (S21), screen side down (S21 Ultra)

Both phones were cracked at this point, but we decided to drop them one last time on the side that had suffered the least damage.

Galaxy S21: scratches on the camera module

The weight of the camera module must be part of the landing, as it was he who once again stopped the fall. With the camera hitting first, the phone jumped to the opposite side and spun around in the air before landing on the floor with the screen facing up.

As expected, the back of the phone was still in good condition, but with a few more pronounced scratches on the bottom. The top left corner of the camera’s metal module, which cushioned the fall, also had noticeable scratches. But the lenses remained intact.

Galaxy S21 Ultra: screen completely destroyed

The phone fell almost completely flat, bounced a little, and then hit the face.

The small crack in the top corner multiplied into an entire web of cracks covering almost the entire front of the phone. Some were deep enough to penetrate the screen and darken part of the OLED panel. The screen still responded to the touch, but there were small pieces of glass sticking out of it, so you wouldn’t want to keep using it, even with a screen protector on the top. The cracks in the back also continued to grow, although they were not as bad as the ones in the front.

A second opinion

Allstate Protection Plans conducted a similar drop test on all three models of the Galaxy S21 with similar results. The screens shattered after the first fall (in this case, 6 feet). The back of the S21 Plus and S21 Ultra also broke after the second fall from the same height (back down).

The collapse

Although our tests are not scientific and their results may be completely different if you drop your phone, our Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21 Ultra broke in the first drop, which was disappointing. The S21 has an advantage over the Ultra, as the back is unlikely to break, even if you drop it several times. But you will still need to put a case in it to protect the screen and I would consider investing in a screen protector as an additional layer of protection, as the S21’s screen repair starts at $ 200. The upside is that the camera on both phones, which are more expensive to repair, appear to be more resistant than on previous modules, thanks to the new metal coating.

We contacted Samsung to comment on our results, but received no response at the time of publication.