Samsung Galaxy S21 drop test results — one drop and it's dead

Samsung Galaxy S21 drop examination results — one drop and it's dead

(Image credit: Allstate Protection Plans)

For anyone who recently bought the fantabulous Samsung Galaxy S21 or Galaxy S21 Ultra, make sure you selection upwardly a example. Allstate Protection Plans, the electronics insurer formerly known equally SquareTrade, conducted a serial of drib tests on the Galaxy S21, and the findings are not good.

All three Milky way S21 models suffered cracked screens later one six-foot drop, with the Milky way S21 Ultra sustaining the nearly harm.

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The 6.8-inch telephone, which is the priciest of the iii models, was unusable afterwards one driblet that left it with a cracked screen and loose glass. The Galaxy S21 Plus also suffered loose glass and a malfunctioning screen when dropped face first, while the Galaxy S21 emerged every bit the least damaged model. Information technology had a cracked screen with raised glass, but the 6.2-inch phone was still functional.

The Galaxy S21 fared even better in a second Allstate driblet test, where the phones were dropped with their backs down, besides from a 6-foot-meridian. In this example, the Milky way S21 sustained some scuffs and scratches, but no camera impairment.

Samsung'due south new Milky way S21 lineup introduces a new wait for its rear camera assortment, but the change is most more than aesthetics. The contour-cut design also helps better protect the phone's cameras from damage should you driblet your handset.

The cameras on the Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 Ultra survived in this test, though both phones suffered other damage. The glass panels on the back of the S21 Plus and S21 Ultra both shattered on impact.

In that location's a reason that the Galaxy S21 emerged relatively unscathed from this detail test than its more expensive siblings. Samsung equipped the S21 with a plastic dorsum that'south less probable to shatter the way that glass does. That makes the $799 S21 the most durable of Samsung's new phones while the S21 Ultra seems to be the near decumbent to damage — at least based on Allstate'southward testing.

Allstate concludes that while camera durability has been improved, the durability on the front of the Galaxy S21 phones is unchanged from previous models. At that place's no comparing drawn with the iPhone, just when Allstate tested the iPhone 12 last fall, it called Apple'southward latest devices the nigh durable smartphone it tested.

The news about the damage to the front of the Galaxy S21 models might be a surprise, considering that Samsung'south latest phones characteristic Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus. Samsung's website describes Gorilla Glass Victus as "the toughest glass on a Samsung smartphone," with the promise of scratch and damage protection.

Allstate's tests weren't the only ones that found the Milky way S21 models tin pick upwards damage from drops. Cnet drop-tested the S21 models, as well, starting its tests with 3-human foot drops. Even then, pocket-sized cracks appeared at the corner of the S21. When dropped from the back-side downwards, the plastic of the S21 held up well in Cnet's test, just the drinking glass sandwiching the S21 Ultra immediately shattered. Unsurprisingly, things got worse from higher drops.

Regardless of which Galaxy S21 model you lot get, you'll want to invest in a instance. We've got a look at the best Galaxy S21 cases as well the best Galaxy S21 Ultra cases.

More: Samsung Galaxy S21 vs. Galaxy S20 FE: Which telephone should you lot purchase?

Philip Michaels is a senior editor at Tom's Guide. He has strong opinions nigh Apple tree, the Oakland Athletics and old movies. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.